Is USAMO only a dream now?
I'm a rising junior, and I had a dream to make USAJMO last year. I studied on and off with random problems + AMSP last summer, and I felt prepared for AMCs. But I bombed both of them because of my atrociously slow solve rate and some unusual bout of anxiety, and got like low 90s or something. Luckily for me, I grinded the heck out of USAMTS and got a 69/75, which qualified me for AIME.
I then took AIME, and scored a 7. That was a bit disappointing. I sillied problem 5, and I just couldn't help but feel disappointed that I threw away my only shot at making oly, just because I'm really slow at solving problems and that I didn't practice enough. I remember just staring at the ceiling before HMMT, feeling a bit hopeless about my math abilities.
I've always dreamt of making olympiad, solely for the reason that olympiad competitions, or longer competitions in general, are much more interesting for me than fast paced, easier competitions. Is it too late to make it? If not, what should I try focusing on?
Posted Jun 23, 2025, 4:21 AM UTC