Math Is Fun Forum

bossk171

Member

Registered: 2007-07-16

Posts: 305

What to do with a BS in Math

This time next year I'll have a bachelor of science in mathematics. What sorts of jobs might I be able to get, and what sorts of things should I be doing now to help ensure I get said job?

Right now I'm thinking about:

Teaching
Grad School
Actuarial Work

But I'm curious about other ideas people have. Thanks!

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There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary, those who don't, and those who can use induction.

noelevans

Member

Registered: 2012-07-20

Posts: 236

Re: What to do with a BS in Math

Teaching:  If you are thinking about teaching in public schools, make sure that maintaining discipline is consistent with your personality.  If not, study diligently about how to do so.  I taught four years in private schools where parents and teachers and administration were on board with making sure their children were polite and respectful.  Still I had trouble keeping them focused on the math at hand.  My personality is just too easy going so I never quite got the hang of holding their attention.  It doesn't matter how well you know the material or how prepared your presentation is, if they are not paying attention it's a bust.  My students learned a good bit but not as much as they could have.  My experience with private schools convinced me that teaching in a public school would not work for me.

Actuary:  The exams needed to become an actuary are from what I have always heard are really comprehensive and difficult.  Grad school in statistics would probably be the route to take in preparation for them.  So that would put you in graduate school for the time being.

Graduate School:  Not a bad idea.  But keep abreast of the requirements for graduation and make sure you progress nicely.  Otherwise it is possible to spend much more time than necessary to get the degree.  If one just enters graduate school and starts taking math courses without focusing on the goal at hand, it is possible to spend lots of time and take lots of courses before exiting the institution.

I knew a high ranking executive at General Telephone who said that he preferred hiring math majors because they could reason and think on their feet.  That's a good qualification for lots of jobs.

Using the search engine "Ask" I put the question "What can I do with a math degree?"  Some of the sites listed are worth looking at. 

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Writing "pretty" math (two dimensional) is easier to read and grasp than LaTex (one dimensional).
LaTex is like painting on many strips of paper and then stacking them to see what picture they make.