Math Fluency and College Admissions -- My notes from Jeff Selingo's office Hours

Jeff Selingo is one of my ‘go-to’ people. he’s a voice of reason and balance within the college admissions arena—his ‘Office Hours’ is such an invaluable resource, but today’s session on Math Fluency resonated so much that i wanted to share my notes …..

🔹 Shalinee Sharma – CEO of Zearn & Author of 'Math Mind'

Core Philosophy

• Math fluency is not innate—it’s learnable for all students.

• The U.S. mistakenly classifies children as “math kids” vs. “non-math kids,” which limits potential and creates inequity.

• International comparison proves this belief wrong—countries like Singapore and Japan outperform the U.S. by emphasizing effort over talent.

Math Anxiety & Student Mindset

• 80% of students with math anxiety are average to high performers.

• Math anxiety is deeply tied to our cultural emphasis on speed and performance, rather than effort and understanding.

• U.S. students believe math success is innate; top-performing international students believe math success comes from hard work.

Speed vs. Automaticity

• Speed in math is misunderstood. It should not be competitive.

• Automaticity in basic facts allows cognitive space for higher-level reasoning (e.g., algebra, optimization).

• Lack of automaticity leads to brain overload or “blanking out” on multi-step problems.

Early Tracking & Exclusion

• Exclusion from advanced math starts early, often via public and humiliating signals from teachers.

• Gatekeeping practices—such as limiting who can continue to calculus—can create lasting psychological harm.

Algebra’s Central Role

• Algebra is the most predictive course for success in high school, college, and beyond.

• Timing of Algebra (8th–10th grade) is less important than ensuring students complete it.

• Delayed algebra can prevent access to STEM majors due to prerequisite timelines.

Calculus, Statistics & Career Readiness

• Calculus completion is highly correlated with lifetime earnings and STEM readiness.

• Statistics is increasingly valued and correlates with earnings in non-STEM fields.

• Advanced math of any kind in high school improves college outcomes—students need more access, not less.

Future-Proofing with Math

• Students need math for reasonableness, estimation, and problem-solving—especially in an AI-driven world.

• Proficiency in Algebra and advanced math prepares students to actively participate in the digital economy.

🔹 Chris Gruber – Dean of Admission & Financial Aid, Davidson College

General Admissions Lens on Math

• Admissions officers evaluate math sequence and endpoint, especially what students are taking senior year.

• Pre-calculus is often the floor, and calculus is the norm at selective colleges like Davidson.

• What students could have taken (based on school offerings) matters.

Calculus vs. Statistics

• Calculus generally seen as more rigorous, especially for STEM applicants.

• Statistics is respected and useful—particularly for liberal arts students and non-STEM majors.

Senior Year Math Counts

• Math taken in 12th grade does count, even for early decision/early action applicants.

• Doubling up (e.g., Calculus + Statistics) in senior year shows strength and is often discussed in admissions committee.

AP, IB, Dual Enrollment

• Evaluation depends on how the high school weights and represents these courses in the school profile.

• Colleges do not universally rank AP > IB > DE—it’s contextual to the school.

• If a high school lacks advanced math, students can pursue dual enrollment or online courses to stay competitive.

Math as a Competitiveness Signal

• Math sequencing creates a clear ladder—easy for colleges to compare across applicants.

• Humanities sequencing lacks consistency, making math a more visible measure of challenge.

• Math rigor in the transcript signals college readiness, especially when a math requirement exists.

Not Taking Calculus

• Not having calculus is not always a deal-breaker, but:

• - It matters more for competitive colleges and STEM majors.

• - Students should ensure they at least reach pre-calculus to stay eligible at many selective colleges.

Advice to Families (from Chris Gruber)

• Ask early: If specific colleges or majors are being considered, inquire about math expectations now.

• Focus less on when students start Algebra and more on where they land senior year.

• If necessary, bridge gaps through summer coursework, online classes, or dual enrollment.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

The book Math Mind: The Simple Path to Loving Math by Shalinee Sharma

• Podcast: Shalinee spoke on Emily Oster’s podcast, Parent Data: “Every Kid is a Math Kid” 

• Multiple resources from Zearn, the math learning platform founded by Shalinee

• "Math as a Gatekeeper: Examining the Evidence", blog post by Pamela Burdman

• "Calculus or Statistics: Does it Matter?" The study which analyzed long-term salary differences for people who’d taken either AP Calculus or AP Statistics (April 2025)

• Chart of admissions officers’ rankings of math courses, on page 14 in “The Limits of Calculus: Revisiting the Role of Math Education in College Admissions,” report from Just Equations and NACAC.

