u/drunleashed

I was a PhD student at the Illinois Tech's department of Applied Mathematics starting in Fall 2022. After graduating from Birmingham Southern College the previous semester after double majoring.

I remembered over the years of me being there I struggled with their qualifying exam. It was so bad, that I went to the University of Minnesota during Spring Breaks and made my complaints to them. I was being stripped of my wealth, because of them failing me on my qualifying exams. I just remember feeling emotionally and mentally drained it felt like I got hit by a bus.

The reason why I was in contact with the University of Minnesota was because when I was hunting for PhD programs during my time at Birmingham Southern College, I almost got into both of their Math and Computer Science PhD programs. Although, sadly half way during my studies at Illinois Tech, Birmingham Southern College was closed down permanently due to the same situation Illinois Tech is in now except there was no financial exigency, they left on their own due to clear communication with the president.

From what I'm seeing there was no transparency at all with the president of Illinois Tech. If there was, he would have said something much prior than a few weeks before this upcoming semester. But that did not happen. Anyhow, after reaching with the University of Minnesota back in Spring Break 2025, they told me "When you ready, apply" after hearing my complaints with Illinois Tech. I passed 2/3 qualifying exams at the time, I needed 1 more left. I got a tutor and studied all summer. And they failed me Fall 2025. I immediately was in contact with the University of Minnesota after they failed me and the dude dismissed me from my PhD program in Applied Mathematics. I remembered just how lively the university was. Everyone was so friendly and it was everything that Illinois Tech was not. Come to find out, at the University of Minnesota they don't do qualifying exams. They got rid of them a few years ago. My professors at Birmingham Southern College and my family wanted me to go to the University of Minnesota, because of how smart I was. I only wanted to go to Illinois Tech so that I can be with my grandparents as I studied.

My grandfather did work at Illinois Tech before retiring and he was absolutely surprised with the financial situation at Illinois Tech. Now, instead of struggling wasting away at Illinois Tech, I'll be at the University of Minnesota to study Robotics, Data Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science for a Masters and PhD. Illinois Tech is actively losing talent in both teaching and research, and I have found peace with my dismassal and happy to be at a University that my father and uncle went to, where I can actually make a difference like they did at the University of Minnesota.

I'm so happy, that I dodged a bullet. But what happened to the money that they cut me?