Will using LaTeX on a Application to a camp like HCSSiM earn me any brownie points or give me any sort of advantage?
Nope, but it will make your application easier to read!
Handwrite if you’re more comfortable doing so and your handwriting is legible; LaTeX if you prefer that. It doesn’t matter to the program as long as they can tell what you mean.
(It really won’t matter because at many math programs (e.g. Ross, and honestly probably HCSSiM, though I’ve never gone), you’ll be handwriting everything and LaTeX competency won’t even come up. It is a good skill to have, though, if you’re considering learning.)
Thanks! I’m planning on doing it for most of them (except PROMYS, since they seem to be super attentive to the whole non-tech thing)