A focused route through math contests, proof practice, and selective math summer programs.
Programs in this collection (11)
AMC 10/12: Mathematical Association of America. Competition, Worldwide. The gateway to the AIME and the USAMO, sat at a school, college, math circle or learning center that must register the site. The 2026-27 papers are on 5 November (A) and 13 November (B). A site new to the AMC must register by 15 October; only returning managers may use the 28 October late window.
AIME: Mathematical Association of America. Competition, Worldwide. Invitational math exam for students who score 100 or higher on the AMC 10 or 85 or higher on the AMC 12. It is taken in person at Pearson testing centers for an $85 fee, with financial help available. AIME scores determine USAMO and USAJMO invitations.
USAMO / USAJMO: Mathematical Association of America. Competition, USA. Invitation-only, proof-based math olympiads for top AIME scorers, with selection based mainly on AIME scores. Students solve six problems over two days, with 4.5 hours each day, at official regional sites. The MAA invites several hundred students each year.
HMMT: Harvard-MIT Math Tournament. Competition, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Math tournament where high school students compete individually and in teams, usually 4-6 students for the November event and 6-8 for February. Spots are assigned by a registration lottery. The fee is $80 per team and $10 per individual, and financial aid can waive it and cover lodging.
PROMYS: Boston University. Summer Program, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Six-week residential summer of deep, creative work in number theory at Boston University (June 27 - August 7, 2027) for students aged 14-18 who have finished 9th grade. Free, including room and board, for U.S. families earning under $80,000 a year, with need-based aid above that. The 2027 application, including a problem set, opens in January with a deadline at the end of February.
Ross Mathematics Program: Ohio State / multiple. Summer Program, Multiple, USA. Six-week residential summer math program where students work through number theory problem sets, with a daily lecture and small-group discussions. Nearly all first-year students are 15 to 18. The fee is $7,500 for tuition, housing and meals, and financial aid is available.
PUMaC: Princeton University. Competition, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. A high school math competition held each November at Princeton University. Teams of 8 compete in a Power Round and a Main Competition with A and B divisions, and individual applicants are combined into teams of 8. Teams usually come from a single high school, though regional teams may be allowed. Members must not turn 20 before the competition date or have enrolled full-time in college, and a coach registers the team.
Berkeley Math Tournament: UC Berkeley. Competition, Berkeley, California, USA. An annual math tournament held at UC Berkeley in November for high school students in grade 12 or below, with no lower age limit. Students compete in teams of up to 6 or register alone, across Power, Individual and Guts rounds, and the team rounds are designed for 4 to 6 students. The Power Round is a 90-minute proof-based team round. Registration is $15 per student, rising to $25 for late registration, and fee waivers are available.
Stanford Math Tournament: Stanford University. Competition, Stanford, California, USA. US high school students compete on Stanford's campus in teams of five to six, and individuals are placed on teams by location. The fee is $30 per student and includes a t-shirt and meals, with financial aid on request. An online version is open worldwide.
PRIMES: MIT. Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Free year-long after-school research program in which high school sophomores and juniors living in the Greater Boston area work with mentors on math or bioinformatics projects, at least 10 hours a week. Applicants must solve an entrance math problem set.
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC): Stanford University. Summer Program, Stanford, California, USA. Stanford summer math program for students in grades 10 and 11 at the time of application, offered as a residential program on campus or as an online program. Admission is based on math grades, a teacher recommendation, essays and an admission exam. Tuition is charged, with need-based aid.