MIT PRIMES – Program for Research in Mathematics, Engineering and Science for High School Students
MIT PRIMES is a free, year-long program, in which high school students work on individual and group research projects in mathematics and participate in reading groups under the guidance of academic mentors, usually graduate students or postdoctoral scholars. Starting in 2025, PRIMES will focus exclusively on math.
The Math section includes a research track and a reading group track .
Participation in the research track will require very advanced mathematical background. Participation in a reading group would serve as an excellent preparation for future research at PRIMES and beyond.
Reading mathematical literature is a vital part of professional life of any mathematician. It is of key importance at all ages, but especially so for students. For many students, guided reading proves more intellectually stimulating and beneficial than an immediate plunge into research. Devoting your first year at PRIMES to guided reading would build a solid foundation for attacking a challenging research problem the following year.
A PRIMES reading group is a pair of high school students who actively study an advanced mathematical book under the guidance of a mentor, with whom they meet weekly at MIT (for about 2 hours) in the spring and fall semesters. In between meetings, they read assigned chapters, solve homework problems, and discuss the material with each other and with the mentor by e-mail or skype. In December (for seniors: in May), they make oral presentations and submit an expository paper on the material they have studied.
The reading group track is highly recommended for students who are just entering PRIMES (especially younger students - freshmen and sophomores). This track is also suitable It for seniors, who would be in PRIMES for only half a year before going to college.
When we consider applications, we may decide that a student needs more background before s/he can work on a research project. In this case, we might admit this applicant to the reading group track, if s/he has applied for it. This is why we encourage you to apply to the reading group track, whether or not you also apply to the research track.
Location(s)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts
Schedule
- Year-Round
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
- To participate in MIT PRIMES, you must be a high school student (or a home schooled student of high school age) living in the Greater Boston area, so that you can come to MIT weekly (late afternoon or evening on a weekday or on weekend) in January-May and September-December. Seniors may apply only to the reading track of the Math section.
- Current MIT PRIMES students may reapply to stay in the program. If they reapply for the same section, they submit only an updated questionnaire and do not have to submit solutions of the entrance problem set. Their applications will be evaluated based on their mentor's recommendation.
Deadline
- November 18th, 2024
Application or Entry Requirements
- Completed questionnaire
- Two or three letters of recommendation
- Your solutions to the PRIMES problem set
Notifications of Decisions
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT is renowned for its strong emphasis on scientific and technological research and innovation, and offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs in fields ranging from engineering and computer science to economics and architecture. MIT has a long history of producing notable alumni, including 96 Nobel laureates, 58 National Medal of Science recipients, and 29 MacArthur ""Genius Grant"" recipients. Additionally, its strong culture of entrepreneurship has led to the founding of many successful startups and companies by MIT alumni or faculty. Notable examples include Dropbox, Akamai Technologies, and Bose Corporation. The university's campus, situated along the Charles River Basin, features a mix of historic and modern architecture, including works by renowned architects such as Frank Gehry and I.M. Pei.
