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Can I get into grad school in math?

tamaraster — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:31:11 -0800

Can I get into a funded Math Master's or PhD program? I'm graduating from a 4-year college with my B.S. this Spring, and I'm in my mid-30's. I have good GPA at this school (about a 3.6, up to about a 3.8 in math courses specifically) and good GRE scores (720 V / 780 Q), but I have dropped a lot of courses (I've worked full time over the years while getting my degree), and back in the mid-90's I flunked out of the first university I went to. Are there graduate math programs that would accept me and give me a TAship or RAship with stipend and free tuition? I have one publication (a not very good one in Computer Science from a regional conference) and will have decently good recommendations, but I haven't done anything brilliant.

I'd like to get a PhD but I'm certainly open to getting a Master's first. Is there an obvious way I should proceed here?

Can anyone recommend a good graduate school for Nutrition Major?

pixxie — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:32:43 -0800

Hi, I only have 1 1/2 years till I'm completely done my undergraduate nutrition degree in Canada. I've already established that I want to pursue a masters, however, the only school I have been checking online is Columbia's Department of Nutrition because it is the only school I can think of which offers a decent program. Is it true? If not, does anyone have any good suggestions (NA, Europe, Asia)? Right now, I'm mostly interested in the subject of metabolic disorders. Before telling me your answer, I think it is important to know the pros & cons about me.

Pros:

1] I've been taking a lot of 500-level courses relating to physiology and experimental medicine (e.g. advanced applied cardiovascular physiology and endocrinology)

2] I have been volunteering for a non-governmental organization for quite a long time now

3] GPA is +3.6

Cons:

1] Haven't written my GRE yet (this summer, but I don't know where to begin!)

2] This is my 2nd degree, I did a degree in chemistry before but my GPA was very low (3.12), got some F's that I'm not very proud of :(

3] No research experience because I feel that my degree doesn't really offer any good biological lab techniques compares to someone in physiology or biochemistry let's say. This is definitely my downside. I hope to email some professors this summer who work in the hospital, but why would they hire me instead of a physio major?

4] Haven't taken Genetics

Give me a qualitative analysis of the GRE.

zoomorphic — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:31:14 -0800

At the very last minute, I'm applying to grad school to get my PhD in English. Hooray! Except that I'm abysmal at math. How much will that hurt my chance at top PhD programs in English? Because I've got two weeks to A) teach myself basic algebra for the GRE, and B) stop psyching myself out to the point of panic attacks. I always figured I'd go back to grad school eventually to study English and teach, and this decision feels really right. Too bad I reached it three days ago. My first pick among English programs has an admission deadline of 12/1.

Here I was, worrying about whether I should write a statement of purpose about postcolonial feminism or new-history theory, and ha ha, I can't multiply decimals. I've always struggled at math, but since I haven't touched it since high school, I am exponentially dumber than when I took the SAT.

Let's assume I will do well at verbal and writing on the GRE. Let's assume I produce a sterling 20-page admission essay and a humbly ambitious statement of purpose. Let's assume I earn disappointing marks on quantitative. How much will (really) low quantitative scores mar my overall English PhD candidacy?

My time is very limited. Because I anticipate that quantitative is going to put a huge chink in my armor, I'm tempted to spend most of my time perfecting a good essay, drafting an impressive statement of purpose, and beefing up my verbal abilities, which is where I shine on tests. This strategy also has a whiff of avoidance to it: throwing my hands up in the air because I can't juggle quadratic equations.

Secondly, how I stop freaking myself out about this? I crack open these GRE math study books and I am near-tears with terror that I'm blowing my chances at an academic future.

Thirdly, what books helped you out? I've got til November 17th to reacquaint myself with math concepts.

Lastly, if anyone has good or bad anecdotes or words of advice, please, lob them at me. I'm slightly adrift in my priorities and insecurities, and I need some perspective. I'm applying mainly to schools in Chicago, but I'm currently in NYC, if that helps.

