madviking
north american scum
Find an internship at a laboratory somewhere near you.
I've been thinking intensely for a long time, and this is what I've figured out:
I'm going to minor in History (Thank you Civilization and Civfanatics!).
I'd like to become a scientist or engineer.
That sentence is my problem. It's extremely difficult for me to narrow it down any further. Hell, I can't even decide between the two different professions of science and engineering. Nearly everything in science and engineering interests me. I've liked almost every science and math class I've taken in high school.
How can I narrow this stuff down?
I have some questions for the people in this thread: How did you choose what college you wanted to go to? How did you choose what you wanted to major in?
The deadlines for my college applications are at the end of this year, and I still have no clue what I want to do and where I want to do it. How did you figure it out?
That narrows down things like math or some other where you really will see a lot of academia as a career choice
My two minute resume said:Classes:
3 semesters Abstract Algebra
2 semesters Real Analysis
2 semesters Number Theory
2 semesters Probability/Stats
1 semester Computational Math
1 semester Undergraduate Research
2 semesters Discrete Math
Plus basic calculus, linear algebra, etc.
GPA: 3.8+
GRE I don't have the exact scores yet, but the range I got when I took it was 690-790 qualitative and 750-800 quantitative. Math subject GRE is scheduled for next weekend and I expect to do okay, but not fantastic as I haven't prepared much, but I have a very solid background so I think I'll make 50th percentile easily, maybe better.
When I graduate I'll have 2 solid years of experience tutoring math up through calculus.
I scored a 9 on last years Putnam exam, and I have solutions to 3 problems published in math journals (Math Magazine/Pi Mu Epsilon) with 2 more pending.
Yeah, in general on the AMC and AIME, you need about a 210 combined score on both to make it to the USAMO. A kid in my school took it, it's a two day proof test with 6 questions. It's mind boggling. I took the AIME 3 times and never did better than a 4. It's really hard. Really really hard. You need I think a 120 on AMC 10 (for 10th graders and younger) and a 100 on the AMC 12 to qualify. Take the AMC 12 regardless of how old you are, in general it's easier to get 100 on the 12 than 120 on the 10.
If you are going to try to do well on the AIME, you're going to have to independently study a lot of advanced math you won't be taught. I would say most helpful to study (because in school you dont do it much) are number theory, probability, and combinatorics.