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1-2-1 math
an online summer program
What Students Say...
Get A Head Start @ Pomona
Meet students & faculty! Learn about departments & resources!
Practice the rhythm and pace of college work without the stress!
Brush up on your math skills whatever your background or major!
Hang out with new friends, play games, watch movies, host parties!
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HOW 1-2-1 WORKS
We introduce you to important elements of college life in a supportive, low-stakes environment before the rush of the first semester begins.
Tackle challenging, college-level questions, break high school drill prolem habits, and get a peek at the assignment pace to come.
ACADEMIC RIGOR
Practice how to speak & listen in balance. Discover the joys of helping and the friendship of being helped.
GROUP WORK
Office hours, mentor sessions, and learning communities are fundamental components, not recourses of last resort.
RESOURCE USE
Hundreds of courses = decision paralysis. Learn about options from the departments themselves, and take time to decide.
COURSE SELECTION
Connect with like-minded people and contrarians for new friendships, new perspectives, and a support system.
SOCIAL NETWORKS
Professors are allies and advocates. It is not just OK to reach out to them; it is expected.
FACULTY ACCESS
Six weeks in summer
  • Intro Week 0
    • Get to know scholars, TA, faculty
    • Sort out program logistics
    • Select individual tracks
  • Core Weeks 1-4
    • Collaborate with fellow scholars
    • Meet the TAs and cohorts on weekdays
    • Work on track problems at home
    • Attend lunches, game nights, movies
    • Join webinars about departments and resources
    • Connect with other incoming students
  • Outro Week 5
    • Wrap up tracks
    • Discuss course placement for the fall
    • Say farewell
Different modules for different scholars
We will help you construct tracks out of topics that best suit your background and plans. The problem sets are designed to introduce you to the rigor and pace of college academic life.
Logical Reasoning
By working through logical puzzles, learn to make rigorous arguments. The puzzles give you practice with direct and indirect proofs, as well as with interpreting complicated arguments. Logical reasoning is useful in all disciplines, and is indispensable in any field that relies on mathematical thinking. This topic can be both useful and enjoyable regardless of your prior background and future interests.
Units
When it comes to scientific calculations, units are your friends. Review conversion factors, metric system units, and the use of scientific notation. Practice translating word problems into mathematical expressions, and get a taste of dimensional analysis. This topic is especially useful for students interested in the physical sciences (like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geology).
Logarithms
Logs, their definition, basic properties, logarithmic scale, and their uses are covered in this topic. Mathematical expressions and models for the number and size of earthquakes, pH value of a solution, the spread of the corona virus, and GDP growth rates will illustrate the use of logarithms in the Physical Sciences, in Economics, and in Mathematics.
Trigonometry
Trigonometric functions model periodic behavior, and are very useful in geometric calculations. Review the definitions, basic properties, graphs, and some applications of trigonometric functions. Especially useful for students interested in Physics and Mathematics.
Word Problems
When you want to use mathematics, you first have to translate a real world scenario into mathematical notation. This involves making simplifying assumptions, dealing with ambiguities, and learning to focus on the relevant information. Get better at doing word problems by tackling problems originating in Physics, Astronomy, Economics, Geology, and other sciences.
Derivatives
By focusing on rates of change and slopes, the idea of a derivative, and the concept of linearization will be explored. Applications to Physics (velocity and acceleration) and Economics (marginal revenue and marginal cost) will solidify your understanding of the main idea of differential calculus. This topic is useful for students who have had no calculus as well as those who want to review the idea of a derivative.
Integrals
What does an integral of a function mean? How are integrals used? What is the fundamental theorem of calculus, and why is finding areas related to finding slopes? In this topic you will explore the answers to these questions as well as applications to Physics and Mathematics. This topic is appropriate for students who are familiar with derivatives, and are planning to take further calculus classes.
Taylor Polynomials
The main idea of calculus is that complicated functions can be approximated locally with polynomials. The powerful idea of Taylor polynomials allows us to approximate integrals, to approximately solve differential equations and more. The prerequisite for this topic is a first course in calculus, and the topic is useful for students heading to second or third semester calculus.
Induction
Mathematical induction is a powerful proof method. In this topic, you will explore patterns, then express them in mathematical statements, and finally prove them using induction. There is no prerequisite for this topic, and it is especially useful for students planning to take mathematics and computer science classes.
Calculus Topics
A more in depth exploration of several calculus topics that bring together multiple ideas from across calculus. Topics include linearization, the arithmetic-geometric mean inequality, and using calculus to approximate the factorial function. The prerequisite for this topic is a first course in calculus, and it will benefit students continuing with second or third semester calculus.
Sequences and Series
The ideas of limits, infinity, and convergence will be explored in the context of sequences and series. What does it mean to add an infinite number of numbers? Is that even possible, and if so, how does one carry it out? What role does calculus play? A previous exposure to limits will be helpful for this topic, and a familiarity with integrals is necessary. The topic is beneficial to students continuing with second or third semester calculus.
Working with Data
In this topic, we explore some ideas in Statistic and in Statistical with the goal of gaining insight from data. Linear Regression, Decision Trees, and simulations using Python will be among the topics covered. The topic will be useful for students interested in the Sciences, Economics, or Statistics.
Combinatorics
