<p>I need some advice. I'm taking the AMC12A this year (as a junior), and I want to qualify for AIME and then USAMO.</p>
<p>I took Geometry pre-ap in 7th grade, Algebra 2 in 8th, Pre-Cal in 9th, and Calc BC last year as a sophmore. I also got a 5 on the AP exam and an 800 on the SAT2 Math Level II exam.</p>
<p>Do I have a pretty good shot at going to the next round? (from AMC12A -> AIME)</p>
<p>And if I do AIME, I think I can get to USAMO with a lot of preparation. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>That is very impressive. How much competitive math experience do you have? <a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.artofproblemsolving.com</a> is the best resource. I would suggest buying their AoPS Volume I and AoPS Volume II. If you do well in those, I would suggest ACoPS (Art and Craft of Problem Solving). They have several old practice tests on the website. Also, you can attend their Math Jams or take their specialized courses in Geometry, Number Theory, Probability, or Algebra, if you feel the need. They have books for each specific subject.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I participated in MathCounts in middle school in 7th and 8th grade. (not sure if you guys have heard of it)</p>
<p>I took AMC10A last year, but I didn't prepare at all (a friend of mine signed me up for it and I just paid him the $ for it, I had no idea about this whole AMC/AIME business until afterwards), and I scored a 113. I think I needed a 120 or something to pass to the next round.</p>
<p>Also, could you give me the link for volume 1 and volume II? The site seems to be riddled with information. I don't have much time right now to dig through it to find the 2 books.</p>
<p>For the AoPS books: <a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Books/AoPS_B_Texts.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Books/AoPS_B_Texts.php</a>
For all books: <a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Books/AoPS_B_Item.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Books/AoPS_B_Item.php</a></p>
<p>I can't wait to make INTERNATIONALS! I'll make it in my high school career no matter what! I made USAMO for AMC8, now it's 2 tries for AMC10 and 2 tries for AMC12. Since I'm pushing even further into math, I think I'll make it.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure you can't qualify for the USAMO from the AMC 8... do you mean you went:</p>
<p>AMC 8 ---> AMC 10/12 --> AIME ---> USAMO ?</p>
<p>Also, for the OP: the art of problem solving book volume 2 and all the practice tests on the aops site are REALLY amazing... you seem to be really talented at math, so with some preparation, you should have a very good chance.</p>
<p>Yes you can...I went from AMC 8 and was invited to take the AMC 10, then I qualified for AIME and made within the top 250 for USAMO, but I didn't know pre-calculus well enough so I obviously didn't make it.</p>
<p>yeah Masterus, I don't understand why you are lieing....AMC8 does not advance onto AIME.</p>
<p>And follonthehill, thanks. I'll buy the Volume 2 book.</p>
<p>Wait, on the AoPS site, it says I should master the problems in Volume 1 before moving onto 2. Is this really necessary? Can I just skip to Volume 2?</p>
<p>Here: Read about AMC 8, Apparently you guys never made it. <a href="http://www.unl.edu/amc/e-exams/e4-amc08/amc8.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.unl.edu/amc/e-exams/e4-amc08/amc8.shtml</a></p>
<p>Plus I originally said;
"Yes you can...I went from AMC 8 and was invited to take the AMC 10, then I qualified for AIME and made within the top 250 for USAMO, but I didn't know pre-calculus well enough so I obviously didn't make it."</p>
<p>By the way, not many people do it, which is probably why you haven't heard about it.</p>
<p>Oh, my apologies. Well first of all, not many people take AMC8 to begin with. So that begins the chain of rarity. Oh and sorry, you must've made your response earlier while I was typing mine. Otherwise, I wouldn't have accused you of lying. Sorry.</p>
<p>Anyways, back to the original subject.</p>
<p>to the OP:
the amc 12 is a lot easier to pass than amc10. also, all the stuff you have said (precalc freshman, 800 sat ii, 5 on bc exam) cannot really gauge how you will do in competition math. a lot of kids from my school have done the same that you have but don't quite do so well on AIME</p>
<p>the AIME is pretty hard to pass; stupid mistakes will cost you</p>
<p>DS1 took AMC10 and 12 last year as a sophomore and qualified for AIME via both tests. DS tells me AIME problems are a LOT different and much more difficult than AMC. Average score on AIME is a ~2.8 out of 15, if I recall correctly. BC Calc 5s and 800s are no guarantee of success in AIME or beyond.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I need some advice. I'm taking the AMC12A this year (as a junior), and I want to qualify for AIME and then USAMO.</p>
<p>I took Geometry pre-ap in 7th grade, Algebra 2 in 8th, Pre-Cal in 9th, and Calc BC last year as a sophmore. I also got a 5 on the AP exam and an 800 on the SAT2 Math Level II exam.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I really can't tell you how you'd do on the AMC tests based on the info you gave because the skills required for them are very different from those required for normal coursework. The only way to know is to try some problems and see how you do.</p>
<p>Join the school math team.</p>
<p>Predator-I have no doubt you'll get into the AIME. However, doing well on Calc BC, and SAT Math 2c is alot different than the stuff on the AMC. For example statswise, my school has over 60% BC students get 5s, but alot less qualifying for the AIME. Getting into the USAMO gets very tough when you're a junior and senior. You have to make the index cutoff-which means you need a strong AMC 12 typically 130+ and strong AIME 10+.</p>
<p>No, it's easier in AMC12...It's 100+, but the problems are much more INTENSE than the AMC10.</p>
<p>Yea, you only need a 100 on the AMC 12 to qualify for the AIME, but if you also want to qualify for the USAMO as a junior or senior, you're USAMO index (which is you AMC 12 score + 10*AIME score) should be at least 220.</p>
<p>So if you get only a 100 on the AMC 12, you'll probably need a 12 to qualify for the USAMO.</p>
<p>Sorry masterus for the confusion. I must have misunderstood you when you said "I made USAMO for AMC8." I just assumed that you were saying you made USAMO directly from AMC 8, my apologies for that.</p>
<p>Anyways, for all other middle schoolers:
AMC 8 ---> AMC 10/12 --> AIME ---> USAMO </p>
<p>That is the way to usually be invited to take the USAMO if you are in middle school. However, even if you cannot take the AMC 8, you can usually register at a nearby high school. Personally, when I got the AMC 8 perfect score, I wasn't invited to take the AMC 10 or 12 at the local high school, and I was kind of annoyed that I missed out. So don't take the AMC 8 and assume that you will be invited to take the AMC 10 or 12 as long as you get 25 correct, as it did not happen to me. </p>
<p>On another note, this year, there are several changes to the AMC 10/12 test. Questions that are left blank are now given 1.5 points instead of the original 2.5. So make sure to be scoring consistent 100s on that AMC 12 using the new calculation method! Good luck everyone!</p>