> [...] may just not have the "mathematical maturity" for the material. LOTS of non-math-major science/engineering students face that problem as soon as they s

> [...] may just not have the "mathematical maturity" for the material. LOTS of non-math-major science/engineering students face that problem as soon as they start grad school. It's a consequence, IMHO, of math curriculums failing to focus on the fundamentals rigorously enough. There's too much focus on what we used to call "plug-n-chug" mathematics where students learn just enough to apply formulae to get their problems solved. It might seem like "just enough" but it ends up pushing out higher mathematics and keeps students from being able to apply more advanced mathematical concepts that they would have gained from a much deeper dive into Real Analysis, abstract algebra, differential geometry, etc, and the grind of the theorem-proof cycles. Many of us felt this right away upon taking graduate level courses. I wish that I had been counseled to take additional math courses before (or even at the beginning) of grad school. It would have reduced my suffering A LOT and I would have gotten more out of the degree.