Frequently Asked Questions

For Mentees:

1. Does DRP run every semester? Does it run over summer as well?

The DRP runs 3 times every academic year: Fall (September to December), Winter (January to April), and Spring/Summer (May to August). 

2. Who are eligible for DRP as mentees?

Application criteria can be found on the Application page. To be eligible for DRP as a mentee, you need to be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan. Graduate students are in principle not eligible for DRP as mentees. You do not have to major in mathematics, but you should have completed a math course involving proofs (e.g. Math 185, Math 217, or equivalent). Underrepresented groups in STEM are especially encouraged to apply. 

3. When do the applications start, and how do I apply?

Applications roughly start in early September, early January, and late April. One can see on the Home page whether applications are currently live. When applications are open, announcements are made through multiple mailing lists in the department, and posters can be seen in East Hall. The application forms can be found on the Application page.

4. How general or specific should I be when I indicate my interest in the application? Do I need to have a specific project idea before I apply for DRP? 

In the application form, you are prompted to select 1 - 3 general areas of interest. You can also elaborate on your interest under the question where you tell us more about your mathematical background. Mentees are not expected to have very specific project topics in mind before application, as they will be determining topics and references together with their mentors. 

5. What should I expect out of DRP? (Format, Time Commitment, Final Delivery, etc.)

There are some general rules of thumb for how DRP should run. Undergraduate mentees are paired with graduate mentors to explore math topics in more depth than in a typical classroom setting. In consultation with their graduate mentors, the undergraduate mentees choose topics and texts to study for their projects. Every week, the mentor and mentee have a (usually 1-hour) meeting to discuss their progress. Outside of the meeting, the mentee is expected to work for at least 4 hours on their project. We do not encourage mentors and mentees to go over these hour limits, as this might compromise the mentee's academics. Any changes to the expected time commitment should be discussed between mentors and mentees and mutually agreed upon. At the end of a semester, mentees are expected to either give a 10-12 minutes presentation or submit a 5-page write-up on their project topic. Mentees who choose to submit write-ups are still expected to attend the presentation sessions. 

Under these general guidelines, students might have different expectations when they choose to apply for DRP. In fact, one question in the application asks for your expectations out of the DRP program! 

6. Can I do DRP remotely?

We expect Fall and Winter DRP to be in-person. This means that mentors and mentees should generally meet in person, and attend in-person final presentations. For Summer DRP, we recognize that people's availability vary, so the precise format of meetings is determined between the mentor and mentee. The final presentation for summer DRP is usually in-person, scheduled in the first few days of the fall semester.

7. Is DRP a research-oriented program?

While the enthusiasm is appreciated, DRP is not a research program, and DRP projects should be kept at the level of reading projects. Most undergraduates are not yet ready for original math research, and such research projects are especially unlikely to be carried out within a single semester. Attempts at research can create difficulties that are out of the scope for a reading program such as DRP. Applicants who indicate that they want research out of DRP are less likely to be accepted, as DRP would not be a good fit for what they are looking for. Those who want math research experience should check out programs specifically designed for such purposes (e.g. LoGM, Summer REU). 

8. Why is my application declined? Should I do anything to "improve" my application?

We want to make it very clear that DRP is not supposed to be a competitive program, and applicants are not evaluated solely upon how much math they know. The door of DRP is open to undergraduate students of various levels (as long as you have exposure to math proofs), and we do not just select applicants who have taken the most "advanced" classes. The decision process is more of a pairing process than a selection process, and the most common reason for an application to be declined is that we cannot find a mentor with a matching interest. Therefore, please do not worry about not being "ready" for DRP as long as you meet the minimum eligibility criteria.

If we can not offer you a position for DRP, please feel free to apply again, as the distribution of mentor and mentee backgrounds is different every semester. You do not necessarily need to work on anything to "improve" your application. We appreciate everyone's continued interest in DRP!

9. I have a prior agreement to start/continue a project with a mentor. Do I still need to submit an application?

Yes, both the mentor and the mentee still need to submit applications for every semester in which they wish to participate in DRP. Please email the organizers so that we can take note of your requests. 

10. What should I do if circumstances arise and I have to put a pause on DRP?

We are always sorry to see that things happen to the participants and prevent them from continued participation. Please communicate with your mentor about your situation, and email the organizers to let us know that you have to put a pause on DRP. We are happy to assist you if there is anything we can help you with (e.g. continuing DRP next semester with the same mentor if mutually agreed upon). 

Both your mentor and us would try to reach out if we cannot find you. Disappearing without notice or response might create complications in your future applications to DRP.

11. Is the final presentation or write-up mandatory?

We expect every participant to either give a 10-12 minutes final presentation or write up a 5-page expository article on their project topic. We make it clear in the application, and specify the date and time of the presentations. Mentees who choose to do a write-up should also attend the presentations of their peers (there will also be pizzas). If for any reason you cannot deliver a final presentation or write-up, please let us know in advance. Not delivering a final presentation or write-up without prior notice might create complications in your future applications to DRP. 

Mentees are expected to receive help from their mentors on their final presentations or final write-up. 

12. I see that people get selected to give talks in Math Club. What should I do to make my presentation "stand out"?

We want to make it clear that no one should enter the final presentation with a competitive mindset. Please regard it as an opportunity to showcase to your peers some fun aspects of your mathematical journey. Therefore, you should give a colloquium talk, aiming to make your content solid while accessible. 

When we select talks for Math Club, we are also not looking at how "advanced" or "original" the contents are. You should guide the audience through your content, demonstrating why certain concepts are interesting to you and how you understand them through your own eyes. A good talk should not be a recital or repetition of textbook words, but a complement to them. 

For Mentors:

1. Who is eligible to be a mentor?

Graduate students in mathematics (MS, PhD) are generally eligible to be mentors. If you are a faculty member (e.g. postdoc, lecturer) and wish to mentor students through DRP, please email the organizers in advance.

2. I have a prior agreement to start/continue a project with a mentee. Do I still need to submit an application?

Yes, both the mentor and the mentee still need to submit applications for every semester in which they wish to participate in DRP. Please email the organizers so that we can take note of your requests. 

3. Can I mentor multiple students at one time?

We recommend mentoring only one student in each DRP season. If you want to mentor more than one student at a time, please let the organizers know in advance.

4. I noted that being a DRP mentor fulfills summer teaching hours. How does it work?

You will receive 50 summer working hours for mentoring each DRP project. If you mentor multiple students, the hours get multiplied accordingly. 

5. Can I do DRP remotely?

We expect Fall and Winter DRP to be in-person. This means that mentors and mentees should generally meet in person, and attend in-person final presentations. For Summer DRP, we recognize that people's availability vary, so the precise format of meetings is determined between the mentor and mentee. The final presentation for summer DRP is usually in-person, scheduled in the first few days of the fall semester.

Please feel free to email us if you need more help!