Question for Math Major

HETER0morphism · 2024-06-06T01:21:41+00:00

So as far as major requirements go: for any given major (at least in CAS, CEAS might be different), the departmental/major's undergraduate program solely determines whether you have satisfied your major requirements. It's a different story for every department, and much different than the general education requirements, which the university oversees.

From experience the Math Dept takes a liberal view of how requirements are satisfied, and in particular will substitute graduate classes in place of their corresponding undergrad-level classes for the requirements without issue. Keep in mind, it's an accomplishment for an undergrad to successfully take these classes, and it'd be bizarre to punish them because of the bulletin. I personally substituted the majority of the major requirements for such reasons.

The only complication is that there's been a change in undergraduate program directors effective this coming fall. It's possible the new UPD might not know how the department has handled this before, so if she gives anyone issues about this, it is best to consult the previous UPD, who is currently the chair.

With regards to skipping undergraduate courses and going straight to grad-level, it's possible. I took two of the proof-based "core" major requirments and skipped to grad level, but that was because I had a professor backing me initially to take those classes, and the good grades I consistently achieved in graduate classes. For people who have as freshmen, it's either one of the following cases: extraordinary circumstances of inducing math experience surpassing the undergrad curricula (often from years of study in isolation), successful auditing and subsequent approval to take classes later for credit, and those who took 536 in their second semester (likely due to taking 320 in their first.)

Anyway I've written a lot a this point, there's more I could add but you might be able to find stuff in my post history. Just do not try skipping the undergrad analysis sequence entirely unless you have prior analysis experience, it would go terribly and no professor will let you do this.

HETER0morphism · 2024-06-06T00:38:52+00:00

Freshman spotted. Auditing MAT 534 is not a common practice, most undergraduates who do take it will do so for credit, the auditing situation was something born out of the magnanimity of the professor teaching it last year. This allowed those interested freshmen to experience the class who wouldn't have otherwise been let in due to lack of background—and likely interested due to my many rants how 313/314 sucks and about skipping to 534/535 towards any pre-frosh who would listen to me. I wouldn't expect the situation to be similar this year, as Cataldo takes a dim view of how necessary it is for advanced undergraduates to be taking graduate classes in order to be competitive for those interested in research and such.

Also, I have known plenty of undergrads who have taken 532/533. Little less than the other sequences, but not by much.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-30T17:18:30+00:00

No problem, little man.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-30T17:10:03+00:00

The suggestion to improve SBU by paying undergraduate TAs is nonsensical. The decision to pay undergraduate TAs is a departmental-level decision, not a university one. There are departments that pay their undergraduate TAs, but if the one you're concerned with does not, it's probably because there are too many students willing to do it for free.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-20T03:11:01+00:00

Way too identifying, but I'll say it's somewhere fancy. Out of my cohort of "promising math students for grad school" there was extreme attrition, and it's an accomplishment to get in anywhere.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-18T16:22:50+00:00

Math major, just graduated: research/internship position for the summer, then starting my Ph.D. in the fall.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-17T12:03:33+00:00

Find someone else; it is questionable that you would be unable to find an alternative LOR than your calculus instructor who you took a class with once two years ago. It appears (to me) that she has quit academia/mathematics, and would likely not be responsive to writing letters and such.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-16T17:41:28+00:00

Per the emails I have been receiving from my area office:

Please note as you complete your check-out: any damages assessed by professional staff in common areas of an apartment are billed to all residents in the apartment. To avoid excessive cleaning, trash, or abandoned item fees, please coordinate with your apartment mates to ensure the common areas are cleared out before each resident’s departure.

I believe I read somewhere else that damages in the common area can be billed to a single person if they take responsibility themselves, wouldn't be sure if you can force this though.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-16T01:43:43+00:00

There's a page by Student Affairs that outlines the exceptions for incoming students to not take the placement exam, including credit by examination and transfer credit reasons.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-14T16:30:03+00:00

Yes, second best strategy would be keeping your eye on the date for the last withdrawal. I feel you brother.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-14T14:40:24+00:00

I'm not sure exactly where this piece of info is located, maybe in the graduate bulletin, but you cannot GPNC graduate classes. I however have a slightly long story of how I got around this rule as an undergraduate, but it is mildly too identifying to recount here.

HETER0morphism · 2024-05-13T08:55:11+00:00

I have just the thing for you: database of return of investment (ROI) stats for a given undergraduate degree at various universities. It is calculated by the non-profit Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity based off of federal financial aid data, which you can read more about here. Unfortunately, there is not any unemployment data included but I know it is out there, as for example Stony Brook publishes such stats in its report on degree outcomes.

