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There are 4 parts to the application process, listed below.
Exception: If you have been admitted to MathPath before click here.)
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Complete the
online application form.
Do this as soon as you know you are interested. It is free through April 20, 2012, and allows us to be in touch with you. Either the applicant or a parent or guardian may fill out this form. Please submit your online application before doing any of the steps below, or else the other things may get misplaced.
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Ask a teacher or math coach to complete the confidential
online academic recommendation form.
Direct your recommender to this "How to Apply" page on www.mathpath.org
(not .com), paragraph 2, so s/he can click on this link. Also, give your recommender
your code number (explained below).
This recommender cannot be a parent of the applicant, or other close relative, except by special permission.
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Ask an adult who knows you well in a non-academic capacity to complete the
confidential online non-academic recommendation form.
This might be a family friend, music teacher, athletic coach, scout leader, chess coach, pastor, etc.
The recommender cannot be a parent of the applicant, or other close relative, except by special permission.
Direct your recommender to this "How to Apply" page on www.mathpath.org (not .com),
so s/he can click on this link. Make sure s/he clicks on the non-academic link here in paragraph 3!. Also, give your recommender
your code number (explained below).
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Submit your work on the
2012 Qualifying Test.
For this item only we are happy to accept handwritten hardcopy,
which you should submit by post unless you have easy access to a good
scanner that can create a clear single file from all your pages.
The mailing address for submission is on the test and also at the bottom
of this page. Please note the last paragraph on this page.
Why handwritten copy? Because unless you already know how to use math-writing software very well, your electronically produced solutions
are likely to omit figures and be too terse to qualify for
admission – either that or
they will take you a very long time to produce.
Requirements for electronic submission of scanned handwritten copy:
The original must be in dark writing that is reasonably large,
written on one side of each page, and without a lot of smudges;
otherwise the scan will be too hard to read.
You must scan your solutions into a single pdf (not multiple jpegs). If your name is John Doe, please name your file DoeJohnQT.pdf (or DoeJohnQT.doc if it is a Word document). If you give it a generic name like MathPathTest.pdf, it will likely get misfiled if we don't immediately take the time to rename it.
Also, if your file is over 5Mb, it may be blocked in transmission
or be slow loading.
If a scanned submission is not dark and clear enough, we will ask you to resubmit hardcopy.
If you do know very well how to create complete solutions with math-writing software, submitting them electronically is welcome. Name your file as explained above.
Whatever way you submit your Qualifying Test, please keep a copy in case there is some problem with the mail, and, if you are admitted, to compare with the solutions discussed at camp.
Your application is not complete until all 4 items are received.
We do rolling admissions; we usually make an admissions decision within two weeks of receiving a full application. All decisions and other correspondence from us will be by email, so please check it regularly. If you are expecting a decision and have not received it, first check with your recommenders, and then check with our
Academic Director.
Normally, we will email you acknowledgement of receipt within a few days of receiving anything from you (online application, Qualifying Test, registration materials).
Code Number.
As part of submitting your online application form,
you will be asked to make up a 4-digit code number,
which you will then give to your recommenders. This will help us verify submissions and link them to you. Please make a record of your number, so you won't forget it.
Also, please look over the online form once before filling it out, and ask your recommenders to do the same. You may need to look up some information to fill out the form, and unfortunately you cannot save the form half done and come back to it after you get this information.
Registration. If you are admitted, we will email you your admissions decision and attach a Registration Form. To reserve a seat, you must return this form promptly along with your payment. Most people pay in full at that time, because you get a reduction for early full payment. However, all that is necessary is a deposit of $1000.
If you are eligible for financial aid, we will send information about that with the admission notice; your situation may affect when you pay as well as how much.
Importance of the Qualifying Test. The most important part of your application is the Qualifying Test. Do as well as you can, and do not rush.
It is better to take a few more days to think and write good solutions than to rush through the Test and submit sloppy incomplete solutions. For information on how we score it, see the instructions on the web copy of the test.
Contact Information.
All submissions and correspondence concerning admissions go to the
Academic Director, Prof Stephen B Maurer of Swarthmore College.
His email address is smaurer1@swarthmore.edu.
His postal address is:
Mathpath
c/o Prof Maurer, Math/Stat
Swarthmore College
500 College Ave
Swarthmore PA 19081-1390
USA
Unless you are very close to a deadline or outside the USA, there is
no need to use express mail or priority mail; regular first class mail
is almost as fast and much less expensive.
Save your money for activities at camp!
Canadians: regular mail between Canada and the US is improving.
What you call Lettermail and the US calls first-class mail generally gets from anywhere in Canada to Swarthmore in a week.
Note:
During January-March 2012, Prof Maurer will be teaching in Germany.
Qualifying Tests sent to him by post during this period will be forwarded
every few weeks, but acknowledgement may be delayed.
Email will reach him as usual.
Thus, during this period, if you can send good copy electronically, that
would be best. Acknowledgement will come quickly and you will get an admissions decision sooner.
Mathpath® – BRIGHT AND EARLY®
Send suggestions to webmaster@mathpath.org
© 2001– MathPath
Last updated December 21, 2011
MathPath is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.
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