===== Applying to Graduate School =====

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So you want to go to graduate school in math or applied math?  Some of us have experience in just that, so we can help!  

To get into graduate school, it helps to have **lots of A's**, a transcript full of **challenging coursework**, good **math subject GRE** scores, **undergraduate research experience,** and most of all, good **letters of recommendation** from professors that know you well.

[[http://awm.math.ucdavis.edu/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=presentation.pdf|{{ :thinking_bout_gradschool.png?nolink&300 |}}]]

Here are informative slides from our workshop on applying to graduate school, including timetables for the application process.

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=== GRE Info ===

There are TWO (2) standardized tests that you need to take for most graduate programs in math or applied math (without loss of generality) - the GRE General Test and the Math Subject GRE Test.
The GRE General Test is automated, and you can take this year-round, once a month up to 5 times in a calendar
year.  It is similar to the SAT in style, and has three sections:  Analytic (writing), Verbal, and Quantitative.

The Math Subject GRE is a whole other subject.  It is **only offered THREE (3) times a year**, **twice** in the fall (usually October and November) and **once** in the spring (usually April). It is a written test that you take in person, and covers more areas of math than you have probably taken as an undergraduate math major (especially if you take the test as a junior in spring or even as a senior in the fall).  Roughly speaking, the test is
  * 50% Calculus (21A-D, 22B). {{ :butterfly_proof.jpg?nolink&300|}}
  * 25% Algebra: Abstract algebra (150A-C) and number theory (115AB), linear algebra (22A or 67, 167), and a little high school algebra.
  * 25% Additional Topics: 
    *Real analysis (25, 125AB)
    *Discrete mathematics (148), logic, set theory, combinatorics (145, 146), graph theory, and algorithms
    *Other topics: general topology (147), geometry (141, 116), complex variables (185A), probability and statistics (135A), and numerical analysis (128ABC)

A free math subject GRE practice book can be found [[ https://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/practice_book_math.pdf | here]] (on the GRE website). 

**AWM has also donated 6 math subject GRE prep books to the undergrad study lounge (MSB 3118)**, so feel free to study out of those with your peers! 

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=== Undergraduate Research ===
UC Davis has opportunities for undergraduate research in math, specifically [[https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/undergrad/research/ | quarterly ]] and [[ https://www.math.ucdavis.edu/undergrad/research/summer-research/ | Summer ]] research programs with professors in the math department. Outside of Davis, there are many other
[[https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=5044 | Summer REU Programs]].