Math Graduate School Resources

Considering pursuing graduate studies in mathematics or statistics? Here are some resources to help you prepare and apply for math grad school.

Summer Opportunities

Many students who go on to graduate studies in mathematics will get some mathematical research experience while in college. Below are three ways you can go about this.

REU programs

The most standard way to get research experience is through an REU program (Research Experience for Undergraduates.) There are many such programs offered around the country each summer; these typically include housing, a stipend, and some organized non-math activities. These programs can be quite competitive, although some are specifically looking for students not from the top R1 math schools. Applications for these programs are typically due in January or February.

Professor Steve Butler from Iowa State University maintains a fairly comprehensive list of REU programs in the US. I encourage you to take a look and discuss any programs that interest you with your advisor.

URSI

Vassar’s URSI (Undergraduate Research Summer Institute) offers summer research opportunities exclusively to Vassar College students. In recent years, several professors in the math department have mentored URSI projects, and this is likely to continue. URSI is a great opportunity with less competition than external REU projects.

Work Directly with Faculty

No luck getting into an REU? Miss the deadlines but still want to do something math related over the summer? Another option is to ask specific faculty directly about summer opportunities. Some may have research projects they can mentor you on, offer to guide you on an independent study project, or have connections to help you find something to do. These opportunities may not have the funding or structure of a more formalized program, but can still be rewarding and productive. There is no guarantee a faculty member will have time to work on a project with you, but it can’t hurt to ask.

Letters of Recommendation

Most graduate applications require at least 3 and at most 5 letters of recommendation. You should try to ask professors who know you well both academically and personally. Generally speaking, letters from more senior professors are better than letters from professors early in their careers, but the main priority should be to find people who will write you the strongest letters. It can be awkward to ask for letters, but rest assured that all of your professors have had to ask for many such letters in order to get to their current position. In my experience, most faculty will agree to write if you ask them for a letter. The most common reason they might say no is if you ask too close to the deadline, so you should plan to ask for letters as early as you can. If possible, try to ask for the letter in person. If you want a letter from a professor you haven’t talked to in a while, a common nicety is to request a meeting to catch up, and then after sharing updates you can ask for a letter. Be sure to tell your professor what specifically the letter of recommendation is for and most importantly when the deadline is.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)

Each year the National Science Foundation (NSF) awards at least 2500 graduate research fellowships to students pursuing graduate studies in a STEM field. As of 2023, this award includes a stipend for your first 3 years of grad school totally $37,000 per year. At most schools, this will be a pay raise over the standard stipend and you get it without needing to teach. This can help you focus on your studies and get off to a good start. To be eligible for the NSF GRFP you must be either a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident. There seems to be a significant luck factor involved in terms of who receives this funding, so it is worth taking a shot at it if you are eligible.

The deadline for mathematics is typically in the third week of October. Other requirements include

  • Between 3 and 5 letters of recommendation.
  • Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals Statement (3 pages)
  • Graduate Research Plan Statement (2 pages)

Most professors will be happy to write you a letter of recommendation; we have all had to ask for many such letters to get to our current positions. The most common reason a professor may decline such a request is if you do not give them enough time. Ask your letter writers as early as you can and let them know your earliest deadline when you do.

For both of the written statements there are very strict formatting requirements. Check and double check your statements against this list of requirements, as your application will be automatically rejected if these criteria are not followed–the wrong font size will send your application directly into the trash. You are also required to have special sections in both statements with the headers Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact. This is a general requirement when applying for funding from the NSF. You should take these sections seriously; it may be hard to figure out the broader impacts of your personal statement, but you need to think of something.

You can start applying for the NSF GRFP in your final year of college. You can keep applying each year after that until you get into graduate school: you can then apply one more time as a first year graduate student. That means most people get two chances at the NSF. I recommend taking both chances, even if not much has changed about your application from the first to second year.

For more information, see the official website for the NSF GRFP.

Postbaccalaureate and Bridge Programs

If you find yourself coming to the end of college, wanting to go on to graduate school, but not prepared for it, then you have some options. There are several postbaccalaureate programs (or postbacs) and bridge programs offered around the country to address this need. These programs aim to help students fill in the gaps in their math background and prepare them to go on to pursue an advanced degree. Typically the programs last one or two years. From students I know who have done these programs in the past, it seems they can also use their connections to help to place you into graduate programs. Some postbac programs specifically target certain underrepresented demographics (e.g. the Smith College postbac for women and gender minorities.)

The American Math Society (AMS) maintains a list of postbac/bridge programs.

Finding a Graduate Program

There are many graduate programs in mathematics and statistics offered around the world. To find and compare programs in the US and Canada, I recommend using the Find Graduate Programs tool created by the American Math Society. They currently have information on 740 programs.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

In the past the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) was a standard requirement for applying to graduate school. However, in recent years more schools have decided to make the GRE optional. That said, for some schools the test is officially optional but is still unofficially expected. If you can adequately prepare for the exam, it is probably a good idea to go ahead and take it. The GRE has two parts: the General Test and the Subject Test. The General Test is similar in format to the SAT, tests quantitative, verbal skills, and writing skills. More information on the content of the General Test may be found here. The Subject Test for mathematics covers material from all the standard courses in a mathematics major. The distribution of questions for the math Subject Test may be found here.

The General Test can be scheduled flexibly with many possible locations. On the other hand, the Subject Test is only offered within 3 short windows each year. If you are planning to take the GRE, you should look into registering for the exam in the summer before the start of your final year of college.

Registering for the General Test costs $220 while the Subject Test costs $150. The GRE offers a Fee Reduction Program to those who qualify.

Career Development Grants

All Vassar students are eligible for up to $500 from a Career Development Grant. These grants can help with many of the costs associated with applying for graduate school, including GRE registration fees and application fees.