Spring 2010 Session Registration, Qualifying Exam and Class Placement Consultation

The Spring 2010 session of the 2009 - 2010 Math Olympiad, Physics Olympiad and Problem Solving Training Program classes will start on March 1, 2010.  The registration period is from February 1 - February 29, 2010.  Existing students in good standing are assured a space if registered by February 20, 2010.  New students are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Students on the waiting list will be contacted on February 25th.  Spaces are limited.  Therefore, it is advisable to register as early as you can to secure a spot.  For classes that are FULL, a waiting list is available for placement in the Winter Session if spaces are available.  For detailed class offerings, schedule, meeting dates and other information, please visit Spring 2010 Math Olympiad, Physics Olympiad and Problem Solving Training Program.

How to Register?

To register, please follow these steps.

1. Schedule a qualifying exam: The program is designed to challenge gifted math students.  All students must take a qualifying exam except the following:

• Current Avid Academy year-round students and Summer Camp attendees
• Students enrolled in a GATE program in your school district
• Students identified as gifted by CTY, EPGY, or other organizations.

If a student would like to take an accelerated path, then a placement exam is required.

To schedule a qualifying or placement exam, please click on the following BOOKNOW button to schedule the exam. 

2. Download the registration form: 2009 - 2010 Math Olympiad and Problem Solving Training Program Registration form and 2009 - 2010 Math Olympiad and Problem Solving Program Spring Classes.

3. Send in the Registration Form and Payment.  The registration deadline is February 22, 2010 for returning students and February 29, 2010 for new students.  Spaces are limited.  Students are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Therefore, it is advisable to register as early as you can to secure a spot.

Winter 2010 Session

The Winter 2010 session started on November 30, 2009 and will end on February 20, 2010.  New students are accepted if a class is not full.  Tuition will be pro-rated.  For classes that are FULL, a waiting list is available for placement in the spring session on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The spring session will start on March 1, 2010 and ends on May 15, 2010.  To make an appointment to discuss winter or spring session enrollment, please use the online appointment application:

Waiting List and FREE Try-Outs for New Students

For new students who are interested in our training program, we offer one free class for you to try out and see if our program is for you.  To RSVP a tryout, please send the student's name, school, grade, preferred Avid class, and the date you can attend to info@Avidacademy.com.

Winter 2010 Class Schedule

Each class has limited enrollment.  Students can join the waiting list for classes that are full.  If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please contact us at info@avidacademy.com.

Winter Session Meeting Dates

Please note the following meeting dates for the fall 2009 session.  This year, we have two different classrooms at Concordia University.  Therefore, if your class is on Saturdays, please note the classroom assignment listed after the dates.

The classes meet on the following days:

Special Holidays:

• December 21, 2009 - January 3, 2010: Christmas and New Year Break

Schedule a Qualifying Exam

Our program is designed to challenge gifted math students.  All students must take a qualifying exam except the following:

• Current Avid Academy year-round students and Summer Camp attendees
• Students enrolled in a GATE program in your school district
• Students identified as gifted by CTY, EPGY, or other organizations.

If a student would like to take an accelerated path, then a placement exam is required.  For example, a 7th grade currently taking Honors Algebra in his or her schedule does not need to take qualifying exam to take Avid Academy E120 - Honors Algebra Problem Solving or E220 - Intermediate Math Competitions.  However, the student needs to take the qualifying exam if he or she wishes to take E130 - Honors Geometry Problem Solving or E230 - Advanced Math Competitions.

To schedule a qualifying or placement exam, please click on the following BOOKNOW button to schedule the exam. 

Locations

Concordia University, Irvine

All Saturday classes meet at Concordia University, Irvine.  The classroom assignment are listed in the above table.

UCI University Plaza, Irvine

All weekday classes and Office Hour sessions meet at UCI University Tower, Irvine.

Our Approach to Gifted Education and Math Problem Solving

Avid Academy for Gifted Youth provides extra-curricular Math and Physics Olympiad and Problem Solving Programs to gifted students in grades 3 - 11.  We prepare our students to take on the most rigorous math and science curriculum sequences. We can guide students and their families in developing their math talent through enrichment and acceleration classes, elite summer camps, and high school math and science research programs.

Avid Academy for Gifted Youth also provides opportunities for students to participate in the National and State Math Competitions. 

We provide math olympiad and problem solving training to the best and brightest students in Orange County.

Target Audience

Our gifted education programs are designed for two types of talented math students:

• Bright Students who enjoy school, work hard, complete assignments, and understand math concepts easily.  They are high achievers who are willing to put in the extra effort to master problem solving and use their problem solving skills not only to learn mathematics, but also expand their knowledge in other disciplines to build an impressive academic curriculum.
• Gifted Learners who master basic math skills with unusual speed and see relationships among math concepts intuitively.  Some of them may even be underachievers; gifted learners have the potential to develop a passion and achieve greater success in mathematics if they are challenged by experienced coaches and surrounded by a community of motivated peers.

Statement of Differenciations

Applying lastest research in gifted education, math problem solving, and instructional design, we designed our training program with the following unique features:

Teaching the art of problem solving to develop life-long learning skills.  We use mathematics as a mean to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Thinking skills are more important than memorizing mathematical facts.  Therefore, our programs integrate problem solving with mental math, logical reasoning, communication, and organizational skills to develop life-long learning skills for gifted children.

Supplementing regular school math curriculum by filling gaps, expanding scope, and adding depth.  School math curriculums are based on California State Board of Education content standards in mathematics.  However, these standards are not challenging enough for bright and gifted students who consistently rank in the top 20% of their class.  Our curriculum is based on two benchmarks: a) GPA, SAT, and AP scores of the students who were admitted into American's Best Colleges and b) top 15,000 high school students who participated in the American Invitational Mathematical Examination (AIME).

Exploring math concepts in an intellectually stimulating and fun environment.  Our coaches are not only knowledgeable in mathematics, but also master motivators who love to work with gifted children.  We select problem solving tasks that emulate the practice of mathematicians, develop abstract reasoning, reward good study habits, and challenge brilliant minds.  Our goal is to make gifted children enjoy mathematics.

Creating a community of high achievers and gifted learners.  We provide education seminars and networking opportunities so that families of gifted children can share ideas, resources and experiences.  Social skills and emotional development are critical to the success of talented students.  Our environment enables talented math students to join gifted peers so that they may learn, inspire, and motivate each other.

Participating in academic competitions to build sportsmanship, character, and teamwork.  Like a sport, intellectual pursuit is achieved through individual excellence and team building.  Math competitions enable gifted children to challenge themselves, sharpen test skills, and develop a love for math and problem solving.  The competitions also enable gifted children to explore, expand, and excel in their journey of learning.  The achievements from these competitions are widely recognized by elite colleges as special talents.