My relationship with math hasn’t been linear, sometimes I like it and sometimes I really don’t.
As someone who is an engineering concentrator, this relationship with math may not be ideal since math is a fundamental component of engineering. I struggled a lot at the beginning but have experienced a lot of growth.
At Harvard, there are various introductory math classes. I took Math Ma and Math Mb my first two semesters, instead of just diving into Math 1A. Math 1A is Introduction to Calculus and is taught at a faster speed than Ma and Mb because it’s condensed into one semester.
I decided to take the Math M series because I knew that I didn’t have the strong foundation that was needed for me to do well in other STEM classes. I didn’t have access to many advanced math classes or resources in high school, so I knew that I needed to develop those skills before taking more advanced courses. My math placement test also suggested that I start with Math Ma.
Knowing that I would have to take 5 semesters of math if I started at Math Ma was a bit discouraging at first, especially because I soon learned that math classes at Harvard were a large time commitment. I saw many of my friends who were also studying engineering start at higher level math courses, such as Math 21A (multivariable calculus) and 21B (linear algebra) as first years, while I had to work my way up. For a long time, I felt like I was playing catch up.
There were many times where I felt like math would be the class that would weed me out of STEM, since I felt very challenged and frustrated at times. I persevered because of the community that I found through Math Ma and Mb. I made a lot of friends who also came from high schools without many resources, thus, leaving them to also start with these introductory math classes. I remember meeting other students at office hours and the Math Question Center (MQC) who were also just beginning their math journey at Harvard and aspired to do great things in STEM. These were some of the friends who I learned with, worked on problem sets with, and who helped me understand and apply concepts.
The Emerging Scholars Program community also played a big role during my time in Math Ma and Mb. Although this program is no longer offered, it provided advising and academic support for a cohort of 20 first year students from underserved communities who were taking Math Ma and Mb and were interested in studying STEM. The program also provided us with the resources to take Math 1B and another class as a cohort the summer after our first year.
If you feel discouraged or want to change your concentration because of the math class you start in, just know that you can do it! I advise you to break the stigma around introductory classes and embrace the opportunity to learn the material at a deeper level. Regardless of the math that you take when you first arrive at Harvard, you can pursue study in any field. If you are worried that Math Ma and Mb are going to stall your progress in an engineering concentration, just know that it won’t.
