S.O.S. Mathematics CyberBoard

Hi, I am currently a grade 12 student that is starting post-secondary studies this Fall. I want to ask you SOS Math experts a question:

I like math, but I am not so good at it though (as you can see from the many topics I created in the Algebra, and Calculus section). Should I take math as a major if I like to do it, or should I just trash the idea because I am not good at it?

What I am trying to get at here is that do you think one should still strive to follow their subject of interest, even though they are not good at it?

Disclaimer: I don't live in the US, and did not go through the US system.

My view would be to do what interests you, given that you will be stuck for the better part of the next 3--4 years (at least) with the chosen subject. Another related thing to consider is that different institutions have different emphasis in their curriculum, e.g. more (statistics/computing/...)-oriented, that you might find more comfort in (although that difference might not be so apparent when you look at the prospectus). Of course, there is no substitute for hard work --- afterall, exams are always going to be of the same(-ish) perceived difficulty, i.e. just a little more demanding than what one is comfortable with, regardless of which institution and/or subject.

Oh, and don't worry too much about not being "(so) good" at it --- you will always find people who are better than you at any subject, and in my experience, various pieces will "click" together after you become more familiar with using them. Part of your feeling no doubt comes with a badly designed secondary curriculum, which makes mathematics looking more like accounting...

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I agree, our curriculum is poorly designed in many places at the secondary and pre-secondary level. Above all you should pick something you think you can do for the rest of your life. You have to make money at some point, and if you're not confident you can do that with mathematics, you should not go into it, but if you think you can and you truly enjoy it, then give it a shot. Just know that the feel of the mathematics you do will change as you progress. Some people really like high school mathematics but find themselves disinterested in higher-level material because it's not the way they think. In the end it's your decision, so make sure whatever you choose it's something you really want to do.

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