Anybody done/doing a Maths degree?

[mike_w]

I'm considering doing a Maths degree (or Computer Science) at uni, but I don't really know much about the Maths degree, or what sort of careers become available with a Maths degree.

Also, according to some of my family that started with Maths degrees, the jump in content from A-level to degree level is quite big (so much so, they swapped to Computer Science degrees).

I know there's some stuff online, but it is also nice to hear from actual people - how you found (or are finding) the degree, what you're doing now, whether it really is much, much harder than A-level, etc. Anything along those lines would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mike.

[teachmech]

I found my Maths degree was much less work than my friends scince or computers degrees lectures all finished by 1:30 work sheet per subject per week, no essays, no dissatation, no practicals to write up but some of the Maths involved was really complex (no pun intended) in my year at Swansea no first, 4 2:1's mostly 2:2's some 3rds.

I did some computing in my first year and that took up 6 or 7 times more time than both of my maths modules that year.

If you are good at maths and enjoy it then a degree in maths is the way to go.

[edavies87]

Currently working on my Maths Degree! Go for it, really comp sci have do much more work!

Any questions ask away!

Ed

[FatalSaviour]

IME, the people in my college that are doing Maths degrees are just plain weird .
You don't want to end up like on of them do you now?

[headbrace]

Currently doing maths at St Andrews... It's a fast track scheme, so I get a MMath in 4 years.

I've just finished my first year, which was a mix of first and second year modules, and only 1/4 or less was completely new. Like most maths realted things, if you can do it then it's quite straight forward, but if you can't it will be tricky and require lots of time.

[explicitlyrics]

Whatever you do, dont do maths at cambridge, such a huge percentage of them are completely insane!!!!!

Im doing engineering and thats just about weird enough!

[herulach]

I Did about half a maths degree as part of my theoretical physics course, and i really wouldnt want to do any more. A combined applied maths/comp sci course would probably quite useful, as theres tonnes of jobs/ research oppurtunities in simulation.

[Dr. X]

From the geeks at my College, the Maths guys are slightly less weird than the Comp Sci's, but that's not hard.

Maths geeks go on to such wonderful and varied careers as waiters and bankers. CompSci's will spend the rest of their lives in front of a monitor.

[schmunk]

Whatever you do, dont do maths at cambridge, such a huge percentage of them are completely insane!!!!!

Im doing engineering and thats just about weird enough!

Aye, virtually all of the Cambridge 'Mathmos' are fruitloops, and I believe the Cambridge Maths syllabus is scary-hard (the Maths in my Engineering degree was hard enough...).


(p.s. CompScis are also shunned from polite society in Cambridge, as they are generally equally odd, and hang around with the Mathmos...)

[chriswood_7]

In my opinion doing a pure maths degree will only really lead to research or general normal jobs that you wouldnt require a maths degree for. Why not give engineering a go? If your good at maths it will give you a good insight in how to apply theories and increase your technical skills into something more practical. And you will have more opportunities when coming to getting a career out of it.

[Whiternoise]

Dr. X, do you go to uni at Ox? Oh, and to be fair, i'm sure a lot of the people who go on the hexus forums spend a lot of their time in front of a monitor

[streetster]

1st year comp science = fine, 2nd year = absolute balls... 3rd year might be better.

I think you have to be a *hardcore* geek to be interested in some of the stuff and to be able to concentrate on loads of stuff which is (imo) hugely boring - but i guess it depends which uni you take the degree at...

[herulach]

second year of any degree is usually complete bs. at elast thats everyone i know's experience

[Steve A]

The only maths i do, is count how many cookies are left in the jar tbh



i hate maths

[schmunk]

The only maths i do, is count how many cookies are left in the jar tbh

So, go on then, how many cookies are left in the jar?


(is there one left for me?)

[FatalSaviour]

The remainder's π
Pi symbols obviously don't display very well...there goes a killer joke...