United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) vs International Mathematical Olympiad
Comparing two elite STEM opportunities. Both are olympiads for high school students.
| United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) | International Mathematical Olympiad | |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige Tier | Tier 1 — Elite | Tier 1 — Elite |
| Type | Olympiad | Olympiad |
| Organization | Mathematical Association of America (MAA) | IMO Official |
| Acceptance Rate | — | Extremely competitive; approximately 0.01-0.1% of high school students worldwide reach IMO. For USA: ~6 students selected from 300,000+ AMC participants annually |
| Applicants | — | Approximately 5,000-6,000 contestants from 100+ countries compete at IMO annually. USA sends 6 representatives from ~300,000 AMC 10/12 participants |
| Deadline | — | — |
| Cost to Apply | Free | Free |
| US Only | No / International | No / International |
| Grades | — | High school students only; typically grades 9-12 (ages 13-19) |
| College Impact | — | Extremely positive and highly prestigious. IMO medalists (especially gold) are exceptionally rare and highly valued by top universities globally. Impact includes: (1) Gold/Silver medalists essentially... |