Directory of Competition & AMC Math Tutors

https://wescarroll.com/competition

http://mathmasteronline.com/math-competition/

http://gaussmath.org/mathematics

http://premierplus.org/plainview

According to Wes Carroll, there are four major competitive mathematics exams given each year in the United States: AMC 8, AMC 10, AIME (American Invitational Mathematics Examination), and AMC 12, in order of ranking  by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

According to the MAA, the AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute multiple choice examination for middle schoolers. The MAA’s stated goals are to provide an opportunity for middle schoolers to “develop positive attitudes towards analytical thinking and mathematics.” The AMC 8 is meant to be an introductory and low-stress, friendly way to engage critical thinking skills.

The AMC 10 is a 25-question, 75-minute multiple choice examination in high-school material for studnts in grade 10 and under 17.5 years of age. Questions include content from trigonometry, advanced algebra, and advanced geometry. It excludes calculus. Students who are in grade 12 or below, and under 19.5 years of age, can take the AMC 12 – this is a 25-question, 75-minute, multiple choice examination. (MAA).

The AIME is a step above these other exams, being more explicitly competitive and prestigious. As the AIME is invitational, only students who took the AMC 12 and achieved a score of 100+ out of 150 (or were in the 95th percentile), or students who took the AMC 10 and achieved a score of 120+ out of 150 (or were in top 2.5%) are invited. Top scoring AIME students (about 260-270) will be invited to take go to the USAMO (United States of America Mathematical Olympiad), where success can lead to the Mathematical Olympiad Program and placement on America’s team for the International Math Olympiad.

The AIME is considered a challenging competition, and is a 15 question, 3-hour examination exam. Each answer is an integer number, and all questions are considered significantly more difficult by the MAA.

Most students will choose to compete in mathematical competitions to help distinguish themselves from similarly competitive peers in order to gain entry to the most prestigious colleges, especially those students with an affinity for math in general.

It should be said that American students competing in math competitions to distinguish themselves for the most selective schools should be aware of two important factors that the most selective schools will be looking for. Firstly, math competitions are done worldwide, and certain countries (for example, Romania) who consistently place very highly in their own international competitions and Olympiads in Europe and abroad. These competitions are also extremely competitive, well-attended, and prestigious. Therefore, and leading into the second point, students should not consider their participation in competitive math to be a “sure-fire” way to get into the most prestigious schools, but rather one stand-out feature to raise students from (as Wes Carroll aptly puts it), from the 97th percentile to the 99th percentile.

Naturally, the best way to prepare for any math competition is to seek help, do lots of practice problems, and learn all the necessary material. Strengthen weak areas and test oneself a much as possible. As is written by the MAA, making especially the early entrance tests relatively low-pressure and as fun as possible will set you up for future success. The best students will always be the ones who most enjoy the material, because they will enjoy learning more about the material, increasing their depth of knowledge and doing better and better in a snowball effect. Therefore, though competitions (and especially math competitions) might seem to be high pressure situations, the calmer and more relaxed you can be, the more fun you will have, and therefore not only will you do better, but learn to enjoy doing math as well.