Tag Archives: fall-courses

Fall is the golden time to prepare for the American Math Competitions!

The period of time between 4th-8th grade is most critical to the development of students’ mathematical fascinations, interests, and skills!

• How to Prepare for the AMC 8
• 2025 AMC 8: 19 perfect scorers. 57 students got the DHR. 33 students got the HR.
• 2024 AMC/AIME: 104 AIME qualifiers. 1 AMC 10 perfect scorer. 1 AMC 12 perfect scorer.
• 2024 JMO/AMO: 8 USAMO Awardees and 7 USAJMO Awardees
  • 1 USAMO Gold Award, 1 USAMO Silver Award, 4 USAMO Bronze Awards, and 2 USAMO Honorable Mention Awards.
  • 1 USAJMO Top Winner, 1 USAJMO Winner, and 5 USAJMO Honorable Mention Awards.
• 2024 MOP: 4 MOP winners.
• How To Use A Solutions Manual Correctly?
• The Learning Trifecta: Preview, Note-taking, and Review
• The Golden Rule of Learning Mathematics: Transitioning from Memorization to Deep Understanding and Creative Thinking
• Over-Reliance on Calculators: A Heavy Burden on Fundamental Education

Fall Session (Algebra)

10 Classes (Eastern Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm), Total: 20 Hours
9/6, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4 (Midterm Mock Test/Review), 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8 (Final Mock Test/Review)

Course Outline

Class Handout Sample

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register and pay. (Two spots are available!)

Tuition (including all materials)
New Student	Via Zelle:  $700 (Phone: 240-300-4380) Please include your child’s name and “AMC 8 Fall” in the “Memo” box.
	Via PayPal: $730
Returning Student	Via Zelle:  $680 (Phone: 240-300-4380) Please include your child’s name and “AMC 8 Fall” in the “Memo” box.
	Via PayPal: $710
Click HERE to see payment and refund policy.

• This is a live, interactive class, rather than a pre-recorded one. Instructors actively engage with students by asking questions, and students are encouraged to participate by asking their own questions during class or via email after class.
• All lessons are recorded, allowing students to review and reinforce their learning through self-study. According to our policy, recorded class videos are strictly available to enrolled students and are not shared with parents.

In last year’s AMC 8 / MathCounts Fall Algebra Course, we didn’t just teach algebra — we predicted the contest. Every algebra problem on the 2025 AMC 8 was either identical to or strikingly similar to examples we had covered in class. Our students walked in recognizing the problem types, applying proven strategies with confidence, and walked out with higher scores.

Each year, we rebuild our course handouts from the ground up using the newest AMC 8 problems. We study the work of 16 official AMC 8 problem writers — their past contest questions, published math problems, and even their research papers — to uncover the patterns in how they think and design problems. Using these insights, we craft targeted, contest-style problems that train our students with precision.

We also handpick past problems written by these same test creators — many of which later appear on the AMC 8 itself. For our students, that means instant recognition, quick solutions, and an easy extra 1–3 points on test day.

We warmly invite you to enroll in our online course — an efficient and effective way for students to engage with experienced instructors from anywhere. Classes are conducted via Google Meet, allowing students to interact face-to-face with teachers, learn proven strategies and shortcuts for excelling on math contests, and receive personalized guidance and support. Students can ask questions in real time and work through problems under the supervision of our expert coaches.
Click  HERE for detailed instructions.

To gain the full benefit of the course, we recommend a commitment to the complete program. This ensures students master the key concepts, strategies, and techniques needed for long-term success.
Click HERE to review our attendance, absence, cancellation, and makeup lesson policy.

• We will help students gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills different from those in the school classes, motivation, and perseverance for reaching their full potential.
• We will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve competitive math problems as well as test-taking tactics.
• The emphasis of this class will be on comprehensive problem-solving in algebra, which is very common in competitive math, but is not included in school curriculum.
• We will utilize a highly effective teaching model as described in the article: Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model.

