<p>Ok, so basically, I can sign up to do USAPhO, USABO, and USAMO in my school this year. If I study hard enough, I can probably get into AIME for math, and maybe USAPhO. So, what do you think I should study for the most? (for those of you who have taken these tests) Which is the easiest? Should I focus wholly on getting into the AIME, or should I use up some time to try to do good on the USAPhO? I probably won't do USABO cause it's too hard, and I've only read like 250 pages out of 1200 from Campbell..any veterans out there willing to share some advice? Thanks!</p>
<p>S did USA--Os in three different subject areas. Got into AIME three times, did USAPhO once and made national semifinalist (top 150) senior year (never told his colleges). He didn't study for either. Made national finalist for the other USA--O (top 12) junior year. That one involved competitions throughout the school year and online study, but it wasn't work for him. It's his passion.</p>
<p>USAPhO was made much easier by having taken MV/DiffEq prior to a intro mechanics/E&M sequence for physics majors. He did no preparation other than taking the course, and found that this was a good level of knowledge to do well on the USAPhO. </p>
<p>He did USAMTS junior year, where he found the discipline of proofs good practice for AIME. However, he was never much into the math competitions (and he's a math major).</p>
<p>A friend of his made USABO semifinals three times and never studied (made USChO a couple of times, too), but he has been all about college-level bio/chem since the 8th grade and is totally self-taught. Had he studied, I have no doubt he would have made the IBO. (He won some other things that support this contention.)</p>
<p>We know a number of folks who have made USA--O finals and international teams. They are almost entirely self-taught well into the upper-level UG and graduate level of their subjects, and they don't do it for the sake of the competitions. They are truly passionate about their areas of study and the competitions are for grins. Some study with professors, some are mentored by a more advanced HS student.</p>
<p>All that said, pick one or two that you are excited about, and see what happens. Colleges like to see you challenge yourself, even if you don't advance. This goes double if your school does not normally sponsor these things and you have to make extra efforts to achieve beyond the coursework your school offers.</p>
<p>Yea, our school never has any of that stuff, so I have to talk to teachers/counselors, pay the money all by myself, and recruit people to take it. How would I let colleges see that?</p>
<p>You would tell them...</p>
<p>Are you serious. GRADUATE?
MASTERS AND PHD LEVEL BIOLOGY/CHEMISTRY?!?!?!!?!
SELF TAUGHT?!?!</p>
<p>For you, I'd say screw USABO, prepare like crazy for USAPhO, and take the AMC but don't worry too much about it...If studying for USAPho gets you to the finals, that's going to look a lot better than AIME (unless you make USAMO, but that's much harder than making USAPhO finals...)</p>
<p>I agree just scratching USABO. I'm basically with DataBox on this - take the AMC but don't bother studying much for it and just put all your effort into physics.</p>
<p>^Alright thanks, anyone know any good sites for USAPhO? Any old practice tests? Helpful sites? Also, how many questions would I need to get right on the first exam? (out of 25 questions) Is it like AMC where you need 100 points to qualify? Thanks!</p>
<p>Is it me or does it seem like the people who win these things are top students at the best schools?</p>
<p>How about the chemistry olympiad? I heard it's even easier than any USAxO</p>
<p>
[quote]
^Alright thanks, anyone know any good sites for USAPhO? Any old practice tests? Helpful sites? Also, how many questions would I need to get right on the first exam? (out of 25 questions) Is it like AMC where you need 100 points to qualify? Thanks!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>^Someone please answer these questions lawl</p>
<p>^Yea lol. The website of USAPhO doesn't explain anything..</p>
<p>BUMP...lol</p>
<p>
[quote]
How about the chemistry olympiad? I heard it's even easier than any USAxO
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Easy is a relative term. Any national olympiad is still going to be 100000x harder than the respective AP exam.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is it me or does it seem like the people who win these things are top students at the best schools?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Either that, or the kids whose parents are college professors or scientists. I had never heard of any of these competitions until the end of the last school year. The professors probably told their kids about USA-whatever in elementary school/junior high and have been preparing their kids since then.</p>
<p>Well, by studying for the USPhO you'll actually learn physics, whereas studying for the AIME will mostly teach you how to do well on math competitions. [1] I'd say go for the transferable skill and learn physics.</p>
<p>[1] And critical thinking skills. But physics should do that too.</p>
<p>lol, apparently my ap physics teacher hasn't registered for USAPhO yet, so no Physics Olympiad for me D: <em>sigh</em>
well, hopefully, I can qualify for USAMO again, although I doubt I'm making blue mop this year...
would you guys recommend taking the open exam for USABO? (i'm not really a bio person, but am currently taking ap bio...tried the 2006 open exam today and scored 34 (would that be a semi-qualifying score?))</p>
<p>College admissions wise: USAPhO, or, whatever you can get to the highest level in, will look the best in that regard.
Other olympiads, you may as well take them for the lulz, if you dont mind paying for it.</p>
<p>idk what level you're at but:
If you just want to qualify for AIME, take the AMC 12 and do like the first 14 and leave the rest blank, should be sufficient for a 100 = AIME qualification. (i think its 1.5 for a blank one.) you can probably get away with 13 right if youre lucky.
If youre confident you can make USAMO, then try to shoot for like a 140/7 or so.. (im trying to minimize the # you have to get right on AIME here..without getting a 150 on AMC, which few people can do.) i think the USAMO index for 2008 was around 210. Plus it gives you problem solving practice which would be good for physics olympiad as well, i am guessing.
So in conclusion, focus on USAPhO, but also study for AIME if you think you can make USAMO because that will be helpful - i should think that qualifiying for 2 national olympiads in the same year would look good.</p>
<p>Aside:
Ok few things came up as i was reading this thread:
1. How do you have a biology/chemistry olympiad, exactly? It seems like these would just be trivia/"have u read this book" contests, i mean at least you can have actual PROBLEMS on usamo/usapho.. if anyone could enlighten me, thatd be gr8, as ive never heard of these before.
2. So, the physics olympiad. is it more "mathematical" i.e. testing math skills or more "conceptual". i may take time out of massive USAMO preparation for physics olympiad, depending on how much i need to know. because i have only minimal knowledge of physics atm as our physics class in school is.. slow-paced.
3. wait, the deadline for usapho has probly passed already. oh well, back to geo. lol.</p>
<p>Anyone? So if you manage to register a group of people at your school for USAPho/AMC/USABO, would the colleges know? How would you even be able to prove that kind of thing?</p>
<p>Also, IF your school just won’t do anything besides prelims for USAMO, can you still take them independently, and if so, would the cost still be as severe as if multiple people were taking it?</p>
<p>Another thing: people here (including DataBox and fizix!!! 
) seem to think that overall, USABO is a more knowledge-based test as opposed to a problem-solving-oriented test. Is this true?</p>
<p>^As a semifinalist and beyond in USAMO/BO/PhO, I can agree with the aforementioned users in that the preliminary Biology rounds are more knowledge-based than the other Olympiads.</p>
<p>As a corollary that may be of some interest to you, my school only offers the AMCs, but I have taken the Physics and Biology Olympiads at other schools.</p>
<p>
Someone here is bitter, isn’t he?</p>