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how many IMO contestants go to Cambridge?

Of the now ~600 contestants at the IMO (International Maths Olympiad) each year, how many would you expect to enter

a) Cambridge university (~240 maths places per year)
b) Trinity College, Cambridge? (~40 maths places)

I think for British contestants, of whom there are 6 each year, the answers are ~5 and ~3.

Reply 1

Finbar21

10

240 and 40 respectively

Reply 2

glowinglight

OP

Finbar21

240 and 40 respectively

I wondered seriously whether someone might be able to post approximate actual figures.

Reply 3

BJack

19

UK stats are here, showing that over the years just under half have gone to Trinity and a massive majority have gone on the Cambridge (as you said in your first post). I'm not aware of other stats, though; sorry. :dontknow:

Reply 4

DFranklin

18

I wouldn't read too much into international figures. I'd say it's telling you more about "how many people want to study abroad" than anything else.

If you look at BJack's figures with that in mind, it seems that out of 271 team/reserve members, only one person went abroad to do their undergraduate degree (and to a "liberal arts college" apparently!).

Reply 5

glowinglight

OP

I'm told that maybe ~15-20 IMO contestants enter Cambridge
as undergrads each year - including ~5 from the UK.
Breaking down as follows:

Trinity: ~3 UK, ~7 non-UK, altogether 1 in 4 undergrads
Other Cambridge colleges: ~2 UK, ~3-8 non-UK, altogether 1 in 20-40 undergrads

So about 1 in 12-16 of Cambridge undergrads.

Does everyone think that's about right?

Reply 6

theharrovian

No. You're wrong. It's more like 1 in 10 I think. But why do you want to now? Surely you must have better things to investigate...

Reply 7

BJack

19

glowinglight

I'm told that maybe ~15-20 IMO contestants enter Cambridge
as undergrads each year - including ~5 from the UK.
Breaking down as follows:

Trinity: ~3 UK, ~7 non-UK, altogether 1 in 4 undergrads
Other Cambridge colleges: ~2 UK, ~3-8 non-UK, altogether 1 in 20-40 undergrads

So about 1 in 12-16 of Cambridge undergrads.

Does everyone think that's about right?

It looks like you already know more than the rest of us. :biggrin:

Reply 8

glowinglight

OP

theharrovian

No. You're wrong. It's more like 1 in 10 I think. But why do you want to now? Surely you must have better things to investigate...

1 in 10 undergraduates for the whole of Cambridge? That would be pretty amazing - the equivalent of 4 whole IMO teams each year.

I wonder how the curve has gone over the past decade...

My wanting to know is just dogged inquisitiveness. I'm not trying to upset anyone, prove anything, or grind an axe! I figured it shouldn't be too hard to find out, asking at sites like this, which are read by many people who know a lot of relevant info (e.g. ~10 IMOers in current 1st year at Trinity).

Reply 9

glowinglight

OP

Having asked around, I'd venture the hypothesis that IMO contestants account for about 1 in 10-12 Cambridge entrants, and about 1 in 4 Trinity entrants.

So in 2009 Cambridge admitted about 20-25 IMOers, and Trinity about 10.

I'm quite surprised by these figures, but this is the picture that's emerging, based on bits of info that various people have supplied. If anyone thinks the figures are wildly wrong, please let me know.

If they are reasonably accurate, is this a new thing, i.e. for the 2009 intake? Or has it been like this for a decade, or what?

Reply 10

theharrovian

It's been like that for... oh I don't know, about 500 years or so? Just a rough guesstimate.

Reply 11

glowinglight

OP

theharrovian

It's been like that for... oh I don't know, about 500 years or so? Just a rough guesstimate.

God you must be exceptionally intelligent to make a comment of such a scintillatingly sarcastic character. Either that or you don't get out much. Or if you do get out, you only meet retards - either by design or for some other reason - so your self-image as the epitome of intelligent wit hasn't taken any dents. Maybe your handle here says something? I'll leave it with you, anyway.

Reply 12

theharrovian

glowinglight

God you must be exceptionally intelligent to make a comment of such a scintillatingly sarcastic character. Either that or you don't get out much. Or if you do get out, you only meet retards - either by design or for some other reason - so your self-image as the epitome of intelligent wit hasn't taken any dents. Maybe your handle here says something? I'll leave it with you, anyway.

I'm sorry, I don't think you can say that after starting a thread on here AND Ask Nrich about something that barely involves, or will ever involve, you. Anyway, have fun searching up random information that you "have to find out"! I wish you luck in finally finding a girl that will touch you. Relatives don't count.

Reply 13

glowinglight

OP

theharrovian

I'm sorry,

Don't mention it! :smile:

theharrovian

I don't think you can say that after starting a thread on here AND Ask Nrich about something that barely involves, or will ever involve, you.

You have no idea what involves me and what doesn't. I obviously can say what I've said, so your thinking I can't is rather dimwitted. And posting a request for information on two websites (you obviously didn't notice my posts to a third and fourth) rarely diminishes the chance of success; it usually increases it. Ask anyone.

theharrovian

Anyway, have fun

As I thought, you are a complete novice when it comes to sarcasm. Saying "have fun" when you mean to tell someone they're wasting their time, or that you hope they fail, is playground stuff...

theharrovian

searching up random information

...as is your use of the word "random". Have you heard the advice "Stay out of the kitchen"?

theharrovian

that you "have to find out"! I wish you luck in finally finding a girl that will touch you. Relatives don't count.

Christ, is that supposed to be a joke? Why don't you tell me to go and make puppies with my dog?

I realise I'm pulling rank, old chap, but you're way out of your depth.

"I'm sorry"... "Have fun"... "I wish you luck"... No matey, you're no good at this sarcasm game. You haven't got the language skills.

I expect you'll get intellectual rank pulled on you again some time, so you might as well get used to it.

I'll end by letting you in on a very old joke...

A Wykehamist, an Etonian, and a Harrovian were vying for the attentions of a beautiful woman. The Etonian noticed she needed a chair. The Wykehamist went and got it. The Harrovian sat on it.

Everyone's heard that one.

Let's hope not too many people tell it behind your back before you get the point.

And oh look, someone's neg-repped me. Like I care two figs! :woo: