<p>How does one study for these exams? I'm currently a sophomore, and it'll be my first time taking the AMC (10) this week. I haven't practiced at all, so I'm probably not going to make AIME this year, but I'd really like to qualify for AIME next year. How does one prepare for these exams? I've heard the Art of Problem Solving stuff is good (is it a book, or a site?). If I do AoPS starting in the summer with other prep, do you think it's possible for me to qualify for AIME through the AMC 12 my junior year? It'll be in February in my junior year as well. I have a perfect score in SAT II Math, if it helps any...?</p>
<p>Also, is qualifying for AIME considered impressive? Or do you have to get to USAMO to be considered "good at math"? Is the AMC something that only "natural talent" geniuses can do well in? Is it even possible to prep for it?</p>
<p>AoPS has lots of practice problems with solutions so that is a great way to start. You should join your math club at school if there is one. I have several math competition and olympiad books, although I don’t really use them lol. The problems on the test are not standard problems and require some creative thinking, so your SAT II math score doesn’t really mean much.
Qualifying for AIME is actually pretty impressive, and it is definitely not something that only geniuses can do.
Btw, you need at least 19 questions right on the AMC 10 to reach the cutoff for AIME at 120 points. If you think you got 19 right, you can guess on two other questions , and even if you get them wrong, you will still make the next round. Good luck!</p>
<p>AoPS has prep books and online courses. There’s not much you can do to drastically improve your score in only a week - most people prep for over a year - so just relax. The problems are all focused on basic concepts, you just need to apply them (VERY different from SAT II math - no pre-calc, all algebra and geometry). I’m sure you’ll do fine, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t qualify for AIME. Good luck!</p>
<p>You should join your school math club or team if you’re interested in this sort of thing. There’s also lots of practice material available on the web at AoPS and other sites. I’m sure that practice helps a lot, but I think you also need a certain amount of talent. My daughter’s school has a handful of kids who qualify for the AIME every year, but certainly not all the kids who regularly participate in the math club. More like the top 1-3 from each grade. The AIME problems are more difficult and there are a substantial number of qualifiers who aren’t able to solve any of them. </p>
<p>@dsi411: I’m not going to do well this time around, but I’d really like to qualify for AIME next year. I have a year to prep for next year’s exam.</p>
<p>USAMO is a premiere hook on your application, especially to colleges like MIT or Caltech (the acceptance rate for USAMO qualifiers is 60%+ at these colleges). </p>
<p>If your focus is not math, then even AIME would be a pretty impressive accomplishment. The best way to prepare is to do past exams, and get the AoPS textbooks as others have mentioned. </p>
<p>Yes, you could definitely qualify for AIME is you prep really well, as long as you have a certain degree of natural talent. For example, I probably will never qualify for the AIME no matter how hard I try because I’m good but not THAT good. Anyways, if you make an account on AOPS you should send me a message on there! I have the same username.</p>
<p>As others have mentioned:
Definitely get the AoPS prep books - they have a lot of clever tricks you can use on the harder problems. (It might be late this year, but definitely get it to prep for the AMC12 next year.)
Also take the old AMC10 exams - both timed and untimed. If you’re not timing yourself, go for the harder problems (20-25). If you’re timing yourself, go for the easier ones - they’re all worth the same number of points.
Good luck on Wednesday! (I’m in the same boat, but taking the 12B, so I’m hardcore prepping right now haha)</p>
<p>@TeamRocketGrunt - Eh, you’ll have no trouble with the first 10 or so problems. Even I was able to answer all of them. Just remember that AIME isn’t something that’s supposed to be easy to qualify for, and like others said, you really do need a level of raw talent, which less than 1% of all of us really have. (I certainly don’t.)</p>
<p>I suppose that’s valid. I’m still going to try, though; I may fail and whatnot, but at least I’ll get better at problem solving :D</p>
<p>I’d really love to tackle one of the unsolved problems in mathematics sometime in the future, actually, but I don’t think I’m good enough to do so. Oh well… :/</p>
<p>Yep, go for it, there’s no harm in trying! If you end up doing less than you would have liked to (like me…) you’ll forget about it eventually anyway. (:</p>
Just remember that AIME isn’t something that’s supposed to be easy to qualify for, and like others said, you really do need a level of raw talent, which less than 1% of all of us really have. (I certainly don’t.)</p>