Math Circle travel contest dates this year

Math contests are a fun (but entirely OPTIONAL) part of our Albany Area Math Circle experience.

To help our members plan ahead, I will describe the entire calendar of contests in which members can participate below.  I have broken them down into two categories: travel contests and locally administered contests.  This post describes the travel contests we plan for this coming year.  My next post will describe the locally administered contests we plan.


Harvard-MIT November Tournament (HMNT):  
Saturday November 10 at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA   
This is an ideal travel contest for our younger veterans who have done at least NYSML in the past, but who have not yet done much proof-writing.   Note that participating in this contest rules out participating in PUMaC the following weekend.  It also rules out participating in the (much harder) February 2013 HMMT.  If you are seriously considering this contest but not yet sure of your schedule, please email Mr. Babbitt ASAP to let him know of your tentative (or definite) interest.
HMNT November Cost per student:  $10 registration fee plus modest costs for lunch.  AAMC can put parents in touch with one another to arrange carpools so that parents can share gas and tolls.  Math contests at Harvard and MIT have been done as a daytrip by AAMC mathletes who were comfortable getting up early and sleeping in the car.   If your parents agree, it may also be possible for students to arrange to stay overnight in a Harvard or MIT dorm with a college student host or hostess.   (You would need to bring a sleeping bag, and you will probably be sleeping on the floor.  Note that dorms can be noisy on Friday nights!)  Parent drivers may want to work out arrangements to share hotel rooms (unless they are driving as a day trip.)   Although we will put parents in touch with each other to facilitate whatever arrangements seem most suitable to them, it is entirely up to the parents involved to work out mutually satisfactory travel arrangements.


Princeton University Math Contest (PUMaC):  
Saturday November 17 at Princeton University in Princeton, NJ 
This is a very challenging contest which includes a collaborative team round.   Only experienced veteran students should consider this contest.  It is considerably harder than the AIME, so students who have not yet taken the AIME should not consider it.  But even the AIME is not sufficient preparation, because the team round requires mathematical expository skills.  The team round is proof-based and essay style.  Students need to be prepared to work collaboratively (and remotely) on a google document from Nov 10 through November 16.  In addition, there will be mandatory on-line practice in October for all team members on our AoPS forum.  Non-team members are also welcome to join the on-line practice forum.  Our Math Circle veteran leaders, Matt Babbitt and Zubin Mukerjee, will provide further information about what is expected of team members on the AoPS forum.  If you are seriously considering this contest but not yet sure of your schedule, please email Mr. Babbitt ASAP to let him know of your tentative (or definite) interest.
Cost per student:  $12.50 registration fee (which includes lunch).  AAMC can put parents in touch with one another to arrange carpools so that parents can share gas and tolls.  Parent drivers will probably want to work out arrangements to share hotel rooms.  Due to the distance involved as well as the need to finalize the power round with a final team meeting in Princeton on Friday evening, this event is NOT doable as a day trip.  Although we will put parents in touch with each other to facilitate whatever arrangements seem most suitable to them, it is entirely up to the parents involved to work out mutually satisfactory travel arrangements.

Harvard-MIT Math Tournament (HMMT)
Saturday February 16, 2013 at MIT in Cambridge, MA
This contest has always been extremely hard, and we expect that trend to continue to unprecedented epic levels of difficulty this year.  Only those with extreme tolerance for mathematical endurance should consider this event.  However, mathematical strength is not enough to be selected for this team, since collaboration with other team members will be very important.  It is very important that all members of our HMMT team know one another's strengths and weaknesses so that the "whole can be more than the sum of the parts."  It is also important that all team members encourage one another when the going gets tough, because--believe me!--it will get tough!

Our advanced veteran students who wholeheartedly participate in fall math circle activities including our PUMaC on-line practices on the AoPS forum and regularly attend (most of) our Friday meetings with an extremely positive and supportive spirit that encourages others not to give up when the going seems hopeless will be given first preference in team selection.   All other factors being equal, seniors will be given preference over younger students.   For younger students, participation in previous years' HMMT on-line events or travel events will be a plus factor.  All other factors being equal, younger students who have done well in prior year on-line HMMT events will be given preference over those who attended the travel event and did equally well.

Cost per student for Feb HMMT:  $10 registration fee plus modest costs for lunch.  AAMC can put parents in touch with one another to arrange carpools so that parents can share gas and tolls.  The event can be done as a daytrip if your mathletes are comfortable getting up early and sleeping in the car.   If your parents agree, it may also be possible for students to arrange to stay overnight in a Harvard or MIT dorm with a college student host or hostess.   (You would need to bring a sleeping bag, and you will probably be sleeping on the floor.  Note that dorms can be noisy on Friday nights!)  Parent drivers may want to work out arrangements to share hotel rooms (unless they are driving as a day trip.)   Although we will put parents in touch with each other to facilitate whatever arrangements seem most suitable to them, it is entirely up to the parents involved to work out mutually satisfactory travel arrangements.

New York State Math League (NYSML)
Saturday April 13, 2013 at Biram Hills  High School in Westchester County
NYSML is an ideal "first" travel competition for our students.  It is the statewide math championship for high school students.  It is held in a different place each year.  We (Albany Area Math Circle) were the host league in 2010, Suffolk County in eastern Long Island hosted in 2011, Southern Tier was the host league in 2012.  The 2013 host will be the Westchester-Putnam Math League.    All high school students who attend meetings regularly and demonstrate mathematical and behavioral maturity as well as enthusiasm and persistence are welcome to join our NYSML teams.  Unlike the other travel tournaments, we expect to be able to take as many 15-person teams as we would like to NYSML.  (In 2010, we had three teams with almost 45 students.  If a team is a bit short of 15 students, we can use alternates from other teams and vice versa at NYSML.)

Cost per student for NYSML:  Unknown at this time, but probably around $20 per student (including lunch).  It is a potential day trip (for mathletes who don't mind getting up early and sleeping in the car.)   Some parents and mathletes may prefer to stay in a hotel.  As with all travel contests, we will facilitate parents getting in touch with each other to make their own carpool/travel arrangements.   Although we will put parents in touch with each other to facilitate whatever arrangements seem most suitable to them, it is entirely up to the parents involved to work out mutually satisfactory travel arrangements.

American Regions Math League (ARML)
Saturday June 1, 2013 at Penn State (depart Albany morning of 5/30 and practice with team on 5/31 at Penn State, so students need to miss several days of school for this.)
ARML is the national high school championship event.  It has a format similar to NYSML but the problems are harder.  Albany Area Math Circle students can apply to be on the Upstate NY ARML team.   You will want to wait until you have your AMC, and (if applicable) AIME and NYSML scores before you apply to the team.  NYSML experience and performance will also be a big plus for ARML team selection.

Important info about conflict with SAT testing date:  if you are thinking of doing ARML, please plan ahead for the SAT conflict.  June 1 is an SAT administration date.  It is expensive and time-consuming and may not be possible to arrange a makeup date.  It is MUCH better if you plan to take your SAT subject tests in May rather than June, and/or your SAT reasoning tests in January or March rather than June.  The SAT schedule for this coming year is here.

Cost per student for ARML:  Unknown at this time, but in recent years the cost has been around $300 to $325.  That included a chartered bus from Binghamton to Penn State and back as well as two night's housing in Penn State dorms and some, but not all, meals.  Students also needed about $25 to buy additional meals on their own.  Thanks to Cecilia and Gili's moms efforts in fundraising the NYSSPE donated funds that helped to offset about $100 of the costs per student.

In the next post, I will describe the contests that we expect to be offered locally, without the need to travel.