Frequently Asked Questions
- Q1: Whom can I ask questions about my application
to the Mathematics Department?
- A: The Director of Graduate Studies, Richard McGehee, email address:
gradprog@math.umn.edu
If you only want to ask if your Math Department application is
complete, or if a particular item has arrived, please write to
Ms. Bonny Fleming at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
- Q2: Whom can I ask questions about my application
to the Graduate School?
- A: Graduate Student Admissions
phone: (612) 625-3014
email: gsquest@umn.edu .
website: http://www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students/
- Q3: Please send me some information and/or an
application through surface mail.
- A: First, thanks for your interest in our graduate program.
We do not send out surface mail information or applications any more
only because it is so easy now to get the information you require on
the web.
For general information about our graduate program, please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/
and see the links the appear, on the right hand side, under
"How to apply to the graduate program:"
especially the links
"Our Application Forms",
"Admission Requirements",
"Application deadlines" and
"GRE website".
For financial assistance information, please see
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/finasstben.html
If you intend to apply for admission in Fall 2010, please do register
early to take the GRE Mathematics subject exam.
The TOEFL exam is also required, unless you spoke only English at home while growing up.
Important Note for International Applicants
| The University of Minnesota has created new guidelines for the TOEFL exam affecting graduate students supported
as Teaching Assistants beginning in Fall 2010. These guidelines do not apply to students supported by fellowships,
research assistantships, or other means.
No student with a score below 18 on the speaking part of the exam can be supported as a Teaching Assistant.
Furthermore, no student with a speaking score below 23 can be assigned to lead a classroom discussion section.
These requirements are in addition to the Graduate School requirement for admission (at least 79 on the Internet
based TOEFL with section scores of 21 on writing and 19 on reading).
In addition, the current budgetary crisis has dramatically reduced the number of Teaching Assistants assigned to
duties other than discussion sections. For the current semester, every Teaching Assistant is in the classroom.
We hope that this situation will improve next year, but we have no guarantees.
The combination of these factors has forced us to use the following guidelines for offering support to potential
international graduate students:
- To receive full consideration for support, you should have a TOEFL score of at least 100 with a section score of at least 23 on speaking.
- Given current funding projections, the probability that you will receive an offer of support for Fall 2010 diminishes sharply for total scores below 100 or speaking scores below 23. Unanticipated improvements in funding may increase this probability.
- The probably of an offer diminishes to zero if your total score is below 79, your speaking score is below 18, your writing score is below 21, or your reading score is below 19.
|
Please note that we have offer a Master's program, Master of Financial
Mathematics (MFM), see
http://www.math.umn.edu/finmath/.
You can also find out much information about our campus via the main U
of Minnesota website
http://www.umn.edu/;
and by the Graduate School website
http://www.grad.umn.edu/
See especially the catalogues at:
http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/grad/index.html
for the general listing of all catalogues;
and
http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/grad/programs/g113.html
for the Mathematics Department;
and
http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/download/TCgrad/gradintro07.pdf
for the Graduate School at UMN.
Please let us know if we can be of any more help.
- Q4: How many Chinese (Pakistani, female, Hispanic,
international) students will you accept this year?
- A: We do not have targets for any specific nationality, race
or gender. We do not have a target for a specific number of
international students.
- Q5: What is the chance an applicant who is
accepted into the program will be admitted with a Teaching
Assistantship?
- A: Generally, when we admit PhD students applying to the
Ph.D. program in Mathematics, we admit them with financial support. With the exception of the M.S. in Mathematics with Emphasis in Mathematics Education (MS/MathEd) program, students applying to the Master's Degree program are not offered financial support.
- Q7: What GPA, GRE and TOEFL scores are needed to
be admitted? More generally, what are your admission requirements?
- A: We don't follow general GRE scores, but rather use the Mathematics
Subject GRE.
Here are 20 of the GRE Math Subject scores of typical incoming
students accepted with financial support, beginning Fall 2005:
830 (93%), 790 (88%), 600 (44%), 880 (98%), 800 (89%), 770 (85%),
880 (98%), 590 (42%), 840 (94%), 910 (99%), 900 (99%), 820 (92%),
890 (98%), 820 (92%), 880 (98%), 890 (98%), 730 (77%), 830 (93%),
760 (83%), 650 (57%).
Generally speaking, we aim to keep admissions to those with GRE Math
Subject Scores above 750, but do on occasion go below that if other
factors are strong enough to compensate. Our GPAs ranged from about
3.6 to 3.9, though, again, there can be outliers.
Important Note for International Applicants
| The University of Minnesota has created new guidelines for the TOEFL exam affecting graduate students supported
as Teaching Assistants beginning in Fall 2010. These guidelines do not apply to students supported by fellowships,
research assistantships, or other means.
No student with a score below 18 on the speaking part of the exam can be supported as a Teaching Assistant.
Furthermore, no student with a speaking score below 23 can be assigned to lead a classroom discussion section.
These requirements are in addition to the Graduate School requirement for admission (at least 79 on the Internet
based TOEFL with section scores of 21 on writing and 19 on reading).
In addition, the current budgetary crisis has dramatically reduced the number of Teaching Assistants assigned to
duties other than discussion sections. For the current semester, every Teaching Assistant is in the classroom.
We hope that this situation will improve next year, but we have no guarantees.
The combination of these factors has forced us to use the following guidelines for offering support to potential
international graduate students:
- To receive full consideration for support, you should have a TOEFL score of at least 100 with a section score of at least 23 on speaking.
- Given current funding projections, the probability that you will receive an offer of support for Fall 2010 diminishes sharply for total scores below 100 or speaking scores below 23. Unanticipated improvements in funding may increase this probability.
- The probably of an offer diminishes to zero if your total score is below 79, your speaking score is below 18, your writing score is below 21, or your reading score is below 19.
|
You may also wish to review
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/admission.html
for our admission requirements.
Bear in mind that, except for the TOEFL score, we look at the full application, so we don't have
any specific minimum (or maximum!) for any one particular item. It is
possible that strength in one area of the application can offset
weakness in another. Also, there is no level for any of these scores
above which an applicant is guaranteed admission.
- Q8: How have your PhD students fared in the job
market?
- A: Please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/PhDs/details.html
for information about this.
- Q9: How many applications did you receive last
year and how many students did you admit?
- A: We received about 400 complete applications and admitted 22
students with financial support. However, please be careful in how
you view this data. Some applications we receive are not as serious as
others, and you may want only to consider your chances in comparison
with other applicants at your own mathematical level. Unfortunately,
this is something that is quite difficult to do without actually
applying.
Also, you can find a great deal of information about our program, by
pointing to
http://www.grad.umn.edu/programs/select_program.html?l=t
then scrolling down and selecting "Mathematics",
then selecting the radio button "Program Statistics"
and then clicking on the "View" button.
- Q10: What percentage of graduate students
typically finish your program?
- A: You can find a great deal of information about our program, by
pointing to
http://www.grad.umn.edu/programs/select_program.html?l=t
then scrolling down and selecting "Mathematics",
then selecting the radio button "Program Statistics"
and then clicking on the "View" button.
- Q11: May I send the Mathematics Department
photocopies of my GRE and/or TOEFL score reports?
- A: Please bear in mind that, for your scores to be loaded into the
"Credentials" section of the Graduate School's online ApplyYourself
system, they must be communicated directly by ETS. (See Q12 below for
the codes.) You may wish to check with Grad Admissions about their
requirements, by writing to
gsquest@umn.edu .
(See Q2 above.)
For now, you might consider sending the scores to the Mathematics
Department by FAX or regular mail, if ETS has mailed you a hardcopy
notification of your results. (For FAX information, please see Q22
below.) An email message with a scan is also fine, but please send it
to gradprog@math.umn.edu
- Q12: What are your school and department codes for
the GRE and TOEFL?
- A: For GRE,
the University of Minnesota has school code 6874,
the School of Mathematics has department code 0703 and
the Graduate School has no department code.
For TOEFL,
the University of Minnesota has school code 6874,
the School of Mathematics has department code 72 and
the Graduate School has no department code.
For either GRE or TOEFL,
please use both the institution code and the department code;
that way a copy goes both to the department,
and -- electronically -- to our Graduate School.
- Q13: I've been living in an English-speaking
country for quite a while. Do I nevertheless need to submit a TOEFL
score?
- A: Yes, I'm afraid you do. We require a TOEFL score, for all
students who did not grow up with English as the first language in
their home, even if they have been living in the US or another
English-speaking country. Incidentally, it's likely that your skills
with English are very good, so you will probably get high TOEFL score,
and this will help your application to any US graduate school, even
the ones where it's not required.
- Q14: I applied to your department earlier. I've
decided to reapply this year. Do I have to resubmit an entirely new
application?
- A: If you would like some parts of your Math Department
application from last year moved into a file that will be considered
this year, we can do that for you. Just write to
Ms. Bonny Fleming at
gradprog@math.umn.edu ,
and explain which parts should be moved.
Please be aware, however, that it's important to get to us any
information you can about your mathematical development since you
applied. In particular, it would be good to have at least one new
letter of recommendation from someone who can comment on the
mathematical activities in which you've been involved during that
time. In some sense, the more you can make the case that you've
improved over the last time you applied, the more likely it is that
you'll be accepted. In particular, since most people's knowledge
increases over time, if you retake the GRE Mathematics Subject test or
retake TOEFL, there's a reasonable chance you would get a higher
score, which would improve your chances of admission to any school to
which you apply.
For your Graduate School application, you should ask them about
their policies. See Q2 above for information about contacting Graduate
School Admissions.
- Q15: Should I submit a GRE general score
to be considered for an assistantship?
- A: We don't follow general GRE scores, but rather use the
Mathematics Subject GRE.
- Q16: Do I need to submit a GRE Mathematics Subject
score to be considered for an assistantship?
- A: It is not formally required, but we strongly recommend that you
send us a GRE Mathematics Subject score. Without that score, your
application might not receive full consideration by our Graduate
Studies committee. Typically, a Mathematics Subject GRE score is one
of the first things they examine when reviewing an application, so an
application without the GRE Math Subject score will be at a
disadvantage compared to other applications.
- Q17: May my recommenders use the UMN Graduate
School's online letters of recommendation feature?
- A: Yes, we prefer that you do not send hardcopy letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation are handled by the Graduate School's online letters system.
If recommenders prefer to send a hardcopy of their letter of recommendation, please ask them to use the recommendation template at:
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/recommen.html
and send or FAX their letters to:
University of Minnesota
School of Mathematics
127 Vincent Hall
206 Church Street S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Fax: (612) 624-6702
- Q18: I've included some information about
myself. Please tell me if I should apply, and tell me my chances of
acceptance if I do apply.
- A: I'm afraid that I cannot make such a recommendation without
seeing a full application and without comparing it to other
applications. Bear in mind that we look at the full application, and
it is possible that strength in one area of the application can offset
weakness in another. We always hope for many qualified applicants, and
I hope you'll decide to apply, but the choice has to be your own. The
answer to Q7 above might help you to come to a decision.
- Q19: I am/was not a Math major in college. May I
still apply to your graduate program?
- A: Certainly you may. There is no requirement that precludes any
major from being accepted to any of our programs. However, in
evaluating your application we will be looking at your background in
undergraduate Mathematics. (See Q7 above.) For that reason, our most
typical graduate student was a math major in college.
- Q20: May I send in letters of recommendation along
with the rest of my application materials?
- A: You may, but to preserve confidentiality, please ask each
recommender to put his or her letter into an envelope and to sign
across the seal. So both the envelope and the letter itself will have
a signature.
- Q21: Could you please waive the Graduate School's
application fee?
- A: Please note that we do not have the ability to waive the fee,
and that it is assessed by our Graduate School, not by our
department.
- Q22: What is your FAX number?
- A: The preferred FAX number for the Graduate Office in the
Mathematics Department is 612-624-6702. An alternative Mathematics
Department FAX number is 612-626-2017, if you have any trouble.
Please put "To the attention of Bonny Fleming" on the cover sheet. We
leave our FAX machines on overnight, so you should be able to send us
a FAX at any time. If you do FAX a document, you may want to write to
Bonny Fleming at gradprog@math.umn.edu , to ask if it arrived.
- Q23: I took the GRE in early December and I'm
worried that the results will not reach you by the deadline. What
should I do?
- A: GRE scores typically take six weeks to arrive and sometimes
less. Point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/app_deadline.html
for information about our deadlines.
Also, you may wish to send us a FAX of your score report or email us a
scan, once you receive it. Please see Q11 above for information about
that.
- Q24: Will the Graduate School accept photocopies I
make of my transcript(s), and of my GRE and TOEFL score reports?
May I send some of these items to the Mathematics Department and
ask you to send them on to the Graduate School?
