Category: Blog

AMC10 Rules and Awards

1. Eligibility

The AMC10 is open to students in grades 9 and 10, as well as students who have achieved outstanding results in AMC8.

2. Competition Language

Chinese and English bilingual.

3. Test Format

75 minutes, maximum score 150, 25 multiple-choice questions. Focuses on high school mathematics.

4. Scoring Rules

Each correct answer receives 6 points. Each unanswered question receives 1.5 points, and each incorrect answer receives 0 points. The maximum score is 150 points.

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5. Schedule

AMC 10 US Region (US Time)

AMC 10 A AMC 10 B
Early Registration Deadline September 30, 2025 September 30, 2025
Regular Registration Deadline October 15, 2025 October 15, 2025
Late Registration Deadline October 28, 2025 October 28, 2025
Exam Date November 5, 2025 November 13, 2025

AMC 10 China Region

AMC 10/12 A AMC 10/12 B
Registration Deadline October 27, 2025 November 4, 2025
Exam Date November 6, 2025, 17:00-18:15 (Thursday) November 14, 2025, 17:00-18:15 (Wednesday)
Score Inquiry 6-8 weeks after the competition 6-8 weeks after the competition
Download Electronic Certificate 6-8 weeks after the competition 6-8 weeks after the competition

6. AMC10 Participant Awards

① New awards added in the 2025 season:

New: Top 10% Honor Roll (Global Top 10%)

New: Top 25% Honor Roll (Global Top 25%)

② Original awards remain unchanged

Global Individual Awards:

Perfect Scores: Students who achieve a perfect score of 150

AMC 10/12 Honor Roll of Distinction: Global top 1%

AMC 10/12 Distinction: Global top 5%

AMC 10 Certificate of Achievement: Grade 8 or below with a score of 90 or above in AMC10

AMC 12 Certificate of Achievement: Grade 10 or below with a score of 90 or above in AMC12

Global Team Awards:

School Honor Roll: Sum of the top 3 students' scores in the school ≥ 400

School Merit Roll: Sum of the top 3 students' scores in the school between 300 and 399

Certificates: AMC10 Participation Certificate, AMC 10 Honor Roll of Distinction, AMC 10 Honor Roll, AMC 10 Certificate of Achievement, AIME Qualification Certificate.

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AMC10 Historical Cutoff Scores

AMC10 Honor Roll of Distinction Certificate of Distinction AIME cutoff TOP 10% TOP 25%
2025 A: 136.5 A: 112.5 A: 105 A: 94.5 A: 69
B: 133.5 B: 105 B: 99 B: 87 B: 66
AMC10 Honor Roll of Distinction Certificate of Distinction AIME cutoff
2024 A: 132 A: 105 A: 94.5
B: 138 B: 114 B: 105
2023 A: 136.5 A: 111 A: 103.5
B: 135 B: 112.5 B: 105
2022 A: 121.5 A: 100.5 A: 93
B: 114 B: 100.5 B: 94.5
2021(Fall) A: 117 A: 96 A: 96
B: 120 B: 96 B: 96
2021(Spring) A: 132 A: 103.5 A: 103.5
B: 126 B: 102 B: 103.5
AMC10 (2012-2020) Honor Roll of Distinction AIME cutoff
2020 AMC10 A: 124.5 AMC10 A: 103.5
AMC10 B: 120 AMC10 B: 102
2019 AMC10 A: 123 AMC10 A: 96
AMC10 B: 121.5 AMC10 B: 102
2018 AMC10 A: 127.5 AMC10 A: 100.5
AMC10 B: 123 AMC10 B: 97.5
2017 AMC10 A: 127.5 AMC10 A: 112.5
AMC10 B: 136.5 AMC10 B: 120
2016 AMC10 A: 120 AMC10 A: 110
AMC10 B: 124.5 AMC10 B: 110
2015 AMC10 A: 115.5 AMC10 A: 106.5
AMC10 B: 132 AMC10 B: 120
2014 AMC10 A: 132 AMC10 A: 120
AMC10 B: 132 AMC10 B: 120
2013 AMC10 A: 117 AMC10 A: 108
AMC10 B: 129 AMC10 B: 120
2012 AMC10 A: 121.5 AMC10 A: 115.5
AMC10 B: 133.5 AMC10 B: 120

AMC 10 Tutoring Course

All instructors are graduates from top global universities. With tailored curriculum planning and full-process learning tracking, we provide comprehensive support to help students boost scores and win awards!

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What is AMC10? Why Do So Many People Take It? Why Is Top 1% (DHR) So Hard?

The AMC10 is an internationally authoritative math competition sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) for students in grade 10 and below. In recent years, its popularity has soared—not only because it serves as a springboard to higher-level competitions (such as AIME, USAMO), but also because it has become a "hard currency" for applying to top global universities and entering domestic elite science classes. This article will systematically answer: ✅ What is AMC10? ✅ Why is it so highly regarded? ✅ Why is top 1% (DHR) so difficult to achieve? ✅ How should beginners prepare scientifically?

