This is the motto of the Ross Mathematics Program. Founded in 1957 by Dr. Arnold Ross, the Ross Mathematics Program is designed to “instruct highschool students in the art of mathematical thinking” and “inspire them to discover for themselves that abstract ideas are valuable and important.”

But what about this program makes it so prestigious and so competitive to get into? At first glance, the awe-inspiring messages beg the question, “how is this different from any others like it?”

Well to start off, the Ross Mathematics Program is not designed to strengthen speed or instruct high schoolers tricks at tackling competition problems found in the AMC (American Mathematics Competition) or say the HMMT (Harvard MIT Math Tournament). But rather, what makes Ross so special is its emphasis on pure mathematics - Number Theory. Starting from the very basis and core of the integers, the Ross Mathematics Program is designed to build conceptual ideas from the very basics and climb the way to the top.

If you attend, the Ross Mathematics Program will change the way you think about mathematics.

As a rising senior who knew little to none about “number theory,” I had doubts about whether or not I would fully benefit from this inexpensive yet prestigious program. However, even with my suspicions, I decided to take this opportunity and come out of the own protective barrier I set to guard my own pride. After all, I was here to learn math.

But I soon discovered that my own limitation was not the amount of background knowledge I lacked, but rather my way of thinking about the problems. Before Ross, each problem was just another question to get done and forget about. However, every single question in each problem set in Ross was linked together like the clues to an infinite mystery.

Secondly, despite the counselors’ emphasis that Ross is not called “Ross Fun Camp,” there is a lighter side to this story. Fridays are Ultimate Frisbee Nights, Birthdays are celebrated, and we have an amazing picnic on July 4th.

So if you are a high schooler who does not have a lot of mathematical experience, who is eager to learn about number theory and formal proof writing, and who is looking for an inexpensive yet acclaimed program to attend over the summer, then by all means, please apply to the Ross Mathematics Program.