Trouble Keeping it Discrete:

   This past fall, in a dingy windowless CCP classroom, 26 ambitious seniors were primed to take on a semester of what High School Dean Mr. Gilken calls “the hardest class at Masterman”—Discrete Math. The class covers a range of topics relating to logic, number theory, probability, and set theory, all relatively new for students at Masterman. Most students were ready to take their first steps in college-level math, but by the second semester just 11 people remained. Never in the 10+ year span of the courses’ offering had there been so many dropouts, so what caused it?

Many factors contributed to students dropping the course, including the difficult material, the 7:40 start time, and especially the unclear and unforgiving grading system. Mustafa Elabd (‘25), one of the 15 seniors who dropped, recounted how the class felt unstructured: “At times, we, as a class, would get sidetracked and I would leave the period more confused than if I had just read out of the textbook for an hour.” His 5:30 AM wake-up time didn’t help the case to continue either. 

Manav Jha (‘25) was a student with the unique lens of having a sibling take the class a year prior. “Even though my brother took it and kind of warned me about its novelty relative to the classes I’ve taken, I was still definitely surprised, and not really in a good way.” Manav’s decision to drop was also fueled by college, as he explained, “I didn’t need the credits so it didn’t make much sense to keep taking it.”

Some students had decided to stick through and continue onto the second semester. Giulia Sheth (‘25) recounts her experience, “Honestly, halfway through Discrete 1, I was ready to give up on Discrete 2 altogether. But I am glad I stuck with it—Discrete 2 turned out to be far more enjoyable. The topics are easier to grasp and, honestly, much more engaging. In the end, if you can make it through Discrete 1, Discrete 2 is not only much more manageable but also rewarding.”

The challenging exams, new material, and what Jack Zhou ('25) dubbed “a certified grind” aren’t necessarily right for many students. Mr. Gilken added, “Discrete is the first time a lot of students at Masterman receive a grade that's not an A.” A large majority of students receive B’s or C’s, with this year as no exception as 21 students fell into that range. This change from the traditional Masterman bubble of what an academic experience looks like is jarring, yet also valuable.