<p>I just read something about the top Siemens winner this year. He is but a junior this year and already posed original solutions to Dirichlet's Problem, winning the 100g scholarship. This is a kid who qualified for the USAMO and took Calc. BC in eighth grade. He is ALSO the concertmaster for the San Diego Youth Symphony (some kind of violin prodigy as well). From what I have heard, he is planning to use MIT as a backup. Puts me to shame...:(</p>
<p>MIT as a backup? for what... oxford, IIT, or University of Beijing or something???</p>
<p>nah...just plain ol' harvard</p>
<p>MIT>harvard though..................................................
:P</p>
<p>Fo sho, fo sho.</p>
<p>The Siemens winner is not using MIT as a "back-up" in the sense of knowing he would get into the back-up school if he was rejected at a prefered school. Even before the Siemens award, I'm sure that he and his family were pretty confidant that he would get in anywhere he applies. He applied to Harvard EA, planning to apply to other places RD, just like most people who apply EA do. I would imagine that the $100,000 Siemens awards takes away any need to compare financial aid offers, but the family has only known about it for a few days, and they have spent most of that time overwhelmed with press requests. I doubt if the student has had time to figure out whether he is going to complete his RD app to MIT or not.</p>
<p>If you look at the top dozen or so US math people applying to college each year (like MOSP alums, which the Siemen's winner is, or other folks doing grad level courses in high school), they tend to split btwn H and MIT if they are interested primarily in math. If they also have a strong interest in CS, which many do, they tend to choose MIT. (The exceptions to these generalizations are the few folks who choose full ride scholarships at other schools.) Once at either H or MIT, those folks would be able to get involved in math research or take grad level courses at either place. There are some specific areas of math where one place or the other might have the more renowned prof. So if you are concerned that math gods may prefer someplace else to MIT, you can put your fears to rest. MIT does very well. Of 4 seniors on last year's US team to the IMO, at least 2 chose MIT (I'm not sure about the other two).</p>
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Of 4 seniors on last year's US team to the IMO, at least 2 chose MIT (I'm not sure about the other two).
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<p>2 chose MIT, 1 chose Caltech, unsure of the fourth.</p>
<p>I think some people who may not have taken lets say Calc BC in the 8th grade ay just have not been pushed or have had the chances at such a young age.......
But still MIT wouyld be my top :D</p>
<p>Go San Diego!!! Second year in a row the region has had a winner. Both times it wasn't for what the area is renown for (bioengineering). He probably has REALLY dedicated parents that push him to the limit. Being a math champion (MathCounts), a competitive pianist, and part concermaster (takes about 7-8 hours every Saturday up) takes so much time up to do anything else. No one should ever call MIT a backup. If you're the winner of so many national contests, then I guess you have a GREAT chance of getting in, but he needs to show a little personality.</p>
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If you're the winner of so many national contests, then I guess you have a GREAT chance of getting in, but he needs to show a little personality.
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<p>actually, if you have enough high level national/int'l awards, you'll get admitted everywhere whether you have a personality or not (although most of those kids are surprisingly well-rounded and "real"). Although I suppose that committing a crime or having serious ethical questions raised about your work could still torpedo your chances.</p>
<p>People with an interest in kids with high level math talent like this might enjoy reading Countdown by Steve Olsen, about the members of the US team to the 2001 IMO. (warning - it's a very humbling book)</p>
<p>True, his potential to contribute to a college is incredible. As for the ethical problems that might prohibit one from getting into a college, I really doubt anyone doing math can run into that problem these days, unless you do something absolutely radical, like trying to prove where 1/0 is on a standard number line :)</p>
<p>"you're the winner of so many national contests, then I guess you have a GREAT chance of getting in, but he needs to show a little personality."</p>
<p>MIchael has a GREAt personality</p>
<p>he'll get into Harvard EA - hands down;</p>
<p>my question about this siemans guy -...my mam says "defintely he didnt smoke or drink...im confident he hasn't and won't."</p>
<p>you think he hasn't, living in Cali and all?</p>
<p>Im just wondering..</p>
<p>In that case, I'll pay him a visit at our concert today in 5 hours! Although, I'm sure they'll announce it in the concert hall, I'm still going to try to find him.</p>
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MIchael has a GREAT personality
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I met him a few times when he lived in Texas, and I agree. I've met a number of top math kids, and they've all been very nice, "normal" people, although perhaps less outgoing as a group than, say, top football recruits.</p>
<p>randomperson (on CC somewhere) took Calc BC as a 7th grader. Booya Siemens! jk lol Michael is really smart and really amazing for having won Siemens. I thought he was homeschooled? Regular juniors (like some above poser said he was) cannot compete individually in Siemens.</p>
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I thought he was homeschooled? Regular juniors (like some above poser said he was) cannot compete individually in Siemens.
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<p>Michael would be a junior based on age, or if you counted forward from his grade classifications when he did Mathcounts. But since he is starting college in Fall 2006, he is considered a senior for the purpose of competitions, including Siemens. (it worked in his favor for Siemens, but will work against him for AMC in the spring). </p>
<p>The term "homeschooling" was invented by someone describing young kids (elementary age), who are generally taught by parents at home. It is not very descriptive when those same kids become teens, and are learning through a wide array of means. Many of them take local college courses for "high school" starting at age 14-15, and then apply to more selective 4-year colleges as freshmen when they reach the usual age.</p>
<p>a couple of girls from my school are useing mit as their backups. it really makes me angry. they basically have a 100% chance of getting onto harvard and stanford (the schools they are aplying early to), but since it is ea, they are still going to apply to mit for kicks.</p>
<p>What do these girls have as hooks?</p>
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2 chose MIT, 1 chose Caltech, unsure of the fourth.
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<p>The fourth senior IMO team member also chose MIT.</p>