Bott didn't fancy taking three more years to qualify in mathematics before starting a Master's degree in mathematics which is what he would have had to have done had he followed his initial choice to stay at McGill. Williams made the suggestion that he apply to the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, where John Synge was setting up a new graduate programme in mathematics.
Bott hindi magarbong pagkuha ng mas maraming tatlong taon upang maging karapat-dapat sa matematika bago simulan ang isang Master's degree sa matematika na kung saan ay ang kung ano siya ay nagkaroon na may tapos na nagkaroon siya sinundan ng kanyang unang pinili upang manatili sa McGill. Williams ginawa ang mga mungkahi na siya mag-apply sa Carnegie Institute of Technology sa Pittsburgh, kung saan John Synge ay set up ng isang bagong nagtapos ng programa sa matematika.