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Graduate School Statement of Purpose

statement of purpose for math phd

What is a Statement of Purpose?

The statement of purpose for graduate school should be between 1-2 pages long. Graduate committee members read your statement as part of your overall package. When a graduate committee member reads your statement they also have a copy of your transcript, perhaps your resume, and GRE scores. The statement should be viewed as a way to present some of your experiences that do not appear on your transcripts or to expand on some item on your resume. If you have poor grades in some courses, you could use the statement to explain why this occurred. If there was a gap in your education, this should also be explained. If you have a research and/or teaching experience then you should use the statement of purpose to give some detail about your research experience. This gives you the opportunity to discuss mathematics so that the reader gets the sense that

  • you have some deeper understanding of a topic and
  • you can communicate mathematical ideas.

Your statement of purpose should not rehash items that can be obtained from your transcripts or your resume. The statement of purpose should convince the reader that you are knowledgeable about undergraduate mathematics and that you have given some thought to your career path towards the doctorate. The statement should also give confidence that you will succeed in a graduate program.

Students will apply to more than one graduate school. Typically students apply to about seven programs. Students should consider writing their statement of purpose and leaving room in the statement to personalize it for each of the institutions where it is to be sent. Students should look up the webpage for the department, look at the research areas and the faculty, and comment on some aspect of that webpage.

In preparation for writing this statement of purpose, students should meet with their advisors and have the advisor look over the statement of purpose before it is sent out. Below are some helpful links when writing your statement of purpose:

  • The Princeton Review - Tips for Writing a Statement of Purpose
  • Peterson’s – Top Graduate School Essay Writing Mistakes You Must Avoid
  • Purdue Online Writing Lab – Writing the Personal Statement
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education Article - “Leave Dr Seuss Out of It”

To apply for admissions and financial aid, or for additional information on admissions requirements for the Ph.D. program in pure mathematics, please go to the appropriate Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website listed below. All other inquiries may be directed to the Graduate Program Administrator of the Mathematics Department.

  • Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS)
  • Mathematics Graduate Studies
  • Financial Support

Graduate Program Administrator

The Department values diversity among its members, is committed to building a diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

Preparing the Application The statement of purpose for graduate applications is carefully weighted by the admissions committee. The applicant’s statement should convince the committee that they are able to communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of mathematics. It is not intended to be a biographical sketch or a reflection on one’s decision to enter the field.

Three letters of recommendation are required. Letter writers should be faculty or others qualified to evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate study in mathematics. The letters must be submitted online and by the application deadline.

Applicants should include any research papers, publications, and other original works they would like to have evaluated by the admissions committee.

The department requests that applicants submit GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores if practical. Applicants should check on the ETS website for test dates in their area to ensure the scores will be submitted before the application deadline. An official score report should be sent to Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using code 3451.

While the admissions committee reviews all applications submitted before the deadline, missing math subject test scores provide one less data point available to evaluate the application. Depending on the strength of the application, the missing subject test scores may put the application at a disadvantage.

Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who do not hold an undergraduate degree from an institution at which English is the primary language of instruction must submit scores from the Internet Based Test (IBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test.

Harvard Griffin GSAS requires applicants to upload an electronic copy of undergraduate transcripts. Hard copies of official transcripts are not required at the time of application.

Ph.D. Program in Pure Mathematics The department does not grant a terminal Master’s degree, but the Master’s can be obtained “on the way” to the Ph.D. by fulfilling certain course and language exam requirements.

In general, there is no transfer status application to the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or to the Department of Mathematics. No formal credit is given for an MSc or MA earned elsewhere. All applicants are considered to be applying as first-year graduate students. The only difference Master’s study may make is to better prepare students for the Qualifying Exam.

All graduate students are admitted to begin their studies in the fall term. The department plans on an entering class of about twelve students. Since the admissions committee receives a few hundred applications, the competition is keen.

Funding Graduate Study Applicants are urged to apply for all funding available to them. If no outside funding is available to the applicant, financial aid in the form of scholarships, research assistantships, and teaching fellowships is available. In general, students who do not have outside support will get scholarship support in their first year, but students are required to act as a teaching fellow for one-half course (i.e. for a one-term course) in their second through fifth years.

The department strongly recommends applicants to seek out and apply for all sources of financing available to them for graduate study. Recommended sources for funding US graduate students are NSF Graduate Fellowships and NDSEG Fellowships . Applicants from the UK are urged to also apply for the Kennedy fellowships and applicants from UK, New Zealand, Canada and Australia for Knox fellowships . International students may apply for the Fullbright IIE or any home country fellowships available for study abroad.

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) offers programs for both the Master’s degree and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics. Please visit the SEAS website for more information on degrees in applied mathematics at www.seas.harvard.edu

students walking across wheeler hall

Writing the Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with four different parts.

Make sure to check on the appropriate departmental website to find out if your statement should include additional or specific information.

Part 1: Introduce yourself, your interests and motivations

Tell them what you’re interested in, and perhaps, what sparked your desire for graduate study. This should be short and to the point; don’t spend a great deal of time on autobiography.

