<p>As the title states, I am considering majoring in math. Right now I am a biology major (3.6 GPA), with lots of ECs. I've taken up to Trig/Pre Calc and have gotten all As in my math courses while in University. However, I am concerned that since I have never taken Calc (I was lazy in high school) and upper level maths that it will be simply too difficult for me to understand and do well in. </p>
<p>I am considering taking the math degree and applying it to work in the Finance Industry, Wall Street, etc.</p>
<p>Are there any math majors out there that can give me advice? Pep talk? Any math majors who weren't strong in math during High School but did well in College?</p>
<p>Subjectively, I found the calculus sequence significantly easier than the algebra sequence. Perhaps the underlying concepts are more “advanced”, but the higher you go in math the more focused it is. I knew exactly what I needed to study in calculus, where my algebra classes were really all over the map and anything could be on the exam.</p>
<p>Higher course number in college doesn’t always = more difficult.</p>
<p>However, getting a math degree for the explicit reason of working in finance is questionable. I know someone who has a master’s in mathematics but couldn’t get a job they liked so went back to school for basic accounting credentials. That’s an extreme example of someone who just couldn’t translate/market their math skills, but it still tells you something.</p>
<p>There’s only so much pure math that has financial applications. After that point it becomes much more valuable to understand economic theory, the current legal landscape, misc. jargon, and how to actually carry out financial maneuvers without embarrassingly working out all of the equations then having to ask someone what to do next.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. I have a contact in the investment banking industry who i have a good relationship with. Would switching to math really give me that much of an edge with that contact?</p>
<p>Also, what are the upper level math classes like? (Calc-Real Analysis, linear algebra, etc) </p>
<p>Just throwing this out there, when i was doing proofs for Trig class i actually enjoyed doing them. I love taking what I know and figuring out what I don’t know.</p>
<p>I can’t think of anyone in my mathematics undergrad who would agree with this. </p>
<p>I will say that a facility with math comes with it an understanding and an method to how you approach it, which might make it “seem. . .” easier, but that’s onlyh because you’ve learned how to “come at. . .” the material as it were. I certainly wouldn’t consider anything I found in lower division linear algebra or calc. 3 more difficult than anything in upper division coursework.</p>
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<p>Applied mathematics and statistics is probably what you should be focusing on.</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t consider LA upper level. It most likely would be the most abstract course you’ve taken, but anything proof related is going to be computationally based. Real Analysis in a nutshell, is the theory behind all that calculus you took for granted in Calc 1 and 2. Abstract Algebra focuses on the stuff you learned in middle school (Algebra, why can I factor this polynomial. . .) The proofs you were doing in trig. are going to be worlds apart from any you’ll encounter here (unless of course you take College Geometry - or it’s equivalent).</p>
<p>I guess my biggest concern is that I would be venturing into very unknown territory. As well as risking not graduating in 4 years. </p>
<p>One of the girls I’m friends with is a math major and she swears up and down that it isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be. She said some of her profs allow the students to do take home tests, quizzes, etc. </p>
<p>In terms of money, time and job opportunities should i consider graduating a semester later possibly?</p>
<p>& and when I say, “she swears up and down it’s not as bad as everyone makes it out to be” I mean that she thinks I could do the major.
Btw, my program only offers pure mathematics.</p>