MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

Why did you apply to MMSS?
For myself, I applied ED to Northwestern and found out that I had been admitted. While I was determining what I wanted to study, I came across the MMSS website. From there, I did my research on the program and learned how it provides intense quantitative and mathematical training but does so with an eye toward real world applications. This is what primarily drew me to the program and pushed me to apply. I had enjoyed math in high school, but history and political science courses had been my favorites. So I knew that I wanted to study something in college that would give me a highly applicable skillset, but also exposure to studying important issues

How has MMSS prepared you for graduation?
Over my four years at Northwestern, MMSS prepared me both academically and for experiences beyond the classroom. On the coursework side of things, I found that the first year MMSS classes particularly set me up for success. The level of rigor and thinking that those classes required early on prepared me to take on whatever quantitative Economics, Computer Science, or any other courses that followed. By the time I was working on my thesis and ready to graduate, I felt that I had really been battle tested by my coursework and was confident in my ability to solve complicated problems. Outside of the classroom, I took an interest in finance and more business-oriented fields. I felt that MMSS helped me stand out as I pursued opportunities on campus while also giving me the confidence to explain more complicated concepts in interviews and internships. I have found in my work experiences, that the value of MMSS is in teaching an analytical way of thinking and giving you confidence that you can figure things out. You may not necessarily remember exactly how to take a Lagrangian but the innate confidence that you passed Game Theory and Econometrics is still there. If you could figure that out, you can probably figure out this Excel formatting issue.

What have you enjoyed most about MMSS?
I have enjoyed many things about MMSS, among which are the professors, the coursework, and of course going through it all with my fellow peers. I made some of my closest friends at Northwestern by meeting them during my first quarter in MMSS. I also had the opportunity to be an MMSS PA which was one of my favorite experiences at Northwestern. Finally, it was also amazing getting to see everyone present on their research in our senior year and see how they applied what we had all learned in their own creative way.

Why did you apply to MMSS?
I had always been very into sports but was sadly cursed with a frail little body that often gets knocked over by stiff gusts of wind. Ever since I acknowledged that a life of athletic stardom might not be right for me, I had been looking for ways to break into the sports world via math. I applied to MMSS because I saw that it would give me the tools to make that sports analytics dream a reality.

How has MMSS prepared you for graduation?
MMSS prepared me for graduation by providing me a place to essentially do what I hoped to do in the professional world. My thesis let me do original research on the way professional MLB teams allocate resources, which is similar to what I would like to do for a baseball team some day. I also was given the econometric and machine learning background to take questions I have about sports and use math to figure out compelling answers

What have you enjoyed most about MMSS?
The thing I enjoyed most about MMSS were the classes on game theory. I don’t exactly know why, but I really fell in love with game theory at Northwestern, and had genuine fun tackling the problems and challanges I’d see in those classes. And of course I really enjoyed the camaraderie I had with all of my fellow victim—I mean students in MMSS, shout out to my study group for saving my behind time and time again!

Why did you apply to MMSS?
Upon applying to Northwestern, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to study. I’d always enjoyed math throughout high school, though I knew nothing about MMSS until I got an email from the program after I’d listed math as my anticipated major. I did some research and came to understand how unique the program was, with a focus on bridging math and various social sciences in a way I’d never seen done before. I realized the incredible learning, preparation, and community that it provided students with, really setting them up for entry into a number of interesting and impressive careers, and I decided that it was definitely something worth being a part of!

How has MMSS prepared you for graduation?
MMSS offers a really valuable and multi-faceted foundation for any sort of analytical career. There is very little (if any) math you’ll be asked to do later on that you haven’t been introduced to or worked with in the MMSS curriculum. The double-major aspect also offers a really holistic educational experience. I paired MMSS with Psychology and am so grateful for all the exposure I got to different fields of study and for the perspective I developed, finding so many ways that math and psychology connected. MMSS has also allowed me to pursue other non- quantitative interests in social science fields; I have enjoyed taking a number of history, philosophy, and sociology classes at Northwestern, which gave me many opportunities to improve my writing and qualitative analysis. I know that the broad and significant development that I experienced because of MMSS will serve me well as I earn my MBA in the coming years and in whatever professional role I find myself in later on. MMSS surrounded me with like-minded and hardworking students who were both enjoyable to get to know as well as encouraging and helpful to one another in the challenging MMSS coursework.

What have you enjoyed most about MMSS?
The most enjoyable aspect of MMSS for me was the network of bright and capable individuals within the program. Taking two of your typical four classes every quarter for two years with the same cohort of people means you get to know each other very well. I am so grateful for the friends I made in MMSS as well as for the networking conversations I’ve had the opportunity to have with MMSS alumni. The community is such an impressive and supportive group of people!

Why did you apply to MMSS?
My sister’s friend graduated from MMSS and said it was difficult but an awesome opportunity to learn a lot. The combination of rigorous mathematics and economics/political science really spoke to me, but truthfully I did not fully know what I was getting into. Despite being even more challenging than promised, the program managed to exceed my expectations.

How has MMSS prepared you for graduation?
MMSS prepared me for graduation in multiple ways. Certainly, the academics helped prepare me for the job market, but more importantly some of the classes helped shape my way of thinking about the world. Additionally, the thesis requirement gave me hands-on experience working with real-world data and helped me build confidence in interpreting the world around me.

What have you enjoyed most about MMSS?
What I appreciated most about MMSS was the collaborative nature of my peers. The small class sizes with a consistent group of students allowed me to build close friendships and bonds with others. Despite many of the classes being very challenging and on a curve, students would help each other without hesitation.