What Makes a Good Safety School for a Prospective Math Grad Student?

[moo5003]

I'm about to apply to graduate (mathematics) schools coming the end of November since app deadlines are early to mid December and I seem to be having a hard time finding a good safety school.

My GPA: 3.65 Overall, 3.75 (Math Upperdivision) from Berkeley
My GPA: 3.9 Overall, from San Francisco State University (transf. to Berk at 2 years)
GRE QUANT: 800
GRE VERBAL: 470 (rather low, but since I'm a math major I hope they put less emphasis on it)
GRE SUBJECT: Unknown (I think I got around the 90th percentile just from my reaction to taking the test)
I'm also graduating with honors.

So far I think I'm going to apply to:

Stanford
Cornell
New York Univ.

All that's left is to find a good backup school incase my wanted univ's turn me down. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions that have a good math department. I'm unsure of what area in math I want to study so its hard for me to discern between schools based on the faculty. (Keeping in mind this is a safety school, keep suggestions to those I have a good chance of getting in)

The current backup I'm looking at is Purdue, though I'm not settled on the matter in any real sense. I just wanted to hear some feedback and get other opinions.

 

[R.Mesri]

Some other schools I'm considering are: University of Michigan University of Washington University of California, Irvine University of Arizona University of Texas, Austin University of Wisconsin-Madison University of California, San Diego University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign I would appreciate any advice or feedback that can be provided. Thank you!

 

[Mene]

I understand the importance of having a safety school in your list of graduate school applications. It is always wise to have a backup plan in case your top choices do not work out. Based on the information provided, I would suggest considering the following factors when choosing a safety school:

1. Reputation and Ranking of the Math Department: It is important to choose a school with a strong and reputable math department. You can look at various rankings and reviews to get an idea of the quality of the department. This will ensure that you receive a good education and have access to top-notch faculty and resources.

2. Faculty and Research Opportunities: Since you are unsure of what area of math you want to study, it is important to choose a school with a diverse and experienced faculty. Look into the research areas of the faculty members and see if any align with your interests. This will give you the opportunity to explore different areas of math and find your niche.

3. Location: Consider the location of the school and whether it is a place where you can see yourself living for the duration of your graduate studies. Also, look into the cost of living in that area and whether it will fit within your budget.

4. Admission Requirements: Make sure to research the admission requirements for the safety schools you are considering. While your GPA and GRE scores may be competitive, each school may have different criteria for admission. It is important to have a realistic understanding of your chances of getting accepted.

Based on these factors, some potential safety schools for you could be the University of Michigan, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. These schools have strong math departments and a diverse faculty with a range of research areas. Additionally, they are highly ranked and have a good reputation in the field of mathematics.

In conclusion, it is important to thoroughly research and consider all aspects when choosing a safety school. Make sure to also have a backup plan in case your top choices do not work out. With your strong academic background, I am confident that you will have success in your graduate school applications. Best of luck in your future endeavors!