The Ross Program is an intensive summer experience designed to encourage motivated pre-college students to explore mathematics. During those weeks, students are immersed in a world of mathematical discovery.

Dr. Arnold Ross founded this multi-level program at Notre Dame University in 1957. Its growth was then spurred by the launch of the Sputnik satellite and the subsequent surge of interest in science education. Arnold Ross’s Program has run every summer since then, moving to Ohio State University in 1964 and remaining there until 2018. The Ross Program no longer has a direct connection with Ohio State. In 2019 the Program will be housed at Ohio Dominican University. Although housed at a Catholic university, the Ross Program is not connected with any religion.

The Ross Program’s central goal has always been to instruct bright young students in the art of mathematical thinking and to inspire them to discover for themselves that abstract ideas are valuable and important. First year participants take the basic course in number theory. For most students, this is the first time they are asked to consider entirely new questions, to develop methods that they have not seen before, and to justify every answer. The value of a mathematics education lies not only in obtaining proficiency in computational tasks, but also in building a foundation for critical thinking. Students who have never asked why things work the way they do are not prepared to lead the way to future scientific innovation. It is precisely this independence of thought and questioning attitude that the Ross Program strives to nurture.

Ross Program in China

Delaware STEAM Acdemy is proud to be the exclusive partner of the Ross Mathematics Foundation to extend the Ross Mathmatic Program in Asia since 2016. Ross/Asia follows the same format and style as Ross/USA. All classes are held in English. This information is mentioned on both the Ross Program’s To Apply page, and the official Ross/Asia website. (You may select “English” in the navigation bar).

Ross/Asia 2020 will be held in Changzhou, China.

Eligibility

Ambitious pre-college students with interests in mathematics and science are invited to apply. First-year students range in age from 15 to 18 years old. (In rare cases, younger or older students are accepted.) Admission decisions are based on several criteria, including: school transcripts; teacher recommendations; essays concerning the applicant’s interests and goals; and the applicant’s work on some challenging math problems. 

Undergraduate math majors and math graduate students are invited to apply to be a Ross Counselor.

NOTE. The Ross Program cannot accommodate students who must arrive more than two days after the start of classes.

Costs and Financial Aid

Fees for this program are determined the cost of five or six weeks of room and board and by various instructional costs. The Ross/USA fee for 2020 will be $5000. The fee for Ross/Asia is will be 35,000 RMB.

NOTE: Financial aid is available and we encourage qualified students to apply. We hope to be able to provide enough support to enable every accepted applicant to attend this great Program.

To Apply

The Ross Program application will be posted in January, and students may submit their applications any time before April 1. The Admissions Committee will start reading applications on March 1, starting a process of rolling admissions a week or two after that. The final application deadline is April 1. HOWEVER: Spaces fill up quickly so it’s best to apply early.

The Ross Program admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.