- A: The Graduate School does not require GRE scores, although they
do load them into the "Credentials" section of ApplyYourself if they
are sent electronically by ETS. They do accept photocopies of TOEFL
score reports, but, on making an admission, they verify the score with
the Educational Testing Service. They also accept photocopies of
transcripts, but, if the student is admitted, they are required at
that time to have their previous institutions send official
transcripts directly. Arriving students are prevented from registering
for courses until the official transcripts arrive. (In some cases, an
temporary accommodation may be reached, but, typically, the Graduate
School does eventually need to receive official transcripts.)
Yes, we can forward materials for you, see Q25 below.
- Q25: Could I send some application material to the
Mathematics Department and then ask for that material to be copied and
sent to the Graduate School?
- A: Yes, this is fine. Please leave enough time for the material
to arrive, and then write to Ms. Bonny Fleming, at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
Be sure to indicate exactly what you want copied and forwarded.
- Q26: I would like information about your admission
statistics, your progress statistics, your completion statistics. Also,
please give me information about placement of your graduates.
- A: For admission, progress or completion statistics please
point to
http://www.grad.umn.edu/data/stats/1052000.html
and click on "Admissions", "Graduate Student Progress"
or "Degrees Conferred".
For PhD placement, point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/PhDs/details.html.
For placement for graduates of
MS in Mathematics with Emphasis in Mathematics Education,
please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/Masters/.
For
Minnesota Center for Industrial Mathematics (MCIM)
internship placement, please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/mcim/internships/.
- Q27: Is it possible for me to take courses without
applying to a degree program?
- A: Yes, it is. For information about this, point to
http://www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students/grad_nondegree.html
and, also, you may want to review the list of
Frequently Asked Questions for the non-degree option.
If you seek graduate credit as a non-degree student, please point to
http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/img/assets/9061/RequestforGraduateCredit.pdf
and fill out
REGISTRATION REQUEST FOR GRADUATE STUDENT (FOR NON-DEGREE STUDENTS)
- Q28: What fraction of your admitted PhD students
receive financial support? How about at the Master's level?
- A: Most of our admitted PhD students are offered financial support.
The current budgetary crisis may require us in the future to admit more unsupported students. MS students
are rarely supported. The exception is the MS/MathEd Program, where serving as a Teaching Assistant is an
integral part of the program. NOTE: This does not include the Master of Financial Mathematics,
which is a professional program with little financial assistance
available. See http://www.math.umn.edu/finmath/
for more information about that degree.
- Q29: What financial support do you offer to
admitted students?
- A: We offer a six-year TAship, contingent on good progress in the
program and competent performance of teaching duties. Please see
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/finasstben.html
for further information about our financial assistance and benefits.
- Q30: What do you seek in a personal statement?
How long should it be?
- A: The is no particular answer to this. The point of a personal
statement is to allow you to tell us anything about yourself that you
find relevant, but that does not fit in the rest of the
application. If we did not have a place for such things, we would have
to expand the application to include anything imaginable that might
inform us of your mathematical development, and there are too many
different possibilities.
So: If you've had a research experience that was important to you, you
might mention it. If you have any mathematical publications, you might
mention it. If there was a mentor with a strong influence you might
mention it.
The personal statement is intended to reflect your own personality
and it cannot be fit into any kind of template, nor is there a
particular topic that we seek.
Also, we have no specific length, though one or two pages is
typical. Bear in mind that the committee members who are reading your
application will also be looking at many others, so a very long
statement is not likely to be read as carefully as a shorter
one. Concision is a virtue here.
- Q31: I'm concerned that my application materials
will arrive, but, because of vacation, there will be no one to accept
them. What can I do?
- A: This really should not be a problem.
Our staff works on almost every day that mail might be delivered and,
most postal services make more than one attempt at delivery, leaving
notes when they are unable to complete a delivery. There should be
someone here to accept your mail, and to sign for it if necessary. I
don't know of a case where an application was returned because no one
was available to accept it at the Math Department.
We do recommend that you send your application materials using a
postal system that allows you to track the package, even if it may
cost a bit more.
- Q32: Which application materials do I need to send
to the Math Department and which do I need to send to the Graduate
School?
- A: For the department, please work through the checklist at
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/requirements.html
which includes
Mathematics Department application form
Transcript(s)
Statement of Purpose and Goals
GRE Advanced Subject Test in Mathematics (very strongly recommended)
A TOEFL score for non-native English speakers
Important Note for International Applicants
| The University of Minnesota has created new guidelines for the TOEFL exam affecting graduate students supported
as Teaching Assistants beginning in Fall 2010. These guidelines do not apply to students supported by fellowships,
research assistantships, or other means.
No student with a score below 18 on the speaking part of the exam can be supported as a Teaching Assistant.
Furthermore, no student with a speaking score below 23 can be assigned to lead a classroom discussion section.
These requirements are in addition to the Graduate School requirement for admission (at least 79 on the Internet
based TOEFL with section scores of 21 on writing and 19 on reading).
In addition, the current budgetary crisis has dramatically reduced the number of Teaching Assistants assigned to
duties other than discussion sections. For the current semester, every Teaching Assistant is in the classroom.
We hope that this situation will improve next year, but we have no guarantees.
The combination of these factors has forced us to use the following guidelines for offering support to potential
international graduate students:
- To receive full consideration for support, you should have a TOEFL score of at least 100 with a section score of at least 23 on speaking.
- Given current funding projections, the probability that you will receive an offer of support for Fall 2010 diminishes sharply for total scores below 100 or speaking scores below 23. Unanticipated improvements in funding may increase this probability.
- The probably of an offer diminishes to zero if your total score is below 79, your speaking score is below 18, your writing score is below 21, or your reading score is below 19.
|
For the Graduate School, their online application system will tell you
which materials need to be sent, and, if you have any questions, you
may contact them -- see Q2 above.
We can also copy and send on some materials if you request it -- see
Q25 above.
- Q33: May I apply to the Mathematics Department,
wait to see if I'm admitted, and then submit my application to the
Graduate School?
- A: I'm afraid that that will not work. We cannot make a
recommendation for admission unless you have submitted complete
applications both to the Math Department and to the Graduate School.
- Q34: What are your admission requirements?
- A: Please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/admission.html
for that information. Also, see Q7 above.
- Q35: I'm currently a graduate student at the
University of Minnesota, but not in the School of Mathematics; I'm in
another department. Do you offer TAships or RAships to students who
are not in your department?
