For math students on their educational journey, there is not much as exciting as participating in math competitions. The overwhelming desire to do well, the thrill of competing with and against friends and classmates, and the enjoyment of seeing your hard work and dedication pay off.
As well as being one of the most fun activities for students each year, math competitions offer many benefits, too. Children who excel at math are offered the opportunity to compete, boosting their future prospects.
Let’s take a closer look at just how impactful math competitions can be on a student’s educational journey, how you can make sure your child is ready to compete, and check out some of the biggest student math competitions of 2024.
A Well-Rounded Mathematical Experience
Math competitions introduce students to a new way of learning a subject that quite often splits opinions. Some students hate math with a burning passion while others find it a lot easier and more enjoyable than any other subject. This can be said of many subjects, but there is quite an apparent divide when it comes to mathematics.
When students do not like a subject, they are more resistant to traditional teaching methods in that class. Math competitions offer an alternate approach, and therefore, an alternate learning experience.
Most students will enjoy some friendly competition more than your daily algebra class where the teacher lectures on the subject endlessly and very few students are giving their full attention. On top of this, competitions also play an important role in teaching younger students valuable lessons about competing, winning, losing, and overcoming mistakes- big or small.
Math competitions can play an important role in your child’s learning experience. By combining this activity with daily lessons in school and personalized tutoring, you can certainly make sure your child has a well-rounded math education throughout their time in school.
A Chance To Stand Out From The Crowd
For students who thrive in math class, competitions open up a whole new world of possibilities. Whether they know they are capable and are focused on winning or they participated in the competition because it seemed fun and they turned out to be a math superstar, students who win (or even perform well) in math competitions can turn their forte into real-life benefits.
Performing well in math competitions is a great indicator to college admissions offices of a student’s ability and interest in pursuing extracurricular and academic activities. This can automatically strengthen a student’s college prospects.
For many students, getting ahead of their competitors means dedicating plenty of time to preparing specifically for these competitions. Students engaged in individual, competition-focused tutoring give themselves the best chance of winning the competitions. This experience also gives students a chance to test out the tutoring environment, so that they can be ready to thrive in SAT-focused tutoring sessions in the future.
Upcoming Math Competitions in 2024
Over the coming months, some of the largest math competitions in the US and the entire world will take place. While some of the application deadlines have passed, it is worth taking a look at some of these events and getting ready to register for them next time!
Math Kangaroo USA
One of the country’s oldest and most famous math competitions, Math Kangaroo will be back on March 21, 2024. It is for students Grades 1-12 and is 75 minutes long. There are 24 questions for students in Grades 1-4, and 30 questions for students in Grades 5-12.
MOEMS
The MOEMS runs a math olympiad for elementary and middle school students, with a group for each grade range (4-6 and 6-8). There are five monthly contests with 5 questions each. The previous year’s problems & solutions are provided for reference. The questions must be administered to all students, at the same place, and at the same time. MOEMS is being held from November 2023- March 2024. Participation is open to all.
IMC
The International Math Contest is a 30-minute online, international competition to help parents see how their child’s mathematical skills rank globally. It is for Grades 3-10 and is being held February 5- 18, 2024.
AMC 8
The American Mathematics Competitions kick off with the first of its middle school contests (the AMC 8) from January 18- 24, 2024. It is a 25-minute, 40-question multiple choice exam with possible topics like probability, geometry, Pythagorean theorem, interpreting graphs & tables, and more.
AMC 10/12
AMC 10 is meant for high school students in Grades 9 & 10, while AMC 12 covers all of high school. Both are 25-minute, 75-question multiple choice exams and are held twice but with similar questions and levels of difficulty. Registration for both usually opens in September, so be on the lookout!
AIME
The American Invitational Mathematics Examination is by invitation only. Students who take the AMC 10 and score 120 (or more) out of 150, or are in the top 2.5% qualify for the AIME. Students who take AMC 12 and score 100 (or more) out of 150, or are in the top 5% are also invited to take the AIME. This exam is a 15-question, 3-hour exam where each answer is an integer number from 0 to 999.
Stay in the loop and head over to our blog and check out our regularly updated 2024 Math Competitions Calendar to see more dates and events as they are announced.
Competition Coaching At OMC
At OMC, we know how crucial a well-rounded education is for your child. You are in luck, as we have everything your child needs to excel in math competitions. The competition-focused classes are run by our highly qualified team of experts, and we also offer students the opportunity to test out 1-1 classes, SAT preparation classes, and customized classes tailored to each student’s needs- regardless of age, grade, or ability.
Contact OMC today and enroll your child in a math tutoring class for competitions. They’ll be thanking you on the way home with that first-place trophy!
