Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

[Dog]

I'm going to start classes at Temple this fall as a math major, after trying and failing as a kiniesiology major at West Chester University and then taking classes at a community college to make up for it.

The problem is, I don't know what I want to do with the math degree. I'm very good at math, and it's actually fun for me, so I know that's what I want as a career. But I don't know exactly what.

I've thought about being an actuary, a math teacher, or an engineer.

Anyone have any experience in any of these fields (or other math ones)?

[Redacted01]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

I'm an applied mathematician, and most of my friends were/are math majors. It's kind of hit or miss. If you want to go into engineering, get an engineering degree. Too many of them require experience in things you won't get unless you take a lot of extra classes. If you want to be an actuary, I'd suggest more stats than math or make it up on the side, or just outright major in actuarial science if available. You can still get a job in it, but will take more to get noticed and you will not be near as prepared for the early exams.

As for other jobs, get programming experience, a lot of it. Most of my friends (and what I'm looking into) are more likely to hire you as a programmer or developer because of programming experience. There are few modelling jobs where you can use an applied math background. If you do any sort of research, you can try to see if a professor has something relevant you might want to do later. I did a lot of biological math so I could get some jobs in a lab, but at the same time, I have a biology and chem degree so that would help as well.

If you want to be a teacher, then go into math education. If you go up to the master's in math, you'll be able to be an instructor at most universities if you'd prefer college students to high school students.

Also I have to ask, you say you find math fun, but just how much have you done? If you've only gotten up to Calc 1, don't be afraid to change again. But if you made it through ODE's and even linear and still enjoy it, then yes, keep going. The next thing I have to ask is this is more applied or theoretical math? Theoretical math is almost worthless in industry. Plan on continuing your education if it is the theoretical side.

[khaled]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

Can you help me with my calc 3 homework??


I'd definitely recommend learning to program, it's very useful.

[Redacted01]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

Can you help me with my calc 3 homework??


I'd definitely recommend learning to program, it's very useful.

If you're asking me, depends on where you are in the class haha. I remember most of though.

And yea, and don't necessarily just learn to program what your classes use. We had to take a intro to comp sci class where you learned Java, most of the undergrad math classes used MATLAB, graduate used Fortran or C, depending on what you knew, and my thesis used Python. Even that, I'd say isn't enough unless you are able to get a scientific job. When you have the time, code projects into multiple languages. You learn different technique that way. Wish I had done that with C/C++ ages ago. A lot of jobs nowadays want .NET experience and I'm trying to work on SQL for what I'm getting into. Many will still hire you because they'll go "Oh, he has no problem learning languages." It's like someone who needs to know French and on their resume, it says Spanish and German. They probably figure they have a decent ability at learning languages and already have a foundation in something similar.

[Dog]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

I'm an applied mathematician, and most of my friends were/are math majors. It's kind of hit or miss. If you want to go into engineering, get an engineering degree. Too many of them require experience in things you won't get unless you take a lot of extra classes. If you want to be an actuary, I'd suggest more stats than math or make it up on the side, or just outright major in actuarial science if available. You can still get a job in it, but will take more to get noticed and you will not be near as prepared for the early exams.

As for other jobs, get programming experience, a lot of it. Most of my friends (and what I'm looking into) are more likely to hire you as a programmer or developer because of programming experience. There are few modelling jobs where you can use an applied math background. If you do any sort of research, you can try to see if a professor has something relevant you might want to do later. I did a lot of biological math so I could get some jobs in a lab, but at the same time, I have a biology and chem degree so that would help as well.

If you want to be a teacher, then go into math education. If you go up to the master's in math, you'll be able to be an instructor at most universities if you'd prefer college students to high school students.

Also I have to ask, you say you find math fun, but just how much have you done? If you've only gotten up to Calc 1, don't be afraid to change again. But if you made it through ODE's and even linear and still enjoy it, then yes, keep going. The next thing I have to ask is this is more applied or theoretical math? Theoretical math is almost worthless in industry. Plan on continuing your education if it is the theoretical side.

Interesting. Thanks.

I've taken up to a handful of college math courses (I don't remember off the top of my head). I just enjoy it

[bigbob]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

I didn't know dogs could count higher than two.

[mb625]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

I didn't know dogs could count higher than two.

I figured that not having fingers would be a major obstacle at least.

[Redacted01]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

I figured that not having fingers would be a major obstacle at least.

they count based on the number of buried bones

[Blzer]

Re: Anyone Have a Career in the Math Field?

If it helps, math has always been my strong suit but I didn't major in it. I majored in computer science.

After finishing my undergrad two years ago, I have since been a substitute teacher, and began getting my single subject teaching credential. In no more than six months, I am going to be a certified high school math teacher.

If that's one of your venues, I'm certain you're more than qualified for that. Of course, you'd need to get your credential (and pass all necessary exams along the way).