Official AMC12(A) Discussion

Test Preparation
61

<p>USAMO index is (BEST AMC12 score)+10*AIME score.</p>

<p>The advantages of taking the 12B is that you get to try to improve your score--and have the fun of taking another competition. The ONLY disadvantage is the time involved in taking it. In short, there's no reason not to take the 12B.</p>

<p>As for AIME scores for USAMO qualification, you will pretty much always need at least a 7, and that's with a good AMC score and a low-ish cutoff. If you get double digits, you're almost guaranteed unless the cutoff is exceptionally high and/or your AMC score is low. The index cutoff generally ranges (in recent years) from 210 to around 230. That could come down a few points this year.</p>

62

<p>why do you expect it to come down this year. If that is true, then i should aim for a 120+ on the AMC B and hopefully get a 9 on the aime.</p>

63

<p>Just found out officially that i got a 104.5, and i'm a freshman, is that good?</p>

64

<p>On the AMC12 that is a very good score, especially for a freshman.</p>

65

<p>I'm not expecting a 10 or something on the AIME, but is the USAMO index lower for freshmen?</p>

66

<p>how do i take the AMC12b?</p>

67

<p>For freshmen, you only need the "floor" score on the AIME to qualify (which usually is around 7). They don't look at your AMC score when determining USAMO eligibility for sophomores and below.</p>

68

<p>Is there a penalty for guessing on the AIME?</p>

69

<p>Oasis's post isn't quite correct: You do get an index score as a freshman or sophomore (if you take the AMC12), and you can qualify in the initial group of ~160 (now around 240, presumably) who qualify by index score.</p>

<p>However, if you make it into that group, then by definition you have at least the floor score. So you will still qualify if and only if you get at least the floor score.</p>

<p>Floor scores were 6 in 2002, 8 in 2003, 7 in 2004, and 9 in 2005. The floor score will depend largely on the difficulty of the AIME.</p>

70

<p>I'm not sure that since I got a 104.5 I'm going to get even 3 questions right. </p>

<p>What should I do to increase my chances over the next few weeks?</p>

71

<p>anyone know when scores are officially released/sent?</p>

72

<p>when can we see our scores? Are they available now?</p>

73

<p>Scores are sent to the person who administered your test in about 2-3 weeks. But you can check them unofficially, because the person who adminstered your test should have gotten a copy of the answers.</p>

74

<p>numberone: I expect the cutoff to come down a few points this year because the USAMO is being expanded to take 50% more students. But as I've posted earlier, I would be very surprised if the difference is more than a few (3-6) points. Don't expect a 210 to get you in unless the AIME is exceptionally difficult. Also, if you're hoping to get a 9 on the AIME (in a typical year--not 2005), you should probably be going for something more in the 130-140 range on the 12B.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

75

<p>Why are they now taking 375 people for USAMO?</p>

76

<p>Well a wish to extend the competition to even more mathematically-inclined students was part of the reason.</p>

<p>You can read the whole discussion in the forums of <a href="http://www.artofproblemsolving.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artofproblemsolving.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p>