Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question not listed below, please reach out to us at director@usmath.org.

What changes are there for the 2020-21 season?

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, USMCA is adapting the qualification rules for the 2020-21 year only. Any team finishing in the top 15 at any USMCA partner contest will qualify for the USMCA National Championship. In the event that less than 36 distinct teams qualify for the championship, the 16th team at each contest will additionally be invited, followed by the 17th team at each contest, etc. This announcement supercedes all other posted rules. USMCA will continue to administer an Open Division of the national championship, open to all interested teams. However, the Online Qualifier will not be run for the 2020-21 year.

Who is eligible to participate in USMCA?

High school students and particularly strong middle school students, or international equivalent. To inquire about whether you are eligible for a particular USMCA Partner Competition, please reach out to that competition. For inquiries about the National Championship, please reach out to us at the above address.

What constitites a single team participating at multiple competitions? Do the same set of students need to participate?

It is not necessary for the same set of students to participate. We consider two teams at two competitions to be the same if they are registered under the same organization. Any cases with ambiguity will be arbitrated by the USMCA Directors.

My organization fielded more than one team at a competition. How are Circuit Points calculated for us?

USMCA will make a record for every team your organization fielded. At every competition your organization attends, the highest-scoring team from your organization earns Circuit Points for your organization's first team; the second highest-scoring team from your organization earns Circuit Points for your organization's second team, and so on. It is possible for multiple teams from your organization to qualify for the National Championship.

When do I find out if my team qualified for the National Championship?

USMCA will send out invitations to the coaches of qualifying teams in mid-April, after the conclusion of all USMCA Partner Contests.

Who can proctor the National Championship?

Any parent, guardian, coach, teacher, or school official can proctor the exam. Proctors and teams will be required to sign a statement certifying that they followed the rules of the National Championship.

Someone on my team isn't available to participate in the National Championship. What happens if we qualify?

Your coach will be able to roster another student to take his or her place. More generally, teams in the National Championship can consist of up to eight students; teams qualifying via USMCA Partner Competitions where the team size is smaller than eight will have the opportunity to roster additional students.

My team attended multiple USMCA Partner Competitions. Over these participations, more than eight of us competed on our team. If we qualify for the National Championship, who participates?

Team rosters for the USMCA National Championship are at your coach's discretion. So, your coach will be able to select eight of you to participate. Unfortunately, to be fair to other teams, we cannot allow a team of more than eight students in the National Championship.