Instructor: Dr. Henry Wan

Purpose: To prepare for math competitions, such as

• AMC 8 — Thursday, January 22, 2026.
• MATHCOUNTS
• Math Kangaroo Contest
• Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS)

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  240-300-4380   
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

Specific Goal of the 2026 AMC 8:

Achieve a score in the top 5% of all participants and earn a National Honor Roll Certificate.

Specific Goal of the 2025 AMC 10:

Score 90 or higher out of 150 to qualify for the National Achievement Honor Roll Certificate.

Specific Goal of the MathCounts:

Place among the top individual competitors at the chapter level and advance to the state competition.

There are many math competitions in the United States, but only one path leads to the International Math Olympiad (IMO) — the world’s most prestigious high school math contest:

AMC → AIME → USAMO.

Click here to read more!

Description:

Our curriculum is designed to enhance the mathematical abilities of students in grades 3–8, with a strong focus on preparing them for prestigious math competitions such as the AMC 8, AMC 10, MathCounts, MOEMS (Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools), Math Kangaroo, and Math League.

We use a wide variety of contest-level problems — including all past official AMC 8 questions, the first 15 problems from previous AMC 10 exams, and MathCounts problems from the school, chapter, state, and national levels — to teach students effective problem-solving strategies.

These challenging and engaging problems help foster students’ enthusiasm for mathematics, strengthen critical thinking skills, and expand their mathematical intuition. The course goes beyond the standard school curriculum, ensuring students are consistently challenged and stay ahead of the curve.

Benefits:

• 16 tutorial handouts (640 pages) developed by Dr. Henry Wan and 500 new problems similar to AMC 8 level from the licensed AMC Database. Click HERE to see a typical class handout sample we developed.
• 4 FREE mock tests, each of which has 25 questions taken from the licensed AMC Database. Mock tests are calibrated to be at the same difficulty level as the real AMC 8. Surprisingly, some problems in our previous mock tests appeared in the recent official AMC 8 tests, as shown at:
  • Problem 23 on the 2023 AMC 8 is Exactly the Same as a Problem on Our 2022 AMC 8 Mock Test
  • Two Problems on the 2020 AMC 8 are Exactly the Same as Two Problems on Our Sample 2017 AMC 8 Mock Test
• FREE registration for local students for the AMC 8 Contest on January 22, 2026. Please see: The Online AMC 8 Contest at the Ivy League Center on January 22, 2026
• FREE registration for local students for the AMC 10A — November 5, 2025 and AMC 10B — November 11, 2025. Please see: The AMC 10/12 Contests on November 5, 2025, and November 11, 2025

Grade Levels: Rising Grades 3-8

Class Outline:

This class is designed to equip students with efficient techniques, shortcuts, and strategies for solving competitive math problems, along with essential test-taking tactics. The primary focus will be on comprehensive problem-solving in algebra — an area that is especially critical in math competitions.

This class equips students with efficient techniques, smart shortcuts, and proven strategies for tackling competitive math problems, along with essential test-taking skills. The primary emphasis will be on comprehensive problem-solving in algebra — a subject especially critical in math competitions.

Note: We may adjust the content and pace of instruction based on students’ progress and performance to ensure the best possible learning outcomes.

Homework:

Assignments will focus on the final 15 problems of the AMC 8, the first 10 problems of the AMC 10, and medium- to hard-level questions from MathCounts competitions. Students will receive a curated collection of 500 original practice problems from the licensed AMC problem database. Each problem is carefully chosen to match the difficulty and style of the more challenging official AMC 8 questions, helping students develop confidence, precision, and mastery in competition-level problem solving.

Read more at:

• Problem 23 on the 2023 AMC 8 is Exactly the Same as a Problem on Our 2022 AMC 8 Mock Test
• Some Hard Problems on the 2023 AMC 8 are Exactly the Same as Those in Other Previous Competitions
• Two Problems on the 2020 AMC 8 are Exactly the Same as Two Problems on Our Sample 2017 AMC 8 Mock Test
• Some Hard Problems on the 2016 AMC 8 are Exactly the Same as Previous Problems on the AMC 10/12 and the Other Competitions
• The Hardest Problems on the 2017 AMC 8 are Extremely Similar to Previous Problems on the AMC 8, 10, 12, Kangaroo, and MathCounts
• The Hardest Problems on the 2018 AMC 8 are Nearly Identical to Former Problems on the AMC 8, 10, 12, and MathCounts

Homework Expectations and Feedback Process:
Students should expect to dedicate a minimum of 6 hours per week to homework assignments, which are an essential component of our courses, described in the article: Homework assignments are a fundamental part of our courses. Click HERE to view a sample homework set we’ve developed.

