Why Math Is the Class Students Fear Most

A new survey from Study.com asked college students and recent grads to name the gen ed requirement they dreaded most. Math won by a wide margin: 46% named it their top fear, more than double the next closest subject, public speaking, at 20%. It held that lead after the class started too, with 43% reporting high or extreme stress while actually taking it.

The more interesting finding isn’t which subject scares students, it’s why. More than half of respondents (52%) pointed to a simple, familiar story: “I’ve never been good at this subject.” Not unclear instructions, not unfair grading, not the material itself. Self-doubt, often built up long before the first day of class, is the biggest factor.

That anxiety has real consequences. Over a third of students ended up retaking the class, more than a quarter dropped it, and 16% said they’d considered dropping out of college entirely because of a single dreaded course.

What helped students get through it wasn’t dramatically different from what you’d expect: asking for help early, using office hours, joining study groups, and watching supplemental videos when a concept didn’t click in class. The students who used these resources consistently reported getting through the class, and their confidence, intact.

The subject that scares your students most in September is often more manageable than they expect once they’re actually in it, and knowing which resources to lean on early can make a real difference.

Study.com’s survey included 131 current and recently graduated students. Read the full report