Colleges
June 4, 2022•384 words
This is probably what my college list is going to be:
Reaches:
UChicago - ED1
MIT
Caltech
Harvard
Rice
Princeton
Williams
Harvey Mudd
Pomona
Target:
Safeties:
UT Austin (auto accept)
UMN
OU
U Rochestor?
Ohio state?
Purdue?
I'll add my personal reasons why each college below:
Harvard - their high value placed on truth, passion, and knowledge for the sake of knowledge culture appeals to me
Princeton - IAS + very good faculty, reading period, precept system, freshman seminars
Caltech - theoretical focus, very good math school, more specialized knowledge
MIT - blend of application and theory, helps me get out of my comfort zone of theory, probably best in terms of growing my skills
UC Hicago - I find their CORE, unique path, intellectualism, and free-speech values very appealing. They also have a very good math program.
UMN - REU, research in the areas I want
My Criteria for Math Programs:
- Enough math classes (basically only universities)
- Faculty researching multiple topics, but number theory and algebraic geometry is a must
- REU
- DRP opportunity
- Percentage in math PhDs (https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/top-feeders-phd-programs)
- Math awards to faculty or alumni (fields medals)
- Number/percentage of math majors Nice things to have
- Math competitions and success in them
- Math clubs
- Study abroad specifically in math
- Freedom in taking math classes
no's
Bates, St. Lawrence, Denison - unclear list of the research interests (so maybe not NT or algebraic geometry)
UC Santa Barbara - Their CCS math program is very cool. The vibes I get from it are very administratively chill, even smaller honor college at a public state university. They seem to focus a lot on just learning math, which I think really fits my goals well. I think most CCS math kids do grad classes in their junior year, which is pretty cool. But, I removed them because out of state costs + separate UC app + UT Austin's comparable math department and flexibility
uni nebraska lincoln - too little nt
usc - too little nt, also don't like the culture (too much school spirit and sell out culture (iirc))
ok state - no research?, website is also a mess
asu - not enough nt
utah state - not enough nt and ag
uni utah - not enough nt