Part 2: Summarize your undergraduate and previous graduate career

a) Research you conducted. Indicate with whom, the title of the project, what your responsibilities were, and the outcome. Write technically, or in the style of your discipline. Faculty are the people who read these statements.

b) Important paper or thesis project you completed, as well as anything scholarly beyond your curricular requirements.

c) Work experience, especially if you had any kind of responsibility for testing, designing, researching or interning in an area similar to what you wish to study in graduate school.

Part 3: Discuss the relevance of your recent and current activities

If you graduated and worked prior to returning to graduate school, indicate what you’ve been doing: company or non-profit, your work/design team, responsibilities, what you learned. You can also indicate here how this helped you focus your graduate studies.

Part 4: Elaborate on your academic interests

Here you indicate what you would like to study in graduate school in enough detail to convince the faculty that you understand the scope of research in their discipline, and are engaged with current research themes.

a) Indicate the area of your interests. Ideally, pose a question, define a problem, or indicate a theme that you would like to address, and questions that arise from contemporary research. This should be an ample paragraph!

b) Look on the web for information about departments you’re interested in, including professors and their research. Are there professors whose research interests parallel yours? If so, indicate this. Check the specific program; many may require you to name a professor or professors with whom you might work.

c) End your statement in a positive manner, indicating your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead of you.

Essential Tips

1. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.

2. Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in an active, not a passive voice.

3. Demonstrate everything by example; don’t say directly that you’re a persistent person, show it.

4. If there is something important that happened to you that affected your grades, such as poverty, illness, or excessive work, state it. Write it affirmatively, showing your perseverance despite obstacles. You can elaborate more in your personal statement.

5. Make sure everything is linked with continuity and focus.

6. Unless the specific program says otherwise, be concise; an ideal essay should say everything it needs to with brevity. Approximately 500 to 1000 well-selected words (1-2 single space pages in 12 point font) is better than more words with less clarity and poor organization.

More Personalized Help

Don't know what to write in your personal statement? Ask a mentor for advice! Your mentor can share how they wrote a personal statement and tips and tricks to get admissions committees to like you. Mentors can also help you edit a draft of a personal statement.

Personal Statement

Unlike undergrad applications, the Statement of Purpose (SOP from here on) is meant to be more "professional" than "personal". The purpose of SOP is literally to state your purpose for joining a program: what kinds of math are you interested in? Do you have experiences (research, reading UROPs, classes) in the areas of math you are hoping to pursue? Why are you applying to this specific program, e.g. are there (tenured) professors doing active research in the things you are interested in? In other words, your goal is to convince the professors reading your SOP that the program is a good match for you in terms of your research interests, and to sneak in relevant experiences you have to prove that you can survive (and succeed in) the program.

While there is no "best" template for SOP, there are things that you definitely should avoid. For instance, it is not a good idea to try too hard to impress, especially by writing about mathematical ideas that you don't understand fully. The professors are agile at catching those. It is also generally not a good idea to state that you are only interested in working with one particular professor in the program, unless this is what you really intend to convey. That one professor might not be taking students and your interest might change, so it would make you seem a "riskier" candidate .

Mathematics

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This program is designed for students looking to conduct original mathematical research with the aim of becoming a research mathematician . Students will be located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the most active centers of mathematics in the world. Other universities in the area include Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, MIT, and Northeastern University.

Students will have access to a wide range of resources including the Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications, which brings together researchers from an extensive variety of disciplines and institutions and hosts conferences, seminars, and workshops.

Most graduates of the program have been very successful at securing postdoctoral fellowships in academia. A number of recent graduates have won prestigious fellowships including the Clay Fellowship, the Simons Fellowship, and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Others now have jobs in industry. 

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Mathematics and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Mathematics .

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that the applicant is able to communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of mathematics. It is not intended to be a biographical sketch or a reflection on one’s decision to enter the field.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted GRE Subject: Required

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Mathematics

See list of Mathematics faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

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How to Write a Statement of Purpose for PhD Admission

Grad-student-writing-a-statement-of-purpose

The dreaded doctoral statement of purpose — every PhD program asks for it, but why is it so difficult to write? Writing a strong statement of purpose is essential to getting into your top PhD programs. A PhD statement of purpose gives admissions committees an introduction to your research interests and why their specific program is of interest to you.

Like a cover letter for a job application, a great statement of purpose allows you to highlight your strengths, interests and experience. If you need statement of purpose advice, keep reading for guidance on how to write a successful statement of purpose that will make your PhD application stand out.

Statement of purpose vs. personal statement

Though the two may sound similar, they’re not necessarily interchangeable. A personal statement gives insight into who you are, while a statement of purpose is meant to showcase what you want to do. Rarely will you be asked to write a personal statement for a PhD program.

As you go through the PhD application process, you will likely see schools requesting either a statement of purpose or a research statement. In most cases, they're both looking for the same thing. Admissions committees want to know about your academic background, your research goals and what you hope to accomplish as a candidate in a PhD program.

Your research goals should align with faculty research

Being admitted to a PhD program is a great feeling, but if you enroll in a program that doesn’t match your research interests or help support your career goals, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment later down the road.

