You’ve made it to the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), after acing the AMC 10/12. You better have done that recently, because you need every minute you can get to master the mindset that will ensure your success. The AIME is a whole new level that puts you among the elite math students of the continent.
The problems are far from easy; they are meant to challenge you to the max and make you think creatively. You will need to use every math skill and knowledge you have, and you will learn new and amazing ways to solve problems.
Make no mistake: this is unlike anything you’ve ever faced.
What do you need to know about the AIME?
The AIME is a tough and thrilling exam that only the best math students in the US get to take. It’s run by the MAA and happens twice a year, usually in March and April.
The AIME has 15 questions and gives you 3 hours. You need to answer each question with an integer from 0 to 999. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. The AIME is part of the AMC series, which is the gateway to the USAMO and the IMO. These are the ultimate math competitions in the world. Nothing is simple at this level of excellence.
If you want to represent the US at the IMO, you have to nail the AIME first. The AIME is not for the weak. It demands a lot of dedication and practice to get ready for it.
Strategies for AIME success
1. Get tutoring (from the right source)
The AIME is not a simple exam that gives you numbers and expects you to manipulate them. Those days are long gone. In this exam, you will face questions that are indirect, complex, and challenging; questions that need you to think, and to be creative in how you interpret and tackle them. No matter how hard you try, you can’t achieve perfection solely by practicing past questions or studying with your peers, or following any of those weak tips you’ve read in a cheap blog post.
Oh, they certainly help. You can improve your scores, but only up to a certain point. There is a ceiling to the effectiveness of these methods. But there is a method that is limited only by the caliber of its source and your determination: tutoring.
Gaining knowledge is as easy as going through a five-minute YouTube video. Not very deep, but it works. Proper application of this knowledge for AIME purposes, on the other hand, is where getting tutoring becomes your best option.
Every competitive exam and test you’ll face in the world of STEM is fundamentally different. They each require different approaches and different ways of interpreting the questions. This is the point of tutoring.
But as I mentioned earlier, how far you will go with this depends on how good your tutor is and the level of proficiency you want to attain.
If you want to get to the point where you can reason out even unfamiliar concepts in mathematics (because your basics are made of diamonds), that’s not too ambitious of you, no matter how bad you think you are. Reach out to us at Wes Carroll Tutoring and Coaching to begin, and the earlier the better.
This is essentially the only strategy we have for you. Every other one on this list should only be used to support this.
2. Practice makes perfect
If you have a good tutor, this strategy becomes a matter of course, because a good tutor doesn’t just explain and go home. A good tutor makes sure you get to practice what they have explained to you; in other words, homework. Beyond that though, you should try to practice as many problems independently as you can. If you can’t get a solution to work for you, then you take it to your good tutor.
An excellent tutor, on the other hand, will fortify your basics because we know that mathematical concepts aren’t standalone; they are interwoven tightly. With a solid foundation, you’ll discover a love for numbers; a love that will get you out and about in search of more, more, more! With a solid foundation, you’ll find that challenges become near instinctive. With a solid foundation, the AIME ceases to be a dreadful, looming test. It becomes a fun challenge, the result of which you take as an indication of how far you have come, which, I assure you, will be very far.
3. Team up with your peers (and teach)
If you can’t explain a concept satisfactorily, you don’t understand it well enough.
There is a certain level of enlightenment that comes with explaining a concept. When you try to explain something to someone else, you have to think about it differently. You have to break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. You have to find ways to make it understandable to someone who doesn’t already know it. In the process, you learn more about the concept yourself. You gain a deeper understanding of it. You see it from different perspectives. You make connections between it and other things you know.
This is why it’s so important to be able to explain things to others. When you explain something, you force yourself to think about it differently. You learn more about it and gain a deeper understanding. Eureka moments aren’t uncommon here.
In a nutshell…
If you have a dream of crushing the AIME, then take action. Dreams don’t come true by themselves. You need a partner who can help you turn your vision into reality – and that’s Wes Carroll Tutoring and Coaching.
Forget the fluff and the generic tips that are unfortunately so common nowadays. You deserve a game plan that fits your unique needs and goals. That’s what WCTC delivers. Wes Carroll is not just another tutor – he’s the ace up your sleeve, the secret weapon that will give you the edge over the competition.
Do you think you can ace the AIME on your own? Maybe you can, but why gamble with your future when you can guarantee your success? WCTC doesn’t just teach; we transform you into a math master. Your success is their obsession.
Practice? Of course. But not mindless repetition. WCTC makes sure you tackle problems with skill and strategy, sharpening your math instincts and intuition. When you write this test, your goal shouldn’t be to pass; aim to own it.
If you’re serious about getting a fresh start in mathematics and rewriting the rules of math supremacy, there’s only one move – WCTC. Reach out today.