College maths

I need help finding some scholarships. Plain and simple every time I look for monitory help on the internet, I get lost in scholarships that don't really apply to who I am. Typical scholarships want you to be ethnic, womanly, bullied, cancerous, overcome by adversity, outstanding community leader tree-planter, and quite simply--I am not. Instead I go to school with a minimum of 16 credit hours per semester at Colorado School of Mines, I study mathematics and work a good 30 hours a week to support myself on top of that. I have no time to volunteer, and in fact it would be unwise for me to do so as that would take away from time I could be earning money, which would ultimately make me homeless. I play music and compose music if I am truly lacking something to do, and that's about it!

My credentials aren't poor, I am already a semester ahead at a hard school, and though I have just above a 2.5 GPA I know I am above mediocre in understanding the fundamentals and applications of mathematics. I am a regional chess champion, I am always involved in all the math clubs I can be a part of, and just a few weekends ago I took the prestigious Putnam Exam for the first time as a sophomore and I think I may have even scored a positive number.

Anyway, I have scoured fast web, cappex, all the bogus online scholarship search engines that promise money to everyone in the country but don't actually end up helping non-"special" students. My school offers some scholarships but they are typically only for the engineers… I need help finding some money for a math student who is truly interested in the academia of college. I need help finding money for just a poor white dude who is forced to work his way through a tough college at the moment. Any help or direction that anyone could provide to me would be much helpful. Thanks!

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


I hate to be the person to bring you down here, but with those numbers it will be very difficult to get a scholarship. Getting one is difficult at 3.5. At 2.5, I'm sorry you don't have much of a chance for an academic scholarship. You need to look at retaking some classes to get your GPA up. Furthermore, are you intending to teach? Math is a hard field to get a job in unless you have postgrad education. For that reason alone you have got to get your GPA up.

Take my major advice with a grain of salt though. I am a music major, I'll probably have to get a masters as well.

Your best shot is through the school. Other organizations in your community may have options as well. Also check your employer, they may have one. Most of the websites are scams, don't get sucked into it. You don't need to volunteer to get one, but you will need to work on your writing skills as many will ask for an essay.

I'm loathe to bring this up, but the top employer of mathematicians are alphabet agencies, with the NSA leading the list. Perhaps when a CIA recruiter comes to your school, you could ask them what scholarship programs might be available.

I would say that you might not want to mention that you're a member of ATS, but they probably already know.

Best of luck to you, my friend.

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


Maybe, if we are talking about computer work, which is what most math majors who aren't in education will end up doing.

reply to post by antonia


I realize this. Though, it shouldn't be impossible. It's not necessarily a great excuse, but working harder for my education in terms of three jobs is only making my education less GPA-rich…

I don't know. As far as I see it, the current system makes the rich get richer. I know sooo many privileged people who go here, people who have nice cars, no bills, and no job. They succeed just fine with GPA, how could they not with an extra 30 hours/week to study? Meanwhile, I have to bust my ass just to stay in school, let alone get A's.

That must count for something, but where to turn?

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


Hahaha yes, I have received more than one email from the school advertising jobs to the NSA. Not going to lie, they look tempting--and very cool as well. Quite literally they sell the job as a professional hacker, and algorithm breaker (which certainly has its appeal).

But there is more to a math job than just that. A math degree provides a certain way of thinking while gaining practical skills useful for problem solving. Just like there are degrees out there like art history, english, communication… whatever, many people end up getting high-paying jobs outside of their major. Sure, not everyone, but a lot do. Personally, I want a math degree for self-improvement more than anything--math has always been one of my biggest passions. And, being a rather advanced degree as a pure science, it should still set me above many other candidates from other schools with other degrees even if my GPA hovers 2.5. The job aspect I am not worried about as much in the long-run (plus I certainly would not mind being a teacher anyway ). What matters to me, now, is simply getting through college and learning whatever I can.

I'm not American so you can ignore me if I am way off but aren't there grants that are offered that are need based more than a scholarship, which is usually performance based, that you could apply for?

It's different here in Canada but having friends that are Americans that attend post secondary education, they have told me that they have applied for both grants and scholarships and have received one or the other or both.

And I feel your pain; I have to take this semester off because I can't afford to pay for the courses, don't qualify for any scholarships atm and won't go into debt right now to fund school.

reply to post by GAOTU789


I do have a scholarship, and receive some grants that in total are equivalent to about 4,000 a semester but the costs of school per semester far outweigh that. I am maxing out my loans and still have rent, food, bills in general that I need to pay just to live--all of this without even a vehicle...

