Comps for Mathematics or Statistics Majors
Our comps are designed to give students a learning experience outside the classroom framework, often involving ideas spanning multiple areas of mathematics and statistics. Many comps also involve applications. Math Comps and Stats Comps are normally group comps, though independent comps are an option for students in some circumstances.
The College requires that students have senior standing before they are allowed to register for comps.
Both mathematics and statistics majors are required to attend a total of eight hours of talks during their junior and senior years. These “talk credits” can be earned, in part, by attending the comps talks of their colleagues.
Group Comps
The essence of group comps is a substantial, shared experience of doing mathematics or statistics. The faculty takes a very broad view of what this means. A comps project may offer opportunities for students to engage in original research; to apply mathematics or statistics in significant, real-world settings, typically with an industrial, governmental, or non-profit partner; to study original historical documents; to gain experience writing and speaking about mathematics; or to engage in pedagogical research. Specific projects will vary from year to year, but we aim for topics covering a range of mathematical and statistical disciplines. Group comps run for two consecutive terms and culminate in both a public presentation of the results and a paper/poster or some other final product submitted to the faculty.
Students will work with other students and are supervised by a single faculty member. Students should expect regular group meetings with the advisor (1-3 meetings per week is typical), regular meetings of the group without the advisor, and additional time spent working alone. Comps should be a top academic priority; faculty expect to see a commitment to the project from every student in the group. An individual may be awarded distinction in group comps for work exhibiting outstanding initiative and effort resulting in an exceptional level of some or all of the following: depth of understanding, creativity, synthesis, and effective communication.
Students assigned math group comps will register for either six credits of Math 399 in the first term followed by three credits of Math 400 in the second term, or three credits of Math 400 in the first term followed by three credits of Math 400 in the second term, as specified in the project description. Students assigned stats group comps will register for either six credits of Stat 399 in the first term followed by three credits of Stat 400 in the second term, or three credits of Stat 400 in the first term followed by three credits of Stat 400 in the second term, as specified in the project description.
Junior and senior mathematics and statistics majors earn one talk-credit for attendance at an hour-long group comps project presentation.
Group Comps Timetable
Each spring, faculty members present potential group projects to mathematics and statistics majors during their junior year, and the junior majors rank the projects they prefer. Faculty then assign students to projects, taking student preferences into account as much as possible.
Once underway, a typical two-term project will follow the timetable below; faculty may make adjustments to this schedule as needed, except for the date of the public talk and final product deadline.
- Term 1: Research, regular meetings, end-of-term evaluation
- Term 2: Research, regular meetings (weeks 1-4)
- Talk and paper preparation (weeks 5-7)
- Public talk (week 7)
- Final product due (Monday of week 8)
Evaluation
At the end of term one, to ensure adequate progress is being made by all, each student will complete a project evaluation including feedback on the work of all group members. At this point students not making adequate progress may be removed from a project.
At the end of the second term, your advisor may elect to conduct individual interviews to assess each comps student. The faculty advisor (and possibly other faculty) will determine a grade of pass or fail, and will make a recommendation on distinction to the department. Grades and distinction are assigned to each student, not each project.