Applying for admission to a program is all about fit. Faculty reviewers are looking for students who best represent the department’s mission and will help them obtain their research objectives.

By the time you apply, you should have a solid understanding of what the department’s primary research and content areas are, as well as which faculty members you’d like to work with more closely. This might mean finding information about what their labs do and reading published articles related to their work.

Be sure to include how your interests and past experiences align with the work that they do and how you would be an active contributor to those endeavors. This approach shows that you took the time to look into their program, so the committee will be more willing to invest theirs in reviewing your application.

Don’t be afraid to address your weaknesses

Many people assume they should avoid listing their shortcomings in their essays. The whole point of applying to a program is to impress the reviewers, right? But constructively addressing your weaknesses can be a great way to demonstrate how this program can help you achieve your academic goals.

Look at the catalog and read through the courses that are part of the program. If there is a particular class that fascinates you, talk about how it could help you obtain a new skill or a better understanding of a concept that you’ve struggled with before.

This demonstrates that you are actively seeking programs to help you better your education. It also exhibits that you’re mindful of what areas of your knowledge need some improvement, which shows maturity and the ability to self-assess.

Keep it succinct

If your program of interest does not specify a page word or word limit, it’s best to assume that your statement should not exceed two pages total. It should be enough to give them a glimpse of who you are and what you have to offer but not share your life story.

The aim is to communicate how and why this particular program will help you meet your academic and career goals. Limited space means you must prioritize what you include in your statement.

Create an outline before you start writing to ensure you are including points that are relevant to your application and the program to which you are applying. Your statement is also an example of how well you can write. By framing your essay before you write it, you can avoid stream-of-consciousness writing that can often come across as undefined and incoherent.

Proofread! And read it over and over

When you think you have a finished product, read your essay out loud. This makes it easier to catch typos, poor grammar, and oddly worded sentences. If you have a friend who is also applying to grad school, help each other out by editing each other’s essays.

Having someone else read your statement and ask questions can help you clarify your points and make it more compelling. Your statement is your one chance to present yourself professionally in your own words. The occasional mistake is excusable, but messy writing will make them think you lack attention to detail.

Before you hit submit on that application, be sure that you have attached the correct document for the right institution. It can be very embarrassing if your statement mentions the wrong faculty member’s name or refers to another school’s library! It could also cause the reviewers to think you are not as serious about their program.

You’ve spent a good amount of time perfecting your application, so take your time to review everything before you submit it so you can rest easy knowing you’ve presented your best.

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PhD Statements of Purpose

Some of these samples have been accepted by top programs. They have been graciously shared by past applicants for educational purposes. We hope they inspire you to write your own.

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Statement of Purpose for PhD in Computer Science (MIT Accepted)

We analyse three SOP samples, two accepted at MIT and one at the University of Washington.

Statement of Purpose for PhD in Biomedical Engineering (MIT Accepted)

In this article, we analyse a Biomedical Engineering SOP that was accepted at MIT, Stanford, and Georgia Tech

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Statement of Purpose Sample for Nursing (Undergraduate) (Highly rated)

Description: We describe in detail how to write a statement of purpose for nursing. In the SOP, the applicant underscores the areas of nursing she’d focus on and how she was suited for the school.

Statement of Purpose Sample for Ph. D Nursing (Compelling)

Description: In this Statement of Purpose Sample for Nursing Ph. D, the applicant identifies the field of interest and specialization that he’s interested in early, details professional and research work, then points out the skills he would like to gain from this program and how the university will help in this endeavor.

Statement of Purpose for MBA (Ivy school)

Description: We start by providing a step by step guide that should help with generating ideas for your MBA SOP and then crafting one while adhering to certain tips. We then provide 3 ivy school samples.

Statement of Purpose Sample for Computer Science  (Highly rated)

Description: In this Statement of Purpose Sample for Computer Science, the applicant describes how a local mobile money sending application in rural parts of Africa inspired his love for computing.  The applicant explains a clear career path after graduating. You can get a similar SOP by ORDERING HERE

Statement of purpose sample for computer science 2 (Recommended)

Description: In this SOP, we provide the blueprint of writing a SOP for computer science. We follow it with two highly rated samples.

Statement of Purpose Sample for Cognitive Science (Good)

Description: In this SOP, the applicant describes how personal struggles with Dyslexia, and the inspiring story of  Akeelah in the Akeelah and the Bee film, motivated a desire to understand how the human brain works and how it can be trained to optimize the good while negating the bad.

MBA Statement of Purpose Example  (Excellent)

Description: In this Statement of Purpose Sample for MBA, the applicant evokes the loss of family business and a business degree that didn’t equip him with practical skills as the motivation for applying for an MBA. The applicant brings out the steps that he has taken to remedy this lack of practical experience and the skills that he looked forward to getting from the MBA program.