Always Choose a College Consultant who is affiliated with the highest ethical organizations

Today’s college admission scandal is a reminder of why it is important that families choose an IEC who is a professional member of either IECA, HECA, NACAC, TACAC and AICEP. I hold professional memberships in all of these organizations.

 • Why Choose a Member of the IECA? https://link.iecaonline.com/Choose-IECA

• 10 Important Ways IECA Members Are Unlike Other IECs: https://link.iecaonline.com/IECA-Members

• Principles of Good Practice: https://link.iecaonline.com/POGP

Press Release for USA Gap Year Fair at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Austin, TX

February 3, 2018

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School will host the fifth annual Austin-wide USA Gap Year Fair on Saturday, February 3, 2018 from noon to 3 pm.  About 45 gap year programs will be present at the fair, representing a wide variety of domestic and international gap year experiences.

The program will begin from noon-1 pm with a panel presentation in the St. Andrew’s Upper School Chapel.  Speakers will be presenting various perspectives on gap years and identifying what to look for in a program and how to find a good fit. Following that presentation, the USA Gap Year Fair will be open from 1-3 pm in the Upper School Cafeteria.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School is located at 5901 Southwest Parkway in Austin.  Parking will be available in the main lot and in the gym lot.

For further information, please contact Elizabeth Guice at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (eguice@sasaustin.org).  

College Entrance Exams

Q & A on College Entrance Exams

TYPES:

Þ     PSAT – 10th and 11th Grade Preliminary SAT and National Merit Competition for 11th Grade Students; use to prep for SAT

Þ     SAT and / or ACT – both are accepted at all universities (see comparison chart - http://www.actstudent.org/faq/actsat.html)

Þ     AP Exams – given at the end of each AP Course; Colleges vary in the scores they accept for college credit. Students take these exams in May.

Þ     SAT Subject Tests – optional or required by some universities (21 exams) that test your knowledge in specific subject areas. They are content-based and allow you to choose the subject(s) in which you excel and best demonstrate subject mastery. All of the Subject Tests are multiple choice and are one hour long. These exams are sometimes used for placement out of foundational college coursework.

WHEN SHOULD A STUDENT START TAKING THE SAT and / or ACT:

Most students start taking these exams in the spring of their junior year. However, for students who have completed Algebra II in the 10th grade, they may be more prepared to take these exams in the fall of their junior year. Taking the PSAT in 10th and 11th Grade will certainly help guide the student in how best to prep for and take the SAT. All students should take a practice SAT and ACT to determine which exam is a better fit for the student, and to determine the best time to begin taking these exams. For students applying Early Decision, Restrictive Early Action, Early Action and Rolling Admission, you should have your testing completed by November of your senior year. Always check with the admission webpage of each college to be sure to plan for APPLICATION DEADLINES.

HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD A STUDENT TAKE THE SAT and / or ACT:

Every student is different and should consider a customized approach for taking these exams. For those students that receive a high score the very first time, they may not need to test again. However, most students will take these exams anywhere from 2 to 5 or more times. Some students enjoy the challenge of trying to increase their scores; others may want to keep testing as long as they are seeing significant improvement. Because many merit scholarships and honors programs look at test scores as one of the determining factors in awarding scholarships, students who enjoy testing will take these exams as many times as possible. HOWEVER, many students do not see a marked improvement after several times and determine to stop testing. Regardless, if possible, every student should prep for these exams by taking practice exams, using Khan Academy or the many other test prep companies. A good test prep company should offer practice with real exams and prepare you for both the SAT and ACT. IMPORTANT – Colleges vary in how they evaluate the scores of these exams. Some colleges SUPER SCORE (taking the best sub-scores from two or three score reports; other colleges accept all score reports, but officially only look at one date).

WHAT IS A GOOD SCORE ON THE SAT and ACT:

For the Texas Success Initiative ‘College Ready’ Benchmarks for theACT: composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test, and/or 19 on the mathematics test (B) SAT: a combined critical reading (formerly "verbal") and mathematics score of 1070 with a minimum of 500 on the critical reading test, and/or 500 on the mathematics.

For College Admissions, scores vary from college to college: See ranges at https://www.powerscore.com/sat/help/average_test_scores.cfm

*ALWAYS CHECK WITH EACH COLLEGE’S ADMISSIONS WEBSITE TO DETERMINE THEIR COLLEGE’S ENTRANCE EXAM PROFILE &  SCORE REPORT REQUIREMENTS / PRACTICES.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        *TEST OPTIONAL Colleges (schools that do not require the SAT and / or ACT)  - http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional