Three stages
- Elite Math Track (G3–G5): early competition concepts with targeted training and up to 3 competition entries.
- AMC Accelerator (G6–G8): AMC 8 sprint plus first team competitions such as BmMT.
- AIME Pathway (G9–G12): AMC 10/12 honors, AIME qualification, and elite invitationals such as HMMT / SMT.
Taught by PhD mathematicians, including University of California instructors.
Class ladder
- Elementary competition class (G3–G6)
- AMC 8 Prep (G5–G7)
- Beyond AMC 8 (G5–G8): AMC 10 prep + BmMT
- AIME Prep / Invitational (G8–G12): AMC 10/12 + Stanford Math Tournament
- AIME and Beyond (G9–G12): HMMT team + proof writing
Competitions include AMC 8/10/12, AIME, Math Kangaroo USA, Math League, CML, MOEM, BmMT, and HMMT, SMT, BMT, DMM, CHMT. Students are matched to the track where they can score, not entered en masse.
Summer intensives
Two-week AMC 8 and AMC 10 intensives (G7–G10). High schoolers can join the Sigma Circle math club.
How to start
Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.
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Contact a course advisorFrequently Asked Questions
What grade should Irvine students start competition math in?
Grade 3 is early enough. Elite Math Track serves grades 3 to 5 over 30 weeks with up to three competition entries; AMC Accelerator takes grades 6 to 8 into the AMC 8 sprint; AIME Pathway carries grades 9 to 12 through AMC 10/12 and into university invitationals.
Can Irvine students take AMC 8 and AMC 10 in the same year?
Yes, and many students do both in grade 8. AMC 8 is for students in grade 8 or below who are under 14.5 on test day; AMC 10 is for grade 10 or below, under 17.5, with no lower grade limit. The two sit in the fall and the following January, so they do not clash.
What score qualifies for AIME?
The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) published 100 on AMC 10 and 85 on AMC 12 for the 2026-27 cycle. These are fixed published cutoffs, not percentiles, and they are announced each year, so check the official site. Qualifying for AIME is the threshold admissions readers recognize.
How do Irvine public high school students fit training in?
Summer concentrates the content and the school year consolidates it. The two-week summer intensives serve grades 7 to 10 in groups of 8 to 10 and cover the tested material; the fall classes then work through past papers and remaining gaps. Schools in Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) move through math at different paces, so placement follows the entry assessment rather than school grade level. See the IUSD high school guide for course listings.
Does every student enter the same competitions?
No; we do not register everyone for the same contests. The track covers AMC 8/10/12, AIME, Math Kangaroo USA, Math League, CML, MOEM, BmMT, and university invitationals including HMMT, SMT, BMT, DMM, and CHMT. Students are matched to where they can actually score rather than entered across the board.
What should high school students add beyond AMC?
Team competition and proof writing. AMC and AIME are timed individual papers, while university invitationals score by team and include rounds requiring a full written argument, and neither skill comes from solving problems alone. Both are covered by the Sigma Circle math club, taught in small groups in Irvine and online.
