MoSP - how to get in?

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
1

<p>I'm a big science and math person and have been applying to summer programs as a Junior this year. At EPGY Quantum Mechanics last summer, I heard tons about RSI but nothing about this MoSP. After seeing someone recommend MoSP for the billionth time, I googled it. But all I got was a short description that pretty much told me about zip. So....</p>

<p>What do you do at MoSP?
What math is recommended? Calculus? Linear Algebra?
How do you apply/get it?
Why is it such a big deal?</p>

2

<p>If you’re talking about MOSP (the math “program”) then the chances of getting in is literally zero at this point. It’s the top ~50 math students in the nation, from which 6 are selected to be on the IMO that represents the US internationally in math. </p>

<p>You have to take the AMC, then the AIME, and then USAMO to get into MOSP. You can’t apply to get in.</p>

3

<p>That’s what I figured. Thanks for the clarification. :)</p>

4

<p>No problem :]</p>

<p>There’s plenty of other summer programs and you can still take the AMC to see how you do.</p>

5

<p>Yeah it’s really hard to get in. I’m still trying…</p>

6

<p>if you don’t know about it, then odds are you aren’t a usamoer and thus have no chance.</p>

7

<p>There is one slightly easier way to qualify:

  1. Make the USAMO before senior year.
  2. Arrange for the CAMC to receive another truckload of money from Akamai so they can run a repeat of the 2002 mega-MOP.</p>
8

<p>^How is that easier? Wouldn’t it be easier to just study harder?</p>

9

<p>Oh, I guess by “easy” I meant “requires less studying”.</p>

10

<p>MOSP isn’t a subjective admissions process- it’s solely based on rules and your scores that will get you qualified, just like test scores. Ever heard of USAMO? The next path to that is MOSP, where 50/500 people are chosen from the ones who take the USA(J)MO. It’s the opposite spectrum of what most people call ‘studying’; you can pretty much memorize alot of stuff when you study, but it takes a bit more talent to use problem solving. Furthermore, because you’ve just mentioned it like some program that anyone can get into, you’ve sealed your fate. This is like saying, “Does getting into Juilliard/ Music competition require much studying?”. It takes passion, and it’s NOT some AP exam…
Here’s how the spectrum goes:
AMC/AIME/USA(J)MO/MOSP. All of these don’t require any sort of Calculus, because it tests you on problem solving, not the knowledge you’ve gained. Ever heard of a math competition? This is the biggest one.</p>