Math Information Workshops
Workshop goals
Based on their plans for the fall semester and after meeting with their academic advisor in the late summer, students will be contacted about attending a Math Information Workshop session to help with math course selection. These sessions, run by experienced math instructors and course heads who will be teaching the 100- and 200-level mathematics courses in the fall, are designed to:
- Let students meet and talk with some of the math faculty.
- Clarify expectations about what a first math class at Princeton will be like.
- Help students decide on their initial placement in the calculus sequences.
Any interested student who is not contacted by the end of the day on Tuesday, August 30 about a workshop during registration week should contact us (information under Contacts on this page). Such requests will be honored pending availability of space.
What happens in these workshops?
After introductions, the instructor will teach a mini-lesson to refresh some ideas from prerequisite courses. This will model work done in our courses (meaning, calculator-free and without looking anything up).
The participants will split up into small groups and work with other students on some math problems that illustrate how the prerequisite ideas appear in a typical class. This work is best done without calculators or using other resources. It is meant to help students assess their preparation for the kind of work they will be doing on homework and exams in these classes.
The session will end with a brief follow-up group discussion about how to self-assess based on this exercise and the role this workshop experience can play in the placement process.
What if I have questions afterward?
These workshops are meant to start a conversation about your plans, and we encourage questions at the end of the workshop, during the Academic Expo and with instructors throughout the add/drop period. Ample opportunity for follow-up discussion will be provided in the first few weeks of the semester.