Each week, we will review and provide detailed feedback on the homework of three students, rotating through the class to ensure every student receives individualized attention at least once per cycle. After all students have had their work reviewed, the rotation begins again. Based on each week’s reviews, the selected students will also receive personalized recommendations and targeted support to strengthen their skills.

For more information, please see: Homework Correction is very Important — We Give an Extensive Correction of the Incorrect Answers of All Homework.

Practice Makes Perfect: The Key to Success
To excel in challenging math competitions like the AMC and MathCounts, there’s no substitute for consistent practice. Just like in sports or music, repetition and effort are essential to mastery. We believe deeply in the power of effort and the malleability of intelligence — any student can dramatically improve through dedication and persistence. With hard work and the right guidance, success is within reach.

Our curriculum is backed by a comprehensive “big data” system that includes all past AMC 8 exams (1985–2025), AMC 10 exams (2000–2024), and MathCounts problems (1990–2025). Using AI-powered data mining and predictive analytics, we’ve analyzed these problems by type, frequency, style, and difficulty. This allows us to identify recurring patterns and fully decode the structure of AMC and MathCounts contests.

We openly share this decoded knowledge with our students, helping them understand not just how to solve problems, but how to recognize and anticipate them. Nearly every recent AMC or MathCounts problem has clear “ancestors” in past contests—and we train students to spot them.

The most effective way to prepare is to practice with real past problems, guided by our system, our methods, and our expert coaching. Let the data — and your effort — work for you.

Main Purpose:

Our primary goal is to help students develop a deep understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts, build a strong foundation, and cultivate the critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for long-term academic and professional success. We strongly believe that mastering the fundamentals is the key to lifelong benefits in math and beyond.

Regardless of a student’s current level, we provide a supportive, engaging, and collaborative learning environment where students can explore math with curiosity and confidence. Most importantly, we strive to make learning fun, enjoyable, and enriching, because we believe that students learn best when they are motivated and having a great time.

Our Students

In 2024, we had 90 students who obtained top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 10 of our students were among the top 116 worldwide winners (Perfect Scorers).
• 54 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers. They were among the 697 worldwide winners. 
• 29 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers. They were among the 2,683 worldwide winners. 
• 93 out of our 96 students (96.9%) received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America

Read more at: 2024 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Ten Students Received Perfect Scores 

In 2023, we had 99 students who qualified for the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or the AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 11 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10B: Ali R. and one of our students was among the 13 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 12B: Yaoyun X.  Read more at: 99 Students Qualified for the 2024 AIME and 2 Students Received Perfect Scores on the 2023 AMC 10/12

In 2023, we had 8 students who won USAMO awards and 7 students who won USAJMO awards.

• 1 USAMO Gold Award, 1 USAMO Silver Award, 4 USAMO Bronze Awards, and 2 USAMO Honorable Mention Awards.
• 1 USAJMO Top Winner, 1 USAJMO Winner, and 5 USAJMO Honorable Mention Awards.

Read more at: 2023 USAMO and USAJMO Awardees Announced — Congratulations to Eight USAMO Awardees and Seven USAJMO Awardees

In 2023, we had 90 students who obtained top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 8 of our students were among the top 81 worldwide winners (Perfect Scorers).
• 51 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers. They were among the 697 worldwide winners. 
• 31 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers. They were among the 2,571 worldwide winners. 
• 90 out of our 93 students (96.8%) received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America.

