Math Camp Eases the Transition Back to School for Graduate Students

Heading back to school in the fall can feel daunting, even for graduate students. And if your quantitative skills are feeling a bit rusty, stepping into the classroom again might seem even more intimidating. 

That’s where CSSS’s Math Camp comes in. For the past 19 years, this week-long refresher has helped incoming graduate students, and others already here, brush up on essential math skills necessary for success in meeting their program requirements. This year, we welcomed 48 students from across the University of Washington, including the Schools of Nursing, Social Work, Medicine, International Studies, Business, Public Policy and Governance, the College of Arts & Sciences, and the College of Built Environments. Classes were held in picturesque Parrington Hall, where students moved between bright and airy classrooms for morning and afternoon sessions.  

Building Confidence, Building Community 

Before camp began, most students hoped to boost their confidence in quantitative reasoning as they prepared for their Master’s or PhD coursework. But post-camp feedback revealed even broader benefits. One incoming PhD student shared: 

“I found the course incredibly relevant and an appropriate level of challenge. I left the program feeling confident in my ability to approach quantitative concepts in my coursework and excited to use R. An added benefit was being able to meet some of my future cohort members in the program.” 

Expert Instruction  

This year’s camp was led by two dynamic pre-doctoral instructors. Ethan Ancell, a PhD student in Statistics, broke down complex mathematical concepts each morning. Meanwhile, each afternoon, Todd Nobles, a Sociology doctoral student, led sessions on beginner R programming skills looking into math concepts practiced in the morning. Both instructors customized instruction and problem sets to reflect real-world scenarios students would encounter in their respective fields. The enjoyable and laid-back atmosphere that Ethan and Todd created made it much easier for students to stay engaged and not burn out during the week.  

Taking place before the start of the quarter, Math Camp gives students the opportunity to brush up on graduate level math and practice basic coding skills in preparation for their graduate studies, while also providing a chance to make social connections with peers in their programs and across disciplines.