Grad School

Good day, /sci/. Judging by the people who frequent here, I think this is as good a place as any to ask.

How difficult is it to get into grad school? I want to study mathematics, preferably at Purdue. To that end, I'm double majoring (math and stats) and have decent grades (3.8). I'm also involved in extra-curricular activities.

What, if anything, am I missing? I'm currently a 3rd year student, so I have time to implement recommendations if you have any.

Come up with an original idea and publish it somewhere.

Try to get into some graduate classes at the university you're at now.

Win the putnam.

Also, do some research during the summer if you can

Shouldn't be that difficult, esp at a school like Purdue.  They're not crappy, but they're also not top of the top.  No reputable grad skewl cares about extra curriculars.

Be sure to do well on the math GRE.

OP here: thanks for your responses. Clearly my goal will be to do very well on the GRE and math GRE, so I'm already planning on studying that during this summer.

As for research/original ideas, is there anything reasonable that can be done as an undergrad? After this semester I'll have completed basically a statistics degree (one elective short) along with a real analysis sequence, intro to number theory, and abstract algebra. I'm certainly planning on more math (grad analysis, more electives), but with the tools I have, what is open?

I don't think I get american terms for shit.

Grad school is post-graduate education right? So like getting an MA or PhD or some shit?

As far as I'm aware, being 3 years into an undergraduate maths degree, you basically need to spend the first 2 years of any graduate degree learning more maths before you can even understand the questions that you'd be trying to solve for a thesis, never mind original research.

Unless you are on good terms with a professors who wants some boring shit done for him, technical lemmas and the like, I doubt you'll be doing much research.

>>6

I concur. While my (undergrad) sciences friends can spend their summers assisting experiments, reviewing papers or even undergoing a little research, there's not a huge amount a mathematician can do.
I've decided an summer placement with a software company is a good choice; I'll make a bit of money and get an idea of what the industry is really like even though I'm still aiming for PhD.

OP,  What courses did you take in hs, and how long have you liked math?

OP here.

>>6
Yes, Grad school is for getting a MA or a Ph.D. Post-graduate school, if I understand correctly, is continuing education after a Ph.D. in the American terminology. I also realize that the amount of math I currently know is minuscule and I'll spend the next few years learning more which is why I was curious as to what 2 and 3 had in mind for research.

>>7
An internship or something similar sounds good, but I don't have any really marketable skills. Also, I've never had a job.

>>8
I've liked math since I was first exposed to it. In high school I was only able to take up through AP Calculus AB (for non-Americans a little more than Calculus I) due to what the schools offered. I was planning on being in engineer for a while and did my first year at university to that effect, but I realized I enjoy theoretical math and proofs more than memorizing a bunch of formulas to plug things in to.

>>1
take as many math classes as you can.

the problem with double major's is that people just get the minimum they need to complete each degree.

assuming you're applying to a pure math ph.d program, try to cover the following subjects:
Real Analysis (2 classes preferably)
Algebra (2 classes preferably)
Number Theory
Complex Analysis
Differential Equations (at least ODE's)
Differential Geometry
Topology
Linear Algebra (not just the one that all the comp sci people take)

Extra:
Graph Theory
Classical Geometry
Combinatorics
Discrete Math
Probability
Dynamical Systems
Numerical Analysis
Various Applied Math

If you're hardcore:
Graduate Algebra sequences
Graduate Analysis sequence

If you'd rather not sleep:
Graduate Manifolds sequence

you've got great grades, and as long as you have good recommendations and test scores you'll get into some great schools. as for things you can do right now... apply to an REU for the summer, the deadline should be coming up soon. REU's are programs sponsored by NSF to get undergrads together to do some small research project, good experience and they pay you.

also why purdue? some faculty member you want to work with specifically?

>>8  im planning on taking an engineering major, but i will be exposed to a lot more and make up my mind

>>9  im planning on taking an engineering major, but i will be exposed to a lot more and make up my mind

Unless you're really, REALLY good, (like, one of the best at your school if you go to a lower-tier uni), don't bother with a pure math career.  You'll end up stuck in a shithole college doing office work and teaching calculus to dumbasses, using your few free hours doing useless, unimportant research.

However if you want to do applied stuff like economics, go for it.  You'll be fucking rich in no time, and you don't really need any exceptional math talent.

Which engineering makes the money?

>>9
I don't exactly have any "marketable" skills, other than an aptitude for mathematics and a fascination with complex problems. Luckily they picked up on that during the interview. I don't have any previous job exp either, that's not always an obstruction. Having said that, I don't know what it's like in the US. Always worth a try!

