The 2020 Ross Mathematics Program has closed the application process.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Ross Program to cancel all in-person classes for the 2020 session. Instead the Program will run online sessions from Sunday June 28 through Friday August 7, 2020.

The Ross Number Theory course will be available to all students accepted to the 2020 session. That course cannot be as deep and intensive as the in-person experience, but online participants will gain some experience with the Ross style of inquiry-based learning.

Further details will be emailed to accepted participants. We hope that the Admissions Committee will start making acceptance decisions during April.

NOTE: Information below refers to the in-person Ross Program, and is not valid for the 2020 plans.

Introduction

The Ross Program is an intensive summer experience designed to encourage motivated pre-college students to explore mathematics. During those weeks, students are immersed in a world of mathematical discovery.

Dr. Arnold Ross founded this multi-level program at Notre Dame University in 1957. Its growth was then spurred by the launch of the Sputnik satellite and the subsequent surge of interest in science education. Arnold Ross’s Program has run every summer since then, associated mostly with Ohio State University from 1964 through 2018. In 2019 the Program moved to Ohio Dominican University.

Our central goal has always been to instruct bright young students in the art of mathematical thinking and to inspire them to discover for themselves that abstract ideas are valuable and important. First year participants take the basic course in number theory. For most students, this is the first time they are asked to consider entirely new questions, to develop methods that they have not seen before, and to justify every answer.

The value of a mathematics education lies not only in obtaining proficiency in computational tasks, but also in building a foundation for critical thinking. Students who have never asked why things work the way they do are not prepared to lead the way to future scientific innovation. It is precisely this independence of thought and questioning attitude that the Ross Program strives to nurture.

Ross Program in China.

We are disappointed that the 2020 Ross/Asia program might be cancelled.

We are working to find a location within the USA to replace Ross/Asia.

Eligibility

Ambitious pre-college students with interests in mathematics and science are invited to apply. First-year students range in age from 15 to 18 years old. (In rare cases, younger or older students are accepted.) Admission decisions are based on several criteria, including: school transcripts; teacher recommendations;

essays concerning the applicant’s interests and goals; and the applicant’s work on some challenging math problems. Undergraduate math majors and math graduate students are invited to apply to be a Ross Counselor.

NOTE. The Ross Program cannot accommodate students who must arrive more than two days after the start of classes.

Costs and Financial Aid

Fees for the residential program are determined by the cost of five or six weeks of room and board, as well as the cost of hiring instructors and counselors. For the in-person, six-week session, the 2020 Program Fee will be $5000.

Fees for the online program need to cover costs for developing the new courses, and for hiring instructors and counselors. That fee level has not yet been decided.

NOTE: Financial aid is available. Accepted applicants are encouraged to apply if their families have some financial need. We hope to be able to provide enough support to enable every accepted applicant to attend this great Program.

To Apply

Each January, the Ross Program application is posted on the to apply page. In March, The Ross Admissions Committee starts the admissions process.

The final application deadline is April 1.

HOWEVER: Spaces fill up quickly so it’s best to apply well before that deadline.

The Ross Program admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

Ross Program Support

The Ross Program is supported in several ways. Partners in this mathematical enterprise include:

Related Programs

Several other excellent summer mathematics programs are listed on the AMS mathcamps webpage. Two of them, PROMYS at Boston University, and the Honors Summer Math Camp at Texas State University, are very close in spirit to the Ross Program since they are run by Ross alumni.

Questions?

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information. You are also welcome to email us at ross@rossprogram.org.