> Another question that comes to mind is what happens to all those students
> who do so well in school and university maths competitions, like the
> Eotvos, international maths olympiad or the Putnam. They are excellent
> problem solvers, and would probably succeed in any field. Some become
> scientists (eg von Neumann won the eotvos, Feynman won the Putnam), but
> what happens to most?
>
I was interviewed some years ago by someone who was doing a very serious
study of what had happened to Putnam contestants. Alas, I remember neither
her name nor where it was published.
Martin Davis