<p>I am an incoming freshman going to an undergraduate college who will be majoring in electrical engineering. I really enjoy mathematics and am interested in taking and preparing rigorously for the Putnam Exam. I am wondering if graduate schools will take consideration if I do well on the Putnam, even though I am not a math major. Also, is it worth my time, and if not, what other activities should I pursue as a major in electrical engineering?</p>
<p>join a lab. </p>
<p>I’m a Physics major, and I was thinking about the Putnam too. Then, I joined an EE related lab, and wow! They are doing all sorts of things. And of course, they told me ‘learn this, this and this’ etc… So now I need to study like crazy, Putnam is waay in the side now.</p>
<p>You don’t have to join a lab, but you could always talk to someone working in some lab you like, and ask them ‘hey what should i learn’ etc. then enjoy your 10,000 page of to-do readings! !!</p>
<p>"I am an incoming freshman going to an undergraduate college who will be majoring in electrical engineering. I really enjoy mathematics and am interested in taking and preparing rigorously for the Putnam Exam. I am wondering if graduate schools will take consideration if I do well on the Putnam, even though I am not a math major. Also, is it worth my time, and if not, what other activities should I pursue as a major in electrical engineering? "</p>
<p>I honestly think that unless you have some kind of drive to competitions or competing, then they’re just and only that, competitions. Yes you can get prestige or recognition by fairing well in competitions or it may boost your self-confidence or you just might be so good in what you do that you may take part in competitions “just because you can”. But you could well be spending your time on learning what the “masters” in your field have done, instead of preparing for all sorts of “showing off”. I.e. just read like hell and forget what everyone else thinks you’re doing or should be doing.</p>
<p>Learn how to use computers as tools, read like hell about all the stuff that interests you, do experiments either using a computer or with kits or lab time that you may acquire.</p>
<p>If there’s a Hacklab or similar in your area, then join that and go have discussions with people that are more experienced than you, but some may also be current students, they can give you some tips.</p>