MATHCOUNTS Competition Program Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost?

The School Kit is free.  It includes the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook, poster and Registration Form.  The early bird(postmarked by Nov. 16, 2012) fees are $90 per team (up to four students) and $25 per individual.  The regular(postmarked after Nov. 16, 2012) fees are $100 per team (up to four students) and $30 per individual. Title I schools receive a 50% discount on the registration fees. All schools with registrations postmarked after Dec. 14, 2012 will be charged an additional $20 late fee.  There is no cost for the MATHCOUNTS Club Program.

How do I get involved?

Anyone interested can get involved with MATHCOUNTS. Whether you'd like to start a school coaching program, help with recruiting schools or volunteer to assist at a local competition, MATHCOUNTS welcomes your involvement. To start a school coaching program, you may receive a free MATHCOUNTS School Handbook and other resources by contacting the MATHCOUNTS Foundation or your State and Local Coordinators. You will be provided with everything needed to start a successful school program. To get involved with the MATHCOUNTS Club Program, visit the Club Program page or see the Club Program section of the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook.  To assist with the administration of a local program, which may include visiting your neighborhood school to encourage participation; coaching a school team; serving as a proctor or scorer at a local competition or serving on a committee to organize a MATHCOUNTS program, please contact your State Coordinator.  For more information please visit our volunteer page.

 
How do I register for the competition or sign up my Math Club?

To register for the MATHCOUNTS Competition Program or sign up a math club, complete the Registration Form included in back of the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook and submit the form (along with a check, money order or purchase order if selecting Option 1) to MATHCOUNTS Registration, P.O. Box 441, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. Please refer to the registration form for specific registration deadlines. You can confirm your school's registration by checking the Registered Competition Schools page or Registered Club Schools page.

Who sponsors the program?

MATHCOUNTS was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and CNA Foundation.  MATHCOUNTS is made possible through the generosity of corporations, foundations and individuals. Please click here to meet our national sponsors.

How many students participate?

Each year, more than 250,000 students are exposed to MATHCOUNTS materials and activities in their schools. Approximately 40,000 students from all 50 states, U.S. territories and the State and Defense Department school systems worldwide participate annually in local MATHCOUNTS competitions.

What happens if there is a conflict of dates?

A conflict with a religious observance is the only type of conflict that is accommodated. A student who is unable to attend a competition due to religious observances may take the written portion of the competition up to one week in advance of the scheduled competition. In addition, all competitors from that school must take the exam at the same time. Advance testing will be done at the discretion of the local and state coordinators and under proctored conditions. If the student who is unable to attend the competition due to a religious observance is not part of the school team, then the team has the option of taking the Team Round during this advance testing or on the regularly scheduled day of the competition with the other teams. The coordinator must be made aware of the team’s decision before the advance testing takes place. Students who qualify for an official Countdown Round but are unable to attend will automatically forfeit one place standing.

When are the competitions?

School competitions generally take place in January; Chapter Competitions are in February; State Competitions are in March and the Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition is in May. Please contact your local or state coordinator for specific information regarding the exact date and location of your local and state competitions.

Who can compete?

Students enrolled in the sixth, seventh or eighth grade are eligible to participate in MATHCOUNTS competitions. Students taking middle school mathematics classes who are not full‑time sixth, seventh or eighth graders are not eligible. Participation in MATHCOUNTS competitions is limited to three years for each student though there is no limit to the number of years a student may participate in the school‑based coaching phase.

SCHOOL REGISTRATION: A school may register one team of four and up to six individuals for a total of ten participants. You must designate team members versus individuals prior to the start of the local (chapter) competition (i.e., a student registered as an "individual" may not help his/her school team advance to the next level of competition). Further information regarding student eligibility is available in the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook.

What are the levels of competition?

MATHCOUNTS competitions are provided at four levels: School, Chapter, State and National. Throughout the school year, coaches work with students on the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook problems. In November and December, those coaches who have registered students for the competition receive the school competition by mail to give to Mathletes in January. The School Competition can be used to assist a coach in determining which students should represent their school at the Chapter Competition in February. From there, the top teams and top individuals progress to the State Competition in March. The four top-scoring individuals and the top team coach progress to the Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition in May.

What exactly is in a competition?

MATHCOUNTS competitions are designed to be completed in approximately three hours. Each competition consists of four parts: the Sprint, Target, Team and Countdown Rounds. The Sprint Round has 30 questions, and students have 40 minutes to complete them. The Target Round consists of 8 questions, which are distributed to the students two at a time. Students have 6 minutes to complete each pair of problems. The Team Round has 10 problems for the team to work together within the 20 minute time limit. The top 25% of individuals, up to a maximum of 10, proceed to the Countdown Round, an oral round in which students compete head-to-head.  At Chapter or State Competitions, a Countdown Round may be conducted officially, unofficially (for fun) or omitted.  The Countdown Round is an official part of the National Competition.