<p>"Hook: How far can it drag you?"</p>
<p>Drag? I dont know if thats the right word for getting into Princeton...</p>
<p>hmm...this hook thing is going to be harder than I though...I am only a sophmore...what can I do?????? I realy want to get into Princeton...if only there was such thing as guarenteed addmission. My grades aren't even top noch, and I don't know what I will get on the new SAT, I mean nobody from my area goes to ivy league schools, so I don't even think that my teachers are used to giving those sorts of recommendations. </p>
<p>What is the siemens-westinghouse contest? </p>
<p>My school doesn't even offer APs...so I kind of feel like I am screwed. Sigh...sorry...finals are coming up and I am realy stressed out. I feel as if Princeton is at the top of an unclimbable mountain...exuse the pessimism:-) it's late, im tired.</p>
<p>"so would having taken college credit calc 1 and 2, being on the school's math team, and being a white female from green bay wi be a hook?"</p>
<p>You can tell I'm a gracious guy, a Vikings fan willing to help out someone from Green Bay. :) I have one simple phrase for someone who likes math and who wants to get into Princeton: The Art of Problem Solving, a Web site run by some Princeton graduates. Google it. You'll learn there about math hooks that really matter to college admission officers. If you're a sophomore, you still have some time.</p>
<p>Psh, Green Bay is where it's AT! Although that game was way too painful.</p>
<p>I must say...after the game on sunday...you viking fans should have no grudge against us Green Bayers :D I looked up the art of problem solving and it had some contests it looked like I might be able to get involved in...but the contests seem to consist of just one problem that I would have a month to do...sounds hard.
It didn't seem to have much advice onto getting into top schools with math...just advice on how to become a better mathematician...which is always helpful:-) how did you discover this sight? Is there any particular contest you recommend that I enter? I will for sure keep checking it out for they must have different contests and math tips at different points during the year. Thanks!</p>
<p>prettyfish...do u live in green bay? We need more wi people on CC!</p>
<p>No, I live in MN, near the border, but my parents are both from Wisconsin and I was born in Madison, so cheese runs in my blood.</p>
<p>bump...interrested in tokenadult reply</p>
<p>or anyone else's...I mean any help is appreciated...ugh I hate the 60 second rule!</p>
<p>This really is kind of a "nonissue" question seeing as how it totally differs based on which school and what the hook is. Strong ties to the administration of a school or a strongly "contributing" alum are probably the best hooks you can have. Other than that, specific talents and such, if I had to quantify the "push" in your chances for admission, I'd give it around a +20%, on average. That's purely subjective though. Also I'm assuming the hook/talent is rather significant and honored through application.</p>
<p>ilabcurious1423 asked, "It didn't seem to have much advice onto getting into top schools with math...just advice on how to become a better mathematician...which is always helpful:-) how did you discover this sight? Is there any particular contest you recommend that I enter?" </p>
<p>Okay, we're on the Princeton forum here, so I will talk about math hooks that are known to be meaningful to Princeton. Princeton is definitely on the lookout for top scorers in the International Mathematical Olympiad from any country. It currently actively recruits the top members of Romania's IMO team each year. That may bring further glory to Princeton's team in the Putnam competition for undergraduate math students, in which Harvard and MIT are also very strong. </p>
<p>The way to get into the IMO track is to do the AMC series of competitions. The next AMC competition is on Tuesday 1 February 2005, and by now you would be dealing with LATE registration, but that would be the contest to get into. There will be a second contest date on Wednesday 16 February 2005, and again by now you are probably dealing with late registration, but you ought to sign up. Google the American Mathematics Competitions site for much more information on those contests; there is also information on the AMC contests on the Art of Problem Solving site. You should do both the AMC 10 and AMC 12 this year (because you are a sophomore this year), and the AMC 12 the next two years. With luck, you'll qualify for the AIME, and then with GREAT luck, you'll qualify for the USAMO. That would be a conspicuous accomplishment to put on your application. </p>
<p>As to how I found out about the Art of Problem Solving Web site, that began by Googling around for information about mathematical problem-solving. At some point, I also began hearing about it through emails from parents I know on gifted education discussion email lists. I have been a registered member of the AoPS site since September 2003 or so. There is a lot of information on the discussion forums there about how to do better on math contests, how to learn math in general, which math contests are most renowned, which career tracks are most desired by would-be math majors, etc., etc. It happens that I learned about this CC site from someone posting on AoPS, the mom whose screen name is Texas137 on both sites. Her son has been admitted to MIT and Caltech for the coming school year. </p>