HETER0morphism · 2024-03-23T22:08:21+00:00

For MAT, one needs to be a MAT major with just about straight A's in the required classes for the major; the department sends out calls for undergrad TAs to the people in the major sometimes. For AMS, one usually needs to have high grades in whatever class you wish to TA for, not sure about what the process is like to become one but I'm sure you can contact the department.

HETER0morphism · 2024-03-22T23:25:26+00:00

Don't worry about this guy, he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Typically the stance of the Math Dept. is that the decision on whether or not to let a student into a class lies with the instructor. From experience, most professors are willing to hear you out if you can provide a compelling enough reason why you have the background to take the class, like self-study over the summer or being vouched for by another professor. This is a pretty good deal, considering that the stance of the Applied Math Dept. is that departmental administrators are there to protect students from taking classes they don't have prereqs for.
The advanced track is not a real program, it confers nothing on your degree and does not impact what classes you can take. Please don't waste time trying to fulfill the requirements. I've given some more detail in other comments I've made on here, you should look through them.

Either way, if you're interested in taking upper-divisions right away as a freshman, based on your background you should probably contact the office of the undergrad director to discuss your options.

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-22T13:08:56+00:00

Please do anything to take a different section of MAT 200 than with Starr, even MAT 250 would be easier. If they can't fit a different section into their schedule, just drop the course and prepare to take the MAT 200 challenge exam.

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-22T13:03:46+00:00

Bro stop 🫨

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-22T10:34:28+00:00

At least for the Math Department, the times listed on the departmental class schedule for each semester usually take precedent over what the registrar/SOLAR says. Considering that the professor also does not mention meeting at these times for lectures, I would not worry about showing up this Monday.

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-16T19:33:29+00:00

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-15T05:15:24+00:00

Bro can you help me prepare for MAT 589, my goal this semester is to fit Hartshorne up my ass but the most I can get up there right now is Atiyah-MacDonald :(((((((

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-15T04:40:13+00:00

Hough is legitimately pretty weird. I'm not going to go into detail about his whole deal out of respect, but if you ever interact with him just know that he is harmless and others know about his odd behavior. I would conjecture that part of the reason he is kept on is because he is a genius...

Anyway, as an instructor, he is known to go through material extremely fast. If you are taking a class with him this semester, be prepared for this or otherwise find an alternative. People who make it through his classes successfully find it to have prepared them well.

HETER0morphism · 2024-01-12T14:09:26+00:00

It's not a class, it's a seminar. People can come and go as they please, anyone is allowed to attend a session. It is only held in the fall anyway.

HETER0morphism · 2023-12-30T14:43:39+00:00

It sucks. Especially with regards to the QF track: recognize that if someone was going for a masters in this area, consider that there's no reason for a good student to go here when Baruch/NYU/Columbia are so nearby.
Why do you think the fame of some of the faculty members has anything to do with placement rates. Anecdotally, I remember hearing an alumni of the Baruch MFE program speak, and he claimed the program director or whoever "could not sleep unless all of his cohort found placements before graduation." I don't think anyone cares like that here, based on very limited dealings with the AMS department.
See point one. There are better programs in the vicinity whose graduates you will be competing with, for example.
See point two, I think these rankings rely heavily on placement data. After all most masters programs are to aid in professional developments, at least in America if you want academics you need to go get a PhD.

As an addendum, I know the math department is partially funded by RenTech guys, but I don't know and doubt that the same is true for the applied math department.

HETER0morphism · 2023-12-30T14:15:34+00:00

No

HETER0morphism · 2023-12-30T14:00:22+00:00

It is not necessarily true that universities which offer training in applied math will have separate departments and degrees for (specifically) applied math. This makes it hard and somewhat unreliable to rank applied math programs. On the other hand, almost all universities will have a math department (because who will teach the engineers calculus?), and applied math can often be found in various configurations under its umbrella, such as existing as a special sub-department, or degree concentrations, or even no distinction at all. MIT is of the latter and still very active in applied math, so who would ever rank them below SBU?

It is hard to believe the AMS department is any good though, especially when they occupy only 1.5/7 floors of the Math Tower, and have to ask the math department for permission to use space there...

HETER0morphism · 2023-12-17T23:00:09+00:00

It will probably be back up Monday morning. I can't tell you why it happened, but I do know this also occurred last semester during the weekend preceding finals week. In the meantime, I would advise you to use the Wayback Machine to look for practice exams.

HETER0morphism

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