Statement of Purpose Sample for MBA with Engineering Background (Compelling)

Description: The applicant underscores professional experience managing people, financial, and operational processes. He emphasizes possession of transferable research experience, the result of which is a successful Statement of Purpose for MBA that got him acceptance to a top business school. You can get the same HERE

Statement of Purpose Sample for Masters in Public Health Science (Good)

Description:  In this SOP, the applicant underscores her teaching and research experience and show how they would be transferred to a role of a public health educator. If you’re applying for university admission in a field other than you did your bachelor’s, we can help with standardizing your SOP. Speak to us today HERE

Statement of Purpose Sample for  Psychology Graduate School (Great)

Description: In this SOP, the applicant explains how growing up in a crime-ridden neighborhood with a police father informed her early views on crime prevention and the place of psychology. She places this early observations in their proper context by profiling the background of teenage offenders thereby underling the place of early trauma on future behavior.

Statement of Purpose Sample for Mathematics (Highly rated)

Description: This sample explains the applicant’s love for numbers and top achievement as well as suitability for the university.

Statement of Purpose Sample for Business Management (Highly rated)

Description: The SOP demonstrates how professional experience not deemed relevant to business management may be captured as an example of work ethics

Statement of Purpose Sample for Nursing

Statement of Purpose sample for nursing

Statement of Purpose Sample for Nursing PhD

Statement of purpose sample for nursing Phd

Statement of Purpose sample for MBA

Statement of Purpose sample for MBA

Statement of purpose sample for computer science 2

A statement of purpose sample for computer science 2 that earned acceptance to multiple universities

Statement of Purpose Sample in Cognitive Science

Statement of Purpose sample in cognitive science

Statement of Purpose sample for mathematics

Statement of Purpose sample for mathematics

Statement of Purpose sample for MBA with Engineering Background

Statement of Purpose sample for MBA with Engineering Background

Statement of Purpose sample for Masters in Pyschology

Statement of Purpose sample for Masters in Psychology

Statement of Purpose Sample for Computer Science

Statement of Purpose sample in computer science

Statement of Purpose sample for Business Management

Statement of Purpose sample for business management

Statement of Purpose sample for Masters in Public Health

Statement of Purpose Sample for Masters in Public Health

Statement of Purpose for MBA Sample (Ivy school)

This is an MBA Statement of purpose for an ivy school.

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The application window for Fall 2024 is closed.

The Mathematics Department offers two programs to obtain a Ph.D. Applicants can pursue a Ph.D. in  Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics or Mathematics.  Please use the "Programs" link at the left to explore our offerings.

  • Three Letters of Recommendation  (May submit up to 5 letters, but only 3 are required.)
  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Academic Statement of Purpose (concise - no limit)
  • Personal Statement (500 word limit)
  • TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and IELTS Indicator online test are accepted.
  • Exemption rules:   https://rackham.umich.edu/admissions/applying/tests/
  • List of  International English Exclusive Institutions  approved by Rackham

GRE General Test scores are no longer included in the admission process in accordance with a  policy of the Rackham Graduate School .

GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores are strictly optional. However, if an applicant chooses so, they may submit them as a combined pdf file with their transcript or personal statement.

Application Timeline

The Mathematics Department's graduate programs only accept applications for Fall semesters. 

General Requirements for Admission

A student must have completed a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university by the time of entry in order to be considered for admission.

Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics (AIM) Ph.D. Admissions Requirements

Successful AIM Ph.D. applicants will demonstrate an interest in an interdisciplinary area of applied mathematics in addition to substantial mathematical ability. Two types of students are generally considered for admission to the AIM Ph.D. program:

  • Mathematics majors with excellent grades in mathematics courses and excellent letters of recommendation. The admissions committee will also take into account other scholarly activities such as summer research experience, published papers, or courses in other fields.
  • Non-mathematics majors from the physical, life, or engineering sciences, or from other appropriate areas of study. Such students are expected to have completed at least two upper division mathematics courses, and/or have substantial exposure to mathematics in other courses, and may submit a GRE mathematics subject test score. Other experience in working with mathematics (for instance, summer research positions) will also be taken into account, as well as grade point average and letters of recommendation.

Mathematics Ph.D.  Admission Requirements The undergraduate major need not be mathematics, but a student should have mastered material roughly equivalent to the undergraduate mathematics major at The University of Michigan including:

  • three semesters of calculus
  • one or two semesters of differential equations
  • one semester courses in modern algebra, linear algebra, geometry or topology
  • advanced calculus of one and several variables

In addition, a student should have completed at least three additional mathematics courses and at least two courses in related fields such as statistics, computer science, or the physical sciences. Students with strong records in less comprehensive programs will be considered for admission but if admitted should expect to spend the first one or two semesters in graduate school completing their undergraduate preparation in mathematics. Based on historical data, we expect that successful applicants to the Ph.D. program will have an overall GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

Application Requirement Details

GRE, TOEFL, and IELTS Tests

  • GRE General test scores are not required. 
  • GRE Mathematics Subject Test scores may be submitted as a combined pdf file with your transcript or personal statement. (Optional)
  • TOEFL or IELTS exam is required for students whose native language is not English
  • TOEFL and IELTS exams should not be older than two years as of the Admission Deadline.
  • Minimum TOEFL and IELTS scores must meet Rackham's requirements here .
  • TOEFL or IELTS Exemptions are only given per Rackham's rules here .
  • ETS school code for the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School is 1839

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation play an especially crucial role in the admission process. At least three letters are required, and up to five may be submitted. Applicants should choose as recommenders people who know their strengths and weaknesses relevant to graduate study in mathematics. The most useful letters are those which list in some detail the accomplishments of the student and make direct comparisons with other students who have succeeded at major U.S. graduate schools. International students already in the U.S. should submit letters from their U.S. institution, whenever possible.  Please register your recommenders for the electronic Letters of Recommendation when using the Online Application.  Letters received after the application deadline will be accepted, but should be received within 1 week of that deadline.