<p>Prettyfish can confirm that the UMTYMP accelerated math program in Minnesota, in which most of the kids on my math team participate, is well known to the Princeton admission officers. That is NOT a competition program, just very accelerated math classes, but that well answers the requirement of "take the most advanced and challenging curriculum you can," which is always good advice in preparing to apply to a top school. My son and I attended the Princeton regional information meeting in our town this school year, and the alumni interviewer coordinator specifically mentioned UMTYMP as an appropriate program for a Princeton-aspiring, math-liking young person in the Twin Cities. I suppose the comparable thing for you to do in Green Bay is to find a local college that lets you register for more advanced math classes than what is offered at your high school. </p>
<p>Hope this helps! Stay warm.</p>
<p>When I first started UMTYMP, they told us that if Ivy League colleges saw that you successfully completed the program, it's a major factor. Me, I dropped out after two years (I wanted to do extra-curriculars in high school, not math 24/7, even though I basically ended up doing math all the time anyway), but I'm sure it still helped, if only for the fact that it has enabled me to complete all 4 years of calculus already. So just a note to all of you, if you live in MN and have younger siblings / remember it when you raise your own children: UMTYMP is an amazing program to get into. It meant I had no weekends to myself in middle school, but it taught me how to do math /correctly/ (I'm always amazed when people turn in assignments scribbled smally on one page - I use /way too much paper), and it teaches you discipline at a young age.</p>
<p>I am upset because I hadn't even heard of the AMC, AIME, or USAMO until just a few months ago. I feel robbed.</p>
<p>Really? That's odd. My school advertises the AMC whenever the time of year comes around.</p>
<p>Yeah well my school's a bit ghetto.</p>
<p>tokenadult-thanks for all of the advice and information! Wow...I wish that I lived in Minnesota...PrettyFish...I can't believe that you already finished all 4 years of calc! By the time I finish hs I will be only finished with 2 or maybe 3 years of it. I will for sure look into all of those contests. It looks like I may have a bumpy road ahead of me...but hey ill try to consider it half the fun! I sure hope that I am good at math...well not just good but great...I mean it sounds like I will be competeing against other amazing students. Prettyfish-are you applying to princeton for engineering? if so...what kind and why princeton? Tokenadult I just want to say again how much your advice has helped!</p>
<p>Yeah, I finished Multivar last semester - it sucks though because nothing transfers/tests out because the U of M is ghetto and does Diffequ and Linear Algebra together, which means you only get half of each. Whatever. Besides, I want to take the honors route so I'm good for now.</p>
<p>I got in ED, and I'm going to be a math major. Just math. No engineering for me - although, if I didn't want to be a math major, I'd be a chemical engineer.</p>
<p>UMTYMP, wow sometimes I hate this program, sometimes I love it. If anyone here understands what it takes, getting out of the car and walking 10 minutes in -50 degree wind chill last Thursday had me almost feeling like I was dead. I was halfway to my car and I thought my ears would freeze and I would never feel them again. Sigh...what Minnesota does to you. After doing this for four years, you get to the point where it gets old, and doing it again for another four years if you attend the U of M will not be at the top of your priority. Once I'm in the classroom though, I'm 100% immersed for 2 hours. The Grad student TAs are some of the brightest I've met, the professors have degrees from Ivy Leagues, and by darn the students are amazing. Every single person in the lecture hall understands the material within seeing it for the first time. You can't get any better professors anywhere else teaching this material. I know an UMTYMP alumni who was deferred from MIT though (out of 8 who applied), so the superiority of the program seems to be overrated.</p>
<p>See, that's another reason I'm glad I quit - I think I'd be completely mathed out. That's why I'm not taking any math this semester - I'll be so needy once I get to Princeton that I'll go head first into all the math they throw at me.</p>
<p>But I seriously couldn't imagine going to the U of M after doing UMTYMP - especially if you're going to be a math major. I've spent too much of my time there already (2 years of umtymp plus 2 years of PSEO), I think I'd go mad.</p>
<p>Haha "Mathed out" I like that term
Two years of UMTYMP and Two years of PSEO? That's an interesting mix. When applying for Princeton, did you mention your participation in UMTYMP since you took it in middle school?</p>
<p>BTW, I just opened a thread on PSEO students and what they look for in undergraduate colleges, </p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=27580%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=27580</a> </p>
<p>and I would be delighted if you posted there with your sage advice.</p>