- A: No, I'm afraid that we do not. Our budget can't support it.
- Q36: What are your deadlines?
- A: Please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/app_deadline.html
for specific information about deadlines.
The main deadline is for Teaching Assistantships. However, you may
want also to be considered for a Fellowship as well, and that deadline
comes earlier. However, fellowships are awarded only after a
university-wide competition, to which the Mathematics Department
nominates its top candidates. Fellowship awards are quite rare, and
the vast majority of our students are supported through Teaching
Assistantships.
- Q37: I will not be able to get certain materials
to you by the deadline. Do you have a program of provisional
admission, so that I could be admitted before these materials arrive,
contingent on those materials meeting your standards?
- A: No, I'm afraid we do not have such a program, so, if you apply
with some materials missing, then your application will have to be
evaluated without them.
- Q38: I meet the requirements at
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/app_fees.html
and have asked the Math Department if it can cover the Graduate
School's application fee. I understand that decisions about fee
payments might not be made until as late as 22 January. However, the
application due date for fellowships is 15 January. Will this cause me
problems?
- A: No -- we will start looking at fellowship nominations after we
make decisions about fee payments, and will only use the department
application to develop our nominations. Our nominations are due toward
the end of January, and the Graduate School application will be needed
at that time. So it is very important that you have a complete
departmental application by 15 January, and that your Graduate School
application should be ready for submission as soon as the fee is
paid. Once you have a decision, if you want to continue with your UMN
application (and we certainly hope you will) you should make sure that
your Graduate School application is submitted right away, just in case
you are being nominated for a fellowship.
- Q39: What is your surface mailing address?
- A:
Director of Graduate Studies in Mathematics
127 Vincent Hall
206 Church St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
- Q40: When will I hear a decision about my
application? Could you please give me some details about how the
review process works?
- A: First, you may want to check to make sure that your
Math Department application is
complete, by writing to Ms. Bonny Fleming at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
See the answer to Q1 above. You may also want to verify that
your Graduate School application is complete; see the answer
to Q2 above.
Second, please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/app_deadline.html
for information about our deadlines and also about the usual timeline
for decision-making. Typically we make one round of offers by 15 March
and a second round by 7 April.
Please see Q49 below.
- Q41: I'm a student at the University of Minnesota,
but I'm not a graduate student in the Mathematics
Department. Nevertheless, I seek a Graduate Assistant Assistantship
from the Mathematics Department. Is this possible? If not, then are
there other possibilities through the Math Department?
- A: I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it is not. We only have enough
Graduate Assistantships for graduate students in Mathematics, and
those are the only positions that this office has to offer.
You can point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/jobs/
to see what other positions are available through Mathematics.
- Q42: What areas of Mathematics are of interest to
your faculty?
- A: Please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/research.html
and to
http://www.math.umn.edu/arb/faculty.shtml
for information about our faculty research areas. We're a large
department, so these areas are wide-ranging.
- Q43: What kinds of jobs do your graduates get?
- A: It's enormously varied, and you can see as much information as
we have by pointing to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/PhDs/
and to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/PhDs/details.html
- Q44: When should I start to apply to graduate
school?
- A: If you seek to begin graduate school classes in fall of, say,
2010, then you should start the application process more than one year
earlier, in early summer of 2009, and the first step is to register to
take the GRE and/or TOEFL exams. We only have fall admission,
and links to the the GRE and TOEFL websites can be found on the
right hand side of the website
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/
under the heading "How to apply to the graduate program:".
- Q45: Where can I find information about your "with
Emphasis" MS programs? These include the MS with Emphasis in
Mathematics Education and the MS with Emphasis in Industrial and Applied
Mathematics. (NOTE: The M.S. with Emphasis in Actuarial Science program has been discontinued until further notice)? How about
the new
Master of Financial Mathematics?
- A: For the MS with Emphasis in Mathematics Education, please
point to
http://www.itcep.umn.edu/teachers/msmath.php
and to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/mathed.html.
If you seek a less rigorously mathematical approach, but still leading
to licensure, please point to
http://www.education.umn.edu/CI/Programs/MathEd/default.html,
which describes a program run out of a different department (the
Curriculum and Instruction department).
For the MS with Emphasis in Industrial and Applied Mathematics,
please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/indappl.html.
Many students in this degree program are involved with the MCIM, see
http://www.math.umn.edu/mcim/.
If you're interested in Actuarial Science, you may also be interested
in our
Master of Financial Mathematics,
and that program's website is
http://www.math.umn.edu/finmath/.
- Q46: I'm a graduate student at the University of
Minnesota and I'm considering picking up a Mathematics Minor. What are
the requirements?
- A: It depends on whether you are seeking a Master's Minor or a PhD Minor
and you can read the requirements for each at
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/math_minors.html.
- Q47: I have submitted my application materials,
but have some new information that I would like included in the
file. What should I do?
- A: If the information can be given as simple text, please just
send an email message to Ms. Bonny Fleming at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
If you ask her to, she will print out the message and put it in your
file. If the material needs to be sent by surface mail, that's fine,
but, of course it will take some time. You may also send a FAX (see
Q22 above). Another possibility is to send a scan by email, but again,
please send it to
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
- Q48: I have a question about the admissions
fee. Whom should I contact?
- A: The Mathematics Department has no admissions fee. You will have to be
in touch with the Graduate School about this. Please see Q2 above for
information about how to contact the Graduate School.
- Q49: I would like to find out about my application
status. Could you please tell me if my application is complete? Also,
when will I hear about decisions?
- A: If you want to ask if your Math Department application is
complete, or if a particular part of the application has arrived,
please write to Ms. Bonny Fleming at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
If you want to find out if your Graduate School application is
complete, please see Q2 above.
Please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/app_deadline.html
for information about our deadlines and also about the usual timeline
for decision-making. Look for the bold text that reads
"TIMELINE FOR DECISION-MAKING ABOUT APPLICATIONS".
Please see Q40 above.
- Q50: I'm a recommender and would like to send
materials in electronically. Is that an option?
- A: Yes, certainly, though we strongly prefer to receive signed
letters. You may FAX us the signed letter (see Q22 above) or send a
scan by email to Ms. Bonny Fleming at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
- Q51: I'm a recommender and would like to give a
sealed letter to the applicant whom I'm recommending so that he/she
can send it in with his/her materials. Is this acceptable?
- A: Yes,that's fine. Please put the letter into an envelope and to
sign across the seal. So both the envelope and the letter itself will
have a signature.
