VA Tech Math Department: majoring in math a viable option or a mistake?

[Anonymous]

Talk to me about the math department at VA Tech? I know VA Tech is hard to get into and she may not. Just asking if my daughter should even consider it if she wants to major in math? Some engineering students we know have reported poor math instruction, particularly in the Math Emporium. Is this issue limited to engineering students or would majoring in math at VA Tech be a mistake?

Background: My daughter is currently a sophomore in high school, where she has maintained a straight-A record so far. Despite her academic success, her dyslexia may limit her ability to show rigor, i.e., take AP English or Social Studies courses required for admission to UVA and many other schools. As a 10th-grader, she is taking all honors core classes, with AP Calculus AB for math and AP Computer Science A as one elective. She is on year 2 of Latin. Her GPA is 4.4 weighted / 4.0 unweighted, and she has yet to take the SAT.

Originally she wanted to do computer science. But, given the competitive nature of CS and her desire to try to run track in college (she has qualifying D2 times as a HS sophomore and aspirations for D1), my daughter believes that majoring in math would be an easier option for admission and academic success while balancing her athletic pursuits. Is this a reasonable assumption?

Her father was a math major at Princeton who upon graduation, pursued a career in software engineering and now works as a cloud architect. My daughter wants to follow a similar career path (get into tech by way of majoring in math).

UVA is her dream school, but she does not think she would not meet the academic requirements for admission since she plans to only take AP courses in math and science, which entail less reading and writing than English and Social Studies, due to her dyslexia.

Should she even consider majoring in math at VA Tech?

[Anonymous]

OP here! ^ I did not mean to underline the last 2 paragraphs.

[Anonymous]

For one thing, your DD would have better chace at the end goal with GMU CS

Probably similar difficulties getting in these days?
VT math vs GMU CS

[Anonymous]

VTech has been on a bender of social engineering and yield protection. So I would not be able to guarantee any kind of admissions plan to that school.

Your DD has a great profile but I think sophomore year it’s hard to tell what kind of schools will work for her college applications. And private schools can be net less than very pricy UVA!

If she wants to do CS then don’t worry about the “brand name”. Just do it where you can. Just keep exploring her interests. Women have an easier time getting into CS departments, you may be surprised.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't CS be hard to balance as a student athlete at a D1 school? We know D3 is an option but many D3 schools are LACs with focus on liberal arts (i.e. extensive reading/writing). Obviously MIT is D3 but she's not MIT material.

Also, all that aside, is the math department such that it would be fine to major in math there? We keep hearing the math emporium is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For one thing, your DD would have better chace at the end goal with GMU CS

Probably similar difficulties getting in these days?
VT math vs GMU CS

She absolutely plans to apply to GMU but again probably in math as they too are a D1 school and we know the demands on student athletes. I ran track at UPenn as an engineering major. It was like a full time job (track).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't CS be hard to balance as a student athlete at a D1 school? We know D3 is an option but many D3 schools are LACs with focus on liberal arts (i.e. extensive reading/writing). Obviously MIT is D3 but she's not MIT material.

Also, all that aside, is the math department such that it would be fine to major in math there? We keep hearing the math emporium is terrible.

Math majors don't generally take classes at the Emporium. They get actual classes. As I understand it the Emporium is for students that are not in math-heavy majors who have to take a couple classes. My son majors in Computational Modeling and Data Analytics, a cross-dept major combining CS, math, stats, and has never had a class at the Emporium.
.

[Anonymous]

Don’t dismiss majoring in CS now. Keep both math and CS options open and work hard in both areas in high school and in extra curriculars. Sounds like she’s very talented. I’m sure many colleges would love to have a CS/math-strong female.

[Anonymous]

It’s hard to believe that a school that thinks a math emporium is an appropriate way to educate its students in the subject would have a strong and respected math major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard to believe that a school that thinks a math emporium is an appropriate way to educate its students in the subject would have a strong and respected math major.

Math majors and non-math majors taking higher level math don't take Emporium classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard to believe that a school that thinks a math emporium is an appropriate way to educate its students in the subject would have a strong and respected math major.

Math majors and non-math majors taking higher level math don't take Emporium classes.

This. And their research showed pass rates in the basic math classes improved when they switched to this system. It definitely doesn't work for everyone and those are the people you hear from. Those kids might opt to take the 1-2 math classes they need at community college

[Anonymous]

Have a (non-Math) major at VT so I can't weigh in on the department. But I definitely think you and your daughter need to also think very carefully about the track component.

Our kid is not a D-1 athlete one and never aspired to be but knows many who are, both at Tech and other schools. As I am sure you know, that is a major time commitment. VT has a very competitive track team, so that is another thing to factor into her decision making. The team takes who the team needs based on event strength and other factors.

XC/Track Club running is great and competitive program at VT and many other schools. While there is still a time commitment and travel involved, it is much less extensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a (non-Math) major at VT so I can't weigh in on the department. But I definitely think you and your daughter need to also think very carefully about the track component.

Our kid is not a D-1 athlete one and never aspired to be but knows many who are, both at Tech and other schools. As I am sure you know, that is a major time commitment. VT has a very competitive track team, so that is another thing to factor into her decision making. The team takes who the team needs based on event strength and other factors.

XC/Track Club running is great and competitive program at VT and many other schools. While there is still a time commitment and travel involved, it is much less extensive.

This is good to know. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t dismiss majoring in CS now. Keep both math and CS options open and work hard in both areas in high school and in extra curriculars. Sounds like she’s very talented. I’m sure many colleges would love to have a CS/math-strong female.

Thank you. It seems to be a crap shoot. I see so many 2023 STRONG students wanting CS and being denied admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard to believe that a school that thinks a math emporium is an appropriate way to educate its students in the subject would have a strong and respected math major.

Math majors and non-math majors taking higher level math don't take Emporium classes.

Good to know. Thank you.