Advice for my math prodigy son

my2sons
Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:12:14 +0000

Prof Z:
I have been in your shoes. My son is a math prodigy too. It’s tempting to look too far down the road and ask what math is he going to be doing X years from now? But we are talking about a child here. A child whose identity is forming and given the opportunity will have interests other than math. My son went to MOSP in 9th grade and had an epiphany: he did not enjoy being in an environment where math was the focus 24/7. He realized he wanted to apply his math knowledge to other fields. Even though he qualified for USAMO 4 years in a row, he switched his focus to computer programming and physics and started work on a research project. With the advent of the internet there are many options for educating kids today. I think prep school may be a good choice when your son is old enough because it will give him the opportunity to explore other subject areas with students who are exceptionally well rounded. My son benefited immensely from being in that environment. In the meantime, focus on developing depth in your child’s math education instead of looking up the mathematical ladder of courses.