Math Programs for High School Students
There is no doubt that math is crucial in all aspects of life. It teaches analysis, logical reasoning, and creative thinking skills that serves you in making decisions and tackling complex challenges in everyday life; it provides you with knowledge that can aid you in everything from calculating furniture dimensions to making financial investments; and it’s essential for people who are planning to pursue degrees and careers in fields like science, engineering, business, and others! Investing in your math education is a wise decision that can open you up to a plethora of possibilities.
So without further ado, here are a few of the best math programs that high schoolers can join!
Did you know that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the fields that require a strong mathematical background? You can learn more about AI in Inspirit AI’s summer program here.
Math Learning Sites for High Schoolers
Although most of these aren’t guided programs, they are great options for self-studying math or studying with a tutor or instructor throughout the year, since most math programs happen during the summer.
1. KHAN ACADEMY
Founded in 2008, Khan Academy remains one of the best sites for learning math. It is completely free, and includes math courses that range from pre-K to college-level multivariable calculus and linear algebra. Along with the fact that they support over 50 languages, this makes Khan Academy one of the most accessible sites for students trying to learn math. It teaches math primarily through video lectures and practice problems for students.
2. IXL LEARNING
IXL Math is “a groundbreaking platform and curriculum for K–12 math education.” With over 3,700 distinct math topics and algorithm-generated questions, everyone has something they can learn on IXL Math. Unlike Khan Academy, they focus on elementary through high school mathematics, although they do have some calculus topics available.
3. ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING
AoPS is an all-in-one site that not only teaches school-oriented math courses, but also preparatory courses for math competitions such as the American Mathematics Competition (AMC). This is a great way to hone not just your math knowledge but also your problem solving abilities even further. However, some of the courses on this site may be a bit costly.
4. BRILLIANT
Brilliant is known for its bitesize lessons, engaging practice problems, and creative questions that require out-of-the-box thinking. It’s a great site where you can learn topics easily, refresh your memory, and practice, practice, practice.
5. COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSES
Exceptional high school students looking to further their math education beyond high school level courses can look to local universities for classes in calculus, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, and more. Many community colleges allow high school students to take their courses for free.
Math Camps for High School Students
1. PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS (PROMYS)
PROMYS is a 6-week residential summer program at Boston University for high schoolers that focuses on math exploration. This program is highly selective, requiring applicants to submit solutions to a challenging problem set, but admission will connect you to some of the top students and teachers, and boost your resume at the same time. The application deadline was early March in 2023.
2. ROSS MATHEMATICS PROGRAM
The Ross Mathematics Program is a 6-week residential summer camp at either Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio or the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. There will also be camps in Asia in 2024. They teach abstract concepts such as number theory. Like PROMYS, this program is also highly selective.
3. HONORS SUMMER MATH CAMP (HSMC)
HSMC is an in-person camp at Texas State. Their acceptance rate for first-year programs is 15%, and they are committed to gender equality as their female to male ratio is typically 1:1. Unlike other camps on this list, HSMC is a multi-year program. It also has a history of producing award-winning research papers.
4. STANFORD UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS CAMP (SUMAC)
Hosted by the prestigious Stanford University, they offer a 3-week online course as well as a 4-week residential experience, and students can attend one of two courses offered by them. They also have a pretty low acceptance rate.
5. AWESOMEMATH SUMMER PROGRAM
AwesomeMath Summer Program is a three-week online program for middle and high school students. They focus primarily on math competition preparation (such as AMC 10/12), and they teach courses in algebra, combinatorics, geometry, number theory, and lots of other topics. With a higher acceptance rate, they are more accessible than many of the programs above, and are great for students who are just starting out in their math studies.
6. MATHILY AND MATHILY-ER
Their confusing names are short for “Mathematics Infused with Levity'' and “Mathematics Infused with Levity, but Earlier.” As the names suggest, MathILy-Er is similar to MathILy, but offers earlier content that is more suitable for students who are just starting out at math. They are month-long residential programs at Bryn Mawr College. While they are just as intensive as programs like PROMYS or SUMaC, their emphasis is on having fun with mathematics, as well as applications of math. They also offer MathILy-Est, which is for first year college students.
Note: many of these summer camps can be a bit costly, but don’t let that be a prohibitive factor for you! Financial aid is available at most of these programs, so there’s no harm in applying.
Conclusion
Remember, learning math is not just about solving equations or memorizing formulas—it is about developing critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and logical reasoning skills that can be applied in various academic disciplines and future careers. The resources we have explored in this blog can help foster a love for mathematics and nurture the next generation of mathematical thinkers.
So, whether you choose to explore online math learning sites or enroll in an in-person summer math camp, seize the opportunity to embark on an exciting mathematical journey. Embrace the challenges, seek out new knowledge, and never stop discovering the power and beauty of mathematics. The world of numbers awaits—go forth and conquer!
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