- Q52: Could I use an old TOEFL and/or GRE score in
my application?
- A: We recommend that you take these tests in the academic year
preceding the year you hope to start graduate school; old scores don't
carry as much weight with the admissions committee as a newer one.
Even if you have taken either or both of these tests in the past we
recommend a retake, to update your score(s). Moreover, if you've been
developing your skills in English and Mathematics, then a new score is
likely to be higher and this will work in your favor.
All this is true for any graduate school to which you apply.
Important Note for International Applicants
| The University of Minnesota has created new guidelines for the TOEFL exam affecting graduate students supported
as Teaching Assistants beginning in Fall 2010. These guidelines do not apply to students supported by fellowships,
research assistantships, or other means.
No student with a score below 18 on the speaking part of the exam can be supported as a Teaching Assistant.
Furthermore, no student with a speaking score below 23 can be assigned to lead a classroom discussion section.
These requirements are in addition to the Graduate School requirement for admission (at least 79 on the Internet
based TOEFL with section scores of 21 on writing and 19 on reading).
In addition, the current budgetary crisis has dramatically reduced the number of Teaching Assistants assigned to
duties other than discussion sections. For the current semester, every Teaching Assistant is in the classroom.
We hope that this situation will improve next year, but we have no guarantees.
The combination of these factors has forced us to use the following guidelines for offering support to potential
international graduate students:
- To receive full consideration for support, you should have a TOEFL score of at least 100 with a section score of at least 23 on speaking.
- Given current funding projections, the probability that you will receive an offer of support for Fall 2010 diminishes sharply for total scores below 100 or speaking scores below 23. Unanticipated improvements in funding may increase this probability.
- The probably of an offer diminishes to zero if your total score is below 79, your speaking score is below 18, your writing score is below 21, or your reading score is below 19.
|
- Q53: I need to make a decision about graduate
school. Could you please let me know whether I'm accepted at
Minnesota?
- A: First, for information about our timeline, please see Q49
above. Second, for all major doctoral-granting American institutions,
there is no need to make a decision until 15 April, see the "April 15"
resolution at:
http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/CGSResolutionMay2009.pdf#search=%22April%2015%20resolution%22
If a signer to that resolution is asking for an early decision (before
15 April), then please let me know, by writing to
gradprog@math.umn.edu.
It sometimes happens that a new admissions officer simply doesn't know
about the resolution and will correct this problem if informed. I will
contact the relevant person, and your identity will be kept
confidential.
If it's now after 20 April, then I'm sorry, but it's unlikely that you
will be accepted at Minnesota. Final notifications don't go out until
late June. You may always write to ask about your departmental
application -- see Q1 above.
- Q54: How will I be notified of the Math
Department's decision about my application?
- A: If we make you an offer, then the department notification is
by email followed up by a hardcopy of the offer letter, and by a
password protected posting of your offer letter on the web. The URL of
that website will be sent to you by email. For information about our
timeline, please see Q49 above.
If we do not make you an offer by 20 April, then I'm sorry, but it's
unlikely that you will be accepted at Minnesota. Final notifications
don't go out until late June. You may always write to ask about your
departmental application -- see Q1 above.
- Q55: When will you make a decision about my
Graduate School application?
- A: Formally, it is not the Math Department, but the Graduate
School that makes this decision, though they typically follow our
recommendations. When we are about to make an offer, we first notify
the Graduate School of a recommendation to accept, and it's therefore
important that your Graduate School application be complete at that
time, or we are unable to proceed. The Graduate School usually
notifies the applicant by email within a few days, and, by that time,
the Math Department has already notified the applicant of an
assistantship offer.
So the timeline for notification by the Graduate School is closely
tied to that of the Department, and the Department timeline is
described in Q49 above.
- Q56: Is an IELT score acceptable, instead of
TOEFL?
- A: No, I'm afraid that we require a TOEFL score in our
department.
- Q57: Do you have spring admission? Do you admit
students other than for fall admission?
- A: We do not. We admit students in fall semester of each year.
- Q58: I'm interested in knowing about housing
availability near campus.
- A: Your main source of information on this is
http://www.housing.umn.edu/
and you can also write to
housing@umn.edu
if you have questions.
FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: We also have in "International Reception
Center", where incoming international students can stay for a few days
on arrival. For information about that, please point to
http://www.isss.umn.edu/new/temphousing.html .
Also, for incoming international students, please see Q59 below.
- Q59: I'm an incoming international student. What
things do I need to do on arrival?
- A: Please point to
http://www.isss.umn.edu/new/default.html
and for questions, contact
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
isss@tc.umn.edu
http://www.isss.umn.edu/
(612) 626-7100
- Q60: Can I substitute a GMAT for a GRE score?
- A: We do not use the GMAT or the GRE general scores, but rely
mostly on the GRE Mathematics subject score. You may send in whatever
information you wish, but a GMAT score will likely not receive a great
deal of attention by the admissions committee.
- Q61: I've applied, and been informed that I'm on
the waiting list. Could you please let me know my rank on that list,
or my chances of acceptance?
- A: We don't attempt to rank our waiting list, since there are
many factors that go into deciding to whom to make additional offers.
(For example, if all the acceptances we receive come from students
interested in algebra, we might look to make additional offers that
don't lean in that same direction.)
It is therefore quite difficult to know what your chances will be
until we're at the point of making decision. I'm sorry we can't be
more definite and I hope you can be patient, keeping in mind the
"April 15" resolution (see Q53).
- Q62: I'm a recommender and would like to attach my
letter to the recommendation template
(
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/recommen.html) rather than writing or
typing in the space provided. Is this acceptable?
- A: Yes,that's just fine. Thanks.
- Q63: I seek an internship in the Mathematics
Department. Do you offer this possibility?
- A: If you seek to come here while still an undergraduate, you
should contact the Undergraduate Office about possibilities (see Q64).
If you seek to come here as a graduate student, then I'm afraid we
don't offer internships, but you can certainly apply to our department
to join our graduate program (see Q65). If you seek a post-PhD job,
then you should review the positions available at
http://www.math.umn.edu/jobs/
- Q64: How can I contact the Undergraduate Office?
- A: The email address is
ugrad@math.umn.edu .
The website is
http://www.math.umn.edu/undergrad/
The phone number is (612) 625-4848.
- Q65: I wish to apply to your department. What is
the procedure?
- A: Please point to
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/
and see the links the appear, on the right hand side, under
"How to apply to the graduate program:"
especially the links
"Our Application Forms",
"Admission Requirements",
"Application deadlines" and
"GRE website".