Combinatorics is the mathematics of combinations and discrete relations. In this topic, you will learn some basic counting techniques, the use of recurrence relations, and the basic ideas of graph theory. Interested students may like puzzles and brain teasers, or they may want to see an introduction to some common themes in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Number Theory
Explore primes, divisibility, and the mysteries of the integers. While no particular prerequisites are needed, you will practice proofs and conceptual thnking. This topic is useful for students interested in Computer Science and Mathematics courses beyond Calculus.
Matrices
Organize data into rectangular arrays of numbers, and use them to model networks as well as to resize, rotate, and reflect computer graphics. In this topic the basics of matrix algebra and its uses are covered. No particular prerequisites and useful for students interested in Computer Science, Physics, Economics, and Linear Algebra.
Probability
The basic concepts of probability and conditional probability including Bayes's theorem, as well as their applications are explored. No particular prerequisites and useful for students interested in the Sciences, Economics, Statistics, and Mathematics.
FAQ
My math background is XYZ. Do I belong in this program?
Yes, absolutely! 1-2-1 Math is modular, offering a wide range of tracks. Whether you love math or find it challenging & scary (or love it because you find it challenging & scary), there is a 1-2-1 track for you.
  • Maybe you're a potential English or Theatre or History major who last took Algebra in your junior year of high school and now wants to prepare for that one Calculus class you'll take at Pomona or fill in some math gaps from long ago;
  • or perhaps you plan to study Economics or Computer Science and want to strengthen your analytical and computational skills;
  • or, as a prospective Math major, you might want to get an advance feel for the kinds of classes that await you here.
Wherever you are, whatever your relationship with math, we'll meet you there.
What are these tracks you keep talking about?
The four core weeks of the program are centered around math tracks. Each track consists of a set of topics and associated problems. For example, you might choose
  • trigonometry and logarithms if you want to learn about, or brush up on, tools that frequently come up in STEM disciplines;
  • induction, logic, and word problems to practice reasoning and math arguments;
  • limits and derivatives if you want to get a head start on Calculus I;
  • integrals and series to get (re)introduced to Calculus II mainstays;
  • combinatorics and induction to build intuition for more conceptual mathematical language;
There are thousands of combinations of topics! We'll help you choose a subset of topics that match your background and plans. Once we know who will join the program, we might add new tracks based on interest.
Will the tracks be graded?
You'll receive feedback on all the problems you turn in, and you will discuss them with your TAs and cohorts. However, you will not see grades like 47/50 as you might in a traditional classroom, nor will there be letter grades assigned at the end of the program. We aim to guide you through collaborative work & the mathematical thinking process, and to familiarize you with some Pomona people & resources, rather than evaluate whether some course goals were met. We will also use your assignments (together with what we learn about your goals and preferences) to offer you placement advice.
Will there be lectures?
The academic program is designed around problem sets that you will work on collaboratively with other students and under the guidance of TAs and faculty. As such there will not be any formal lectures that you have to attend. However, when you drop by office hours, you may be treated to an impromptu lecture...
Are there going to be set meeting times?
We'll set a wide range of meeting times that take your schedule into account during the program's first week, after you meet us, the TAs, and your fellow 1-2-1 Math Scholars. While we will ask you to be flexible, we want to make sure you'll be able to meet with your cohort to work on the same tracks together. The first week will have multiple intro sessions so that everyone can attend. Outside the regular group meeting, you'll work on the tracks in your own private math space & time each day.
What kinds of meetings will there be?
In addition to meetings with your TA group, there will be open office hours with other TAs, and with faculty. We will have social events, and there will be information sessions with other programs and departments. These will happen at all hours of day (and night).
How much time should I expect to spend on the program?
We will suggest a pace comparable to a college course--this will take about 3 hours a day. But, ultimately, you will decide how much time to put in. You will get out of the program what you put in. We hope that you find the program valuable no matter what pace you choose to follow.
Is 1-2-1 Math free?
Absolutely! There are no fees to join, no textbooks to buy, and no in-app purchases to make.
Is 1-2-1 Math exclusive?
In a sense, it is the most exclusive program of its kind in the world, since it is open only to incoming Pomona College students. We don't know of other programs that share its scale, content, and belief in the power of learning communities! However, we are also confident that every Sagehen can benefit from 1-2-1 Math regardless of background and interests, which is why we want you to apply.
What else should I know?
[Full disclosure: this wasn't an FAQ. We just wanted to tell you.]
  • If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to email us at and . We'd love to make contact!
  • Did you know that the exclamation mark "!" means "factorial" in math and "not" in logic and computer science? Factorial is the product of all positive integers up to a given one. For instance, 4! (pronounced "four factorial") equals 4x3x2x1, or twenty four; and 47! is a huge number with 59 digits. One curious thing about factorials is that zero factorial equals one (there's a good reason for that we can tell you about later). On the other hand, in computer science, you might say true things like red!=blue or Dean!=Sam. This makes the expression 0!=1 a curious one: it is true in math (zero factorial does equal one) and in computer science (zero does not equal one).
We look forward to hearing from you! (Exclamation mark, not factorial or not.)
YOUR 1-2-1 MATH TEAM
Shahriar Shahriari
PhD UW Madison '86
Position: William Polk Russell Professor of Mathematics, Pomona College

Interests: Combinatorics, Group Theory, History of Mathematics.

Opinion: Eggplant is good.
Ghassan Sarkis
PhD Brown '01
Position: Associate Professor of Mathematics, Pomona College

Interests: Number Theory, Combinatorics, Data Science.

Opinion: Eggplant is evil.