SUMaC 2019 Admission Tips?

Hi all,

I was rejected from SUMaC (Stanford University Math Camp) this year, and though I am currently at a precollegiate program, I sometimes see the SUMaC kids in the cafeteria, making advanced group theory jokes and flexing on the rest of us non-prodigies. One time, I saw the AOPS legend, deathllama9, IN PERSON, just TALKING to the other SUMaC kids!! When I look at them I get angry tears because I’m so jealous.

How can I get into SUMaC next year (2019)? Any tips? What stats should I have to make my resume strong?

Please help…!

Hello droogllama9,

thank you for asking. I strongly encourage you to apply to SUMaC in the future; however, to build up your resume (if it is not strong), I recommend taking ID tech (a very good stepping stone camp) next summer and then repeating junior year so you can apply to SUMaC again.

Also, I can sign something for you if you would like.

-tim wu

@droogllama9

I too was rejected from SUMaC this year. I thought I had a pretty solid resume, but I guess not.

I was very proud of my admissions exam, after answering almost 7 out of the 9 questions (4 of which I am positive were correct). My grades are quite solid, with a 3.68 gpa (I am in the top 40% of my class). I am proud to say that I have gotten only A’s and A-'s in all my math classes (except for Precalculus in which I got a B), so although not exceptional, my grades were certainly a bonus. My PSAT was a 1340 (98th percentile nationwide). I have competed in the AMC for the past 3 years, and although I have not yet gotten into AIME, I feel that I did quite strongly relative to the national average. As for extracurriculars, I am an active participant in our school’s math club, and have competed in several competitions.

I too am attending a Stanford pre-colligate program (Number Theory session 1). I was wondering which one you are doing, maybe I’ve seen you! As for the jealousy, I completely understand. Though I did not think that I was the strongest applicant, I was convinced that I could at least get waitlisted. Lastly, who makes math jokes in the cafeteria?? Although I don’t know these kids, and therefore have no right to judge, I personally would not have wanted to be in an environment surrounded by nerds (please don’t hate on me), but personally, I feel that there is a fine line between attending math classes and basing your whole social life around math, but that’s just me. Anyways, I’m sorry for the long response and I wish you the best of luck on your application (I am currently a rising senior so although I cannot apply next year).

Hope this helped!

@llama9

I just looked up ID tech, and it sounds like an incredible opportunity! Only problem is most of the programs are for middle schoolers, and I am a rising senior. Do you know if there are any programs for me?

Hi droogllama9!

I’m totally empathic with your jealousy tears as I can imagine how others’ ostentatiously displayed academical succes can hurt the feelings of the other less fortunate initiated in the challenging world of mathematics. It must have been really hard for you when you have probably heard the SUMaC kids talking about the so called Salad Theory, trying to extrapolate the proper group operations such as adding or eating lettuce leaves, or trying to find the additive identity which turned out to be the empty bowl and so on… Such creeps! So much fuss when you can just apply hash inverse and you’re done. I can’t even imagine how their social life look like. I guess that, when they meet a girl, the first thing they think of to say sounds like: “Hey, are you a Hamming code? Cuz you’re perfect.”

However, my dear, you should not get discouraged, as tim wu has adviced you too. The SUMaC jury is looking for both rich academical background and cultural diversity. So one oportunity for you would be to move into some exotic or poor country from around globe, establish there for a couple of months to get a citizenship and then apply again next year as a non American citizen. A good choice for that would be Romania, as it is Eastern enough and it has a great reputation amongst the greatest world’s mathematicians. This is a pamphlet and should be treated as such