<p>I have a Ph.D. in math and teach at a regional university. To the OP: If you are still in high school, start thinking about grad school or MBA or any other postgrad plans after you spend a couple of years in college. There are high school kids who are already doing research and entering the Intel contests - unless you are in that track, best bet is to wait till college to get a better idea. In college, look for internships and REU opportunities. REU is Research Experience for Undergrads - these are held at various universities in the summer and vary in their selectivity. It is almost a necessity to do an REU in college if you’re planning on attending a top grad school. Also, there are opportunities to do research as an undergrad while in your college. </p>
<p>As a high school student, focus now on the following:
When you look at colleges, look for ones that stress these opportunities for undergrad research. Having such undergrad experience will give you a MUCH better idea about research and whether you want to pursue it at a PhD level. I am assuming you have the grades, rigorous high school curriculum, and SAT/ACT scores at a competitive level to attend a strong flagship or a reasonably competitive private. In my experience, students from middle of the road college and universities have a harder time getting to grad school unless they have a “hook” - URM, female , firest-generation etc. </p>