PROMYS vs Ross: Which Program Is Right for You?
PROMYS and Ross are sibling number-theory immersion summers: Ross's own FAQ names PROMYS as the program most like it. Both run six weeks around daily problem sets; the differences are the campus, how aid works, and Ross's motto of thinking deeply about simple things — with phones put away.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of PROMYS at Boston University and Ross Mathematics Program. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| PROMYS | Ross | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Varies — see Cost and funding | Not listed |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced — researched August 22, 2026 | Dates not announced — researched October 12, 2026 |
| Grade eligibility | Grades 10–12 | Not listed |
| Format | In person | In person |
| Location | Boston, MA, United States | United States |
| Program dates | Not listed | Not listed |
| Application destination | promys.org | rossprogram.org |
| Organizer | PROMYS Foundation / Boston University | Ross Mathematics Program |
PROMYS vs Ross: the short answer
Ross's own FAQ calls PROMYS the summer program most similar to Ross, and the two official sites bear that out: both are six weeks, both build the first summer around problem sets in number theory, and both put you in a dorm with undergraduate counselors. So decide on the details. PROMYS is one campus, Boston University, with about 80 students; Ross ran in 2026 at two sites, Otterbein University in Ohio and Rose-Hulman in Indiana, with about 60 first-years at each. Ross charges a flat program fee of $7,500 and says it tries to fund every accepted student who needs help; PROMYS publishes a 2026 income scale that tops out at $8,000 and is free for domestic families under $80,000. Ross is the only one of the two that publishes an admission figure — about 15% of complete applications in 2023 — and it asks you to leave your phone and devices aside for the summer. Apply to both if number theory is what you want: the application season, a problem set plus recommendations and a transcript, looks much the same, and neither admission tells you anything about the other.
Program details
These are the current details stored for each program. A blank cell means the catalog does not hold that detail.
| PROMYS | Ross | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to attend | Scaled to family income. The 2026 maximum was $0 under $80,000 of adjusted gross income, an estimated $4,000 from $80,001 to $130,000, an estimated $6,000 from $130,001 to $180,000, and $8,000 above that. | A program fee of $7,500, which pays for six weeks of room and board, instructors and counselors, and running the courses. |
| Financial aid | Need-based aid can cover up to the full cost of participation, room and board included. | Ross says it endeavors to provide enough support for every accepted student to attend; you ask for aid after you are accepted. |
| Where and when | One residential site, the Boston University campus; PROMYS 2027 runs June 27 – August 7, 2027. | Two sites in 2026, Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, both June 14 through July 24, 2026. |
| Places each summer | About 80: 60 first-years and 20 returning students. | About 60 first-year students at each site, with approximately 12-15 counselors. |
| Acceptance rate | Not published as a number: PROMYS says the rate varies from year to year and admission is competitive. | Published once: in 2023, about 15% of applicants with complete applications were accepted. |
| Who can apply | By the first day: 14-18 years old, 9th grade (or its equivalent) completed, and not yet a full-time college student. | Pre-college students; first-years range from 15 to 18 years old, with rare exceptions either way. |
| The first summer's mathematics | Number theory is the core lens for every participant; returning students add advanced seminars and research. | The first-year course is organized around a series of problem sets in number theory. |
| Required each day | The morning number theory lecture, then the daily problem set with feedback from your counselor. | A daily number theory lecture and daily family-group discussions, about three hours in all. |
| Phones and devices | PROMYS's FAQ sets no device rule; it asks you to stay on campus and focused on PROMYS for the six weeks, weekends included. | Put away: mathematics is done with pencil and paper, and students are asked to refrain from using phones and other devices. |
| Credit | None: you are not enrolled at Boston University, so no course credit is awarded and no grades are assigned. | None: students are not registered as college students and receive no official credit from the university. |
| How long it has run | Since 1989. | Since 1957, when Arnold Ross founded the program at Notre Dame. |
| Deadline, most recent published cycle | February 27, 2026, 11:59 pm EST, with decisions by the end of April 2026. | March 8, with acceptance decisions emailed by mid-April; later applications might not receive full consideration. |
Inside PROMYS
One campus, Boston University, and one subject. The whole program meets for the number theory lecture every weekday morning; you then get the day's problem set and sit down with your counselor over yesterday's work. First-years spend most of the day, and often the night, on those problems; returning students move to advanced seminars and research. You live two to a room in a BU dorm, weekends stay on campus and full of mathematics, and the program asks you to drop other commitments for the six weeks.
Inside Ross
Two campuses in 2026, Otterbein in Ohio and Rose-Hulman in Indiana, each with its own cohort of first-years. The required part of each day is short — a number theory lecture and a family-group discussion led by a counselor, about three hours in all — and the rest belongs to the problem sets, which you work through with the students around you. Ross's motto is to think deeply about simple things, and the program is explicit that it is a first step toward research, not contest training. Mathematics is done on paper; phones and devices are set aside.
Choose PROMYS if…
- Your family earns under $80,000 and you are a domestic student. PROMYS publishes that it is free for you. Ross funds accepted students case by case and publishes no income line.
- You want a single campus with a big-city setting. PROMYS runs at Boston University; Ross's sites in 2026 were in Columbus, Ohio and Terre Haute, Indiana.
Choose Ross if…
- You are ready to put your phone away for six weeks. Ross asks for exactly that, and builds its days around a short required block and long stretches of problem sets.
- You want a published sense of the odds. Ross published that about 15% of complete applications were accepted in 2023. PROMYS publishes no figure.
Applying to PROMYS
- Four components by the deadline: solutions to a challenging problem set, a letter of recommendation, your high school transcript, and an application form with short answers.
- To be considered for aid, a parent or guardian submits the financial aid form by March 15.
Applying to Ross
- Short essay responses, a video, a teacher recommendation, your school transcript, and work on some challenging math problems.
- Arrive on time: Ross cannot take students who must arrive more than two days after classes start.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Ross's admission figure is from 2023 and is the share of complete applications, not of everyone who started one.
- Neither program publishes what a typical family pays after aid; PROMYS's scale gives maximums, two of them estimates, and Ross decides aid after acceptance.
- Ross's two 2026 sites may not be its 2027 sites, and its 2027 dates were not published when we read the site.
PROMYS at Boston University
A six-week summer program at Boston University for strongly motivated high school students to explore the creative world of mathematics in depth.
Ross Mathematics Program
A six-week, residential summer session for high school students who are well prepared in standard high school math and eager to explore more advanced ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, PROMYS or Ross?
PROMYS: Varies — see Cost and funding. Confirm each figure on the program's official page before budgeting.
Can I apply to both PROMYS and Ross?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. PROMYS: promys.org. Ross: rossprogram.org. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, PROMYS or Ross?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to PROMYS and Ross?
PROMYS: Grades 10–12. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
PROMYS appears in 2 of 56 comparison pages. Ross appears in 2 of 56 comparison pages.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.