Third year math undergrad here and I wish I knew what I wanted to do like you guys ;_;

All I do is turn up for classes, so my CV is totally bare. Will I be fucked if I don't do anything over the summer this year? (internships, etc)

>>10
OP here. Thanks for the advice. I'm definitely going to try and knock out a few more of the main math courses, hopefully picking up a 2nd algebra course and a topology course.

I'll check out the REU tomorrow after I get some of my homework done. It sounds like a great program though.

My reason for choosing Purdue isn't the best: in addition to it being a better math school than where I currently am and having a top 10 (US News) stats program, they have kendo (a sport I rather enjoy and would like to continue), and a girl that I have my eye on. All of those factors are important to me.

>>16
You'll be fucked trying to get an internship, I know I am.

Competition for places is so fucking bad due to the economy being in the shitter, companies are more reluctant to take on interns, and they all hate you personally.

>>14
Electrical

>>14
Civil

This thread is relevant to my interests.

I've heard the key is great letters of recommendation. Any ideas on getting closer with profs?

>>22
Suck their cocks

Has anyone done a summer research project?
Do they expect you to come up with a project idea on your own or what?
Is it group work or solo?

Give me infos please /sci/.

>>24
Also, I'm from the UK if it matters.

>>24

For fuck's sake! How are we supposed to know? It depends on your school. Ask your teacher or counselor.

>>25
Oh, it matters. A lot.

>>22
 You are correct. I'm more applied as I am entering grad school in economics. My math grades were NOTHING to write home about, but I did really excellent in an analysis class, which happened to be taught by a Field Medalist. I got in good with him (office hours bs-ing) and he wrote me a fantastic letter. I am at a top ten econ program SIMPLY because he vouched for me.

>>24
i do a summer internship with nasa and they give us the projects to do

So what master's degree should a math grad do? Something to do with engineering? Business? Economics?

>>31
Well, what do you want to do? Learn, make money, etc.? Are you attracted to one area in particular?

>>31
If I were you, I would get an Masters in math and go to grad school for something applied, like finance. A PhD in math is not worth it, because you're probably not going to get any placements you want and you're going to work for the finance industry anyways, if you can get a job, that is.

What lame grad schools could a complete failure get into for a math degree?  Seriously, my gpa will be like 2.8 at graduation, I spent way too much time dicking around in undergrad.  Say my last two semesters are strong & I can get two very strong reccommendations & a couple more if need be.  Should I just give up hope?

This is relevant to my interests.

bump

>>24
Yeah, I've did one a couple years ago and hopefully another over this summer.  It really depends a lot on the research program that you're looking at.  My current University offers a program on a competitive basis for people who pick their topics prior to going through the program and the few people who have the most interesting topics get it.  Others, however, are a lot different and often times will be in a group setting working with multiple other people.  And in that setting you *probably* will just be given a topic that you will be working on or be simply aiding in a broad topic that everyone else in the research group is working on.

tl;dr:  depends on the program, but most likely the topic will be picked for you.

>>14

In terms of highest average salary for bachelor's engineers in the US, it's Chemical. I'd recommend Materials, Environmental, Biomedical, and Chemical over Electrical/Computer/Mechanical/Civil Engineeering for a prospective student.

Chem E here, successfully finished my grad apps and I think I'll be going to Carnegie Mellon. Did an NSF REU a summer ago. (>>24 Topic was chosen beforehand. Was overseen by a grad student from who I received training, but did much of the work alone) Research experience is the most important factor along with a high GPA (above 3.8 for a top 20 school is assumed). GRE means jack shit as a 750+ math score is assumed (700+ in Verbal, 5+ in Writing).

>>34

Unless you both have a lot of research experience under your belt and are genuinely interested in it, I'd advise you not apply. Getting into grad school without a GPA of ~3.3 is kind of tough, especially in this economy; besides, grad school for pure math sucks unless you have talent for research. Combine your math background with economics or science, maybe do bioinformatics or something of the sort.

>>22

1. Read what they do on their faculty page profile
2. Read up a little on it.
3. Walk into their office.
4. Say you're interested in doing shit for the sake of doing shit.
5. Do shit.
6. Get a recommendation.

This is honestly all you need to do. 90% of profs, especially Assistant Profs, are just dying for help.

>>37
>>38
useful info thanks

fuck it i'm just going to waste another summer, no way i'm going to think up a math project on my own.

>>39

THERE IS NO NEED TO "THINK UP A MATH PROJECT ON [YOUR] OWN."

GO TO A PROFESSOR AND ASK FOR STUFF TO DO.

CAPS LOCK BECAUSE I'M RAGING.