You’ve taken the AMC exams, one of the most prestigious and rigorous math competitions in the world. You’ve solved complex and creative problems that tested your preparation, your intuition, and your other mathematical skills. But now, you’re wondering: How did I do? What is a good AMC score, and what does it mean for my future?
The answer depends on the level of the exam you took, your goals, and your journey to this point. And along the way we’ll help you understand how to achieve more of your full potential by mastering skills and habits that are not only key for this exam, but also for challenges you’ll face as you get older.
AMC 8: The foundation
This event is open only to elementary- and middle-schoolers. The only prizes are recognition and the satisfaction of a job well done (which sets the stage for more intrinsic motivation in future years). The AMC 8 primarily tests your ability to make conceptual connections, to think abstractly, and to think creatively under (some) pressure. These are foundational skills that are essential not only for further success on the AMC, but also for most career paths that the AMC helps feed into. Successful preparation for the AMC 8 is the strong and wide base you’ll be building on for years to come.
How do you know if you have done well on the AMC 8?
A score of 5 or fewer (out of 25) is a useful signal here. This is a normal score for the typical middle-schooler. For the gifted student, however, this is typically (incorrectly) interpreted as either a one-time fluke or a grading mistake. In fact, it’s usually evidence of lack of appropriate intellectual challenge in the rest of the student’s academic environment. In other words, they don’t typically encounter anything truly difficult, and as a result, they don’t have a playbook for dealing with it. Instead, they clutch. This will be a serious problem for this student until he or she resolves it.
A score between 5 and 15 indicates that the potential and basic skills are both in place, but aren’t well-trained. This is actually quite common: these students aren’t very good at the basic skills of learning, because in most cases, they don’t need them. (They can consistently get straight A’s without these skills, after all, so why would they bother to learn them?) They typically improve a lot through learning and drilling those basic skills: how to slow down, how to represent their thoughts on paper, how and why to resist the desire to have an answer immediately, and how to explain their own thought processes.
Note: this score range is usually interpreted as a “bad” score. Resist and reject this framing. Underperforming your potential is the first step on the path to fully realizing it.
A score in the 16-20 range demonstrates mastery most of the fundamental knowledge and the fundamental habits. These students are ready for more complex problems, and therefore should already be beginning preparation for the AMC 10.
A score in the 20s is a “victory lap.” Students scoring here should be preparing primarily for the AMC 10 (or in some rare cases the AMC 12), and their AMC 8 prep should be focused on grit and meticulousness. I.e. the ability to work consistently for an extended period, and without error. While this skill combination is of only modest benefit on the AMC 8, it will continue to be a crucial pillar of continued success in more difficult events. Also, this is one of the “tools in your mental toolbox” that you will continue to reach for from time to time, in specific circumstances, for the rest of your life.
Remember, brilliance is not entirely innate. It’s partly an inborn quality, but it’s also a suite of skills that can be strengthened. All you need is the desire to keep improving, and the expert resources to keep you focused on the right milestones. The AMC 8 is the first step in a long and rewarding journey, a risk-free way to evaluate your skills honestly and expertly, something you can then use to further hone your strengths and more comfortably work with (or work around) your weaknesses.
This is the beginning of a journey that is limited only by your ambitions and willingness to critically examine your own thought processes.
The AMC 10 & AMC 12: Gateways to AIME
The AMC 10 and AMC 12 test basic math knowledge (algebra, geometry, pre-calculus), more advanced knowledge (number theory, combinatorics, probability), and, crucially, key habits and skills (emotional management, self-awareness, executive function).
They are also the gateway to the International Mathematical Olympiad, the ultimate high school math competition.
Each test maxes out at 150 points, but that’s misleading; almost no one achieves a perfect score (and no serious competitor aims for it). A sensible final target is 120 points on the AMC 10, or 100 points on the AMC 12, since these are the historical cutoffs for qualifying for the next round (known as the AIME).
The average score on these AMC exams is about half those target scores: about 60 on AMC 10, or 50 on AMC 12. And remember: on average, people train for these competitions.
So when first-time competitors score in the 50s or thereabouts and feel disappointment because 50 out of 150 feels like failure, I’m quick to re-orient them. Scoring anywhere near the 50s is a great starting point.
But how do you get from there to a standout AMC score?
For starters, you need broad and deep knowledge, and thankfully, you are probably most of the way there because you are an excellent student. (Our self-paced AMC course is a good way to achieve complete mastery.) But even that’s not nearly enough. Here, you need to solve complex and diverse problems by weaving together intuition, logic, creativity, and strategy. To seek and find patterns that can save you time and effort. To develop habits that can save you from careless mistakes. To normalize flexibility so that an initial failure leads to an eventual success. It’s not just practice, practice, practice. Instead, it’s analyze, analyze, analyze your work: what did you do? what could you have done instead? how could you have known that at the time?
This is how world-class performers achieve.
Champions know that it’s not about the hours; it’s about your powers. Here, we practice in a way that tests you, stretches you to your limits, and ultimately expands your powers. This kind of deliberate practice is the secret to mastering these skills (and many others as well).
Deliberate practice requires training and guidance. You need someone who understands what you’re going through and how to help you improve. An exceptional coach who can tailor your sessions to your specific needs and goals; someone who can not only explain concepts clearly, provide paths forward, and motivate you to keep going; but who is also capable of helping you build skills and capacities you didn’t even know you were missing.
If you have the ambition to aim for what might seem only borderline possible right now, reach out to us at Wes Carroll Tutoring and Coaching (WCTC). It’s for students like you that we offer specialized STEM tutoring and coaching, prep for standardized admissions tests, and math competition and enrichment. We help ambitious students like you shine brighter, master the habits of geniuses, and achieve excellence in math and beyond.
It’s a lot more than numbers
Mathematics is a beautiful and rigorous discipline that rewards those who can solve challenging and elegant problems. It’s a way of thinking, a way of exploring, and a way of expressing yourself.
We often mistake it for the study of mere numbers… and in our current educational environment, numbers (in the form of grades and scores) typically get more than their share of attention from us all.
But, ironically, the AMC can be an effective antidote to this kind of thinking even while it checks the all-important admissions box.
That’s because most competitors go on to earn results that help them stand out from even highly-qualified would-be peers. And yet, at the upper reaches of this competition series, one’s score matters less and less as other healthier and more mature drives begin to take over:
Your progress
How did you get to where you are now? What obstacles did you overcome? What mistakes did you learn from? What successes did you celebrate? Your journey is unique and valuable, and it reflects your dedication and perseverance.
Your growth
How much have you improved since you started? What skills have you developed? What concepts have you mastered? What problems have you solved? Your growth is hard-won and meaningful, and it shows your curiosity and drive.
Your effort
How hard did you work to prepare for the exam? How much time did you invest? How much feedback did you seek? How much thought did you put into your practice? Your effort is commendable, and it demonstrates your passion and discipline.
Focus on your journey, your growth, and your effort. This is not the end of your mathematical adventure, but only a huge step somewhere in the middle. There are many more opportunities and challenges ahead of you, and you have the potential and the power to achieve more than you may realize.
Let WCTC help you do that
If you have big dreams and high standards, if you are a student who wants to excel in math and beyond, you need more than just a good tutor. You need an exceptional coach who can help you develop the mindset and skills of a genius.
That’s what the small team at Wes Carroll Tutoring and Coaching offers you. We are not only math experts, but also mentors who will challenge you, inspire you, and support you on your journey to greatness. So don’t settle. Instead, let us join you on your journey so that together, we can unleash your inner genius.