Tips for High School Math Students
This page is for high school students who are interested in some tips about how to explore mathematics, especially numerical analysis, machine learning, and mathematical modeling. Any links included are working as of the date of posting (March 2026).
Mathematical Modeling Competitions
Peparing for and partaking in a mathematical modeling competition can be a fun way to learn how to approach developing or applying mathematics to solve a concrete problem. Reading the top solutions of previous years can be helpful to understand principles like accounting for various sources of error and checking model sensitivity. This can be a neat way to learn certain applied math research skills without yet diving into cutting edge research requiring mathematical ideas far past the high school level. I would suggest forming a club around preparing for some of these competitions with a faculty mentor who can serve as the coach of the team.
- HiMCM: High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling
- MCM: Mathematical Contest in Modeling
- MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge)