Putnam Exam Scores

[SlammaJamma]

I scored a 9 on the 2007 Putnam. This put me in about the top 1400 out of 3000. Should I put the score on my application?

Scores: http://www.unl.edu/amc/a-activities/a7-problems/putnam/-html/putnam2007stats.html

If you're wondering what the Putnam is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lowell_Putnam_Mathematical_Competition

A score of 9/120 seems like something to be embarassed about, but everyone is telling me it's decent score. And I'm not sure if admissions will know what the Putnam is.

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[gasdf1234567]

I have no idea what the Putnam is, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't put it on. Top 1400 out of 3000....are you serious?

 

[chessknt]

I scored a 9 on the 2007 Putnam. This put me in about the top 1400 out of 3000. Should I put the score on my application?

Scores: http://www.unl.edu/amc/a-activities/a7-problems/putnam/-html/putnam2007stats.html

If you're wondering what the Putnam is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lowell_Putnam_Mathematical_Competition

A score of 9/120 seems like something to be embarassed about, but everyone is telling me it's decent score. And I'm not sure if admissions will know what the Putnam is.

If you have nothing else to put in the place you might as well put it. Be sure to describe what the test is/what it stands for etc. I personally found it very interesting and envr knew about it until you posted--thx!

 

[chessknt]

I have no idea what the Putnam is, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't put it on. Top 1400 out of 3000....are you serious?

It isnt always about being the best. It says something about his personality/interests and as long as it isnt displacing something more significant is not going to detract from his application in any form.

Another way of looking at it is he is only 1/3000 people that have taken the test and probably one of the few that were premeds.

 

[cleothecat]

Irrelevant to an adcom

 

[zogoto]

If you got a 9 on the Putnam, I'm sure you've done other math-related things. I think that those things will be more impressive/interesting. Although most people couldn't get a 9, I think out of people who actually "try," many get higher than that (the avg at my school is like 25-30). However, I would not put it on the application since it isn't impressive on it's own (rather, it's a reflection of your interests, which are impressive and interesting).

I'm a math major premed so I see where you're coming from though.

 

[SlammaJamma]

I have no idea what the Putnam is, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't put it on. Top 1400 out of 3000....are you serious?

Well I know it doesn't sound great, but it's not like the MCAT where all pre-meds take it. Only relatively competitive math majors take the test. For example at my school of 20000 undergrads maybe 20 people took it with me.

 

[gasdf1234567]

It isnt always about being the best. It says something about his personality/interests and as long as it isnt displacing something more significant is not going to detract from his application in any form.

Another way of looking at it is he is only 1/3000 people that have taken the test and probably one of the few that were premeds.

Then he should put that he particpated in the test if he feels it is significant enough, not the score. I realize that the people taking the test would be above average so an average score is good etc., but a lot of adcoms will not have an idea about this test. So don't list your rank and especially not the 9 out of 120.

 

[SlammaJamma]

If you got a 9 on the Putnam, I'm sure you've done other math-related things. I think that those things will be more impressive/interesting. Although most people couldn't get a 9, I think out of people who actually "try," many get higher than that (the avg at my school is like 25-30). However, I would not put it on the application since it isn't impressive on it's own (rather, it's a reflection of your interests, which are impressive and interesting).

I'm a math major premed so I see where you're coming from though.

Ok thanks, that's pretty much what I was thinking.

 

[joyrunner]

I think including your participation in the competition would show that you were active in your major. I wouldn't feel that putting your rank would be necessary if you don't want to emphasize it. The only reason I would leave it out is because it might not be meaningful to the persons reading your application. Then again, who knows.

I listed my MAA activities. If you didn't want to list it separately, you could just have it included in your list within something more general.

 

[BluePhoenix]

If you got a 9 on the Putnam, I'm sure you've done other math-related things. I think that those things will be more impressive/interesting. Although most people couldn't get a 9, I think out of people who actually "try," many get higher than that (the avg at my school is like 25-30). However, I would not put it on the application since it isn't impressive on it's own (rather, it's a reflection of your interests, which are impressive and interesting).

I'm a math major premed so I see where you're coming from though.

Ummm...most people that take the Putnam are probably trying...I mean, at least at my undergrad, it was mainly math people that took the putnam seminar all semester beforehand and all. That's great that the avg at your school is a 25-30, but considering the average score on the whole test is usually like 0 or 1, getting a 9 is pretty good. If it's something that you took more than once and you have a blank to fill and you like that sort of thing, I think you could include it.

