How Hard is the Math?

Thanks to Senior Team Harris Ambassador, Peter Biava (MPP'19) for this post! 

As a Team Harris member, I get a lot of questions from prospective students who are interested to learn more about what it’s like to study public policy at UChicago Harris. There are questions about social life, policy concentrations, research roles, campus jobs… even where to get a great deal on winter jackets. But the type of question I get the most is about...MATH!

I think it’s a completely natural response to have insecurity about the quantitative rigor at a school like UChicago. If you’re anything like me, you might have these types of thoughts running wild in your head:

“I’ve been accepted to a Master's program at the University of Chicago, but I haven’t taken a Math or Econ class in so many years! And Harris stakes its’ reputation on data analysis and quantitative skills. How can I possibly keep up with all the other geniuses that have also been admitted? What have I gotten myself into?!”

If that sounds at all familiar, DONT WORRY! My answer, in simple language, is that the math at Harris is very approachable. Yes, it’s designed to challenge you and make you better. But it’s not designed to defeat you. Believe me, you’re not the only one who has felt that way - I was in same shoes just last year. In fact, MANY people who have walked the halls of Harris before you have felt EXACTLY the same way. And it shouldn’t be a surprise that all of those who came before you have used the resources available at Harris on their path to success.

I polled some 2nd year students, all with vary degrees of ‘Math Abilities’ on their best tricks and tips for how to handle the quantitative aspect of Harris. I am proud to present a summary of what I’ve learned: 

Tip #1: Don’t be intimidated.

You applied to Harris- AND YOU GOT IN! That is no fluke. You beat out a highly competitive pool of applicants because the admissions committee saw something excellent in you. They saw something that demonstrated your ability to stick it out and succeed. Yes, UChicago has scores of Nobel Prizes to its name (there’s a joke on campus that says “Even the poetry professors know how to do theoretical physics”).  But this shouldn’t scare you; it should excite you! No one is expecting 1st year MPP students to win a Nobel prize; you can take the foundations courses in Stats and Micro and learn at your own pace from great teachers who rub shoulders with Nobel Laureates, and that’s awesome. Isn’t that why you’re coming here?

Tip #2: Turn your Weaknesses into Strengths.

Grad school is a great time to refresh your skills and rebrand yourself. Maybe you don’t currently have a quant background, but a degree from the Harris School at UChicago can certainly provide that street cred. MPP student Jorge Quintero says that “one of the things that attracted me the most to the Harris School was its focus on quantitative tools to evaluate policy.” Those are hard skills you can sell to a future employer.
 

Tip #3: There are lots of resources here to help you succeed.

Harris is not going to throw you off the deep end. Many of us are rusty at math and econ when we first get to Campus. In some cases, we haven’t seen calculus since High School! That’s why the Harris core courses essentially start from scratch with the fundamentals of Economics and Statistics 101. There is even a math camp before classes start to help incoming students refresh their algebra and calculus skills.  Approximately 80% of the incoming class goes to math camp. Yes, it does mean arriving in Chicago 3 weeks earlier than the official start of classes, but it’s a great way to meet your fellow incoming classmates in a summer-y, fun, low-stress setting. Plus, there are great social events during that time and there’s no extra charge for the math camp!

Tip # 4: You are about to join a great community of great people.

Harris is challenging (and certainly deserves its reputation), but the community is tight knit, inclusive, and collaborative. It’s a globally diverse community with a common thread of unwavering optimism, where individuals genuinely feel like they can make an impact to make the world a better place.