A Beautiful Mind

As with many Exonians, Ravi Jagadeesan was initially drawn to Exeter with hopes for an education unparalleled to that of any other high school in America. It didn’t take long for him to assert his position on campus as one of the brightest students ever enrolled, earning a gold medal in the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) and a spot on MIT’s research program, RSI, for high school students. Though known for his stellar achievements in math and science, Jagadeesan is well accomplished in all academic fields, earning Exeter’s Lamont Younger Poet’s Prize for English and Prize Day’s award for excellence in history.Mathematics is undoubtedly one of Jagadeesan’s greatest passions. He has received countless awards from various contests since the age of eight. He said, “My grandparents taught me math when I was very young, and I became really interested in it.” As a prep, Jagadeesan became involved in Exeter’s Math Club taught by math instructor Zuming Feng, the coach for the United States team for the IMO. This training led him to begin major mathematical competitions at the age of 14.Despite his success, Jagadeesan remains incredibly modest when speaking of his achievements. “[The IMO] is kind of a nerve-racking experience. It’s not really about math when you sit in the competition room. It’s more about managing your nerves and dealing with the pressure.” He continued, “You have no idea where the pressure is coming from, but when you go there, it’s just there.”

Upon receiving the gold medal at the IMO and taking two terms of Mathematics 999, Jagadeesan continued to challenge himself in the studies of mathematics and sciences.

“I go down to MIT or Harvard on many weekends to meet with my research mentors,” he said. “Last year, I participated in the MIT math department’s research program for high school students. In addition, I’m working on a project integrating math and material science.”Jagadeesan attributes this continuous self-challenging and determination to Feng, a long time mentor. “He taught me good study skills and also pushed me to be skeptical of my own understanding,” he said.Although mathematics is Jagadeesan’s strongest talent, it is not his only passion. “I was interested in history even before coming to Exeter, but I started to enjoy the study of history much more when I began to take history during my lower year,” he said. “What’s interesting to me about history is that there’s a complicated interplay of forces and ideas with one another, and there are important practical implications, of course.”Along with history, Jagadeesan is known for his accomplishment in writing. His prep year, he was awarded Lamont Younger Poet’s Award, and he has been praised by different members of the community for his excellent writing. “He is a brilliant writer and his essays are subject to adoration in the math community,” close friend Dai Yang ‘12 said.As a co-head of math club and physics club and a head peer tutor, Jagadeesan shows great leadership in various groups, guiding and inspiring peers. “He is a formidable leader in math club constantly planning and replanning lesson plans and going out of his way to help people learn, especially if they get stuck or if they come into math club with less background in math,” Yang said.In his free time, Jagadeesan enjoys playing the piano, an instrument that he had become accustomed to at the age of four. At Exeter, he has been taking piano lessons for several terms. He also enjoys playing an occasional game of chess, though he admitted, “I am a rather careless player.”Jagadeesan was first drawn to Exeter as a mathematician, but he feels as though his experience has left him with diverse skills that can be applied beyond life at Exeter. Reflecting on his four years here, Jagadeesan said, “My biggest takeaway is how seemingly different things are actually very much related and connected to one another on many levels.” He continued, “I don't think I had been exposed to any subject enough to believe that such a connection would exist before I came to Exeter.”Among his peers, Jagadeesan is known for his empathy and kindness. “Ravi has always been an amazingly loyal friend; he wants to believe the best in people and he doesn’t give up.” Chelsea Ge '13 said. “That’s what makes him such a good teacher and friend. He is humorous, optimistic, clever, passionate. Ravi values kindness and passion, and every moment with him is fun. ”After Exeter, Jagadeesan sees himself delving further into the realm of mathematics and science. He said, “I plan to study mathematics in college, and I would like to pursue a career in scientific research.” Jagadeesan continued, “Mathematical research is far more fulfilling than solving a few contest problems or a few problems out of a textbook. The simple reality is that a contest problem has a solution that someone thinks a contestant can find within a strict time limit, while for a research problem, one does not know if a solution exists, let alone one that is three lines long. Research opens the door to a new realm of possibilities, and proving (or disproving) one’s own conjectures in a beautiful manner offers an amazing moment for reflection.”