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What are you talking about? None of the math courses required for an astrophysics major at nearly any undergraduate institution, Swarthmore included, are “proof-based,” as you say. You’re talking about things like real analysis or abstract algebra, not linear algebra, vector calculus, differential equations, or the like that are the basis for undergraduate physics work and required for physics majors. Proof-based math really isn’t useful until graduate level theoretical physics. In undergraduate physics, it is more about being presented with a problem and then trying to figure out which mathematical tools to apply to solve it. This is still just basic mathematical problem-solving technique, much like the SAT in many ways, where you’re faced with a mathematical problem and you have to figure out which tools to use to solve it.</p>
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Yes, Yngwie, you may find this feature to your liking, which would definitely be one point in favor of Swarthmore in the event you ended up disliking pursuing an astrophysics major there.</p>