UMD HS math contest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

But, parents don’t know if not told. Many schools don’t have math clubs or admin who encourage these things.

It’s the kids, not the admin. If the kids want it, the admin will support it.

No, our kids and parents ask for things. We are constantly being told no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

But, parents don’t know if not told. Many schools don’t have math clubs or admin who encourage these things.

It’s the kids, not the admin. If the kids want it, the admin will support it.

No, our kids and parents ask for things. We are constantly being told no.

Really? Your high school doesn't allow students to meet in clubs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

So the select few are in the know. And everyone else isn’t worth having. Got it loud and clear.

[Anonymous]

Previous discussion 2019

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/831532.page

The more things change...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

So the select few are in the know. And everyone else isn’t worth having. Got it loud and clear.

I was the PP whose DD did the competition this year and had never participated in any math competition before.

I think the school district should be better about making this available to everyone.

And, I have no doubt the kids that are winning this aren’t just smart but have done a lot of math competitions. Our DD is very smart and highly advanced in math and made the exact cutoff to advance to the second round.

There are certainly kids who might be smarter and/or better at math than she is, who also haven’t done math competitions, who might do better than her. But there is a huge chasm between making it to the second round and winning a top three spot. It does seem the kids who are likely to win this are deep into math competitions already and would already know about it.

That said, I agree that everyone should have the opportunity to participate like my DD did. She found the questions were interesting puzzles and decided to give it a go. I wish everyone could do that if they wanted.

[Anonymous]

As with many things, participation dropped about after COVID year.

https://mathcomp.math.umd.edu/past-contests

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

So the select few are in the know. And everyone else isn’t worth having. Got it loud and clear.

I was the PP whose DD did the competition this year and had never participated in any math competition before.

I think the school district should be better about making this available to everyone.

And, I have no doubt the kids that are winning this aren’t just smart but have done a lot of math competitions. Our DD is very smart and highly advanced in math and made the exact cutoff to advance to the second round.

There are certainly kids who might be smarter and/or better at math than she is, who also haven’t done math competitions, who might do better than her. But there is a huge chasm between making it to the second round and winning a top three spot. It does seem the kids who are likely to win this are deep into math competitions already and would already know about it.

That said, I agree that everyone should have the opportunity to participate like my DD did. She found the questions were interesting puzzles and decided to give it a go. I wish everyone could do that if they wanted.

Did DD enjoy round II?
Round II has 2 hours for 5 questions with huge increase in difficulty between questions, and only the first 2 question are within the difficulty range of Round I.

[Anonymous]

The contest is similar to AMC 10/12, which is offered at more schools.

If your school has AMC participants who qualify for AIME, they are in range for earnings HM accolade in this contest.

If your school doesn't have AMC, the UMD contest is better to request because it's free.

[Anonymous]

It's not football so my kids school wouldn't be interested

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

My magnet kid’s math department emailed it out. My other kid in a W school was not informed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

+1. Just like if your kid is interested in dance, you find the local dance programs. The local dance programs will share information about competitions. If your kid plays a sport, as the parent, you seek out clubs that will help them grow. The coaches suggest showcases or tournaments that would be helpful. If your kid is interested in math, you seek out math opportunities. You're involved in RSM or AOPS. You're looking for math summer programs. RSM/AOPS will suggest AMC competitions. As part of being in that environment, you'll hear about the UMD competition. Or if your local, and your kid is at this level, you're on the UMD page looking for opportunities to challenge your kid in the summer and you'll stumble upon the competition.

It's great that some teachers at some schools, email out the information. But this opportunity is no different than any other EC that a parent seeks out for their child. Parents need to do the work of finding the opportunities. If you didn't know it existed, that's on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

So the select few are in the know. And everyone else isn’t worth having. Got it loud and clear.

No, the questions are hard and not school level test. Without competition experience, they’ll not win anything because it requires combinatorics and number theory which are not taught in school curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone seen this advertised in an MCPS newsletter? This is the first I've seen of it, but you would think that the attraction of a UMD scholarship would bring out a lot of students from a range of HS.

This competition has been going on for a long time.

That doesn’t answer the question of whether MCPS is systematically advertising it or if certain schools do it on their own. This is certainly more interesting to me than Taylor’s Christmas video.

This is not about advertising. Students who are interested in math competitions would already be aware of this contest. The winners are high achievers with extensive experience in competitive mathematics, such as AMO, not students who are simply strong in school math but have never participated in math competitions.

+1. Just like if your kid is interested in dance, you find the local dance programs. The local dance programs will share information about competitions. If your kid plays a sport, as the parent, you seek out clubs that will help them grow. The coaches suggest showcases or tournaments that would be helpful. If your kid is interested in math, you seek out math opportunities. You're involved in RSM or AOPS. You're looking for math summer programs. RSM/AOPS will suggest AMC competitions. As part of being in that environment, you'll hear about the UMD competition. Or if your local, and your kid is at this level, you're on the UMD page looking for opportunities to challenge your kid in the summer and you'll stumble upon the competition.

It's great that some teachers at some schools, email out the information. But this opportunity is no different than any other EC that a parent seeks out for their child. Parents need to do the work of finding the opportunities. If you didn't know it existed, that's on you.

Parents shouldn’t and don’t need to do the work of finding the opportunities. Students can and should be seeking these opportunities themselves. These are high schoolers! They shouldn’t have to have a parent curating their extracurriculars the way you describe. Creepy!