Here are some thoughts from our current majors:
Madeleine Wang '26
"Your best experiences and memories often come from the classes you least expect. So be adventurous, step out of your comfort zone, and explore anything that sparks even the slightest interest. Your future self will thank you."
Read Madeleine's Interview
Michael Melnikov '26
"Don't stress if you don't understand something, the more you practice the better you'll understand it."
Read Michael's Interview
Ben Aaron '26
"Taking math courses at Swarthmore has only reinforced that enjoyment as I've gotten the chance to learn from passionate professors and collaborate with similarly engaged students."
Read Ben's Interview
Sarah Adebiyi '26
"Pursuing a math major is, quite frankly, a thrilling experience, so be ready for the ups and downs that come with it."
Read Sarah's Interview
Zak Vilanilam '26
"My favorite quality about the Math/Stat department as a whole is how supportive professors are during office hours."
Read Zak's Interview
Olivia Cloutier '26
"Tackling a mathematical problem feels like solving a puzzle, and it's so satisfying when I finally figure it out."
Read Olivia's Interview
Anna Hansson '26
"Go to office hours and take advantage of the Pirate and Clinician sessions!"
Read Anna's Interview
Wyatt Brannon ‘26
"Try different things! Only by trying out different fields will you identify the area for which you are truly passionate."
Read Wyatt's Interview
Theodore Yochum '26
"Oftentimes asking for help will actually help you out more than you would expect as knowing your professor and TA is very useful."
Read Theodore's Interview
Hannah Zhang '27
"Take advantage of office hours, pirate sessions, and other math clinics. You're never on your own, everyone here wants to help you succeed!"
Read Hannah's Interview
Ryder Maston '26
"Go to office house and do the extra work! No one gets better at math without actually spending time doing math."
Read Ryder's Interview
Ernesto Garza '27
"Attend office hours. Not only do they provide opportunities to ask questions, but they also allow you to build relationships with professors and classmates that can benefit you in both your current and future math courses."
Read Ernesto's Interview
Zoe Tang '27
"I think that at times, we might fear math because we’re afraid and even ashamed of ourselves—for not knowing, for being an imposter, for not being “good enough.” Yet, if we give what we fear a chance, we’re also giving ourselves a chance. The moment when you muster up the courage to face what you fear is the moment when you realize that you, indeed, can do it."
Read Zoe's Interview
Isaac Chu '27
"I've found that I've attained invaluable skills from classes with very different flavors of problem solving, all across the different branches (applied, stats, and "pure"). Also, take advantage of opportunities to go to office hours and get to know your professors better!"
Read Isaac's Interview