Those students who will have completed a Master's degree in Mathematics by the time they begin studies at the University of Michigan must apply to the Ph.D. program. Others may apply to either program. 

Academic Statement of Purpose

Focus your academic statement on your mathematical interests, research experience, published papers, math camps, teaching & tutoring experience etc. Be sure to mention any specific faculty with whom you wish to work.

Personal Statement:

Focus your personal statement on what makes you unique, any struggles you have experienced and overcome, and why you feel U-M Math is the right place for you.  Be sure to include any hardships you have experiencedand how you overcame them. These could be financial, familial, or personal.

Transcript Submission:

The Mathematics Admissions Committee will review uploaded transcripts with university logos during the application process.  While these are considered "unofficial" transcripts because they have been opened from their original sealed envelopes, they are acceptable.  If an applicant receives an offer of admission, an official transcript in a sealed envelope will need to be mailed from the institution directly to the Rackham Graduate School.

Please submit your most current transcript with your online application by the due date.  If you would like the Admissions Committee to see your Fall term scores, you may email them to [email protected] after the due date, and they will be included with your application.

Additonal Application Materials: If you have additional materials you would like to submit with your application, you may email them to [email protected].  Be sure to include your name and umid number in the email and attach files in pdf format.

Note:  All credentials submitted for admission consideration become the property of the University of Michigan and will not be returned in original or copy form.

Additional Information:  Please visit the admissions page of the Rackham Graduate School for additional information regarding admission including: minimum graduate school requirements, residency, and application fees.    Unfortunately, application fee waivers are not available for international students.

Financial Support for Ph.D. Students

Ph.D. Programs

Most students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Mathematics are granted full financial support including an annual stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance for a period of five years, subject to satisfactory progress. The Department offers aid in the form of Graduate Student Instructorships, Research Assistantships, and Fellowships.

All entering Ph.D. students will be considered for Graduate Student Instructorships, which normally require four classroom hours of teaching per week plus additional office hours during the Fall and Winter terms. The stipend for such an appointment in 2021-2022 is $11,598 per term. In addition, Graduate Student Instructors receive a full tuition waiver. Teaching duties may involve teaching a section of a first-year calculus or pre-calculus course or serving as an instructor for recitation sections attached to a faculty lecture in multivariable calculus or elementary differential equations. The Department of Mathematics has many fellowship opportunities, including the Copeland, Glover, Rainich, and Shields Fellowships which may provide a stipend, tuition waiver and in some cases a reduced teaching load. Other fellowships administered by the Rackham Graduate School can be found at their  Fellowships office .  The University of Michigan is part of the CIC consortium, which also awards fellowships to outstanding underrepresented applicants. Also available are prestigious Rackham Science Award’s given out by the Rackham Graduate School.

After Admission

All new Graduate Student Instructors are required to attend an orientation and training program which is held the week before classes begin. New Graduate Student Instructors whose Undergraduate Degree is not from an English speaking University must pass an English Evaluation which tests the specific oral skills needed for classroom teaching and are required to attend a three-week cultural orientation program starting in July.

Research Assistantships are awarded mainly to senior Ph.D. students to relieve them of teaching duties during the final part of their dissertation research. Students at this point may also compete for Rackham Dissertation Fellowships, which provide full support for one year, or Research Partnerships. A small number of positions as paper-graders for the larger advanced courses is available each term.

Some additional funds are often available for support during the summer. More advanced students who are actively involved in research may be supported from NSF grants awarded to faculty members. For other students there is a limited number of Departmental fellowships and a few teaching positions are available. No advanced graduate courses are offered in either the Spring or Summer half-terms and students are encouraged to spend some of their summers attending workshops, doing research, working in government, or seeking internships in industry.

statement of purpose for math phd

Marjorie Lee Browne (MLB) Scholars Program - an MS bridge to PhD program for diverse students

The Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan is pleased to offer the Marjorie Lee Browne (MLB) Scholars Program. The program is named for Dr. Marjorie Lee Browne, who in 1949 became the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Michigan. The MLB Scholars Program is an enhanced option for the M.S. degree in either Mathematics or Applied and Interdisciplinary Mathematics that is designed to give students professional knowledge of pure or applied mathematics in order to prepare them for continuing toward a Ph.D.  Please see this Marjorie Lee Brown Scholars webpage for eligibility and details.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact the Department of Mathematics at [email protected].