Yet another grad school advice question

fictionalcara — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:26:42 -0800

How does an aspiring graduate student in English traverse the confusion of the graduate school application process? I am four years removed from my undergraduate career (University of Washington, English, 3.39 overall GPA, closer to 3.6 major GPA) with a bit of a complicated history. I was an all-college honors student, one of the only humanities recipients of an undergraduate research grant from the Mary Gates Foundation and 3.85 overall GPA holder until near the end of my junior year when, according to the un-funniest Hollywood script, things fell apart. I dropped out of the extra honors workload both at the all-college level and within the English Department and barely managed to squeak through my senior year with poor grades to make it to commencement, knowing I had to complete one class within my major the summer after commencement in order to finish the requirements for my degree. As you may guess, I never finished the last class and instead silently drifted away from the University with horrible guilt and disappointment.

Fast-forward 3 years later, after having worked one-too-many restaurant jobs and flitting about with little true responsibility, I woke up and began to rediscover my first true love for academics. I was finally ready to confront my old undergraduate demons and just finish once and for all. Despite having moved to CA, I discovered that I need only take any transferable English course at my local community college in order to satisfy the last remining requirement for my degree. Last semester I did just that, and now I finally have my piece of paper! In addition, my preparation for the graduate school application process has included:

- Refreshing my 7 years of Spanish
- Beginning French (if I am able to start grad school in the Fall of '09 I will have completed two full years of college French)
- Studying for the GRE
- Studying for the GRE Subject Test in Literature (Norton Anthologies, reading some of the Big Names)
- Taking two undergraduate level English courses at UCLA starting in a few weeks, in hopes of showing promising and current university-level work, plus two letters of recommendation

When I originally went to college I wanted to teach. The longer I was in school (before the break-down), the more I realized that I wanted to mold college-aged minds. Truthfully I would like to teach literature at a small, liberal arts university, but since the process of that coming to be is potentially very far off, at this point I am happy with the idea of getting my masters and then considering the possibility of teaching at a community college first.

Ideally I would like to go somewhere that will allow for teaching experience and offer as much funding as possible. From what I can tell, the Cal State system which is local and convenient to me does not fit that mold. However what are the chances that I would be competitive (depending on test scores and recommendations, I realize) as an applicant to higher programs, either masters or doctorate level? The maze of offerings is positively dizzying. Some offer only terminal masters, with or without funding, some offer only doctoral level programs straight from a BA with or without funding, some are big names and others are not, but I need to find ones that are appropriate for me. I am afraid to be so clueless as to apply to schools that are either way out of my league, or overlook the smaller name hidden gem that would have been perfect for me, had I only known about it.

My question is, how do I know where I need to go considering my experience and aspirations? Given my academic record and current status, where should I be concentrating my attentions? Short of manually looking at the website of every degree-granting institution, how do I find the right fit?

If it helps, my interest lies in 19th and 20th century American Literature and Culture, Gender Studies, Transnational Studies and Cinema Studies (my undergraduate research combined women silent film stars, transnational dialogues within literature, popular culture and advertisements with 19th and early 20th century feminist literature).

Personal experiences are also very welcome: fictionalcara@gmail.com

Funneling words into my noodle at a rapid rate

dead_ — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 08:35:49 -0800

What are the best (free) online exercises to prepare for the GRE? I'm looking specifically for flash or web based exercises that are designed to build vocabulary for the verbal section of the GRE test. I'm not looking for word lists--there are plenty of those widely available--but rather I want something that I can do in my spare time, like a game type of thing. Something that will help build my vocab and not bore me to tears.

Online flashcard type of stuff, or whatever. Any ideas?? I haven't found much, as Googling for it brings up mostly commercial dross.

GRE retesting

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:45:43 -0800

So I just bombed my GRE: 700 verbal, 660 math. I don't know the exact percentile of each, but I know its low, especially the math. How do grad schools handle re-tests? Do they just look at the highest one, like most undergrad admissions offices do? Do they average the two, like I think I heard somewhere they did? Something else? Is it worth taking them again, or should I just kiss grad school goodbye and get on with life?