How would a 6 or 7 on AIME help me?

<p>I'm looking through the RD decisions thread and whoa....</p>

<p>it looks like every one's getting 10 or higher</p>

<p>My top interest field is computer science, and i'll be writing down computer engineering for my major on the application</p>

<p>So I was thinking that a 7 might not be a bad score for a non-mathematics student</p>

<p>and now that I get to know about other ppl's AIME scores, i'm discouraged</p>

<p>It would definitely help you. You have a very strong score. My friend only got a 5 and he got in.</p>

<p>i've never taken it nor have i heard of it before my senior year(while applying for MIT) and I got in. You just need to show passion and creativity and hopefully everything turns out well.</p>

<p>But I'm also a course 7/9 major.....</p>

<p>Doing well at the AIME is certainly not a requirement for admission to MIT. It does show a certain ability for mathematical puzzle solving, not much else. Many USAMO qualifiers are turned down. Demonstrating some creative talent in a science related field will have you stand out much more. And that does require winning the Siemens either. Creative ability and passion in the sciences is a better indicator of acceptance at MIT than results in any single test. You still need to do well academically, but beyond that MIT will closely look at what you can bring to the Institute that furthers its mission.</p>

<p>Hahaha, my highest score on the AIME was a 2, and I was just admitted last week. I'm actually pretty bad at math all around, but MIT looks at other things too. (And I'm not URM.) It's all the more power to you for scoring high on the AIME, but don't get too worked up about one detail on your application!</p>

<p>relax. it's a great score. also, the way you present yourself through your essays is <em>much</em> more important, probably the most important part of your app. I made the AIME once, and got a 4. this is in a school where about 400 people make the AIME every year, so it's not like i stood out in any way by taking it. I got in, but i doubt i would've if i had a 10 instead of a 4 and mediocre essays.</p>

<p>"It does show a certain ability for mathematical puzzle solving, not much else. "</p>

<p>Have you taken the AMC or the AIME? Have you met anyone who has qualified for USAMO? I think that it does suggest creativity that translates across discipline. Some may argue that you can practice for it, but I think it is like math class. They generally teach you all the techniques for the exam, but the guys that get 100% every time generally are the people who could come up with the solutions on their own before they were taught it. Or, if they forget what was taught in the middle of an exam, they can easily re-derive the formula. And that derivation requires creativity. At the very least, USAMO qualification is the best indicator for prowess in mathematics (because all other measures such as grades and SAT's are too easy.) And certainly the type of abstract thinking required for high achievement in mathematics is important for all scientific/engineering disciplines.</p>

<p>It's not an IQ test, admittedly. Some people will have developed their math ability less and won't be able to do as well on the exams, unless they are like Gauss and can derive everything from scratch. So it doesn't say anything definitive about those that don't qualify for the exam. However, I think it does mean that the people who can qualify are at an extremely high level. And also, I doubt there are that many people who could have qualified given the right environment (I doubt there are 1500 people who could have.)</p>

<p>Anyway, I think you are a little too dismissive of what it means. It doesn't mean everything, but it's more reliable as an indicator of talent than any other single indicator.</p>

<p>^same idea applies to an extent for the rest of the olympiads (although after taking USABO I think less in this respect....)</p>

<p>I didnt even qualify and got in.</p>

<p>6/7 is a great score. be proud and be confident in applying to MIT. i know plenty of people at MIT who never qualified for AIME (some had never even heard of AMC).</p>

<p>Yeah, I took the AMC every year because I went to a super nerd high school, and never qualified for the AIME. I'm now a junior in MechE. Don't worry about it. =)</p>

