American Mathematics Competitions 8 (AMC 8)

Date: January 21 -  27, 2027 SDMC's specific date has not yet been determined.

Location: TBA

Time: TBA

Having received concerns over prospective conflicts with other student activities, and since the AMC 8 exam window includes a weekend, we decided to choose early Sunday afternoon as our exam  time this year.  Our exam rooms are located in the  UCSD Math Department in the Applied Physics and Mathematics Building.  This building may be locked at the time of our event,  so participants and their parents will need SDMC's security  code to access the building.  This will be distributed by private message rather than post it to this public page.

The AMC 8 is a 25-question multiple-choice exam that takes only 40 minutes. The problems are designed to provide an interesting exploratory experience for students in the 6th - 8th grade range; however, there is no lower grade limit. Any student in the 8th grade or below can be a full participant in the AMC 8.

For EVERY student, your AMC exam site is your own school unless your school does not offer your AMC exam.  SDMC is not an elective choice that can be used for your personal convenience.  Always check with your school first, and only request admission to SDMC's exam(s) after confirming that your school will not offer your exam.  This is firm policy that applies to SDMC members and non-members alike.  If after signing up for an AMC exam with SDMC you discover that your school will offer the same exam after all, you are obliged to cancel your SDMC signup and take your exam at your school.

To proceed to signup, follow the link below:

Click through this link to access SDMC's AMC 8 signup form.

Please note!  Your access to the AMC 8 is a two step process for you.  The first step is using the above link is to give us information we at SDMC need from you.  Once you do this, we will use that information to send you SDMC's unique registration link for the AMC's exam management platform.   Your second step will be able to use that unique SDMC link to register on the AMC 8 exam platform.  Very importantly, we cannot help you if you walk into the exam without having completed both steps sufficiently in advance - it  will be too late.

Our timing is rigid; we need students to be prepared to begin on time.  We will need students to arrive prepared to listen to instructions and get immediately to work completing the personal information required on each scantron.  We will begin the exam on time; students who arrive late or unprepared will have to accept the inevitable consequences to their exam opportunity.

DATE TBA

LOCATION TBA

ARRIVE TBA

ENTER We will likely have a photo ID check*

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* AMC now pre-prints student identification on the answer forms - IDs can help us assure that each student receives the correct answer form.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT ITEMS BROUGHT TO THE EXAM

It is often the case that time is lost to confusion over the handling of backpacks and other personal items brought into the exam room that then must be turned in and picked up at the end of the exam period.  Worse, the pile of backpacks and other materials collected inevitably contains a live cell phone that produces disturbance during the exam.  Please help us to avoid all this unnecessary confusion, delay, and distraction by leaving EVERYTHING at home or with parents except 2-3 sharpened #2 pencils, and perhaps traditional geometry tools (allowed, but not required).  Everything that is needed by a student during the AMC 8 can fit in a basic pencil case.  Please do not bring ANYTHING more into the exam room, even paper.  Anything more than a pencil case will be required to be left OUTSIDE the exam room, including personal electronics.

Please be sure to use a #2 "wooden" pencil; these make the best mark on the paper.  Harder than #2 may not darken sufficiently, and mechanical pencils can leave incomplete (spotty) marks.  We have experienced some scanning difficulties related to this, so please help yourself earn your best score by following this important instruction.

Details messaging will be sent directly to every family who has signed up.

Parking:  Parking is not free anywhere on campus.  Self-pay parking is available in numerous lots around campus, in VISITOR spaces only.  The closest choice is the underground Scholars Parking Structure, which is immediately across Muir Lane from the APM.  Permitting and payment can be handled using the ParkMobile phone app, or using the walk-up automats.

Maps:  Please consult the UCSD maps tool to plan your arrival:  maps.ucsd.edu

Schools please note: SDMC cannot financially nor logistically support the AMC 8 as an alternative to school-based administrations. We are the provider of last resort in the San Diego region for students without other practical options. We encourage all middle schools to provide the AMC 8 for their own students; costs in space and time, preparation and staffing are minor. If such costs are an issue, support usually can be found within the pool of families whose students wish to participate; it is not uncommon for families to bear the cost directly and for most of the organization to be delegated to parent volunteers. SDMC is happy to advise schools and parents on how to begin offering the AMC 8.