How collegial are math/science majors?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

I saw on another post that freshmen chem has >300 students. I assume 150s math and basic physics also has large numbers. Do most students form study groups to work together or do they tend to work alone? Given that the students are spread out all over the campus, how easy is it to find someone in your house to work with/ask questions of? Is there a tradition/expectation of collaborative work in these departments?

Then looking at upper level classes in math/physics, how do students handle these? Is there mutual support? Any place where math or physics people tend to congregate that makes it easy to find someone for help?

Thanks for any info. Trying to advise DD on her choice. Coming down to the wire…

2

Chem is split into 2 sections with limits of 200 on each. Everyone is in a ~20 person discussion/lab sections in addition to the large lecture.

Lots of people form study groups, lots of people work by themselves.

It’s very easy to find someone (in your house or elsewhere) to work with.

3

Students can be as collegial as they want to be - the more reticent students will hole up in their rooms, while the more outgoing ones might congregate in the Reg or a house lounge.

I would say that the camaraderie actually grows in the upper level courses. It’s only natural that you become accustomed with your peers when the problem sets or midterm preparations keep you all up until the wee hours of the morning. In majors with a predefined sequential order of classes, such as in STEM, the fact that you move through the sequence with the same cohort of students greatly facilitates this camaraderie. In chemistry, for example, most students will stick together for an entire year taking Physical Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry sequences. The same is true of physics, except they even have a secret physics-majors-only Facebook chat that is home to conversation on everything but physics (mostly dank memes). Obviously, it’s not as if everyone in the same major becomes best buds, but you do see the same people around a lot. The people with whom you work on problem sets often become especially close.

Regarding finding help: if not from other students, then the TA system in the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division is staffed entirely by knowledgeable graduate students who are usually receptive to helping undergraduates. They are often the first person you’d ask after your friends, more so than the professor.