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I. AMC10 Basic Information at a Glance

Item Details
Organizer Mathematical Association of America (MAA)
Target Participants Grade 10 and below, age ≤ 17.5
Exam Date November each year (A and B sessions, choose either or both)
Duration 75 minutes
Question Type & Scoring 25 multiple-choice questions
Correct: +6 points | Omitted: +1.5 points | Wrong: 0 points
Total: 150 points
Language Bilingual Chinese-English test paper (extremely friendly to Chinese students)
Core Modules Algebra, Geometry, Number Theory, Combinatorics (the four pillars; number theory/combinatorics have increased share in recent years)

II. Why Do So Many People Participate? The Five Core Values of AMC10

1. The "Golden Key" to Ivy League & G5

Recent admission data shows: over 45% of Ivy League/Oxbridge engineering and science admits have AMC participation experience; MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and others explicitly value AMC/AIME scores in the Common App; AMC10 top 1% (DHR) ≈ an international math proficiency certification, far surpassing ordinary high school grades.

2. A Screening Tool for Domestic Elite High School "Science Classes"

No.2 High School of East China Normal University, Shanghai High School, Fudan University High School: AMC10 score of 110+ can lead to direct interview; Qibao High School, Jianping High School, Nanyang Model High School: top 25% (approx. 100 points) get priority in independent enrollment, with some "score cut-off equals admission"; Guanghua Cambridge International School's entrance exam: Question 9 directly uses an original AMC10 problem; even World Foreign Language School tests up to AMC12 difficulty.

3. The "First Building Block" of the International Competition Pyramid

Top 2.5% (approx. 103–110 points) → qualifies for AIME; high AIME scores → USAMO → IMO national team; AMC10 is the starting point to IMO and a necessary path for most international competition participants.

4. Skill Enhancement: Highly Aligned with IB/AP/A-Level

The problems emphasize logical reasoning, modeling skills, and creative problem-solving; highly overlapping in content with IB Math AA/AI, AP Calculus, and A-Level Further Math; preparation can feed back into school grades, achieving a "competition + coursework" win-win.

5. Globally Recognized, Certificate Valid for Life

Officially issued by the MAA, widely recognized by global universities, summer schools, and research programs; a high score serves as a lifelong proof of academic ability.

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III. Why Is Top 1% (DHR) So Hard?

1. Immense Time Pressure

75 minutes / 25 questions = average 3 minutes per question; the first 15 questions need to be completed within 30 minutes, leaving sufficient time for the last 10 questions (especially the challenging 21–25); beginners often fail to even look at the challenging questions due to slow reading, slow calculation, or indecision.

2. Intense Global Competition

Over 30,000 participants globally each year, but only about 300 achieve top 1%; students from China, South Korea, India, and elsewhere are systematically trained—the era of taking the test unprepared is over; cutoff scores are rising: DHR has stabilized at 130+ points (out of 150) in recent years.

3. Dense Problem Traps

AMC10 is known for being "deceptively simple, but hiding pitfalls": unit confusion, ignoring boundary conditions, graphic misdirection (non-standard diagrams). Many students "feel they got it right, but the answer is wrong," fundamentally due to shallow understanding and imprecise thinking.

4. Extremely Low Margin for Error

130 points ≈ at most 1–2 mistakes; moreover, at least 3–4 of questions 21–25 must be correct (each worth 6 points, determining DHR qualification); this means not only must the foundation be solid, but advanced thinking must be exceptionally strong.

IV. Award Categories and Cutoff Score Reference (Recent Trends)

Award Requirement Cutoff Score (Reference)
Perfect Score 150 points Very few
Distinguished Honor Roll (DHR) Top 1% ≥130 points
Honor Roll Top 5% ≥103–110 points
Achievement Roll Grade 8 or below & ≥90 points —

Key Tip: AIME qualification threshold ≈ top 2.5% ≈ 103–110 points (adjusted slightly each year); DHR (top 1%) is the "hardcore indicator" truly valued by top universities.

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AMC10 Preparation Courses

Our instructors are graduates from top global universities. With precise curriculum planning and comprehensive learning tracking, we ensure your score improvement and award-winning success!

Class Type Hours Class Size Start Date
Winter Break Class 30H 3-8 students Consult teacher for details
Systematic Course 20H 1v1 / 3-8 students Consult teacher for details
Problem-Solving Class 20H 1v1 / 3-8 students Consult teacher for details

AMC 10 Tutoring Course

All instructors are graduates from top global universities. With tailored curriculum planning and full-process learning tracking, we provide comprehensive support to help students boost scores and win awards!

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