With math competitions becoming more popular and more competitive, it should come as no surprise that many parents are looking to give their children a competitive edge when preparing for these competitions. 

Young math students study a vast curriculum throughout their mathematics journey. From learning about the origins of math and numbers to mastering geometry and algebra, right up to learning about complex topics and preparing for the SATs, young learners are bombarded with dozens of topics.

When it comes to excelling in math competitions, however, there are many important steps that children need to learn beyond simply understanding the topics and finding the right answers. 

Many schools give students a great grounding in mathematics, but what about the students who yearn for more? How do you get the best out of already outstanding students and help them become the best young mathematicians they can be?

For many students, the answers lie in additional tutoring. One-to-one, tailored classes that focus specifically on preparation for math competitions are becoming more popular across the country, but they can often be misunderstood. When such classes are taught properly by qualified, experienced experts, they can be the difference between your child going home empty-handed, or bringing home the trophy at their next competition.

In this article, we will run through some of the more important and often overlooked aspects of competing in math competitions and how you can help your child get one step ahead of the competition.

What to Expect From Math Competitions

Whether they be local, regional, or even national, math competitions often hold a few surprises in store for competitors. Math competitions are so popular around the world that there is even an International Mathematical Olympiad, where high school students from around the world come to compete, which has been running since 1959. 

As students become more comfortable with the math they are doing in school, they can enter competitions. Now, students will be expected to answer a range of problems at the level at which they study in school, but there is much more that students can and should do in preparation for competitions.

Studying with a friend, ensuring they take proper breaks, and working consistently throughout the school year are some simple steps that students can take to get themselves on the right track and ready to compete. When students need an extra push to get them to where they need to be, a lot of parents turn to one-to-one tutoring to prepare their children for math competitions, and with good reason!

Features of One-to-One Tutoring to Prepare for Math Competitions 

In individual lessons, students learn some of the more obscure aspects of doing well in competitions, such as revising older competition questions and practicing in a competitive environment.

At school, students rarely get the opportunity to practice in proper conditions, because the classes consist of 15, 20, or even 30 students. This is simply too large of a class to expect young math students to sit quietly enough to mimic competition settings. 

Another advantage of one-to-one math lessons is that students get the opportunity to focus on the problems they’ve been struggling with. This is invaluable preparation for a math competition because students get the chance to plug holes in their knowledge, and individual math tutors do not have to worry about holding up an entire class full of students to address the concerns of one student in particular.

While schools offer a great foundational mathematics curriculum, the truth is that they are somewhat slowed down by the reality of class sizes. Many struggling students must be prioritized, and rightly so. Unfortunately, this often means that gifted, high-performing students do not get the chance to reach their full potential. These excellent students should – and could – be gaining extra lessons, competing locally, nationally, or intern, and making great strides forward in their math abilities.

OMC One-to-One Math Lessons and Math Competition Tutoring Classes

At OMC, we understand the importance of your child’s math education. For students that can compete in math competitions, we have the perfect opportunity. Our one-to-one tutoring classes in preparation for math competitions are tailored to individual students’ needs. Our qualified team of experts has decades of teaching experience and our teaching goes beyond covering the topics your child will need to understand to compete, we also give them the chance to practice in competition conditions and plug any and all gaps in their learning.

As if that wasn’t enough, we offer one-to-one tutoring right up until the SATs, meaning your young learner can gain valuable experience preparing for examinations and competitions in the appropriate environment.

Contact OMC today to help your child come out of their next math competition with the first prize.