PhysicsAdept
reply to post by VictorVonDoom

 

And, being a rather advanced degree as a pure science, it should still set me above many other candidates from other schools with other degrees even if my GPA hovers 2.5. The job aspect I am not worried about as much in the long-run (plus I certainly would not mind being a teacher anyway

). What matters to me, now, is simply getting through college and learning whatever I can.

You hope, but experience says otherwise. I don't know where you got your bad grades, but you really should consider retaking things instead of trying to make an excuse. If you want a living wage then you need to be ready to get a master's degree. You need your grades to be as high as possible. You need to have better expectations for yourself. Your goal is far too vague. Figure out where you are going and you will do better.

Yes, I'm being harsh, but you can do much better than that.

reply to post by antonia


Well it is always better to set higher goals. You are correct really. It isn't like I am intending to receive he grades I do. Retaking classes is an option. I am scheduled to graduate a semester early, so I could have a semester of just grade-boosting… however, that semester early of graduating would save an easy 20,000…

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


Are there not cheaper schools in your area? I pay about 3900 a semester for my courses at 13 credit hours. You could transfer to a cheaper school.

reply to post by antonia


But a less prestigious one. Mines is the best school in Colorado and one of the best in the nation, at least for math and science. Tuition is only 7,000 a semester, but factor in everything else and its between 12-15 a semester (books, rent, etc… normal living expenses) 20,000 was a bit exaggerated. And really, Mines compared to any 4 year university isn't cheap but isn't bad. Denver University is 40,000 a year, and Boulder is almost just as expensive. The 14,000 I pay a year for tuition isn't unheard of. You go out of state and it can up to triple that amount easily...

reply to post by antonia


Also, I take more credit hours which definitely amps up the cost. I've taken between 16-19 credit hours every semester. Again though, the money saved from getting done a semester early is an easy 10,000

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


The name doesn't matter.

Plenty of studies have proven that.

If you are paying for a name then you are making a bad decision. At the end of the day someone who came from a lesser known college with a better GPA will have a better shot at a job. The name doesn't matter much, but the grades do. If you need to cut your costs then consider rushing. Greeks can be douchebags, but sometimes their board is cheaper than what you will pay elsewhere.

reply to post by antonia


Ha that is a rather large misunderstanding of what that statement was saying. I'm not at an ivy league school, those are school you go to when you can afford paying for a name. My school is top in the nation in engineering, science, and mathematics--look it up. And yes, there is a reputation for Mines because it's a very hard school to get through. The average incoming GPA is 3.8 and the average GPA attending Mines is 2.9--Mines produces some of the best workers which is why it hosts the number one and number two job fairs every year.

So no, I am not paying for a name, I'm paying for skills from a reputable school. Moving almost anywhere else would improve my GPA surely but not my funding problems nor my "hirability"

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


2.9, that's it? Yesh. Looking at the rankings for mathematics, I don't even see that school in the top ten. M.I.T is insanely difficult and they have a higher graduating G.P.A. than that. Woo, what are you guys doing over there? Stop drinking or something. Now, I'm not saying it's a bad school, but you may be over estimating just how prestigious it is. Now, there is something you neglected to say: It's generally known as an engineering school. I'm not surprised the G.P.A would be that low as those are difficult programs. It's also not too difficult to get a job in certain engineering fields.

Really, you have a few options.

1. Eat the cost and get over it.
2. Raise your G.P.A. by retaking anything C or below so you can get scholarship money.
3. Is there a school close your parents? Consider moving back to cut costs.

I know you are young. Believe me, I understand what it is like to be that age, but you are trying to argue against something I have experience with. I have seen Harvard graduates get passed over when put against people with higher GPA's from state schools. I saw someone from M.I.T. get passed over for master's program at a state school in Tennessee because their G.P.A was too low. Don't think that name will save you. I was accepted to Vanderbilt and passed it over as I felt their music program was no better than what I saw at the school I attend. Perhaps better venues, but the education was no better. You need to get your grades as high as possible to be competitive for a master's program. Most of them start at 3.2. I've said my peace here, good luck to you. You are gonna need it with the bill you'll have when you get out in this economy.

PhysicsAdept
reply to post by GAOTU789

 

I am maxing out my loans and still have rent, food, bills in general that I need to pay just to live--all of this without even a vehicle...

Well congrats on the new vehicle you just got, this will give you some freedom and open up other possibilities at the very least.

I'm very proud of your accomplishments thus far, just hang in there!