Volume 2, Issue 1
August 19, 2007

Table of Contents

1. 2007 - 2008 Math and Physics Olympiad Training Program
2. Physics Olympiad Program Redesigned
3. America's Best Colleges 2008
4. 2007 International Olympiad Results
5. 2007 Mathematics Olympiad for Girls
6. Caltech Summer 2007 Rubik's Cube Competition and 2007 World Rubik's Cube Championships
7. United States withdrawn from International Math and Science Comparison Study
8. Are We Failing Our Geniuses?

1. 2007 - 2008 Math Olympiad and Problem Solving Training Program

The schedule and calendar of 2007-2008 Math Olympiad and Problem Solving Programs are now available.  In addition to regular Saturday classes at Concordia University, we expanded programs to include classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at our Headquarter at UCI University Tower in Irvine. 

Registration period for the Fall Session starts from August 15 through September 5, 2007 for returning students and from August 15 through September 15 for new students.  Some classes require qualifying exams.  Please visit our website at www.AvidAcademy.com for more information on program offerings, requirements, schedule, and locations.  For a registration package, please email us at info@AvidAcademy.com with subject line titled "Registration Form".

2. Physics Olympiad Program Redesigned

3. America's Best Colleges 2008

The U.S. News & World Reports released its America's Best Colleges 2008 ranking.  Princeton University retained its ranking for the 8th year.  The top ten national schools are:

• 1. Princeton
• 2. Harvard
• 3. Yale
• 4. Stanford
• 5. University of Pennsylvania
• 5. Caltech
• 7. MIT
• 8. Duke
• 9. Columbia
• 9. University of Chicago

The biggest changes in the top are that MIT dropped from a tie for 4th place last year to 7th place this year while UPenn rose from 7th place last year to a tie for 5th. 

Some California school rankings are:

• 05 - Caltech
• 21 - UC Berkeley
• 25 - UCLA
• 27 - USC
• 38 - UC San Diego
• 42 - UC Davis
• 44 - UC Irvine
• 44 - UC Santa Barbara
• 54 - Pepperdine

For small liberal arts colleges, the top ten schools are:

• 1. Williams College
• 2. Amherst College
• 3. Swarthmore College
• 4. Wellesley College
• 5. Carleton College
• 6. Middlebury College
• 7. Pomona College
• 7. Bowdoin College
• 9. Davidson College
• 10. Haverford College

Some California school rankings are:

• 07 - Pomona College
• 11 - Claremont McKenna College
• 15 - Harvey Mudd College
• 28 - Scripps College
• 36 - Occidental College

Each summer, United States sends teams to various International Academic Olympiads competitions.  The following is a summary of 2007 results:

• 48th International Mathematical Olympiad, Vietnam: United States International Math Olympiad (IMO) Team competed against 90 countries and 500 students and again finished in 5th place behind Russia, China, Vietnam, and Korea.  The team received two gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal.  Tedrick Leung, a graduate from North Hollywood High School was one of the six members of the U.S. team. 
• 38th International Physics Olympiad, Iran: The U.S. Physics Team received two gold medals and three silver medals.
• 39th International Chemistry Olympiad, Russia: The U.S. Chemistry Team won three silver medals and one bronze medal.
• 18th International Biology Olympiad, Canada: The U.S. Biology Team received four gold medals.

Eight high school girls from United States participated in the 2007 Mathematical Olympiad for Girls held in China for the first time.  About 180 girls from 40 teams participated in the event.  The U.S. team won one gold and three bronze medals.

All Avid Academy students got a chance to learn how to play the Rubik's Cube at the 2007 Orange County Math Olympiad Summer Camp. Now you have a chance to hone your skills against the best of Southern California cube-lovers at Caltech Summer 2007 Rubik's Cube Competition hosted by the Caltech Rubik's Cube Club.

• Date and Time: Saturday, August 25, 2007, 10:00 am (registration at 9:00 am).
• Location: Winnett Lounge, 2nd Floor, Caltech
• Cost: $5 for the first event and $2 for each additional event.  No charge for non-competitors.

For more information, visit Caltech Summer 2007 Rubik's Cube Competition.

2007 World Rubik's Cube Championship will be held at Budapest, Hungary from October 5 to 7, 2007.

The United States has withdrawn from international study TIMSS comparing math and science students.  TIMSS (Trends in Mathematics and Science Study) Advanced 2008 measures how high school seniors are doing in algebra, geometry, calculus, and physics with students taking similar subjects around the world.  The U.S. students did poorly in the past studies.  National Science Foundation decided not to fund project and save the $3-10 million needed to participate in the study for other causes.  For more information, read Dropouts from Newsweeks.

The Time Magazine just published a cover story titled "Are We Failing Our Geniuses"?  Here are some interesting facts from the article:

• 40% of the top 5% of high school grads fail to finish college
• U.S. schools spend $8 billion on the mentally retarded and just 10% of that on the gifted
• After the "No Child Left Behind" was signed into the law, the federal spending on gifted education declined from $11.3 million in 2002 to $7.6 million this year.

The story showcased Davison Academy in Reno, NV, where gifted students learn and grow intellectually and socially.  For more about Davison Academy and profiles of some of its students, read Are We Falling Our Geniuses?