Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams vs Elite Contest Coaching for Canada's Top Math Students

Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. Both are competitions for high school students.

Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Elite Contest Coaching for Canada's Top Math Students
Prestige Tier Tier 2 — Highly Competitive Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Competition Competition
Organization Lemelson-MIT Program at MIT Spirit of Math
Acceptance Rate Approximately 8-10% (based on 8 teams selected annually; suggests 80-100+ applications per year, though exact applicant count not publicly available) Highly selective; approximately 12-16 students accepted per level/division (likely 5-10% acceptance rate given typical competition interest, though exact numbers not published)
Applicants Estimated 80-100+ schools apply annually (extrapolated from 8 selections) Not publicly disclosed; competitive nature suggests significant applicant pool
Deadline Rolling Rolling
Award $7,000
Cost to Apply Free $0
US Only Yes No / International
Grades High school students (9-12) Grades 3-12 (Separate teams by division: Elementary, Middle School, High School)
College Impact Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is viewed very favorably in college admissions, particularly for STEM programs. Selection as an InvenTeam demonstrates: (1) exceptional innovation and problem-solving ability; ... Strong but context-dependent: Math competition honors and honor roll placements are viewed positively by college admissions officers, particularly for STEM programs and competitive universities, as th...