 

[zogoto]

Well at my undergrad, only about 15 freshman or so qualify to take the Putnam seminar. Out of everyone else, I would say only another 30-40 or so actually "try" meaning they train and spend time on it. The other 50 or so people that take it are just going in for the hell of it because they did math competitions in high school (like me).

 

[Livingapparatus]

I have no idea what the Putnam is, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't put it on. Top 1400 out of 3000....are you serious?

These arent 3000 regular undergrads

 

[pazan]

There's plenty of room on the work section of AMCAS to briefly explain what the Putnam competition is, the level of the competitors, and why competing was signficant/meaningful to you. Definitely put it on... it'll be a good interview topic for more research-inclined interviewers and shows you have the capacity to handle high-level research that might require a background in math (like neuroimaging).

A side note: my former PI is an ad com member at my school and I overheard him interviewing someone with an interest in astrophysics and cosmology (the guy had done some research in the field) -- he seemed impressed and they talked for a little while about it. Math is a bit less exotic, but just as obscure and possibly impressive to many physicians.

 

[gasdf1234567]

These arent 3000 regular undergrads

Did you read my next post?

 

[Livingapparatus]

Did you read my next post?

yup, I understand what your saying but I wouldnt down play the achievment

 

[thetubes]

I would definitely list it, as even being able to take that test is an achievement and it shows a lot about motivation and having mastery of something.

Seeing this thread reminds me of my glory days back in middle school and high school: Math Counts; those 6 question Math League tests, AMC10&12, AIME, and the nine hour beast that was USAMO. Never made it to MOSP though. The funny thing is that it's all still online. Google my name and hometown and you'll get 100+ hits.

 

[Green Apple]

I would definitely list it, as even being able to take that test is an achievement and it shows a lot about motivation and having mastery of something.

I thought anybody could take that test.

 

[Redd66]

I thought anybody could take that test.

Yeah, but not just anybody would spend six hours on a Saturday in December - as in, right before finals - to take an optional math exam.

OP, congrats on your score. I got a 0 (along with 1000 other test-takers) when I took it in 2006. If it's important to you, I would work it in.

Hooray for mathematically minded pre-meds.

 

[pianola]

I scored a 9 on the 2007 Putnam. This put me in about the top 1400 out of 3000. Should I put the score on my application?

Scores: http://www.unl.edu/amc/a-activities/a7-problems/putnam/-html/putnam2007stats.html

If you're wondering what the Putnam is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lowell_Putnam_Mathematical_Competition

A score of 9/120 seems like something to be embarassed about, but everyone is telling me it's decent score. And I'm not sure if admissions will know what the Putnam is.

I was a double humanities major and I've heard of the test. It might not be *so* obscure as people are making it out to be.

Your call where to put it. Definitely how you phrase it will be a big deal.

 

[deleted197541]

The Putnam exam probably isn't that important for pre-med applications. A 1400 rank isn't that bad, contrary to what people may think. The test is very, very hard. The students who attain honorable mention or become putnam fellows are probably going to be mathematicians, physicists, or engineers. I know this is a bit arbitrary but being in the top 30% is probably worty of putting down, I guess? (I doubt any premeds are getting in the 100-250 rank anyway.)

If math problem solving (or mathematics in general) is something you really enjoy then you should emphasize that, but I don't know if doing well on the Putnam will help you with medical school admissions. Doing well on that test (250 rank and above???) is something that math/physics/engineering grad-school oriented do, I think. I don't think a 1400 rank, good as it is, will actually be all that helpful though.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I say put it down...I mean its higher than wha 95% of the ppl on here would score.

But im kind of curious about this, ive always been a math geek. Is there anyplace to find similar questions, just to see what they are like?

 

[zogoto]

The UNL site (same ppl that run AMC/AIME/etc) has problems I think: http://www.unl.edu/amc/a-activities/a7-problems/putnamindex.shtml

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

I ended up not putting it down, in the end I don't think it will matter much either way. I did play up my math major a lot in my essays. I'm sure math will come up in the interviews, and I'll try to mention it then.

I say put it down...I mean its higher than wha 95% of the ppl on here would score.

But im kind of curious about this, ive always been a math geek. Is there anyplace to find similar questions, just to see what they are like?

The UNL site above is probably the best site for old exams. Looking back I wish I had prepared for it well, but by then the pre-med life had consumed me. I was all pumped to do tons of practice problems, and then in September I was introduced to ochem.