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statement of purpose for math phd

Applying to grad school? Here’s what you need to know: Part II

In my last post, I shared my experience with diving into grad school applications, as well as my advice for getting started with the application process. By now, you’ve hopefully decided whether (and why!) you’ll be applying to grad school, and if you are, you’ll have taken the GRE and settled on a few programs that pique your interest. (If not, not to worry – read my previous post on applying to grad school here .) In this post, I’ll share my thoughts on navigating two of the more complex aspects of grad school applications: crafting a statement of purpose (also known as: the longest two pages you’ll ever write) and advocating for yourself throughout the application process (and beyond).

A great statement of purpose will make your application. And while a not-so-great statement of purpose might not break your application, it would be a lost opportunity: the statement of purpose is your chance to convince the admissions committee that you are a good fit for the graduate program they oversee.

The trouble? Writing a convincing statement of purpose is tricky, and it comes naturally to almost no one. When I first tried to write mine, I spent a great deal of time staring at a blank page – writing a few words, only to delete them immediately.

The opening “when I was ten years old…” felt cliché. Plus, my interest in math was less a revelation than it was a snowball effect, made more difficult to ignore with each new, tantalizing piece of information I absorbed (the Fourier transform can decompose sound waves into their constituent parts?!). So pretending that my fifth-grade teacher or a childhood science fair was the singular impetus for my impending commitment to a lifelong career in mathematics seemed dishonest. On the other hand, starting the statement with some variation on “I am excited to apply for the PhD program in math at University X” felt too generic.

In the end, I decided to begin my statement of purpose with, well, a statement of purpose. Without preamble, I laid out my professional goals (they were specific, and somewhat unique) and explained how they had come to be. This opening allowed me to segue into my reasons for applying to each program, and from there, into my research background – two integral components to any statement of purpose.

I say this not to argue that this is the best or only way to structure a statement of purpose – it’s not – but to emphasize the following point: a great essay is always genuine, thoughtful, and specific. Providing unique details about your motivations (think: a story about a memorable encounter with mathematics, rather than a generic “I enjoy problem-solving”) will make for an honest, compelling essay. For more specific advice on crafting a statement of purpose, read this .

If time allows, share your essay with the professors who are writing your recommendation letters – it will allow them to write letters that reflect your strengths as relevant to the programs you’re applying to. And don’t forget to have friends and/or professors edit your essay.

If the prospect of crafting a statement of purpose is overwhelming, remember: at the end of the day, your goal in a grad school application is to communicate that you are prepared, both academically and personally, to do research in the program you’re applying to. That’s it. If you successfully communicate why you’re prepared for a research career in your statement of purpose, you’re well on your way to making a convincing argument for why you should be admitted. And once you are, remember:

You are your own best advocate. You may feel lucky to get into grad school when it happens – and you should! – but remember, too, that whichever graduate program you choose is lucky to have you. Advocate for yourself accordingly, and stick to your boundaries when it comes to work environment, hours, pay, health care, teaching load, and the like. While grad school requires a certain amount of sacrifice and compromise, on the whole, it should support, rather than hinder, your personal life – just like any other job.

Here’s a scenario I hear all the time: “My partner and I applied for all (or many) of the same grad schools, but we were accepted to different ones (on different sides of the country).” Sometimes, I’ll ask whether they communicated this fact to the relevant universities, and more often than not, I get a look of confusion in reply. If you’re accepted to a particular program and your partner isn’t, you can write a polite note to the department informing them of the situation – delicately, of course. Yes, you can – and should!

Graduate school is a significant, long-term commitment that people undertake as fully-fledged adults, often with partners, dependents, and major life considerations (starting a family, caring for parents) in tow. In this respect, it is a far cry from undergrad, and should be approached accordingly. When making the decision about which programs to attend, remember that finding a supportive program and advisor, and communicating your personal and professional goals to them as appropriate, is key. Because ultimately, grad school should be a means to pursuing a fulfilling life and career.

For advice on how to survive – and thrive! – in grad school once you’re in, read my previous post here .

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About Susannah Shoemaker

1 response to applying to grad school here’s what you need to know: part ii.

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Very nice. When I was in Iran, I used to edit SOP’s for people applying to foreign universities. By far, the main mistake I found in many of them was their “lack of specificity.” Change the candidate’s name and it will just as well be an SOP for anyone else applying to that school! Some more tips on writing an SOP: – Your qualifications are already in your your CV. So, do not include numbers and dates and other details.

– Tell a story rather than having scattered facts. Try to weave all you want to say into a unified piece that has flow. If your paragraphs can be reordered freely, then it is a sign your essay lacks cohesion.

– Decide on an impression you want to make and adjust your language and choice of details accordingly. For instance, you may want to present yourself as an organized and hardworking person than, say, a smart/genius one. Deciding on the personality image you want to convey will really give your essay a soul!

– Include specific details not just about yourself, but also about the department. Let them know that you know them, and that they are not “just another school on your list.”

Good luck 🙂

Comments are closed.

Opinions expressed on these pages were the views of the writers and did not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the American Mathematical Society.

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statement of purpose for math phd

Graduate School in Mathematics

One advantage of going to graduate school in Mathematics is that most mathematics departments support most of their students through fellowships (i.e. free money) or assistantships (i.e. teaching of grading papers). This support often covers the full costs of tuition as well as living expenses. Sometimes, however, a school will accept more students than it has resources to support. In this case, support decisions may be based on the strength of the student's academic record in relation to the chosen program of study.

Very strong students should consider applying for outside support. Of particular note is the   National Science Foundation Fellowship   program. The preliminary application has an early November deadline. The Department of Defense also has three separate fellowship programs, each with its own application. Their deadline is mid-January. There are also several programs for minorities.

I want to help you get admitted to graduate school in Mathematics.

statement of purpose for math phd

The importance of the recommendations cannot be over emphasized. They are weighed very heavily in admission decisions. They should be from mathematics professors. Many students feel that their professors do not know them well enough to write a recommendation. This is often a mistake. The professor knows them through their work. The good students stand out.

There is a broad spectrum of graduate schools in the U.S with widely varying admission standards. The best advice is ``give it a try''. Some schools will accept marginal students for the Master's program on a `probationary' basis, insisting that they `prove themselves'. In such cases, they may not supply much in the way of support.

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statement of purpose for math phd

Statements of Excellence for Admission to Graduate School in Mathematics

 

The Humanitarian Side of Mathematics

They named an asteroid after Jaime Escalante. They made a movie about him, and wrote a book in his name. This Bolivian math teacher´s story is a fascinating and deeply humanitarian one.

Escalante taught mathematics and physics for 12 years before he moved to the USA in the 70s. He worked odd jobs and earned another college degree at California State University until he was able to learn English and start teaching calculus to underprivileged students no one else wanted to teach.

Escalante began by convincing the students that they could control their futures with the right education—that they could get jobs in engineering, electronics and computer science if they learned math. He said, “I'll teach you math and that's your language. With that you're going to make it. You're going to college and sit in the first row, not the back, because you're going to know more than anybody."

To begin with, he received considerable criticism from the school administration where he worked. He was threatened with dismissal because he was coming into work too early, leaving too late and neglected to get administrative permission to raise funds to pay for his students´ Advanced Placement tests.

When a new principal arrived, who supported Escalante´s work by denying extracurricular activities to students who failed to maintain a C average and new students who failed basic skills tests, his work really started to have a big impact.

In 1978, he taught his first calculus class to five students, and two passed their AP calculus test. The following year, the class got bigger, and seven out of the nine students that participated passed their AP calculus test. By 1981, 14 out of 15 passed. Escalante pushed his students hard, and they really moved mountains to get the grade.

In 1982, Escalante received a lot of attention when 18 of his students passed the AP test in calculus. But 14 were asked to take the exam again, when the Educational Testing Service were suspicious because all the students made the same error and used certain variable names in their exam. Many of the students did better the second time around, and had their scores reinstated. By the early 90s, the number of people taking the advanced placement exams jumped up to 570.    

Jaime would proudly claim “The Aymara knew math before the Greeks and Egyptians”. He was a proud of his heritage. Escalante sadly passed away in 2010, aged 79, of bladder cancer.

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Thank you very much for the prompt attention given to my essays. You really did a great job.

E.A. (Application for Ph.D. in Mathematics April 2011)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy program in the College of Education prepares students for careers in research or scholarly inquiry and teaching at the college level. The program consists of: (1) continuous research, (2) courses in education and related fields designed to develop a comprehensive academic basis for future work in research and teaching, and (3) teaching and other related experiences tailored to individual needs and career goals. Each student works closely with an advisor and a faculty Supervisory Committee to select courses, topics of research and inquiry, and teaching experiences. These three areas will combine to: (1) convey deep scholarly knowledge of education and a specialty outside of education (2) promote a broad understanding of various methods of inquiry in education and develop competency in several of those methods, (3) impart broad knowledge of theory and practice in two supportive cognates, and (4) promote excellence as a college teacher. Our Ph.D. alumni have positions at national research universities, at region and local universities, in community colleges, K-12 school settings, laboratories, foundations, agencies, and private businesses.

Culturally Sustaining Education

Educational policy, organization and leadership, language, literacy and culture, leadership in higher education, learning sciences & human development, measurement and statistics, school psychology (ph.d.), science or math education specialization, social and cultural foundations, special education doctoral, teacher education and teacher learning for justice.

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  1. PDF Statement of Purpose

    Statement of Purpose Buckingham U. Badger Ph.D. Applicant, Autumn 2021 Arriving at the Badger University, I had seen a decent amount of applied math; my courses in high school covered three semesters of calculus and one each of differential equations and linear algebra.

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    Good question. I worked on graduate admissions at my math PhD program (at UGA, in the US) for several years, and after a few years off I am the new Graduate Coordinator, so I will shortly be wading through a sea of applications and personal statements. Here is how I see things at the moment.

  3. PDF MATH 498 Writing a Statement of Purpose

    A Statement of Purpose consisting of about 200 to 300 words (as an uploaded PDF) detailing your reasons for wishing to enter graduate school in mathematics, your plans for the future, and any other information about your educational and professional objectives that may be relevant to your application. UC Berkeley Statistics

  4. A highly Rated Statement of Purpose for Mathematics

    Posted on October 18, 2022 Mathematics is one of the most sought after courses. Writing a compelling Statement of Purpose is therefore key in ensuring that you are admitted for the few competitive slots available. The following is an example of a highly rated statement of purpose for Mathematics.

