This year, I took my second American Mathematics Competitions 8 (AMC 8) exam. This year though, it wasn’t like my last one. This one was struck with a winter storm, endless preparation, and shocking results.
Background
The AMC 8 is a 40 minute, 25 question independent exam. It is the prequel to the AMC 10 and 12, and is a great way to gain problem solving skills, build speed in math, and learn new concepts. It is meant for students in and below 8th grade, typically middle schoolers. Last year, when I took it for the first time as a 6th grader, I got 15, which is Achievement Roll for 6th and below. This year, I was aiming towards Honor Roll, which is the top 5% of test-takers.
My Motivation
In elementary school, I hated math. I was always doing math a year ahead of my grade, but it felt harder to me than to others. In 5th grade, I moved schools, and the math program wasn’t that great. I was doing 5th grade math, which didn’t prepare me for 6th grade; 7th grade math, tests every week, and fierce competition between students. My grade was in the 80s most of the time, 90s if I was lucky enough. That year, I purposely skipped Math Olympiad tryouts because I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. My parents did force me to do AMC 8, and little did I know, it would transform my mind and mindset completely. I took the exam and got my desired score (written about in a previous post).
Later, I decided to CBE (Credit-by-Exam) up to 9th grade math, skipping 8th grade math. It went successful, but I knew that it would be harder. So, that summer, I begged my mom to teach me quadratics, complex numbers, and more advanced math skills (not advanced anymore). It was so fun for me, because I was able to sit for more than 3 hours every day, and my summer felt productive and calm. I realized that if I wanted to be good at math, I would have to enjoy it first.
This lead be into preparing for the AMC 8 again. Last year, it was torture preparing. But this time, I would have to ask my mom to teach me. This mindset of wanting improvement lead to me doing more math, which resulted in making me good at math.
How I Prepared
To prepare, I spent 6-8 hours total during the weekends doing math. Obviously, it’s important to take breaks, so I would split my time and have breaks. On the weekdays, I had less time due to school and extra curriculars. So, I did at least 30 minutes per day on those busier days. I used the Art of Problem Solving books, which was written by advanced competition math coaches, and isn’t stressful. There are thousands of questions, so many concepts, and amazing tips in the books. I started with Pre-Algebra in 6th grade. For this year, I used Introduction to Geometry, Introduction to Algebra, and Introduction to Counting and Probability. Honestly, the “Introduction to” books are so much more advanced than they seem. They are targeted to 7-10 graders, and are perfect for math competitions.
I took many practice tests. The official AMC 8 ones are obviously amazing, but can get easier the further you go from the current year. I bought 15 practice tests from Ivy League Education Center. They’re alright; it’s too easy compared to the actual competition questions, many of the answers are inaccurate, and some of the questions ask weird things. But it’s good for refreshing the more basic concepts every now and then. I also got free practice tests from the AoPS website. Students who took the AMC 10 and 12 sometimes make their own practice tests for AMC 8, but they include more difficult concepts that don’t appear in the AMC 8. But there are great questions that you can pick and choose to do.
The Winter Storm
Originally, my test was to be taken on January the 24th (Saturday). Suddenly, a snowstorm struck, and it was too unsafe to have the test on that day. So they moved the dates to the 22nd and 23rd. When my test got moved to the 23rd, I recall having a mini heart attack. Looking back on that, it must’ve been pretty funny to watch. The students on Thursday took the test, but it got cancelled for Friday. It got rescheduled again for the next Friday. This gave me an entire extra week to prepare.
This last week was probably the most beneficial out of all of my preparation. I solidified all of the concepts, learned more geometry, and finally felt prepared.
The Test
My test was held at 6 pm. I felt calm. I stepped into the big auditorium and took my seat. The seat felt incomparably comfortable, and I felt ready. Other students were still looking for their tests, because it was arranged alphabetically. While students were searching for their test, the admin started the 40 minute timer! Thankfully, I found my test before she started, but it was completely unfair to the other students. For the first few minutes, the admin was talking very loudly, and I couldn’t concentrate on the first few questions.
They didn’t sign up some of the students properly, and it wasn’t managed well. I’ve taken the test before, so I knew how to do the test and what to do in situations when there is a distracting environment. At the end of the test, I answered 20 questions and guessed D on the last 5. Some students asked the admin “could I write on my test paper” and “do I have to write this” and things like that. That wasn’t right; they should’ve announced all of the rules at the beginning before the timer began and when everyone was ready.
Also, during the storm, many tests were lost. That was heartbreaking, and even if i didn’t get my desired score, I was lucky enough to safe a safe test, or even take it for that matter.
The After Test
I waited weeks for my results. I knew I wouldn’t get a 20, but maybe a 19. First, the answer keys were published. None of my guesses were correct. Then, one afternoon, after forgetting about the results for a while, I began thinking about my test. I didn’t feel like I got a 19, but 17 was too low. So, I told my mom that I think I got an 18, unsure, and she told me that I did get that. I hugged her and felt happy. Last year, I answered 13 questions right by myself (2 were guesses), and this year, it jumped to 18. I felt proud of myself.
Just a week ago, the Honor Roll result came out, and I was shocked. For previous years, the score was around 18+. In 2025, the score was the highest it had ever been; 19. In 2026, the score was 21! I was very surprised, as that was the historical highest. Either way, I didn’t care, because I was happy with my score.
Next Steps
Next, I will prepare for the AMC 10. It will teach me new math skills, help me gain speed, and challenge me more. The preparation from AMC 8 will undoubtedly be beneficial in my new math journey. I will also try other math competitions, because if I don’t, I’ll definitely regret it later.
A message I have for all students is that it is never too late to improve. You can do anything was long as you are motivated and will put in the time for it. Also, take the AMC 8! It’s great for any middle schooler, good or not at math. Everyone starts somewhere. Take your chance and start now.