The 2025 HiMCM®/MidMCM Information Session brought together teachers, advisors, and students from around the world to learn more about COMAP’s international math modeling contests. Hosts Ben Galluzzo (Executive Director), Amanda Beecher (Director of Contests & Outreach), and Kristin Fetherston-Arney (HiMCM Director) were joined by special guest Evelyn Policarpio (MidMCM Advisor & 8th Grade Math Teacher). The session offered a practical look at how to get started, how advising a team works, and how to help students succeed in this year’s competitions.

If you missed the live event or just want to revisit key takeaways, you can watch the full recording below, view the presentation slides, and explore answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from the session.

Watch the Recording

Click here to watch the video on our YouTube channel.

Presentation Materials

Download the slides from the session: HiMCM/MidMCM Information Session Slides (PDF)

Additional Resources

Articles:

• Judges' perspective on 2024 HiMCM submissions
• Judges' perspective on 2024 MidMCM submissions
• Use of Large Language Models and Generative AI Tools in COMAP Contests
• HiMCM/MidMCM: Procedures and Tips for a Great Experience
• HiMCM/MidMCM: Registration Walk Through
• HiMCM/MidMCM: Online Submission Process

Related Blogs:

• HiMCM/MidMCM Contest Information
• HiMCM/MidMCM expands eligibility
• Past Contest Problems
• 10 Reasons to Participate in Math Modeling Contests
• A Student Guide for Getting Started with Math Modeling

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions that came up during and after the session.

What is the difference between HiMCM and MidMCM?

Age is the main difference. To participate in MidMCM, up to four (4) middle school/level age students 14½ years of age or below form a team. If any team member is older than 14½ years at the start of the contest, the team can still compete only in the HiMCM contest.

My students are all 14 but are in high school, do they complete in HiMCM or MidMCM?

They can choose to compete in either HiMCM or MidMCM. In this case, the contest would be based on the problem they select. HiMCM is problems A and B, and MidMCM is problem C. If a team consists of a mix of students (14) and then some students are 15 or older, they must compete in HiMCM.

Can I form a team with fewer than 4 students? 

Yes, teams can consist of 1, 2, 3, or 4 students.

Is the HiMCM/MidMCM Contests open to international schools?

Yes, the contests are open to all countries/regions. 

I see the contest takes place over a 14-day period. Do we need to use all 14 days?

No, you are not required to use all the allotted time. You are given 14 days so that teams can work around their school and extracurricular schedules.

Can my teams work on their own at home or outside school hours?

Teams are allowed to meet virtually using electronic communications. Remember that your team members can only communicate with other team members. The rule remains that teams may not discuss the contest problem or their contest work with anyone outside their team.

I looked at the website and saw that our solution paper can only be 25 pages, except for the Use of AI tools report. Do the solutions papers have to be 25 pages?  

Submissions should be 25 pages or less. AI reports are added at the end of the submission and do not count toward the 25-page total.

How do you decide the order of students’ names on the contest certificate?

The order of the students’ names has no bearing or importance on participation. In the eyes of COMAP and the contest directors, all team members are equal. Student names and information are input by your team advisor, and we do not control that. Once your advisor has entered the information, we do not change it.

What if I have trouble uploading my paper at the end of the contest? What should I do? 

You can contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Do teams have to use technology, and are there certain software programs that we must use? 

No, you do not have to use technology. We see many excellent papers that have not incorporated programming or technology. You may use any tools or software programs. Remember – you cannot talk to or receive help from anyone outside your group about the problem or your work.

What happens if you run out of time and do not complete all requirements? 

Every year, we see submissions that do not fully address all requirements. We encourage you to try to address every requirement, even if you indicate that you are hypothesizing or tell us your work is incomplete due to time constraints. We rarely have a perfect paper. Every paper has its own strengths and limitations. The bottom line is that you should turn in your solution paper, even if it's not perfect.

Where can I see some sample problems?

You can view all the previous problems online at www.comap.org/mathmodels

Who are the judges?

The judges are mathematicians, math educators, and others who are in fields directly related to mathematics.