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If I'm really good at math and many grade levels ahead of my peers and others my age, whats the best degree to go into college with and what are some good jobs for me to do?

If I'm really good at math and many grade levels ahead of my peers and others my age, whats the best degree to go into college with and what are some good jobs for me to do?

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Matt’s Answer

As a secondary school student, I was also excellent at math and was always interested in a profession that does well with numbers and arithmetic. There are plenty of good career options utilizing mathematics that others have mentioned here (actuarial science, statistics, engineering, etc.)

If you’re interested in how things work and in “building” things, the engineering profession is the way to go. Every engineering field is math and physics based, leaning towards practicality rather than theory. From calculating how much load a particular material can take, to figuring how temperatures can vary along a metal rod, math and physics has the answer to that. Engineers typically get good salaries post college with just a Bachelors degree as well.

If your inclination is statistics and logic, a tech or software engineering path with an emphasis on data science may be for you. Relying heavily on statistics, understand how machines predict outcomes is the basis of most machine learning and AI technology now days. This is looking to be a hot market in years to come.

Hope this helps!

Matt recommends the following next steps:

Think about what you really like about math? Solving difficult problems, the theory, the practicality?
Research what it’s like being a data scientist, mechanical engineer, chemical engineer, aerospace engineer, electrical engineer
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Delaina’s Answer

Have you considered what fields of interest you have? Sports? Health? Science? All businesses require finance expertise in one way or another. I recommend you think about the top 3 things you are interested in (can be hobbies or academics). Once you have these things, reach out to both high school teachers and counselors as well as look up University professors and counselors who could provide you with some advice and ideas. Actuarial science is huge across many different industries and may be worth diving into a little further.
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Hormuzd’s Answer

Hi Al,

All the above respondents have given excellent advice. However, just being an excellent student in Math alone will not get you in a good college . You will also need to have great communication skills, self confidence and be passionate in pursuing what ever degree you want to pursue. As for the career is concerned, there are so many to list but right now the one which really stands out is Artificial Intelligence(AI). And to be successful in this area you have to be NOT a good coder but a GREAT coder. Have you ever coded or tried to code in High School? If coding is not your passion then AI will not be a great fit for you. I would then recommend other areas of IT like Information Security, Networking etc. etc.

I would also recommend, and may be you are already doing this, is to provide free Math tutoring to your peers or even some other students especially who come from a lower income families. I think it will give you a great sense of self-confidence and self-esteem.

Al, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Best wishes

Hormuzd
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Ruby’s Answer

Hey there! What a great position to be in...having all the door open for you with great grades in Maths and extra curricular involvement will definitely open the doors for you in whatever field you choose.

Numbers were always my specialty as well and I graduated with honors at 16 so hats off to you too! That being said - numbers never lie. So if you want to dig deeper - check out a career in forensic accounting? You can start with accounting and move through budget and accounting with a breeze.

If you go into something broad, like business administration, you can branch out anywhere. There's loads of opportunities - finance and administration being the main thing that pops out to me. But definitely start with an MBA and go from there is my recommendation.

Just make sure it counts and leave your options open. Once you find your interest or calling there's nothing stopping you. And remember that college is only the beginning on a long path of career development and continuing education.

Be dedicated to what holds your interest and respect the process enough to change a long the way. Beat of luck!!

Ruby recommends the following next steps:

Choose a broad major that interests you
Choose a college/university geared in that field
Respect the process and be willing to change
Remember that change is the only constant - never feel too stuck to change again
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Chirayu’s Answer

If you are exceptionally good at math and several grade levels ahead of your peers, you may consider pursuing a degree in mathematics, statistics, or computer science. These fields offer excellent career opportunities for those with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

With a degree in mathematics, you can pursue a variety of careers, including:
- Actuary - analyzing and managing financial risk for insurance companies and other organizations.
- Data analyst - collecting, analyzing, and interpreting complex data to help organizations make informed decisions.
- Mathematician - conducting research and developing mathematical models to solve real-world problems.
- Operations research analyst - using mathematical modeling to optimize business processes and improve efficiency.
- Cryptographer - designing and analyzing encryption algorithms to protect sensitive information.
- Software engineer - designing and developing software systems, including algorithms and mathematical models.
- Quantitative analyst - applying mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze financial markets and make investment decisions.
- Statistician - collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to help organizations make data-driven decisions.

These are just a few examples of the many career paths available to those with a strong background in math. The skills and knowledge you gain from studying math can also be valuable in fields such as engineering, physics, economics, and many others.
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Dan’s Answer

Hi Al- Some excellent advice for you to consider, given by the previous respondents. There is just one thing I would like to add. Sounds like you are really gifted in the area of math which is a great skill, with exciting career potential. A question I would like you to ask yourself is , “ Is math something that I love, is it something I am highly motivated to do and would using math in my career be very satisfying ?” We all have certain skills/abilities, some of which we may be very motivated to use while other skills/abilities do not seem to motivate us very much. Getting a good sense of what drives /motivates you is critical in your future career choice. Are you someone who truly loves problem solving, analyzing things or perhaps someone who enjoys being in a helping role. Once you have a clear sense of the role that would really drives/ motivate you, you will be in a better position to choose a career you can love and reap great satisfaction from. Go back and list 3-5 positive/satisfying experiences you have had, the role you were in and try to determine if and how math may or may not fit into that role. All the best to you in choosing your career path.
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Amber’s Answer

Being good at math is a blessing and can be beneficial in many different careers. For me, I was also above in mathematical skills/grades/etc. and went to college for actuarial science. The challenge for me was that there were a few pre-requisite courses before I got to take my first Actuarial course and though I had excelled in the advanced math courses that I took, this course quickly changed my career trajectory. I also think your personality plays a very critical piece in what career you decide. For me, I was much too extroverted to be an actuary so my change of direction was a blessing in disguise. I ended up changing my major to Math with a Business minor to be a little less anchored to a specific career while I determined my best interest and passion. In my professional work, I realized that leveraging my mathematical skills in work like strategy and marketing fit both my interest and my skillset. When you have strong math or finance skills in professions that aren't typical for those skills, you bring a lethal combo to the table that is valued in the workplace.

Amber recommends the following next steps:

Volunteer, do an internship, or pick up part time jobs so you can get a feel for what you like to do and how your skillset could apply.
Talk to professionals in areas you are interested in to get a feel for the work they do and how your skills could be beneficial.
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David’s Answer

Just throwing some things out there for you to look at where there are huge opportunities. Statistics, actuarial science, risk management, epidemiology. These are all hot career areas that are based in math or are applied math. Stats and actuarial science is pretty straight forward. Risk management and epidemiology have other considerations built in, but math is a major part.
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