Son is taking useless classes

Parents Forum
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<p>My son is a freshman in a fancy schmancy college on the other side of the country. He’s home for the holidays, and I’m becoming increasingly worried about his future based on what he’s been telling me. </p>

<p>First, he wants to major in math. Apparently, he’s pretty good at it - he took the accelerated freshman math course first semester and wants to start with level 300 courses next term. But he only wants to take pure math. He’s telling me all about abstract algebra and “analysis,” but every time I suggest that he take something practical like stat or econ or physics, he says he isn’t interested. He’s required to take a few other classes over the next four years to fulfill distribution requirements, but so far his ideas seem pretty useless. “Philosophy of Religion” was his most practical suggestion. I’m sure that’s a really useful class… not!</p>

<p>I’m afraid that if he only takes math classes, he’s only going to get a job as a math teacher, and there aren’t enough jobs in that to make it secure. Every time I bring this up, he gives me a big speech about how college should be about learning and not about preparing for a career.
Well, it would be great if that’s what college were for, but for my son I know it isn’t realistic. I never got to go to college because my parents couldn’t afford to send me. My son wouldn’t be able to go either if he weren’t on complete financial aid. I want the best for him, and I don’t believe that taking a bunch of classes in something irrelevant to 99% of the population is going to get him a job. I’m proud of him for doing well in academics, but I feel like he’s wasting his opportunity. He seems to think that with a degree from his fancy college he’ll be able to get a job without any problems, but he’s way too naive.</p>

<p>Oh, and while we’re on the topic of wasting an opportunity, he’s taken up drinking. I think it’s only on the weekends, and it isn’t that much of a problem yet, but I don’t think he understands that it could ruin his college experience. He says he knows how to control himself and that he won’t do anything stupid, but underage drinking is stupid in any degree. His grades are OK - he finished his first semester with a 3.6 or so - but he did much better in high school and he would do better if he didn’t party. His college doesn’t seem to care at all about the underage drinking that goes on on campus. </p>

<p>I know he’s growing up, but I care a lot about him. We aren’t paying for his school, so we don’t have any real leverage to convince him to be more studious and take something more practical, but I want to change his mind and talking to him isn’t doing it.</p>

<p>What can I do? Without having had the experience of living in poverty for a long time like my husband and I have, he doesn’t understand the importance of making the most of his education.</p>

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<p>You had him in the house for 18 years. You set the foundation, Just give it some time and you will see how well you did. His life will unfold over time.</p>

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<p>One thing I’ve noticed is that those with strong math backgrounds have a very easy time transitioning to other fields. Some of the best econ, physics, and cs majors I knew started their freshman and sophomore years taking pure math classes like algebra and analysis. And even among math majors, many are interning in finance and software and are making a lot over the summers. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.</p>

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<p>Are you serious???</p>

<p>Do you really think that those with math degrees can only be math teachers??? Oh my. Math is a very flexible degree. </p>

<p>And who cares what his distribution classes are as long as he graduates??? Let him take what interests him or stretches his comfort zone.</p>

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I had to laugh at this.</p>

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<p>I laughed at this!</p>

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<p>He finished his first semester with a 3.6 at a fancy schmancy college.</p>

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<p>He hired a physics grad from MIT a few years ago to do software engineering. He moved to a HFT firm a year later to be closer to his girlfriend. You might ask why would anyone want to hire a physics major. Well, they can solve problems. The stuff that your son is studying is considered hard. If he has trouble finding work afterwards, he could probably find a funded graduate program to study something that you’d consider practical. Or maybe he could work for the NSA.</p>

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<p>Philosophy is probably one of the best classes I had in college. You are seriously worried that taking too many math classes is going to hinder his career options. He won’t be able to get a job as a math teacher without a teaching classes, which the fancy schmancy colleges out east don’t offer so now he is really in trouble.</p>

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<p>I don’t know if he’s getting any.
It seems like people are taking my question as a joke. It isn’t meant to be one.
OK, I suppose some people study math and end up doing something other than teaching it, but as far as I know they all end up spending loads of money in grad school to learn something practical that doesn’t require any real analysis. If you’re going to do that, why study pure maths to begin with?
Or are there careers I haven’t thought of that actually require knowledge of this stuff?</p>

<p>Oh, and I don’t know what the objection to my calling his college fancy schmancy. It seems to spend millions of dollars a year to convince people that it’s the schmanciest college around.</p>

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<p>Are you serious? Math is a great foundational major for many careers.</p>

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<p>Many professions benefit from a strong knowledge of math. For example barman and hotdog vendor need to know how to count change. And drinking beer at the weekend is often a gateway drug leading to sex, so at least you have grandkids to look forward to, soon.</p>

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<p>■■■■■ ,</p>

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<p>He’s great at math.
He wants to take 300 level classes as a freshman.
He has a 3.6 or so his first semester.
He likes the idea of learning.
He admits to drinking.</p>

<p>Want to trade kids???</p>

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<p>Making light of people’s worries is always nice.
I’m aware that many many careers require knowledge of math, but I can’t think of any that require math above calculus. I suppose engineers might need a bit more math, (even though most of their math is done by computers anyway), but then it seems it would be wiser to take math classes specifically tailored for engineering, wouldn’t it?</p>

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<p>I sent you a PM. There are many knowledgable and kind people on CC…and then there are others who are neither.</p>

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<p>What are his career aspirations?</p>

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<p>I am one of those knowledgeable and kind people on CC. If you think so, rep me, but I am not going to PM you.</p>

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<p>It sounds like your son might be at the same fancy schmancy school my son is at. If so, it has one of the most highly thought of math departments in the country, and your son is right to think that everybody will be impressed from a math degree there. My father happened to be a pure mathematician, and he had a wonderful life as a professor. Being a pure mathematician is like being a member of a wonderful international club. My father was also called upon to consult for all sorts of industries as well as teach mathematics to physicists and engineers. I think pure math seems to be a lot more useful than you think. I think it sounds like your son is doing really well. If he is good at math, he should go ahead and pursue it, because it is a calling that calls only to the chosen few, and there are many good things they can turn their talent to.</p>

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<p>The responses you’re getting are because you’re overreacting. Of course he isn’t going to be doing as well in college as he did in high school - he’s in a school with only the best of the best, and they can’t all maintain a 4.0! 3.6 is certainly a respectable GPA for a first semester freshman. If he’s partying as much as you claim, and still maintaining a 3.6 he’s doing quite well.</p>

<p>He is right about what college is for. Technical schools are or developing a career. College is about learning - and about learning how to learn. His math classes will prepare his for many options when he graduates, either jobs or graduate research. If there was no purpose for studying analysis, he wouldn’t be able to structure a major around it. The whole point is that he understands the math. Why study something that 99% of the population doesn’t understand? Maybe because 99% don’t understand it, and that’s where his talent lies. Plenty of parents don’t understand what their kids study, that doesn’t make it useless. </p>

<p>Even his distribution requirements - the whole point is to make him a well rounded person. Boring people take all practical classes, and they don’t end up well rounded. 4 years from now, when he graduates, your son will know how to solve problems (not just the mathematical sort), and how to think critically. That’s what education is about. </p>

<p>It sounds to me like you lament that you didn’t have the same opportunity, and are worried that he’s not using the opportunity as you would. But he is the one that earned the opportunity. You have to let him make the best of this opportunity, in his own way. You had your turn to influence him, not it’s his turn to be an adult, and forge his own path.</p>