About this competition
The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is the most prestigious middle-school math contest in the United States. Roughly 100,000 students participate each year, advancing through four progressive levels: school competition → chapter (regional) → state → national.
The contest uses four distinct rounds. The Sprint Round tests speed (30 problems in 40 minutes). The Target Round tests problem solving (8 problems in pairs, 6 minutes each). The Team Round is collaborative (10 problems in 20 minutes by a 4-student team). The Countdown Round is a high-speed live elimination among the top 12 individuals at each level — fast enough that students answer most questions in under 10 seconds.
The 224 mathletes who reach the national competition in Washington D.C. each May represent the top ~0.2% of U.S. middle-school math talent. The National Champion receives a $20,000 scholarship from the Donald G. Weddell Memorial Fund. State and regional alumni routinely place at USAMO, IMO, and Putnam.
Season & deadlines
School registration in fall; chapter rounds February, state March, nationals May.
Season window: November through May.
Cost
Varies — School-paid registration; usually free for participating students.
Prizes & outcomes
$20,000 scholarship to the National Champion; $7,500 / $5,000 / $3,000 to runners-up; $2,000 per Winning Team member.
Prep resources
- Official rules and game manual · website
Summer math camps for middle schoolers
Strong MATHCOUNTS candidates often deepen with summer math programs.
Preparing for MATHCOUNTS?
AMC 8 / MATHCOUNTS Bootcamp is forming the next pilot cohort. Join the interest list — no commitment, no payment, we'll reach out personally.
Past winners
Browse the complete list of winners by year — every district that named a winner is listed.
Related competitions
Natural next step: American Mathematics Competitions 10/12