AMC 10 and AMC 12
The contests that open the door to AIME.
The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice contests run by the Mathematical Association of America. A strong score qualifies a student for the AIME, and the AIME is where admissions readers start to notice.
Younger student? Start with the AMC 8.
- 25multiple-choice questions
- 75 minno calculator
- 150points, with credit for blanks
Where we are
The mocks open soon. The waitlist gets Mock 1 free.
We are building AMC 10 and AMC 12 mock exams on the same model as our Mock AMC 8. They are not open yet. Join the list below and we will email you when they are, and the first mock, with a full score report, is free for everyone on the list.
Who it is for
A good fit for students with solid algebra and geometry.
AMC 10
For students in grade 10 or below who are 17.5 or younger on contest day. Strong 8th and 9th graders often take it.
AMC 12
For students in grade 12 or below who are 19.5 or younger on contest day. Most are in 11th or 12th grade, or are advanced 10th graders.
The best fit is a student who has finished a solid Algebra 1 and Geometry sequence, enjoys puzzles, and wants evidence of math depth beyond a transcript. A student who is still shaky on fractions, ratios and basic algebra is better off starting with the AMC 8 or middle school contests.
The contest
What the AMC 10 and AMC 12 look like.
- 25 multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes.
- No calculator and no formula sheet. Rulers and compasses are allowed.
- A correct answer is worth 6 points, a blank is worth 1.5, and a wrong answer is worth 0. The maximum score is 150.
- A student may take the A and the B contest, but not the AMC 10 and the AMC 12 on the same day.
Because a blank earns credit, random guessing is a losing strategy. If you cannot start a problem, skipping it is worth 1.5 points, which beats the expected value of a one-in-five guess. The topics are algebra, geometry, counting and probability, and number theory, with some trigonometry and logarithms on the AMC 12. Problems get harder as the test goes on, and the last five are meant to separate the top students.
2026-27 dates
Dates for this season.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| AMC 10A and 12A | Thursday, November 5, 2026 |
| AMC 10B and 12B | Friday, November 13, 2026 |
| Scores final, AIME invitations emailed | mid-December 2026 |
| AIME (computer-based, at Pearson test centers) | February 5 or 6, 2027. Registration closes February 1, 2027 |
| USAJMO and USAMO (by invitation) | March 20 and 21, 2027 |
Students cannot register directly
A school, university, learning center or registered math circle registers as a competition site, and parents register their student through a link from that site. Homeschools cannot be sites, and remote proctoring is not allowed. The MAA publishes a public list of sites. Ask your school coordinator early, because sites close student registration before contest day.
AIME
What score qualifies for AIME.
For 2026-27, the qualifying scores are 100 or more on the AMC 10, or 85 or more on the AMC 12. AoPS also nominates a few extra students.
- Other rules: grade 12 or below on AIME day, 19.5 or younger on the day of the qualifying AMC, and 13 or older on AIME day.
- The AIME is computer-based at a Pearson test center. Qualified students get an MAA invitation in mid-December 2026, then register with Pearson. There are no make-up dates.
What a good score looks like
A first-time student who scores in the 60s and 70s is on a normal path. On the AMC 10, reaching 100 takes 14 to 17 correct answers, depending on how many problems you leave blank. For example, 17 correct and no blanks is 102, and 14 correct with 11 blanks is 100.5. On the AMC 12, 15 correct and no blanks is 90, and 11 correct with 14 blanks is 87.
Read more: AMC 10 or AMC 12, which should a student take and the AIME qualifying score explained.
What is planned
Three mocks, the first one free.
- Mock 1 is free. It is full length and timed to 75 minutes, with a score report that maps problems to topics and shows how your score compares with the AIME qualifying score.
- Mocks 2 and 3 are paid, with the same report and written solutions. Planned tuition is $120 for both, or $75 for one.
- The solutions explain how to start a problem, not only the answer.
None of this is on sale yet, and there is nothing to buy today. The tuition above is what we plan to charge once the mocks open.
- 01
Join the list
Tell us the grade and which contest you are aiming for. We email the free diagnostic once, when it opens.
- 02
Sit the timed mock
Take it on a laptop in one sitting, no calculator and no notes, the way the real contest runs.
- 03
Fix the weakest topic first
Read the report, work on the topic that cost the most points, then take the next mock four to six weeks later.
Waitlist
Get Mock 1 free when it opens.
We will send one email when the free AMC 10/12 diagnostic is ready.
AMC and AIME are registered trademarks of the Mathematical Association of America. These practice materials are independent and are not affiliated with or endorsed by the MAA.