Stony Brook University SUNY Korea

For several years, the Stony Brook Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMS) major has been ranked third among the top five undergraduate programs in Applied Mathematics by College Factual, as cited in USA Today.

The diverse program of the AMS major at SUNY Korea that teaches, learns, and conducts interdisciplinary research in Applied Mathematics and Statistics provides the exact same high-quality curricula of Stony Brook University in New York.

Below is the story of Hyewon Jung, a new AMS major student at SUNY Korea, who figured the AMS program at SUNY Korea will encompass all her interests in mathematics, statistics and data science.

The specialty of the major and the existence of various opportunities at SUNY Korea have given Hyewon an expectant heart for her years at SUNY Korea.

We hope her story below will be helpful to all those who wish to study at SUNY Korea.

1)    Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Hello. My name is Hyewon Jung. I am currently a freshman majoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics at the State University of New York, Korea.

2)    Why did you apply to SUNY Korea instead of other universities in Korea?

When I was in high school in Korea, I never thought about options other than Korean universities. I first got to know the State University of New York, Korea when I was in grade eleven in high school. What I considered the most in the process of choosing a University was its suitability, as well as opportunities for various experiences. Since I was interested in mathematics, statistics, and data science, I hoped to enroll in a department that encompasses them all. So when I first got to know about the State University of New York, Korea, the Applied Mathematics and Statistics Department was very attractive to me.

Also, I liked the point that there are many opportunities to experience various things in SUNY, Korea. I thought I could experience various things and have more options after graduation than others who enrolled in Korean universities, and that’s why I chose SUNY, Korea.

When I am allowed to experience something I have never experienced before, I tend to challenge myself and get motivated in the process of overcoming difficulties and failures. So I want to experience various things as much as possible. In particular, I hope that the opportunity to study on the New York campus for one out of the four years will be a chance to look at the world from a wide perspective while encountering other cultures and various people.

3)     Are there any tips you would like to share with students who wish to apply for SUNY Korea?

I think the most important documents while preparing for entrance were the self-introduction and essays. I tried to include a sincere story about myself, focusing on the values that I consider most important and the activities that I participated in most actively during my high school years. Because it is important to reveal my strengths in these documents, it is also good to incorporate keywords that can reveal your strengths, such as 'leadership' and 'mathematical thinking'.

Of course, the process of preparing documents about awards and school activities will be easier the more actively you participated in school activities. I tried to participate in all the activities and contests offered by the school, so there were a lot of activities that I could include in the documents. Among them, I tried to emphasize the awards and activities related to my major, Applied Mathematics and Statistics.

4) Could you share your experience at SUNY Korea since admission?

Due to the Corona situation, classes are being conducted in a non-face-to-face medium, but so far, satisfaction with classes is very high. There are a lot of assignments and exams, so after I review and finish my homework after classes, there is not much free time left. But I can feel that my skills are improving while taking classes and doing assignments, and this is the driving force for me to work harder. I hope the Corona situation becomes stabilized as soon as possible so that we can participate in classes and club activities face to face.

5) How are classes like at SUNY Korea?

Overall, the classes encourage students to study hard. Since classes are being conducted non-face-to-face, professors often check students' understanding and try to elicit questions from students in the middle of the class. If I have any questions about the class material, I can get feedback right away from the professor. I was not familiar with the type of class in which the professor asks students' opinions about the contents of the class, and students share their thoughts, but I can think deeply about the concept and learn new things that I didn't know by this process. Many students try to participate actively in the class and interact with professors well.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the faculty and staff are doing our best to make an environment at SUNY Korea where students can reach their full potential with passion. We sincerely hope more students will be able to learn at a deeper level, face challenges, and get closer to their dreams here at SUNY Korea.