Students enjoyed learning about a variety of topics in applied math, and said the course provided a good overview of the department and potential careers. Many students found the homework assignments to be difficult or too much work for a one-credit course. Some said that the lectures were too advanced for an introductory course. Students suggested that instructors should go over more examples of problems in class in order to better prepare them for the homework. Prospective students who are interested in the department wil get a good overview, but they should be prepared to work hard on assignments and know that attendance is critical for this course.

The engaging variety of interesting topics was one of the best aspects of this course. Students liked having the different lecturers come in, as they found the differing fields provided them with a nice exposure of possible career fields. Students did find the homework to be somewhat difficult, as sometimes the professors gave them advanced problems that required more knowledge of the materials than many students had. Students also wished the PowerPoint slides were more detailed and posted online for later reference. Suggestions for improvement included changing the homework assignments to reflect more of what was said during the lecture. Students also would have liked a brief introductory lesson with some of the basics of applied maths and statistics so that they could be better prepared for the lectures. Prospective students are advised to attend every lecture and complete the homework on time. The course is highly recommended to anyone who is considering a degree or just has an interest in applied mathematics and statistics.

In this course, students most enjoyed the opportunity to learn about diverse topics as they heard from instructors across the applied mathematics and statistics department talk about what they were doing in their research. Students felt the biggest drawback of the course was that the format of the class made it difficult to provide much depth for different topics, and the subject matter covered by different lecturers was sometimes repetitive. Students felt the course could be improved by providing more guidance on weekly homework assignments. Students thought it would be valuable for future participants to know that course only required them to complete weekly homework assignments and that there were no exams or quizzes. They also thought it was good to know that the course was a useful in helping students decide on the focus of their studies in the department.