What students, faculty, and recent graduates say about Math at Principia.

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Intellectual tools for intriguing problems

"I do math because it intrigues me. I've come across interesting properties in mathematics which explain things in life that you couldn't explain without math," notes a junior. "Math majors have to learn to think through a problem," says a professor. "They have to draw upon all their intellectual tools to find a solution in the language of mathematics. That skill is useful in other settings, the ability to find commonality and patterns in situations. That's the practical side of math." A graduate who is a product manager at Intel notes, "What the math major gave me was a structured way to approach a problem. You hold the problem up in front of you, turn it, and look at it from different directions in order to find solutions."

One-on-one intensity

"I really enjoy the math seminars we have one hour a week, where we explore new ideas and concepts like chaos theory and fractals," says a math major who has minors in computer science and women's studies. "The small size of the classes here is wonderful," says a senior also majoring in English. "We have direct contact with the teachers and get to know them well. Having small classes is also helpful because you can't slip by without learning the material." A professor cites the "one-on-one interaction we have in our offices with the students" as a strength of the math major. A senior agrees, saying, "I like the small classes because we can ask a lot of questions. The professors give a lot of attention if you need it. During Calculus 5, we were in our professor's office almost every day with questions!"

Focusing in, finding detail

"If you're going to be a math major at Prin, be prepared to read a lot and to pay particular attention to detail. It's not an easy major. Here, theory is stressed just as much as application. You have an assignment every day; I spend at least two or three hours a night on math," says a junior math major. A senior says, "The math program here is focused on calculus, which is especially good if you're going into physics or engineering." Concerning teaching methods, she adds, "The department is involved in new ways of teaching calculus. They use a computer system called Mathematica, which is very different from the traditional high school way of learning calculus. The changeover can be a challenge, but it has advantages, too."

Purer thought skills

"The math education I got at Prin gave me not just a working ability to do algebraand calculus, but also a better feel for the ideas behind mathematics," says a former math and physics major, now in graduate school in physics. "It enabled me to conceptualize better. When we run across equations in physics, we try to poke into them and see how they work and see what they mean. The instruction I got at Prin has been very helpful in that process." A senior says of her math major, "It teaches you how to analyze things, how to think logically and clearly. You do a lot of problem solving, and I think that's going to benefit me in whatever career I choose." A professor believes that "the business of college is to teach us to think critically, insightfully, deeply, and with discipline. And math is a very strong place to learn those purer thought skills." He adds, "Math contributes to preparing students for life after college by teaching them to hold thought up to a standard of proof, of reasonableness, of insight—and to stay with it. That thoughtful discipline translates well into the study of Christian Science, or any other area."

Making breakthroughs

"I've always enjoyed math," a senior says. "I like thinking about the way numbers interact. There's a certain art to it." A professor adds, "There's also a poetic side, those moments of great delight in a sudden insight, the sudden turn of a mathematical phrase. These experiences are so satisfying that mathematicians continue to look for more." A junior math major discusses her progress: "Developing mathematical maturity is preparing me for life after college. I can understand problems which three or four years ago I would have looked at and not had a clue. With each course I take, math becomes easier because I have more to work with."

"Sometimes students' progress is dramatic—when they get excited about a problem, wrestle with it, do some really good work, and get it," a professor notes. "That's a source of satisfaction to both student and teacher." He adds, "A few of our students take math because they want to be mathematicians. Some take math so they can go into physics, chemistry, engineering, or computer science. Others want to learn the skills of logic and reasoning so they can use them in other areas of life. In math, we also give students opportunities to develop skills like intuition, creativity—things that are often connected with the arts."

Countless choices after college

"I believe the math major has given me a good foundation for math in grad school," a senior confirms. "I gained an analytical and logical approach to working through problems and good skills in technical writing," says a graduate who now manages a group of systems analysts for TeleCheck Corporation. Another graduate feels that "the math major at Prin was great, a good start on the road to engineering." One graduate who had minors in computer science and physics recounts, "I am now an actuary, using math on a daily basis to calculate risks on insurance policies, to determine how much cash the company needs to keep on hand to pay claims, and to design retirement and investment plans. I have had to take a lot of math tests as part of my job. I feel the training I got at Prin definitely prepared me to take those rigorous exams."