  5. Graduate School Statement of Purpose

    Graduate School Statement of Purpose: Math Alliance: The National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in the Mathematical Sciences Graduate School Statement of Purpose What is a Statement of Purpose? The statement of purpose for graduate school should be between 1-2 pages long.

  6. PDF Annotated Exemplar of Statement of Purpose

    Statement of Purpose If admitted, I intend to pursue the Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction on a part-time basis (at least initially) and thus would not be eligible for a Graduate Assistantship. Initial paragraph about full- or part-time intentions.

  7. Admissions

    Marjorie Bell (she/her) 617-496-5211 [email protected]. Science Center Room 331 1 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138. The Department values diversity among its members, is committed to building a diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities. Preparing the Application The statement of purpose ...

  8. Writing the Statement of Purpose

    The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that your achievements show promise for your success in graduate study. Think of the statement of purpose as a composition with four different parts.

  9. PDF Approaching the Graduate School Statement of Purpose

    If you are interested in applying to Caltech for graduate school, you will need to write a compelling statement of purpose that showcases your academic and personal achievements, goals, and fit for the program. To help you prepare, you can download a fillable PDF packet from the Hixon Writing Center that provides tips, examples, and exercises for writing a successful statement of purpose.

  10. Personal Statement

    Unlike undergrad applications, the Statement of Purpose (SOP from here on) is meant to be more "professional" than "personal". The purpose of SOP is literally to state your purpose for joining a program: what kinds of math are you interested in?

  11. PDF STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

    STATEMENT OF PURPOSE DAVID T. NGUYEN want to get trained to become a research mathematician. I wish to prove new theorems and contribute to Mathematics. That is the reason for my undertaking a graduate program in Mathematics and I believe UC Santa Barbara is the perfect place for my training. love Mathematics.

  12. Mathematics

    Statement of Purpose The statement of purpose should convince the admissions committee that the applicant is able to communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of mathematics. It is not intended to be a biographical sketch or a reflection on one's decision to enter the field.

  13. How to Write a Statement of Purpose for PhD Admission

    Admissions November 16, 2022 The dreaded doctoral statement of purpose — every PhD program asks for it, but why is it so difficult to write? Writing a strong statement of purpose is essential to getting into your top PhD programs.

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    Statement of Purpose ... mathematics and math education so that I to bridge the gap between research and can help practice. As I believe whenyou have an inspired thought, you must trust it and act on it , I found a center ... original research component of the PhD degree. I am pretty sure that I have made a perfect choice

  15. Samples

    PhD Statements of Purpose > Samples Some of these samples have been accepted by top programs. They have been graciously shared by past applicants for educational purposes. We hope they inspire you to write your own. Drop us a draft of your SOP, PS, LOI, ML, &/or LOR for Expert 1 v 1 Guidance (includes reviewing and editing) Review and edit

  16. Ph.D. Admissions

    Ph.D. Admissions. Three Letters of Recommendation (May submit up to 5 letters, but only 3 are required.) Curriculum Vitae or Resume. Academic Statement of Purpose (concise - no limit) Personal Statement (500 word limit) TOEFL or IELTS Exam (Non-native English speakers) TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and IELTS Indicator online test are accepted ...

  17. Applying to grad school? Here's what you need to know: Part II

    In this post, I'll share my thoughts on navigating two of the more complex aspects of grad school applications: crafting a statement of purpose (also known as: the longest two pages you'll ever write) and advocating for yourself throughout the application process (and beyond). A great statement of purpose will make your application.

  18. Mathematics Personal Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

    In addition to the Personal Statement or Statement of Purpose, the most important factors in most admission decisions are: (a) your grades in math and math-related subjects (b) the courses you took (see below) (c) your recommendations and (d) the GRE scores (The Math Subject Area Test).

  19. PDF STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

    STATEMENT OF PURPOSE NATE BOTTMAN I first began to get interested in mathematics the first quarter of my freshman year at the Univer-sity of Washington, when I met the e-dformalism, everywhere-continuous yet nowhere-differentiable ... Since January 2008, all of my math courses have been at the graduate level — this year, for instance, I am ...

  20. Statement of Purpose for Math PhD's with a fairly complicated

    9 TL;DR: I'm applying for a PhD program in mathematics, but my academic performance was bad for a long while and I already have a PhD attempt that I ended early. (However, I now have good enough results to apply again.) Given this background, should I spend any time in my SoP addressing the reasons for these poor outcomes?

  21. Graduate School Statement of Purpose : r/math

    You should be stating (a) that you want a PhD in math and (b) why you want it. This is a job app. Say what you want and why. Paragraph 2: * Your schooling history is needlessly confusing and making you look bad.

  22. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) The Doctor of Philosophy program in the College of Education prepares students for careers in research or scholarly inquiry and teaching at the college level. The program consists of: (1) continuous research, (2) courses in education and related fields designed to develop a comprehensive academic basis for future ...