MIT PRIMES and Art of Problem Solving are working together to create a place for students to experience research mathematics and discover ideas that did not exist before.
Polymath projects are massively collaborative mathematical research programs in which a single problem, group of problems, or other mathematical task is worked on by a large group of mathematicians. The CrowdMath project is intended for high school and college students with advanced mathematical background.
If this polymath project leads to publishable results, a paper will be written collaboratively under the pseudonym P.A. CrowdMath. If the results are not sufficiently conclusive to warrant a formal publication, a writeup might be submitted to arXiv.org.
Location(s)
Schedule
- Year-Round
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
High school juniors and sophomores (including home schooled) residing in the United States are eligible, if they live no closer than 50 miles from Boston. Students residing within driving distance from Boston should apply to the MIT section of PRIMES.
It is not required but preferable that the applicant meets one of these criteria:
- USAMO or USAJMO qualifier;
- grade A for a college-level proof-based math course (online courses included);
- participation in a summer math program , such as Canada/USA MathCamp, AwesomeMath, HCSSiM, MathILy, PROMYS, Ross Program, or SUMaC , with a letter of recommendation from a counselor;
- a letter of recommendation from a college professor of mathematics.
Applicants must have access to a personal computer with administrator privileges, a webcam, and high-speed Internet access.
Deadline
- November 30
Application or Entry Requirements
- Please create a free account to participate in this program.
- Open your application and name your recommenders. The system will automatically send them requests for letters of recommendation.
- Ask for two to three letters of recommendation from people who know you well, preferably from those with advanced math backgrounds.
- Solve the PRIMES Math Problem Set, including both General and Advanced Math problems. We encourage you to apply if you can solve at least 50% of the problems. It is strongly recommended to write the solutions using LaTeX.
- Fill out all remaining parts of the application and add a personal statement. In a free-format statement (1-2 pages), discuss some of your most memorable/enjoyable math experiences. What type of problems do you like to work on? Explain why you want to participate in PRIMES, what makes you a good candidate, and what are your plans for the future.
Notifications of Decisions
- January
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
- March 14: brief reading report
- May 31: interim research report
- Mid October: conference presentation
- December 1: penultimate draft of the final paper
- January 15: final research paper.
Have other questions?
Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) is an educational company that specializes in mathematics and problem-solving courses and materials. Founded in 1993 and based in San Diego, California, AoPS was originally created as a math summer program for talented middle and high school students. The program has since expanded to include online courses, books, and other resources for math students of all ages. The company's curriculum is designed to challenge students to think critically and deeply about math concepts and to develop their problem-solving and creative-thinking skills. In addition to its math courses and materials, AoPS has also developed resources for other subjects, including computer programming and physics.