<p>
[quote]
It doesn't mean everything, but it's more reliable as an indicator of talent than any other single indicator.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That is a huge overstatement. I know the AIME very well. I helped my daugther prepare for it. It has very little to do with true knowledge of mathematics: very basic algebra, some geometry, no calculus, no analysis, no proofs.. At least the USAMO and IMO involve proofs and some combinatorics and some very challenging problems. A USAMO or IMO MEDALIST is clearly showing talent in mathematics. I studied with many very strong mathematicians and several went to MIT for PhDs in math where they excelled. None ever participated in the USAMO or IMO but easily outperformed many others who did. While I was good in math in college, I was nowhere near their level. Still, 30 years later, I still get an 8 to 10 on the AIME under timed conditions. Is it an indicator that I have the talent to become a good mathematician? Hardly! It just shows that I am just very good at logical puzzles. It is also a highly trainable skill. I got my daughter from a 2 to a 5 in one month of practice after she qualified for the AIME. Is it harder than speed Sudoku, cubing or solving the Sunday Times crossword puzzle? I don't think so. It does provide some measure of logical skill ability, beyond what the SAT can measure. But it is NOT a measure of true mathematical talent and certainly not a measure of who will be among the top achievers at MIT. If we are looking at some indicator of future performance at MIT I would venture to claim the top finalists on the science fairs such as the Intel or Siemens competitions do much better than most USAMO finalists. Same thing for those who get a research paper published. At least they have to create something from scratch even if they often get some help. These are long term projects that truly require a passion for science.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Still, 30 years later, I still get an 8 to 10 on the AIME under timed conditions.

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</p>

<p>^^^^ Wow.. you must be very well educated. For an adult no longer competing in the high school or college math contest 'circuit' to get a high score on the AIME is pretty impressive. The technical level of math on AIME is not high but the test does assess the flexibility of your mind.</p>

<p>
[quote]
It has very little to do with true knowledge of mathematics

[/quote]
Who said "talent" had anything to do with knowledge of mathematics?</p>

<p>I have the same question as the OP; on the most recent AIME i received a 6 (and made the dumbest adding mistake on #11-i forgot to add a number to my final answer -_-). However, I think that everyone answering "I've never taken this test and I got in" doesn't really address the OP's question--does a 6 or 7 actually HELP you? USAMO, granted, seems to help alot--almost every USAMO qualifier gets into MIT. However, there doesn't seem to be a trend among those that can score in the 6s or 7s on the AIME. Almost as many get rejected as are accepted, or so I see with the trends on CC.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Some may argue that you can practice for it, but I think it is like math class.

[/quote]
?It's a fact that this test is study-able. Granted, it's a level higher than math class--those that even have a chance of doing well are those that, as you put it, consistently get 100s in class. However, it's DEFINITELY study-able (is that even a word?) The "people who could come up with the solutions on their own before they were taught it" don't really apply here...there are VERY FEW PEOPLE who are born knowing how to solve AIME problems without having done anything remotely like it!! Unless I'm wrong and have below-average-AIME-level-intelligence, but I studied for this test more than I've ever studied for a single class or standarized test. I remember the first time I took this test I got about a 50 for the AMC12s then .....I did AoPS book 1 which took me about two months, and then i did a month of practice AMCs (i screwed up the AMCs, and so kinda gave up and didn't study for the AIME) and I got a 114/6. I don't know what you mean by not being able to practice for this contest, but I definitely improved after doing ~3 months of practice.</p>

<p>
[quote]
almost every USAMO qualifier gets into MIT

[/quote]

That is definitely not the case. Top 12 USAMO scorers and IMO qualifiers more likely.</p>

<p>I think the problem here is people assume USAMO is enough...but really, you don't get into "star" status unless you qualify for MOP (and the later in high school you qualify, the more impressive it is).</p>

<p>i dont believe usamo can be used as a single parameter to predict MIT acceptance. almost all of the the usamo qualifiers i know are extremely strong in other areas of school--in literature, history, and even the arts sometimes. i asked a lot of them and many of them told me that usamo is just one jewel on their application "crown." i think admission to MIT works more in the way of "look at the opportunities ive been presented, and then look at my accomplishments." the latter needs to be exceptionally greater than the previous (the comparison is highly subjective at best). usamo is indeed a high accomplishment, but we need to take into consideration if you are from an insanely good school (thomas jefferson, aast, exeter, etc.) or any other benefits that most others don't enjoy.
thats just me 2 cent.</p>

<p>OP, I agree with tongchen and cellardweller. Their posts reflect what I
have seen at my school as well.</p>

<p>On the flip side in a school which does offer AMC and hence AIME,
not taking it a single year shows a lack of interest that has hurt
applicants from my school this year and in the past.</p>

<p>MOP/IMO == good, USAMO == nice, AIME+AMC/Just AMC == Shows interest in Math</p>

<p>I don't know what schools you guys go to, but nobody has made MOP/IMO in my school for a decade. However we did have a few USAMO qualifiers, none of which applied to MIT last year. so if I don't qualify, which I won't, does that fall into the category of "had lots of opportunities but failed miserably nonetheless"</p>