5 Best Colleges for Math Degree In USA
There are no two ways about it - either you are good at Mathematics and love it, or it can haunt you and become the bane in your studies. It's not something that you can train yourself to love. Srinivasa Ramanujan became a world-renowned mathematician with barely any formal training in pure mathematics, but then he was inclined to Math naturally.
What Are Some Career Opportunities After Studying Math?
If you are the one who's inclined toward math and will love to do a job surrounded by math, you have many career opportunities like:
- Cryptographer
- Mathematician
- Economist
- Actuary
- Financial planner
- Investment analyst
- Statistician
- Operations research analyst
- Insurance Underwriter
- Budget Analyst
However, to make a great career in math, it's essential to get a top-notch education. And to get that, you should look to get admitted to the USA's best colleges for math. To help you with this, we've mentioned the 5 best colleges for math degrees in the USA.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT's Mathematics Department is considered the best in the world. Here you can learn math in a broader spectrum as it teaches both tradition and applied math. In traditional math, you'll learn algebra, geometry, analysis, and topology. You'll learn things like fluid dynamics, theoretical physics, computational biology, and theoretical computer science in applied math.
Concentrations offered by the Department in the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics are:
- Applied Mathematics
- Pure Mathematics
- General Mathematics
- Mathematics with Computer Science degree
The acceptance rate of 8% demands that you have exceptional scores. Expected high school GPA scores are 4.16 on a scale of 4.0. Your SAT score should be between 1510 and 1570. If you are taking ACT instead, your score should be between 34 and 36. Your TOEFL scores should also be good too to stand a chance to be accepted.
Talented students get need-blind admissions, and such a student can receive aid for all four years of the undergraduate program.
Notable alumni are Tadotoshi Akiba (Japanese Mathematician), Gilbert Strang (American Mathematician), and Mohammad Ali Najafi (Iranian Mathematician).
Harvard University
Harvard is an Ivy League University, and the Mathematics program gets conducted at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The Mathematics program is for students who aspire to pursue research in the subject.
Once a student shows promise in Math by passing the qualifying examination, his study is chalked out in the best-suited field by independent reading, advanced courses, and seminars.
Harvard also partners with other reputed institutions teaching mathematics like MIT, Brandeis, and Northeastern Universities to conduct shared seminars and conferences.
The acceptance rate at Harvard is nail-biting at 5%. Your grades must be excellent. Expected high school GPA scores are 4.04, and SAT scores between 1460 and 1570. If you are taking ACT instead, your score should be between 33 and 35. High TOEFL and GRE scores will also enhance your chance to be accepted.
Need-based financial aid ensures that the best students stand a chance to be accepted. Twenty percent of students pay nothing to study at Harvard, and more than fifty percent receive need-based scholarships.
Notable alumni are Heisuke Hironaka (Japanese Mathematician), Daniel Quillen (the one who did formulation of higher algebraic K-theory), and David Mumford (American Mathematician).
Stanford University
Stanford is a reputed research institution dedicated to finding solutions to insurmountable challenges. The Department of Mathematics offers Graduate, Master's, and Ph.D. programs in Mathematics.
Undergraduates get a sound grounding in mathematics that includes logical reasoning, generalization, abstraction, and formal proof. They get trained to create, analyze, and interpret mathematical models and communicate sound arguments based on mathematical reasoning and careful data analysis.
The University has an acceptance rate of 4%, so getting admission is extremely competitive. Your grades must be excellent. The expected high school GPA score is 4.18 on a scale of 4.0. Your SAT scores should be between 1440 and 1570. If you are taking ACT instead, your score should be between 32 and 35. Good TOEFL scores will be a feather in your cap.
While almost 70% of students at Stanford receive financial aid, all aid is need-based.
Notable alumni are Terence Tao ( Australian-American mathematician) and John Tate (American Mathematician).
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private Ivy League research institution. Their mission is to contribute to society and develop knowledge to make a difference in the world through education.
Undergraduate mathematics students embark on the program with introductory-based courses. Students learning standard calculus sequence or linear algebra to pursue majors in natural sciences, engineering, finance, economics, and other social sciences discover their love for mathematics here.
The acceptance rate is 6% making it a tough call to get in. Expected high school GPA scores are 3.87 on the 4.0 scale. And your SAT scores should be between 1460 and 1570. If you are taking ACT instead, your score should be between 33 and 35. Plus, TOEFL scores should be good too.
Financial aid at Princeton is primarily need-based. There are no merit-based scholarships offered.
Notable alumni are Manjula Bhargava, John H. Conway, and Paul Erdos.
The University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley, also known as UC Berkeley, is the flagship of ten University of California campuses. The major undergraduate program in mathematics leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.
The course includes a study in Calculus, Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, Discrete Mathematics, Abstract Algebra, etc. Major programs in the Department of Mathematics prepare students for advanced degrees in math, physical sciences, economics, industrial engineering, etc.
The acceptance rate of UC Berkeley is 16.8%, but you must be a class topper to get accepted. Expected high school GPA scores are 3.84. And your SAT scores should be between 1310 and 1530. If you are taking ACT instead, your score should be between 28 and 34. A high TOEFL score will improve your chances of getting accepted.
Berkeley offers financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, work-study aid, and loans.
Notable alumni are Steve Wozniak, Gordon Moore, and Robert Laughlin.