<p>I should probably start by saying that I am a typical straight-A student in a public school: involved in a varsity sport, 5 APs, SAT classes on Saturdays, Columbia SHP on Sundays. This is all nice. At the same time, it is a little boring. I am starting to feel that high school is more of a time for improving one's self rather than one's image. The place to start would be my weakest point: math contests and problem solving.</p>
<p>Although I do quite well in math class, I am not so good at math contests and creative problem solving in general (mid-60 on AMC 12 last year as a sophomore). I just fail to see the big picture in solving any problem. Even my science research teacher has pointed this out. Thus, my question is where can I start improving my problem-solving skills? There are so many books, websites (e.g. AoPS), and online/classroom courses on the subject. I am a little lost.</p>
<p>Any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Art of Problem Solving volumes 1 and 2, work through them, do the problems.</p>
<p>Learn not to give up too early, be willing to spend considerable time on working on problems. Skill comes from practice and experience.</p>
<p>Do practice problems and contests.</p>
<p>Personally, I found the individual topic aops books better and more comprehensive than the aops volumes 1 and 2. However, they also take alot more time to get through. If you’re looking for a crash course to get you good enough to make AIME by february, I think you’re better off studying aops volume 1 and then doing alot of practice tests.</p>
<p>I don’t know if you’ll be able to make it to AIME.
Personally, I would focus on alternative contests</p>
<p>Wow. Thanks everyone. I guess these Art of Problem Solving books are really good.</p>
<p>Just as a point of clarification: I am not looking to make it to AIME by February. It would be arrogant to assume I could teach myself enough in two months to perform at the level of people who have been at this their entire high school careers. I would, however, like to boost my scores and such. The scores are more for measures of personal achievement than for application enhancement.</p>
<p>I also recommend AOPS. Finishing up Volume 1 right now, about to tackle volume 2. (I’m giving myself a year lol…aiming for USAMO)</p>
<p>I made the AIME last year, and I used the AOPS books.</p>
<p>It is important that you do not calculate the minimum score to get a 100.5</p>
<p>I admit that I did all three years I took it, and it only paid off the last time. If there are other questions that you know you can do, do them. Make sure to have enough points to pass, with questions you are confident you get complete.</p>
<p>As for the AIME test, it is fairly difficult, and unfortunately doesn’t require more advanced math so much as a very good understanding in a breadth of areas.</p>
<p>The most important thing you can do is be comfortable looking at problems and analyzing how you would approach them. Do lots of problems, and the ones you don’t know how to do, you find out how to do.</p>
<p>Keep doing that until you take the test, and that approach should help you not panic and be able to tackle most of the problems.</p>
<p>Okay. Experience is a must. Thus, which books is it best to start with? Are the subject-specific books as good as the problem-solving books for experience?</p>