For students pursuing mathematics competitions

Competition Preparation

Focused preparation for mathematics competitions through challenging problems, mathematical reasoning, and competition strategy.

Ask About Competition Preparation
What we develop

Approach unfamiliar problems with purpose.

MathStudium prepares students for competitions including Noetic Learning Math Contest (NLMC), Math Kangaroo, Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS), and Math Challenge Tournament (MCT).

Students develop both mathematical and competition strategies: how to allocate time, evaluate an approach, check solutions, and make productive decisions under contest conditions.

  • Interpreting competition problems
  • Recognizing useful structures
  • Selecting an efficient approach
  • Considering multiple solution paths
  • Managing time
  • Deciding when to persist and when to move on
  • Estimating and checking
  • Eliminating unreasonable possibilities
  • Working strategically under constraints
  • Communicating solutions clearly

Students may learn efficient strategies, particularly in competition preparation, but the emphasis is on understanding rather than memorizing tricks. Students should understand why a strategy works and be able to evaluate whether it is appropriate for a particular problem.

Current competition pathways

Preparation for mathematics competitions.

MathStudium prepares students to apply mathematical concepts flexibly, reason through unfamiliar problems, and work strategically under competition conditions.

Noetic Learning Math Contest (NLMC)

A semiannual contest for grades 2–8 with 20 problems in 45 minutes. It emphasizes number sense, patterns, algebra, geometry, probability, and logical reasoning. - Grades: 2–8 - Format: 20 problems in 45 minutes; online version allows 50 [Official Noetic Learning Math Contest website](https://www.noetic-learning.com/mathcontest/)

Math Kangaroo

An international contest for grades 1–12 with a 75-minute multiple-choice format. Problems focus on reasoning, logic, and creative problem solving. - Grades: 1–12 - Format: 75-minute multiple-choice test - Questions: 24 for grades 1–4; 30 for grades 5–12 [Official Math Kangaroo USA website](https://mathkangaroo.org/mks/)

Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS)

A monthly problem-solving program and contest for grades 4–8. Students work on five short problems per contest and build flexible strategies over the season. - Divisions: Grades 4–6, 6–8 - Format: Five contests from November through March - Each contest: 5 problems in 30 minutes [Official MOEMS website](https://www.moems.org/)

Math Challenge Tournament (MCT)

A national in-person contest for grades 2–5 that combines mental math with a problem-solving round. - Grades: 2–5 - Format: 60 minutes total - Divisions: Grade-level and accelerated [Official Math Challenge Tournament website](https://www.mathinaction.org/math-challenge-tournament.html)