Why is it that pure math majors finish their degrees much faster?

[Anonymous]

All the pure math majors I know finished their degree in 2 to 3.5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the pure math majors I know finished their degree in 2 to 3.5 years.

You are a teenager, yes? There are many factors that affect whether a student might be able to graduate earlier than 4 years from a US college. The most important factor is the school, as it is very difficult to graduate early from many highly-selective colleges.

Graduating in 3.5 years, one semester early, is reasonably possible at many US schools if the school is generous in awarding AP credit (and/or dual enrollment credit) and allowing those credits to satisfy college graduation requirements for core courses. But, the more selective the college, the less likely they are to be generous in awarding AP/DE credit and/or allowing students to use those credits to satisfy college requirements for particular courses.

Graduating in 2 years, or four semesters early, is unlikely at most top US private colleges, no matter the major. Possible at some, just not likely.

Graduating in 2 years from a state flagship that is generous with AP and DE credits is more possible.

[Anonymous]

The question was about pure math.

[Anonymous]

They are very intelligent and focused on finishing their degree. They are also nerdy and don’t waste time drinking or partying.

[Anonymous]

They did the math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the pure math majors I know finished their degree in 2 to 3.5 years.

They come to college with AP and post AP college credits. Plus, the number of classes needed is often less than other science majors that need labs too. They also tend to finish PhDs faster too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The question was about pure math.

The premise is overbroad. "All the pure math majors I know" is not a statistically-significant sample. Whether most pure math majors graduate early depends on too many factors to even answer.

Many math majors arrive at college with AP and/or dual enrollment credit, which may give them a head-start on the major requirements. But, at highly-selective schools, starting college in more advanced courses in the major does not necessarily mean graduating early at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the pure math majors I know finished their degree in 2 to 3.5 years.

Probably because it’s so easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the pure math majors I know finished their degree in 2 to 3.5 years.

Not necessarily. They can because they are high achievers, can get employed easily and often come with lots of credits but ones who want a balance education and have other interests, often take four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The question was about pure math.

The premise is overbroad. "All the pure math majors I know" is not a statistically-significant sample. Whether most pure math majors graduate early depends on too many factors to even answer.

Many math majors arrive at college with AP and/or dual enrollment credit, which may give them a head-start on the major requirements. But, at highly-selective schools, starting college in more advanced courses in the major does not necessarily mean graduating early at all.

+1

At my school, no math APs counted toward pure math degrees because you had to retake everything from calculus on proving everything from first principles. OP, I think your issue is that you don't know many or a sufficiently diverse group of pure math majors.

[Anonymous]

Ones in state school tend to do it earlier, ones in elite colleges are required to do more work, add other subjects and high school credits are accepted.

[Anonymous]

Often math majors are socially complex so social aspect of school isn't attractive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ones in state school tend to do it earlier, ones in elite colleges are required to do more work, add other subjects and high school credits are accepted.

* high school credits are not accepted

[Anonymous]

Things vary vastly from school to school, program to program and person to person. Many math majors want to add courses in statistics, comp sci, economics and business and on top of that there are courses they like to do for personal interest or growth like music, literature, psychology, environmental justice, french, film etc etc.

Every student, their interests, circumstances, resources and plans are different.

[Anonymous]

Some of them complete AP calc and go on to take diff EQ, lin algebra, and calc 3 before college. That's already 1.5 years completed for an undergrad. The rest at that point are electives and doing liberal arts requirements.

Calc 1-3, linear algebra, and differential equations are trivial courses, because they're pretty much rote calculation classes. Easy to get out of the way in high school. They take those classes in high school in many parts of Asia.