Too late to Major in Mathematics

@nycfunction,

nycfunction wrote:

By the way, I'm also a minority, which is a big negative in America. I don't care what people say or to try to say regarding racism in the USA. Black president or not, racism is alive and well. My skin color and race keeps me from moving forward.

Maybe a negative in America but a positive in Mathematics. I am a woman with a degree in Math (CS minor) who was offered all kinds of funding to continue through a masters and phd. I didn't take it because I needed to go back to work to pay student loans and care for my family, but the fact is that the field of mathematics needs more women and minorities and there are a lot of opportunities for those with talent.

As for what you can do with a math degree -- I currently work as a computer programmer (lots of logic) but am exploring becoming a math teacher so that I can return to my true love. There are jobs in industry for operations research, university research jobs, statistics and actuarial (big money) careers, etc... The worst mistake I ever made, and what prevented me from graduating college until I was 30, was trying to find a major that would get me a job instead of pursuing the thing that I loved and which I was best at. Find a college you like and go and talk to someone. Make it happen.

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@nycfunction,

nycfunction wrote:

In NY State, it is really hard to become a teacher. For me, I would have to complete an entire math program, take at least 18 credits in secondary education, get state certified (pass a bunch of exams that are not easy and very expensive) and earn a Master's Degree just to begin searching for a job as a teacher of high school mathematics. I have to work, pay bills and child support. When do I go back to school, midnight?

Sorry, I didn't see that you were already looking at becoming a teacher. Look for M.A.T in Mathematics degrees. These are masters of teaching degrees for people who may not already be teachers but who do have an undergraduate degree. Depending on how much higher math you've already had, you may need to take additional mathematics classes but it should be shorter than returning for a second bachelors. Teachers who enter with masters degrees start out at a higher pay band, and many states have funding for math and science teacher education because there are shortages.

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@djjd62,

Bon Jovi's girlfriend.

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@nycfunction,

NO college degree by itself is worth much in terms of jobs any more. The ONLY reason to go back to school should be for something which interests or intrigues YOU.

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@FreeDuck,

FreeDuck wrote:

nycfunction wrote:

By the way, I'm also a minority, which is a big negative in America. I don't care what people say or to try to say regarding racism in the USA. Black president or not, racism is alive and well. My skin color and race keeps me from moving forward.

Maybe a negative in America but a positive in Mathematics. I am a woman with a degree in Math (CS minor) who was offered all kinds of funding to continue through a masters and phd. I didn't take it because I needed to go back to work to pay student loans and care for my family, but the fact is that the field of mathematics needs more women and minorities and there are a lot of opportunities for those with talent.

As for what you can do with a math degree -- I currently work as a computer programmer (lots of logic) but am exploring becoming a math teacher so that I can return to my true love. There are jobs in industry for operations research, university research jobs, statistics and actuarial (big money) careers, etc... The worst mistake I ever made, and what prevented me from graduating college until I was 30, was trying to find a major that would get me a job instead of pursuing the thing that I loved and which I was best at. Find a college you like and go and talk to someone. Make it happen.

I had no idea. I'm a Physics major working as a programmer, and for the past few years, I've been spending most of my spare time on math, because I couldn't stand being away from the things I loved. I had worked in engineering until the mid-80s and then moved into programming professionally. It's a very similar story to yours.

1 Reply

@Brandon9000,

Brandon9000 wrote:

I had no idea. I'm a Physics major working as a programmer, and for the past few years, I've been spending most of my spare time on math, because I couldn't stand being away from the things I loved. I had worked in engineering until the mid-80s and then moved into programming professionally. It's a very similar story to yours.

Hah. The only thing I ever liked about Physics was the math involved. The lines between the sciences can get blurry, though, can't they? I saved all of my math texts from my last stint at college and have lately taken to re-reading them. I think I've forgotten more math than I've ever learned, but the benefit of that is that I get to keep re-experiencing the a-ha's.

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@nycfunction,

I feel its not too late to start another degree. I know plenty of people who start degrees late.

Employers today (if they are good employers that is) look at what you have achieved educationally, regardless if your degree has anything to do with what you are applying for at that point of time or not, certain future employers may see a certain something that you may not necessarily see.

As for being a minority....I cant fathom that at all, that should not even come into any factor.

I say go for it, and do it now before you do get too old.

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Too late to Major in Mathematics

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