Teaching mathematics to elementary children requires highly developed content knowledge, and questions of how teachers acquire this knowledge are of significant concern to teacher preparation programs. Even with research to the contrary, some policy makers in the USA propose additional advanced mathematics courses. One voice that is missing when considering this problem is the voice of the student (i.e. prospective teacher). To address this student-vacant area of research and acknowledge the important role students should have in shaping research, we conducted a phenomenological inquiry into the experiences of elementary prospective teachers in mathematics content courses. The students described domains of mismatch between the courses and the professional program, affective reactions to the courses, and perceptions of effective classroom practices. These findings should inform decision making in the professional development of elementary teachers.