<p>So I'm a high school sophomore right now, its pretty early in the game for me to start considering the resume and what to put on there, but on my radar I'm looking to go to top engineering schools such as MIT or Stanford.</p>
<p>I'm a math fanatic, and one of the things that helped grow my love and passion of math was kumon. I thought it was a great program; I finished the course in eighth grade (August 2012, I have a clock to prove it, I went until level O) and by that time I already knew Calculus BC. I'm taking Calc 2/3 (dual enrollment) at my local college right now.</p>
<p>So my question is whether it would help to include this in my list of achievements or not. Like I said before, I think this program was amazing and helped me a lot (maybe writing about it in my essays?) so I think it would a topic worth putting on there.</p>
<p>Tell me what you guys think. Thanks in advance for all the comments/advice!</p>
<p>I’m sure you could think of a better way to convey your passion for math than to write about Kumon in an essay. I wouldn’t even recommend writing about any high school course that you liked, let alone something before high school.</p>
<p>At most, mention it in the additional info section of the common app; use the Awards/Honors section for more meaningful acheivements, and use your essays to write about things that better convey your passion for math (research, certain areas you enjoy etc).</p>
<p>As for whether or not completing Kumon in 8th grade will help, I don’t think it will have much of an effect; what matters much more is what you’ve done/will do in high school.</p>
<p>Your current standing in math skill is already a proof. It does not matter how do you achieve it. Kumon is just one of the way. After all, no one care what you did before high school as far as college admission concern.</p>
<p>@truust @billcsho okay thanks for the idea. However, I don’t really have any actual math achievements to list. I’ve participated in mu alpha theta and won some trophies. I’ve never made it to AIME yet sadly, I’ve always gotten a 117. I’ve developed two iPhone apps however and I’m planning to go to SUMaC (Stanford Matematics Camp). Do you still think writing about Kumon wouldn’t be useful, like I said before it really introduced me towards my love and passion for math.</p>
<p>Maybe mention Kumon, but most universities won’t care. What they will care about is that you finished AP Calculus BC in grade 8 (if that is true - which I am sceptical about). </p>
<p>@Vigilante13
What are you talking about? I never mentioned you taking multivariable and vector calculus. All I said is that you should mention that you finished AP Calculus BC in grade 8, if it is true. </p>
<p>@wannabefeynman I never finished Calculus BC in grade 8. What I was trying to say was that through Kumon I learned topics that I’m currently learning in Calculus BC right now (I’m taking it online through FLVS), I never took AP calculus BC in 8th grade. Again, sorry if that wasn’t clear.</p>
<p>@Vigilante13
I knew that. I never said you took AP Calculus BC in grade 8. I just said that you knew the whole curriculum, which is a little fishy since firstly in grade 8 you must have had to work exceedingly hard and secondly Kumon only offers around the level of Calculus AB. For example, it doesn’t cover Taylor series (at least it didn’t some time ago) and infinite series/sequences. </p>
<p>@wannabefeynman okay sorry for getting the wrong picture. I remember learning techniques of integration in level O of Kumon (trig substitution, partial fractions, etc.) which are topics covered in calculus BC.</p>
<p>With regards to your question, I don’t think writing about Kumon would be useful. Think of a better topic to show your interest - don’t worry you have another 2 years anyways.</p>
<p>Secondly, the iPhone application development is something interesting by the way; mobile app development is a really good activity to list, especially if you’re making money from it or have lots of downloads (even if you don’t have any of those it’s still a good EC).</p>