Read more at: 2023 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Eight Students Received Perfect Scores

In 2022, we had 96 students who qualified for the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or the AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 6 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Justin W. and one of our students was among the 3 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 12B: Ming Y. Read more at: 96 Students Qualified for the 2023 AIME and 2 Students Received Perfect Scores on the 2023 Fall AMC 10/12

In 2022, we had 3 students qualified for the Math Olympiad Summer Program. Read more at: Brendon J., Kyle S., and Isabella Z. Qualified for the 2022 Math Olympiad Summer Program

In 2022, we had 1 student Competes in International Girls’ Math Olympiad. Read more at: sabella Z. Competes in International Girls’ Math Olympiad

In 2022, we had 7 students qualified for the USAMO and 7 students for the USAJMO. Read more at: 2022 USAMO and USAJMO Qualifiers Announced — Seven Students Qualified for the USAMO and Seven Students for the USAJMO.

In 2022, we had 88 students who obtained top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 10 of our students were among the top 131 worldwide winners (Perfect Scorers), as shown in Table 1. Click Here see a full list of the 131 worldwide winners.
• 52 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers. They were among the 1,010 worldwide winners. Click HERE see a full list.
• 26 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers. They were among the 2,449 worldwide winners. Click HERE see a full list.
• 88 out of our 91 students (96.7%)received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America

Read more at: 2022 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Ten Students Received Perfect Scores

In Fall 2021, we had 93 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 5 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Nina L. and one of our students was among the 2 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10B: Ming Y. Read more at: 93 Students Qualified for the 2021 Fall AIME and 2 Students Received Perfect Scores on the 2021 Fall AMC 10/12

In 2021, we had 6 students qualified for the USAMO and 6 students for the USAJMO. Read more at: 2021 USAMO and USAJMO Qualifiers Announced — Six Students Qualified for the USAMO and Six Students for the USAJMO

In Spring 2021, we had 91 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. Two of our students was among the 17 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 12A: Evan L. and Suraj O. and one of our students was among the 27 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Xinchen L. Read more at: 91 Students Qualified for the 2021 AIME and 3 Students Received Perfect Scores on the 2021 AMC 10/12

In 2021, we had 8 students who got into the MathCounts state-level top 10. Yunyi L. won 9th Place in the 2021 MathCounts National Competition!

In 2020, we had 79 students who obtained top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 5 of our students were among the top 57 worldwide winners (Perfect Scorers).
• 49 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers.
• 25 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers.
• 79 out of our 81 students (97.5%) received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America.

Read more at: 2020 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Five Students Received Perfect Scores

In 2020, we had 82 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 11 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 12A: Yiyang X, and one of our students was among the 13 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Jason W.. 43 middle schoolers and 9 elementary schoolers qualified for the AIME!

In 2019, we had 71 students who obtained top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 8 of our students were among the top 151 National Winners (Perfect Scorers), including 2 sixth graders.
• 36 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers, as shown in Table 2.
• 27 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers, as shown in Table 3.
• 71 out of our 73 students (97.3%) received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America

Read more at: 2019 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Eight Students Received Perfect Scores

In 2019, we had 4 Students Qualified for the USAMO and 4 Students for the USJMO.

• Of the 280 USA Math Olympiad national qualifiers, 4 are our students: Luke C., Zipeng L., Sameer P., and Peter P.
• Of the 235 USA Junior Math Olympiad national qualifiers, 4 are our students: Michael H., Noah W., Holden W., and Isabella Z.

Read more at: 2019 USAMO and USAJMO Qualifiers Announced — Four Students Qualified for the USAMO and Four Students for the USAJMO

In 2019, we had 76 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 22 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Noah W. and one of our students were among the 10 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 12B: Kenneth W. Very impressively, 32 middle schoolers and 7 elementary schoolers qualified for the AIME!

In 2018, we had 64 students who obtained top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 3 of our students were among the top 44 National Winners (Perfect Scorers): Eric B., Kevin Y., and Isabella Z.
• 40 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers.
• 21 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers.
• 64 out of our 66 students (96.5%) received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America

Read more at: 2018 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Three Students Received Perfect Scores

In 2018, we had 73 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. Two of our students were among the 35 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Austen M. and Jason W.  and two of our students were among the 21 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 12B: Kaan D. and Edward W. Remarkably, 11 middle schoolers and 2 elementary schoolers qualified for the AIME!

