Among the many international math competitions, the Euclid Mathematics Contest stands out as a highly prestigious contest most suitable for ordinary high-achieving students, thanks to its unique style of “emphasizing fundamentals, strengthening logic, and valuing process.” It is not like the AMC, which stresses speed and tricks, nor is it as unattainable as the IMO; it tests whether you can express what you have learned clearly, rigorously, and completely. So, is Euclid right for you? The answer lies in the three student archetypes below.
I. These Three Types of Students Are Particularly Suited to Participate in Euclid!
First Type: “High Achievers” Who Want to Test Their International Level
Your grades in school math are stable (e.g., an A or 90+), but you’re uncertain where you stand on the international stage.
You want to objectively assess your math ability through an authoritative, fair, and globally ranked competition.
Euclid provides a detailed global percentile ranking, letting you clearly know whether you are in the top 10%, 25%, or 50%.
Second Type: “College Applicants” Targeting STEM/CS/Economics
You plan to apply to the University of Waterloo, the University of Toronto, UBC in Canada, or top G5/Top30 STEM schools in the UK and US.
You need to prove in your personal statement that “I not only can take exams but also think rigorously.”
A top 25% Euclid certificate = golden endorsement for STEM applications, especially favored by Waterloo’s Math/CS programs; high scorers can directly win scholarships.
Third Type: “Potential Students” with a Good Foundation but Weak Expression and Integration Skills
You can work out problems correctly in practice, but you skip steps, have disorganized logic, and are afraid to tackle the final challenging problems.
Teachers often comment: “Your thinking is right, but the process is non‑standard, which hurts you on exams.”
Euclid precisely trains these abilities: connecting knowledge points, expressing ideas in English logical connectors, and completing every derivation step fully.
II. What Does Euclid Test? How Difficult Is It?
Knowledge coverage: core high school content, no out‑of‑syllabus material.
Algebra (functions, equations, inequalities), Geometry (triangles, circles, similarity, analytic geometry), Number Theory (modular arithmetic, divisibility), Combinatorics (counting, probability), Trigonometry, and Logarithms.
Key characteristic: “The easy questions are truly easy; the final problems are not basic at all!”
| Questions | Difficulty | Proportion | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions 1–3 | Basic | ≈30% | Must get full marks (carefulness is enough) |
| Questions 4–7 | Medium | ≈40% | Key breakthrough point (requires proficient application) |
| Questions 8–10 | Challenging | ≈30% | Differentiating tier (emphasizes logic + innovation) |
Question 10 is often open‑ended, possibly involving function iteration, geometric construction, number theory proofs, requiring in‑depth analysis and clever thinking. But! If you do well on the first 7 questions, 68–70 points will safely get you into the top 25% – no need to stubbornly crack the final problems!
III. Authoritative Answers to Common Questions
Q1: Can I participate without any contest experience?
✅ Absolutely! Euclid does not test tricky Olympiad problems; all the knowledge points come from the high school curriculum. As long as your math foundation is solid (e.g., having completed Pre‑Calculus), a systematic 2–3 month preparation makes it entirely feasible to sprint for the top 25%.
Q2: How should I choose between Euclid and the AMC?
| Dimension | Euclid | AMC12 |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Medium (emphasizes process) | Higher (emphasizes skills + speed) |
| Question format | All long‑answer (10 big questions) | All multiple‑choice (25 questions) |
| Best suited for | Most high‑achieving students | Students with rich contest experience |
| Prestige recognition | Top Canadian + strong Commonwealth | Strong among US Top30 colleges |
| Recommendation | Average foundation → prioritize Euclid; strong foundation → prepare for both | |
Q3: How do Chinese students register?
Students from partner schools: register through the school.
Non‑partner school students / independent candidates: register through officially authorized test centers.
Confirmed cities: Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Changsha.
(Centers in Wuhan, Chongqing, Xi’an, etc. are to be announced; keep an eye on the University of Waterloo’s official website or authorized institutions for updates.)
Q4: How much does winning an award help my application?
University of Waterloo: the top 25% significantly increases admission chances; a score of 80+ qualifies you to apply for scholarships.
University of Toronto / UBC: serves as supplementary evidence of academic ability, enhancing the competitiveness of STEM applications.
UK/US institutions: although not mandatory, it sets you apart from ordinary applicants and demonstrates rigorous thinking.
Q5: With zero contest experience, can I go for the top 25%?
Absolutely! The first 7 questions (70 points) only require a solid foundation plus standardized steps. What you need is not a “flash of inspiration” but a “step‑by‑step approach.” Every year, many ordinary students succeed in winning awards through systematic training.
