Kevin Luk
Why Apply to Grad School in
Mathematics?
• Interested in the math courses that you’re taking so far
• Had a fun time doing research projects (Honours
thesis/NSERC USRA) and wish to pursue
mathematical research further
• Wide applications towards numerous different fields:
theoretical physics, biology, actuarial science, finance,
engineering, etc.
Choosing a Graduate School
• Look at the department at each prospective school
carefully; if you have a strong research interest in mind
already, it is important that they have active faculty
working in your research interests
• Think about your personal preferences; do you enjoy
working or studying in a large department or do you
prefer working in a smaller, close-knit environment?
Choosing a Graduate School
(cont’d)
 Lifestyle factors; for example, do you prefer living in a
metropolitan environment or do you prefer living in a
small college-town atmosphere?
 Lifestyle factors might be more important than you
think as there are chances that you might spend the
next 5 years at the school
 Talk to the faculty/graduate students at the
prospective school to see if it is indeed a right fit for
you
Canadian vs US programs in
Mathematics
 Most Canadian programs start their students off in a
MSc program; typically 1-2 years.
 At US programs, most students start off in a PhD
program which is typically completed in 5 years
 Admission to Canadian programs can depend on the
availability of funds/supervisors in your declared
research field
 Admission to US programs tend to consider your
overall profile; but having a research interest in your
application is still important
Canadian vs US programs in
Mathematics (continued)
 Many PhD programs (certainly the top schools) in the
US requires the applicant to take both the GRE Math
Subject Test and the GRE General Test while Canadian
schools have no such requirement
 Most US programs have earlier deadlines (especially
the top schools) sometime around early-mid
December while most of the deadlines for Canadian
programs are in late January/early February
Writing a CV
 Write it on LaTeX (more professional)
 Plenty of LaTeX CV templates exist online and very
user-friendly
 Put down all the awards/honours that you have
received through your undergraduate career (even
those that do not seem related); do not feel the need to
be humble here
 Any talks/publications/conference proceedings
deserves a place on your CV
Writing a Personal/Research
Statement
 For any graduate program in mathematics, you will
need to write some sort of a personal statement or a
research statement
 This is where you can “tailor” your application towards
different schools (prepare a draft of this early, and then
modify it to each different school)
 Also a place for you to express yourself; why you want
to enroll in School X?, elaborate your background,
demonstrate why you are a deserving candidate for
School X.
Writing a Personal/Research
Statement (continued)
 For a research statement, it is good to tie it in relation
to something that you have already done, such as an
honours thesis/USRA project, or with upper-level
coursework
 It is important to demonstrate your research interest,
but always be cautious if you go overboard
 Let your references see your personal/research
statement; they can testify your research abilities in
their letters
Reference Letters
 This is something that is very important, can make or
break an application
 Start thinking about which professors you want to
write your letters early (this is actually a decision that
you should take seriously)
 In general, if you are applying to math, it is best if all
of your letter writers are active faculty members from
the math department

Reference Letters (continued)
 However, the ultimate key is to find which professors
truly know you the best (a good choice would be a
USRA supervisor, a professor of a course that you well
in)
 Ask the professors what kind of impression do they
have of you? Can they honestly write a strong letter for
you? Do they believe that you have the capabilities to
apply for the schools that you are deciding to apply?
 It could be (but sometimes not) beneficial to find a
letter writer with strong research reputation or wellknown in the school that you’re applying to
Reference Letters (continued)
 Give your references all the material necessary (CV,
transcripts, personal statements, etc) and at least a
month in advance
 If you’re applying to a large number of different
schools, it is your task (rather than the professor) to
keep track of all the deadlines for the professor and
remind them on a periodical basis (a neat spreadsheet
works well here)
 Don’t freak out if your references are several days late,
it will not be what decides if you get accepted or not
Transcripts
 Transcripts can be ordered online (preferable), or in
person at the Brock Hall and can be picked up at Brock
Hall or mailed to wherever you want(?)
 Cost around $7.50 each
 Grades appear on your transcripts as soon as you see
your grade on the SSC
Contact
 If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate
to email me at: kevinluk6@hotmail.com
 Good Luck!