SPARC and a number of mostly homogeneous math camps are all looking for pre-college students with strong mathematical ability. Since SPARC’s syllabus is notably different from that of math camps, it seems like a bad idea to compete with these camps for the top students. But competition is inevitable if SPARC runs at the same time as these camps; below I have found and listed the 2012 start and end dates for the most prominent math camps:
SPARC’s starting date this year conflicts with the end dates of three of these seven camps. Perhaps there are other scheduling constraints, but if not, wouldn’t it be a good idea to run SPARC a week later to avoid conflicts? (It is too late to change this year, of course.)
*I know RSI is not a math camp in the spirit of the others, but it’s well-known and attracts some students away from math camps.
ETA: And since SPARC is free and relevant to math students, if it can guarantee that it will not conflict with the other program dates, I think many math programs will be happy to link to or otherwise mention SPARC to current and past students – this should help spread the word to more potential students.
SPARC and a number of mostly homogeneous math camps are all looking for pre-college students with strong mathematical ability. Since SPARC’s syllabus is notably different from that of math camps, it seems like a bad idea to compete with these camps for the top students. But competition is inevitable if SPARC runs at the same time as these camps; below I have found and listed the 2012 start and end dates for the most prominent math camps:
Ross: June 18 – July 27
PROMYS: July 1 – August 11
HSMC: June 17 – July 28
Mathcamp: July 1 – August 5
HCSSiM: July 1 – August 11
SUMaC: July 15 – August 11
RSI*: June 24 – August 4
(SPARC: August 6 – August 13)
SPARC’s starting date this year conflicts with the end dates of three of these seven camps. Perhaps there are other scheduling constraints, but if not, wouldn’t it be a good idea to run SPARC a week later to avoid conflicts? (It is too late to change this year, of course.)
*I know RSI is not a math camp in the spirit of the others, but it’s well-known and attracts some students away from math camps.
ETA: And since SPARC is free and relevant to math students, if it can guarantee that it will not conflict with the other program dates, I think many math programs will be happy to link to or otherwise mention SPARC to current and past students – this should help spread the word to more potential students.