In 2017, we had 63 students who earned top scores on the AMC 8 contest!

• 7 of our students were among the top 75 National Winners (Perfect Scorers).
• 34 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers.
• 22 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers.
• 63 out of our 65 students (97%) received National Awards for the AMC 8 from the Mathematical Association of America

Read more at: 2017 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Seven Students Received Perfect Scores

In 2017, we had 61 students who are qualified to take the AIME either through the AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 28 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Austen M., and two of our students were among the 65 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10B: Ashwin A. and Brad Z. Remarkably, eight middle schoolers and one elementary schooler qualified for the AIME, which is geared toward high school students. Very impressively, Bryan Z., a 6th grader, gained a score of 132 out of 150 on the AMC 10B.Read more at: 2017 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 61 Students Qualified for the AIME

In 2016, we had 36 students who are qualified to take AIME either through AMC 10A/12A or AMC 10B/12B. One of our students was among the 23 Perfect Scorers worldwide on the AMC 10A: Joel (Junyao) T. Particularly, seven middle schoolers and one elementary schooler qualified for the AIME, which is geared toward high school students. Pravalika P., a 6th grader, got a 115.5 out of 150 on the AMC10B, which is very impressive. Read more at: 2016 AIME Qualifiers Announced — 36 Students Qualified for AIME

2011 – 2015: In total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA

2011 – 2015: In total, 23 students achieved perfect scores of 28 on the AMC 8

Read more at: Notable Achievements of Our Students

Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA’s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions.

Great Benefits of Math Competitions

In an increasingly competitive college application pool, the process of mastering math skills through our courses and participating in the American Math Competitions will help students strengthen and diversify their extracurricular activities. These contests can motivate students’ interest and passion in math, and they can discover their talent through solving challenging problems different from those in the school classes. Many top colleges also request AMC scores as part of the college application process. Both MIT and Caltech have entry blanks on their official admission application forms for the applicant to enter their best AMC and AIME scores. Ivy League Colleges and Stanford ask for to the AMC and AIME scores in their Supplement to the Common Application Forms. Your children deserve the chance to list these scores on their applications! Good AMC scores will greatly enhance admission opportunities for students to elite colleges.

Read more at::

• 2020 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Five Students Received Perfect Scores
• Yunyi L. Won the 9th Place in the 2021 Mathcounts National Competition!
• 2020 AMC 8 Honor Roll and Honor Roll of Distinction Cut-off Scores
• 2020 AMC 8 Problem Topics
• Two Problems on the 2020 AMC 8 are Exactly the Same as Two Problems on Our Sample 2017 AMC 8 Mock Test
• 2020 AMC 8 Honor Roll and Distinguished Honor Roll Predicted Cut-off Scores
• 2020 AMC 8 Problems and Answers
• 2019 AMC 8 Results Just Announced — Eight Students Received Perfect Scores
• 2019 AMC 8 Problems and Answers
• The Hardest Problems on the 2018 AMC 8 are Nearly Identical to Former Problems on the AMC 8, 10, 12, and MathCounts
• 20 Sets of AMC 8 Mock Test with Detailed Solutions
• AMC 8/10/12/AIME Problems and Answers
• Why are Math Competitions Important to Girls?
• The Big Value of Middle School Math Competitions
• Great Benefits of Math Competitions
• A Little Competition Can Inspire Math Students to Greater Achievement
• Small-sized Class Instruction-focused Model
• Homework Correction is very Important — We Give an Extensive Correction of the Incorrect Answers of All Homework
• Homework assignments are a fundamental part of our courses
• Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Geometry Problems
• How to Solve Mathematics Problems
• Mathematics competitions are NOT mysterious, and every student can attend them! — 数学竞赛绝非神秘，每个学生都可参加！
• Girls should attend math competitions — 女生更应参加数学竞赛
• 2016 AMC 8 Results Announced — Eleven Students Received Perfect Scores
• 2015 AMC 8 Results Announced
• 2014 AMC 8 Winners for the U.S. Ivy League Education Center
• The Importance of Discrete Mathematics

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Click HERE to find out more about SAT Prep!