For financial assistance information, please see
http://www.math.umn.edu/grad/finasstben.html
If you intend to apply for admission in Fall 2010, please do register
early to take the GRE Mathematics subject exam. The TOEFL exam is also
required, unless you spoke only English at home while growing up.
All this is true for any graduate school to which you apply.
Important Note for International Applicants
| The University of Minnesota has created new guidelines for the TOEFL exam affecting graduate students supported
as Teaching Assistants beginning in Fall 2010. These guidelines do not apply to students supported by fellowships,
research assistantships, or other means.
No student with a score below 18 on the speaking part of the exam can be supported as a Teaching Assistant.
Furthermore, no student with a speaking score below 23 can be assigned to lead a classroom discussion section.
These requirements are in addition to the Graduate School requirement for admission (at least 79 on the Internet
based TOEFL with section scores of 21 on writing and 19 on reading).
In addition, the current budgetary crisis has dramatically reduced the number of Teaching Assistants assigned to
duties other than discussion sections. For the current semester, every Teaching Assistant is in the classroom.
We hope that this situation will improve next year, but we have no guarantees.
The combination of these factors has forced us to use the following guidelines for offering support to potential
international graduate students:
- To receive full consideration for support, you should have a TOEFL score of at least 100 with a section score of at least 23 on speaking.
- Given current funding projections, the probability that you will receive an offer of support for Fall 2010 diminishes sharply for total scores below 100 or speaking scores below 23. Unanticipated improvements in funding may increase this probability.
- The probably of an offer diminishes to zero if your total score is below 79, your speaking score is below 18, your writing score is below 21, or your reading score is below 19.
|
Please note that we have a new Master's program, Master of Financial
Mathematics, see
http://www.math.umn.edu/finmath/.
You can also find out much information about our campus via the main U
of Minnesota website
http://www.umn.edu/;
and by the Graduate School website
http://www.grad.umn.edu/
See especially the catalogues at:
http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/grad/index.html
for the general listing of all catalogues;
and
http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/grad/programs/g113.html
for the Mathematics Department;
and
http://www.catalogs.umn.edu/download/TCgrad/gradintro07.pdf
for the Graduate School at UMN
Please let us know if we can be of any more help.
- Q66: What would be my duties if I have a TAship at
the University of Minnesota?
- A: There can be some variations, but the standard formula is that
you would lead recitations in two sections, with four contact hours
per week. (That is four 50 minute periods in front of a class per
week). You would have responsibilities toward grading and toward
office hours, as well. The typical TA appointment is a so-called "50%
appointment" in which you'd formally be paid for 20 hours per week of
teaching, and teaching related responsibilities.
- Q67: I'm an international student who has accepted
your offer of an assistantship. How do I get an I-20? How fast will it
come, once I've filled out the financial certification form?
- A: The I-20 is issued by the Graduate School. When you receive
their admission message, you'll be given information about how to fill
out the financial certification form. Once that's done a process
begins involving the Graduate School and International Student and
Scholar Services. Processing can take several weeks, and typically
ends with the I-20 being issued. The Mathematics Graduate Assistant,
Bonny Fleming, typically picks up the I-20, and sends it out by express
mail on the same day as it is issued.
Except for that last step, none of this process is handled by the
Mathematics Department, and so questions about this should really go
to the Graduate School (see Q2 above). In particular, while we're very
sympathetic to concerns you may have about this, we have no ability in
the Math Department to expedite your I-20, nor can we really give a
timeline for when your I-20 will be ready. On the other hand, we do
make every effort, once it's ready.
- Q68: How do Math graduate students find advisors
at the University of Minnesota?
- A: First, a survey we conducted indicated that the strongest part
of our program is the relationship a student has with their advisor.
Our students are very happy with their advisors, almost without
exception. The process of finding an advisor is, for the most part,
handled informally, but there is a bit of a system upon arrival.
Incoming students are assigned an initial advisor by the DGS (Director
of Graduate Studies), with some effort made to match the advisor to
the student interests. This advisor will guide you through the
Preliminary Written exams and related coursework, which typically
takes about two years. These exams and courses cover our core
material. As a result, it's perhaps most important for the initial
advisor to have a good understanding of the requirements, and not so
important that he or she is a specialist in your areas of interest.
After completing Prelim Written exams, Mathematics graduate students
are expected to find a new (interim) advisor who will work with them
in their area of specialty until they complete the Preliminary Oral
exam, which typically happens toward the end of the third or fourth
year. Then they may choose to change advisors once more, to the final
advisor, who guides them to the end of the degree. For most students,
the interim advisor is also their final advisor, but there are a few
who do have three advisors during their stay at Minnesota.
Of course, if problems arise, students are always free to seek a new
advisor at any time. This is extremely rare, and is to be avoided if
at all possible, as it may cause difficulties in keeping to our
progress timelines.
- Q69: I'm an international student who has not yet
begun my graduate studies. What happens if I accept your TA offer,
but then am unable to attend the beginning of IT Talk (the
International Student Orientation)?
- A: The organization that runs IT Talk (called the Center for
Teaching and Learning) can be one of the most helpful to you as you
try to find your way in your new home in the midwest of the US. Their
IT Talk orientation is filled with a great deal of practical advice
about teaching and many other topics. They are, in my opinion, one of
the most responsive and helpful groups at the University ... possibly
second only to the Mathematics Department! (Please see Q70 for more
info about IT Talk.)
It is a condition of our TA offers that the student arrive before the
start of IT Talk. If, for any reason, you find that you must miss the
beginning, then we will need to renegotiate with you and this is done
on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we try to be flexible about this,
and, typically, there is only some reduction in your IT Talk stipend.
However, please do your absolute best to ensure that you can be here
in time for the beginning of this important orientation event.
See also Q82 below.
- Q70: I'm an international applicant. What is IT
Talk? Will they test me? What does the test involve? What happens
if I don't do well on the test?
- A: IT Talk is an orientation program that is required of all
Institute of Technology (IT) students who seek to become Teaching
Assistants; the Mathematics Department is a part of IT. This
orientation does finish with an assessment of teaching readiness,
which results in an English Language Proficiency (ELP) score. If your
score is too low, then you cannot teach. This assessment is both an
assessment of language and of other kinds of readiness -- e.g.,
cultural and pedagogical. If your ELP score is too low, then,
typically, you'll be assigned to non-teaching work (papergrading and,
possibly, tutoring) as you take coursework designed to bring your
score up. An international student whose ELP score doesn't reach the
highest level (a "1") by the end of their first year will fall out of
good standing and their summer support could be in jeopardy. In the
last two years, only twice have we had this problem, and, in those
cases we did continue to offer support, but at a reduced level. (Often
we can offer more than it says in our offer letters, but in those
two cases we offered exactly the amount in the offer letter.)
