Math majors: tell me what it's like!

In My Humble Opinion
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I’m nearly a High School Senior and I’m interested in pursuing a future in mathematics (A while ago I created a thread on Actuaries and Statisticians). I’ve always been good in math, taking the GT/AP route through school (in math and most other courses) Next year I’m taking two math classes: AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics. I’m also taking an Intro. to Linear Algebra course at a local college this summer (not a community college, University of Maryland- Baltimore County actually). But more importantly of course, I love math. I have many interests- politics, natural sciences, etc. but I can’t see myself pursuing a future or majoring in them (possibly Economics or Physics, but I would like to double major with mathematics if I decided to major in either. In essence they are both Applied Math fields anyway).

Anyway, I know there are a bunch of people here who have majored in math, are/were in Graduate school for math, or are currently Mathematicians on the Dope. I’d like to know your experiences. Though I believe I have a firm understanding of the material I’ve learned so far, I have a fear that math will get too abstract and I just won’t be able to continue. Is this the case for many? Also, I’ve read books on famous mathematicians- am I going to have to have a superpowered brain or be shockingly brilliant to succeed in math? Von Neumann apparently would multiply 8-digit numbers in his head. I would say I’m very good and talented in the subject, but not in that caliber.

I’d like to go to grad school and if I decide to major in math, it would be neat to eventually getting a PhD. I think I’d lean more towards pure math than applied.

My first choice for colleges has been University of Chicago for a while. It’s Mathematics Department was ranked in the top 5 in one report (obviously that isn’t the only reason why I like the school, I actually just read that statistic today. I visited U of C and loved it). MIT is also nice, but my chances getting in there are not nearly as high. UMD College Park is also an option.

So, everyone who can add any info here, thanks!

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To be a famous mathematician, you probably do have to be shockingly brilliant—but this doesn’t necessarily mean particularly good at calculation (some mathematicians are, some aren’t). But you don’t have to be Von Neumann to major in math any more than you have to be Mozart to major in music.

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General Questions is for factual questions. IMHO is for opinions and polls.

Off to IMHO.

DrMatrix - GQ Moderator

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If you’re used to relying heavily on pictures, then yeah, it’s gonna get a little rougher from here on out. Among the math courses you’re likely to have had so far, it’ll be most like geometry: theorem/proof, theorem/proof, theorem/proof…

If you think you can handle that, you’re probably good to go. I can shoot you a couple threads that deal with higher mathematics; if you find that at all intriguing, it might be for you.

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Splanky writes:

> Von Neumann apparently would multiply 8-digit numbers in his head.

Mental calculation is completely irrelevant to being a mathematician. A mathematician is no more or less likely to be able to multiply large numbers in his head than any random person. Some mental calculators are terrible mathematicians.

The first thing you need to know about being a mathematician is that it’s a job. Regardless of whether you end up working as a math professor or a mathematician in industry or government, you’re not going to be considered a supergenius who has to constantly be handled with kid gloves because everyone around you is awed by your intelligence. Except in the rare cases where you’re the only math professor or mathematician where you work, there will be at least three or four other people working with you who were just as good as you in high school. They too (nearly always) were the best math students in their high school.

Jobs that consist strictly of doing pure mathematical research are fairly rare. Those sorts of positions are highly sought after and only given to truly top people. You will spend most of your time teaching or applying mathematical techniques to applied problems. If you teach, you will probably spend some amount of your time doing mathematical research on your own. Some mathematicians in industry or government also choose to work on pure mathematical research on their own time.

Go to the college with the best math department that you can get into (assuming that you can somehow afford it).

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Thanks ultrafilter . That actually does interest me, as does higher math. I like browsing MathWorld just for fun- sure, I don’t understand most of the concepts and I can’t apply them, but I think it’s neat. I’m pretty familiar with proofs from Geometry and Calculus- it does interest me. I like logic, and I think proofs are pretty neat.

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Splanky,

I actually majored in math at UMCP. Like you, I loved math and I went the GT/AP route through high school (I ended up placing into Calc II as a first semester, freshmen). I made it through Calc III, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra and my Stats Requirements into my sophmore year when I utterly burnt out on Math. I think my burn out was a combination of some bad professors (not that I’m blaming Maryland, any school probably has there share) and falling in love with political science. I took a core requirement in government, loved it, and ended up four years later with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Politics and a minor in English. I say this all not to discourage you from majoring in math, but to encourage you to embrace your core classes (esp some of the liberal arts ones). You never know, out of high school, I never say myself studying what I came to love.

That being said, let me give you my take on UMCP, since it’s on your list:
Beautiful place - I loved it there. It’s not for those that don’t like being lost in a system. I took that Calc II class my freshmen year with 250 people in the class room. This was very, very scary coming from a tiny rural high school. By Calc III the class size was an “easier” 60 or so. You are very lucky, though, if your professor ever learns your name.

Also, I don’t know if other universities are like this but I found many of my math/science professors unintelligible. Some, it was a thick, thick accent, others I think were just NUTS. I never noticed this as much when I switched to the liberal arts side of campus. I’m curious if others have had this experience?

All in all though, I recommend Maryland wholeheartedly. Some of the best times of my life.

One final thing though -->

For how much I love Political Science and English, the job market was non-existence. I ended up going back to school and getting a degree in Computer Science. I now do Statistical programming and algorithm development for a medical device company. My math training and experience pays off everyday. If I could go back, though, I’d follow the exact same path and I’d certainly still get that liberal arts degree. Although I don’t make a living from it, I would never consider it worthless.

Did I blather on enough there? Go Terps.