<p>I've been lurking these forums for a while, but I never hear much about math majors.</p>
<p>How do they do at Penn?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.math.upenn.edu/ugrad/major.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.math.upenn.edu/ugrad/major.html</a></p>
<p>eloquence, where you from in texas (my family moved outside of plano a while ago)</p>
<p>I've actually only had a real conversation(that i remember) with a math major once. he was pretty chill, that is probably why he wasn't hiding in DRL building with the other math majors. penn doesnt really attract that many math majors(these days do any regular colleges do?). The thing is many people passionate about physics and econ end up getting a WHOLE lot of math in their curriculum. i think many engineers complain that most upper level math classes are soo abstract they are irrelevent even for engineers.</p>
<p>I'm from a Houston suburb - Alvin =/. If you've ever heard of it it's probably cause Nolan Ryan and Austin Miller are from here :P</p>
<p>I don't know I realized a couple of days ago that I really like math and thought maybe it would be a worthwhile major to go into.</p>
<p>I'm also interested in a math major. I'm thinking about going into law, and I'm not really sure how strong Penn's math program is. But I don't really care about that as long as I find it rewarding. The only thing is, I'm not sure if I'll like it because higher level math is so abstract and theoretical. Its nothing like calculus.</p>
<p>I have a friend about to graduate in math from Penn and going on to study in grad school in Scotland.</p>
<p>He got a C in his first math class here at Penn (Math 104), but has generally pulled A's since then. It's definitely different than calculus. You can get a lot of job offers - anything from research to science to finance to teaching.</p>
<p>Also, if you want a PHD in Econ, its not a bad idea to major in Math first.</p>
<p>Compared to other majors, how tough is it? Are job offers good?</p>
<p>i'd say it's fairly tough. it's a good program once you get past the calculus sequence (104, 114, 240, 241) which is mostly filled with engineers. also it often depends heavily on who your professor is. it's a pretty common second major. job offers depend on what you want to do and the individual as always, but it's not a limiting major.</p>
<p>
[quote]
He got a C in his first math class here at Penn (Math 104)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Math 104 = the course that every wharton student has to take right?? I'm a bit scared now...</p>
<p>to be fair, math major in question and I went to the same (bad) high school as well. Neither one of us were prepared for college. </p>
<p>Plus they make 104 more complicated than it needs to be.</p>
<p>rister, don't worry about. You can always drop down to 103 and take 104 the next semester. Don't stress about it yet</p>
<p>I'd say the math program can be good, especially if you take 500 level courses.</p>
<p>You do a math major because you love math, or because you love econ/physics/etc and a math major comes naturally to those fields as a second major. You don't do it for the job opportunities, etc. It's way too hard unless you're genuinely intrinsically motivated in math. In contrast to Meng, I believe I know most of the math majors in my year :-)</p>
<p>Penn's math program has a reputation for strong teaching, even to the detriment of its research. If you're interested in a math major, talk to the dept. rep/chair and look at the classes offered. Get into the major intro-seminar they offer - it reflects the major MUCH MUCH better than any of the calculus courses. </p>
<p>In all honesty, most high school students have no idea what real math is, or what a math major studies. Take your time, and give it a fair chance.</p>
<p>Given: mattwonder knows most of the math majors in his year</p>
<p>Given: mattwonder and I are in the same year</p>
<p>Given: mattwonder is most likely eating a jelly donut right now</p>
<p>Then: I am a master of logic and .: I AM A MACHINE!!</p>
<p>I have never liked jelly donuts. but if I did, I suppose you would be a machine</p>
<p>Well, I do love math matt, I love it a lot, but at the same time I'm going to need a job that I can support my mother with once I get out of school, so job potential is kind of a factor for me.</p>
<p>^ That's why God (or someone else) invented actuarial science. :)</p>
<p>Actuarial</a> science - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>Never heard of that, sounds interesting :D</p>
<p>Is it daunting like I-Banking? That's something I'd never wanna get in to >_></p>
<p>If it really is something that interests you, you could put together an incredible program at Penn. Wharton actually has an actuarial science concentration:</p>
<p>The</a> Wharton School - Undergraduate Division</p>
<p>If you're really ambitious, you could try doing a dual degree (math major in the College, actuarial science concentrator in Wharton), but even if you don't pursue a formal Wharton degree, you probably could take many or all of the Wharton insurance courses that make up the
concentration. Incidentally, Wharton has one of the best insurance departments in the country.</p>
<p>On second thought, I just checked: there's an "Actuarial Mathematics" minor in the College that's done in cooperation with Wharton:</p>
<p>[Minors[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Here's the program:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Course Requirements - University Minor in Actuarial Mathematics
The university minor in actuarial mathematics consists of eight courses - seven required and one additional course. </p>
<p>Required Courses (7 cu): </p>
<p>MATH 240 - Calculus, Part III
MATH 320 - Computer Methods in Mathematical Science I or MATH 530 - Mathematics of Finance
STAT 430 - Probability
STAT 431 - Mathematical Statistics
INSR 251 - Fundamentals of Actuarial Science I
INSR 252 - Fundamentals of Actuarial Science II
INSR 260 - Applied Statistical Methods for Actuaries (formerly INSR 250) </p>
<p>Additional Course: choose one of the following (1 cu): </p>
<p>INSR 253 - Actuarial Statistics (recommended)
STAT 202 - Intermediate Statistics
INSR 220 - Life and Health Insurance Company Management and Policy
INSR 221 - Employee Benefit Plan Design and Financing
INSR 230 - Managing Pure Risks: Operations and Markets
[/quote]
</p>
<p>[url=<a href="http://irm.wharton.upenn.edu/undergrad.html%5DUndergraduate">http://irm.wharton.upenn.edu/undergrad.html]Undergraduate</a> Program](<a href="http://www.college.upenn.edu/minors/index.php%5DMinors%5B/url">http://www.college.upenn.edu/minors/index.php)</p>
<p>Ain't Penn great? :)</p>
<p>That stuff really does look interesting, how come no one ever hears of this?</p>
<p>I'd probably go further than Math III though, I love that stuff :D</p>