So there's some pressure to become a good teacher, but it's a
balanced approach.
IT Talk is a part of the International TA (ITA) program which
is run by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).
You can read more about the ITA program at
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/graduate/itap/index.html.
You can read about the ITA program's coursework (which includes
IT Talk) at
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/graduate/itap/courses/index.html.
Finally you can get information about IT Talk itself at
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/graduate/itap/courses/ittalk/index.html
Please see also Q69 above and Q82 below.
- Q71: Where can I find a listing of courses offered
by Mathematics?
- A: For the listing of all math courses that we have to offer,
point to
http://onestop2.umn.edu/courses/tc/designators.jsp
select "MATH - Mathematics"
and then click on "Show the courses"
Please keep in mind that, in any given semester, only some of those
possible courses will be offered.
For the courses offered in a given semester, please click
here.
Then select the semester of choice and "Mathematics - MATH". Then
click on "View".
- Q72: How do the TA stipends compare with the cost
of living in Minneapolis?
- A: In 2005, one of our graduate students wrote (in answering this
question):
My basic living expenses are about $850 per month,
although I have a fairly cheap apartment. Typical
expenses are perhaps closer to $1000 to $1100 a
month. Fortunately, the usual TA stipend for students in
our department is over $1300 per month.
At the time, his salary (as a senior student) was $14,368. At the
time, an incoming student would have been earning $13,830. In 2007-8,
an incoming student will be earning $15,740. It would therefore be
reasonable to multiply the numbers he wrote by 15740/14368.
- Q73: I'm an international student working on my
financial certification. Will my TA salary be sufficient to cover
the I-20 minimum?
- A: Yes. For example, for students matriculating in Fall 2007, the
offer letter states a compensation of "$17,148 plus tuition waiver,
plus health insurance", while the I-20 minimum amount (see
http://www.grad.umn.edu/faculty-staff/international/i20.html) is
$17,116. So the amounts are close, but TA stipend is slightly higher.
- Q74: What information do you have about your
department's rankings?
- A: Here's some ranking information:
US News and World Report rankings in applied math, 2004
1 MIT........4.7
2 NYU........4.7
3 Caltech....4.6
4 Stanford...4.5
5 Brown......4.4
6 Princeton..4.4
7 Berkeley...4.4
8 UCLA.......4.4
9 Minnesota..4.3
-----------------------
US News and World Report rankings in math, 2002
1 MIT................5.0
2 Harvard............4.9
3 Princeton..........4.9
4 Stanford...........4.9
5 Berkeley...........4.9
6 Chicago............4.7
7 Yale...............4.7
8 Caltech............4.6
9 Cornell............4.4
10 NYU................4.4
11 Ann Arbor..........4.4
12 Columbia...........4.3
13 UCLA...............4.3
14 Austin.............4.2
15 Madison............4.2
16 Brown..............4.1
17 Rutgers............4.0
18 UC San Diego.......4.0
19 Urbana-Champaign...4.0
20 Minnesota..........4.0
-----------------------
US News and World Report rankings in applied math, 2002
1 NYU
2 MIT
3 Princeton
4 Minnesota
-----------------------
US News and World Report rankings in math, 1998
1 Harvard....4.9
2 MIT........4.9
3 Princeton..4.9
4 Berkeley...4.9
5 Stanford...4.8
6 Chicago....4.7
7 Yale.......4.7
8 Caltech....4.5
9 NYU........4.4
10 Ann Arbor..4.4
11 Columbia...4.3
12 Cornell....4.2
13 UCLA.......4.2
14 Madison....4.2
15 Minnesota..4.1
-----------------------
US News and World Report rankings in applied math, 1998
1 MIT
2 NYU
3 Princeton
4 Berkeley
5 Minnesota
-----------------------
NRC math rankings at
http://www.stat.tamu.edu/~jnewton/nrc_rankings/nrc41.html#area31
Mathematics
1 Princeton................................4.94
2 Cal.Berkeley.............................4.94
3 MIT......................................4.92
4 Harvard..................................4.90
5 Chicago..................................4.69
6 Stanford.................................4.68
7 Yale.....................................4.55
8 NYU......................................4.49
9 Michigan.................................4.23
10 Columbia.................................4.23
11 Cal.Tech.................................4.19
12 UCLA.....................................4.14
13 Wisconsin................................4.10
14 Minnesota................................4.08
15 Cornell..................................4.05
16 Brown....................................4.04
17 Cal.San.Diego............................4.02
18 Maryland.................................3.97
19 Rutgers..................................3.96
20 SUNY.Stony.Brook.........................3.94
21 Illinois.................................3.93
22 Penn.....................................3.87
23 Texas....................................3.85
24 Rice.....................................3.82
25 Purdue...................................3.82
26 Washington...............................3.76
27 Northwestern.............................3.71
28 Ohio.State...............................3.66
29 Johns.Hopkins............................3.65
- Q75: For how many credits do I need to register,
to be considered to be a full-time student?
- A: Six.
- Q76: I have questions about the financial
certification form and/or other issues connected to my visa, my I-20
and immigration. Could you please give me advice?
- A: It's best if we don't. In the department, we have no expertise
in anything connected to visas, and it would do you a great disservice
if we misinformed you about any issues related to immigration.
Your best source of information here would be Graduate School
Admissions and ISSS, and their contact information appears in Q2 and
Q59 above.
- Q77: I would like to respond to your offer? How
should I do this?
- A: We appreciate an informal notice by email, but, particularly
if you are accepting, we also seek a signed acceptance. If you have
not already done so, please do check "accept" or "decline" on the
offer letter, then sign and date it, and then either mail it or FAX it
back to us. (For FAX information, please see Q22 above.) A email
message with a scan of the signed form is acceptable as well, but
please send it to
gradprog@math.umn.edu.
- Q78: I'm a current graduate student in the School
of Mathematics at UMN, and I have some paperwork that needs to be
signed by the DGS (Director of Graduate Studies). Could I set up an
appointment?
