Organized by the University of Waterloo in Canada, the Euclid Mathematics Contest has become the "best value for money" for high school students worldwide looking to enhance their academic background, thanks to its moderate difficulty, high recognition, and efficient preparation. For the following four types of students, now is the perfect time to switch to Euclid.
I. Who Is Particularly Suitable for Euclid?
1. Students Applying for STEM / Business Programs
Suitable Majors: Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Economics, Finance, Data Science, etc.
Core Value: Universities like Waterloo, University of Toronto, UBC, and other top Canadian and US schools use Euclid scores as a key reference for STEM admissions; Business programs (such as Waterloo AFM, UofT Commerce) also value quantitative analysis skills—high scores can significantly boost your application.
2. Students Who Underperformed on the AMC
Comparative Advantages:
AMC10/12: Multiple-choice (answer only), broad and varied knowledge range (including number theory/combinatorics challenges), long preparation cycle, low fault tolerance (one wrong answer can drop you 100 ranks).
Euclid: Full-solution questions (step‑by‑step scoring), focuses on core high school content (depth > breadth), 2–3 months of systematic training can lead to an award, step‑by‑step points guarantee steady progress.
Suitable for: Students who lost points on the AMC due to carelessness, time pressure, or out‑of‑syllabus problems can completely turn the tables with Euclid.
3. Students Skilled at Expressing Problem‑Solving Processes in Writing
Euclid does not only look at the answer; it values the logical chain: clearly writing “∵ AB = AC → ∠B = ∠C” earns step points.
Even if the final answer is wrong, a reasonable derivation can still earn 60%+ of the points.
Advantages for such students: Habit of writing down the process, drawing diagrams, discussing cases; standard English mathematical expression (or willingness to adapt quickly).
4. Students in Grades 9–11 (Best Window for Participation)
Knowledge Base: Have already learned core modules such as functions, trigonometry, geometry, sequences, etc.
Time Advantages:
Winning an award in Grade 11 → directly used for Grade 12 university applications.
Winning an award in Grade 10 → demonstrates long‑term academic engagement, paving the way for future competitions / research.
Low trial cost: can participate multiple times and submit the highest score.
2026 exam time: early April → starting now is the golden preparation period!
II. Official Preparation Resource Upgrade: New eWorkshop Launched
The University of Waterloo CEMC website has fully optimized the Euclid eWorkshop, integrating resources from Euclid and CSMC, and added two new high‑frequency exam units:
New Core Units (Must‑Learn!)
| Unit | Content | Exam Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Counting and Probability | Permutations and combinations, classical probability, recursive counting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (frequent final challenge in recent years) |
| Properties of Numbers | Divisibility, modular arithmetic, prime factorization | ⭐⭐⭐ (high frequency in questions 7–9) |
Each unit contains:
Concept explanation: clear definitions + formula derivations
Example analysis: typical problem types + thinking guidance
15 practice questions: graded difficulty
Official answers: detailed steps + scoring standards
Usage suggestions:
Early preparation: study the units systematically to build a knowledge framework.
Weakness breakthrough: revisit corresponding eWorkshop chapters for mistakes.
III. Past Papers: The Most Efficient Score‑Boosting Tool
Where to get: Free download from the CEMC official website (complete past papers + answer keys from 1998–2025).
Usage strategy:
Early stage: Carefully work through the first 8 questions of the 2015–2020 papers to build a solid foundation.
Middle stage: Complete the full 2021–2024 papers under timed conditions to train exam rhythm.
Sprint stage: Focus on the final challenging problems of the 2025 paper to grasp the latest trends.
Key action: Compare your work with the official solutions and check the completeness of your steps line by line—this is the core of achieving a high score!
IV. Competition Gains: More Than Just a Certificate
1. Hard Currency for College Admissions
University of Waterloo: Priority admission for high scorers to the Faculty of Mathematics (CS/Actuarial etc.); Entrance Scholarship directly tied to Euclid scores.
Global recognition: Canada’s Top 5, US Top 50, and UK G5 universities all recognise the academic value of Euclid.
2. Early Adaptation to University Learning
Exam format = university math final exam: full‑solution questions, process‑oriented, no multiple‑choice.
Content alignment: proofs, modeling, and rigorous expression covered in Euclid are exactly the core requirements of university math courses.
3. Comprehensive Skill Enhancement
Cultivates three core competences: logical reasoning, problem‑solving decomposition, and written expression.
Ignites a deeper interest in mathematics, laying the foundation for future research / competitions.