- A: Appointments are *always* acceptable and do feel free to ask
for one. If all you require is a signature, however, it's best to
leave the paperwork with DGS Assistant, Bonny Fleming, in Vincent
127. She will do a quick check, then send the paperwork on to the DGS,
who does further checking and, assuming everything is in order, signs
the forms. Then they are returned to Ms. Trager, who will make copies
for our files. She can either return them to you, or send them on to,
say, the Graduate School, if that's what you prefer.
- Q79: I understand that my I-20 is available. When will I receive it?
- A: As soon as we receive an I-20 in the Mathematics Department,
we pick it up and mail it out by express mail, so you should receive
it in a few days. To check on the situation, please write to Ms. Diane
Trager at
gradprog@math.umn.edu .
However, please understand that, until the I-20 is sent to us, it's
still in the hands of the Graduate School (and ISSS). For Graduate
School contact information, see Q2 above. For ISSS contact
information, please see Q59 above.
- Q80: I'm a current graduate student in the School
of Mathematics at UMN, and I would like information about summer
teaching possibilities.
- A: Summer teaching is administered by Chester Miracle, and you'll
need to be in touch with him. You should either talk to him in person,
or leave a hardcopy note in his mailbox.
- Q81: I have been accepted by the Graduate School
and would like to view my admission letter online. How can I do this?
- A: Please point to
http://www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students/apply_online.html
and then click on the third link in the middle column of the page,
which reads "Check the status of your application". If you have
difficulties, please contact Graduate School Admissions. (See Q2
above.)
- Q82: Whom can I ask questions about IT Talk?
- A: The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL),
email:
teachlrn@umn.edu,
website:
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/,
phone number: (612) 625-3041.
See also Q69 and Q70 above. See also Q86 and Q90 below.
- Q83: How much is tuition?
- A: First, bear in mind that you probably will not need to pay
tuition, if you are accepted into one of our regular programs. An
exception is our Financial Mathematics program, where students to have
to cover tuition. For our other programs, we almost never make offers
without a multi-year package of support that includes a benefit that
covers the cost of tuition.
For those who still want it, information about tuition costs can be
found at
http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Tuition_Billing/Tuition_Rates/Graduate_School_Tuition_Rates.html
and at
http://onestop.umn.edu/onestop/Tuition_Billing/Tuition_Rates.html.
- Q84: Whom can I ask questions about health and
dental insurance for graduate students?
- A: Please point to
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/insurance/insurance.htm.
If you have questions, you can write to
questions@bhs.umn.edu
or to
studins@bhs.umn.edu.
There are also a number of phone numbers. The general
information number is (612) 625-8400.
Another information number is (612) 625-8400.
More detailed phone directories can be found at
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/phonenumbers.htm#info
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/phonenumbers.htm#departments
and
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/directory.htm.
Finally, the Graduate Assistant Office can often help with questions
about benefits. See Q89 below for information about how to reach them.
- Q85: When will I receive my internet ("x500") id?
- A: If you've accepted an offer to our graduate program, try to
access the initialization page
http://www.umn.edu/initiate
to find out your x500 id. If this doesn't work, you can try writing to
accounts@umn.edu
(or call 612-626-8366) for advice.
- Q86: I'm an international applicant who has
accepted your offer. I'm now planning my travel to the US to begin
graduate school at UMN. When should I plan to arrive?
- A: First, do not make travel plans until you receive your I-20,
since it will have information on the earliest possible arrival
date. If you by an airline ticket for an earlier date, you'll have to
change the date of travel, and that could result in a fine from the
airline.
Second, if you did not grow up speaking English as the primary
language in your home when you grew up, then you're required to take
IT Talk, the international student orientation. (You can find
information about IT Talk in Q69, Q70 and Q82 above.) So you'll need
to arrive *before* the first date of IT Talk.
Usually the window of time between the earliest date of arrival (based
on the I-20) and the first day of IT Talk, is very small, and possibly
less than 48 hours. So you may have to time your arrival very
carefully.
- Q87: I'll be arriving at the University of
Minnesota soon. Could you arrange for someone to meet me at the
airport and give me a ride to campus?
- A: No, that's not a service we provide. However, there are taxis
and there's a light rail service that can take you from the airport
to a point near the West Bank, about a 15 minute walk away from
Vincent Hall (the math building).
If you do decide to take light-rail, you can find information about it at
http://www.metrotransit.org/rail/,
with a more detailed map at
http://www.metrotransit.org/rail/station_detail.asp.
Your trip will be northbound, or "up" on these two maps.
At the airport you can find the light-rail system by following signs,
or by asking. You'll want to get off at the Cedar-Riverside Station
and you'll need to find your way from there to the Washington Avenue
bridge.
The Cedar-Riverside Station is the fuzzy red dot just south of
Currie Park at
http://metrotransit.com/rail/stations/05_cedar.asp,
and you can also see, on that map, "Anderson Hall", which is located
just south of "Washington Ave SE".
The Washington Avenue bridge is just north of Anderson Hall, see
http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/AndH/AndH-map.html
You'll be traveling eastbound or "right" on this map. After crossing
the bridge you can get to Vincent Hall, by examining the map
http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/VinH/VinH-map.html.
Note that Washington Avenue runs along the bottom of that map.
Also, do review Q58, for information about housing. If you're an
international student, you may wish to head to the "International
Reception Center".
- Q88: What is the contact information for the
Graduate Assistant Office?
- A:
Graduate Assistant Office (GAO)
"GAOinfo" <gaoinfo@hr-mail.ohr.umn.edu>
http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gao/
(612) 624-7070
- Q89: Now that I've been admitted to the program,
what things do I need to do before arriving in person?
- A: For the Math Department, you do not need to do anything until
you arrive for orientation. International students must arrive early
for IT Talk, but domestic students may wait until the Math Department
Orientation. (See Q82, for more information about IT Talk.)
For the Graduate School, requirements vary from person to person, but
everyone will need to arrange for formal transcripts to be sent, or
they will face a hold on their registration. For other Graduate School
requirements, please contact the Graduate School directly (see Q2
above).
- Q90: I'm a newly admitted student. When should I
register for classes?
- A: Please wait until you're assigned an initial advisor (which
typically happens a few weeks before classes), and until you can talk
with him or her, in person, about courses. You should also wait until
you take the placement test at the Math Department Orientation, which
could provide valuable information about readiness levels in various
subject areas.
One of the most serious mistakes common to incoming graduate students
is to try to take coursework for which they're not ready. If you have
to drop out of a year-long course sequence, take a lower level
sequence and then retake the original sequence, it can cost you an
extra year
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