Dear BMT competitors, coaches, and parents,
We are super excited to see you on campus in a couple weeks for BMT 2025! This message is intended to provide more information about the General and Focus Tests, especially some advice on how students should choose between the two. As a reminder, students must choose to take either the General Test or two Focus Tests for the individual round.
The General Test has 25 questions and time limit 90 minutes. It covers most topics commonly taught in high school math and emphasizes algebra, geometry, counting, probability, and elementary number theory.
Each Focus Test has 10 questions and time limit 60 minutes. The Focus Tests cover one of the following areas each: algebra, calculus, discrete math (combinatorics and number theory), and geometry. Some Focus Test problems require knowledge or problem solving techniques not commonly taught in high school classes. The only things at BMT which assume exposure to calculus are the calculus Focus Test and optional integration bee activity.
For students:
Our goals in hosting BMT include for you to have the best experience possible, especially by offering you problems that are interesting and appropriately challenging for you. We strongly encourage you to try previous BMT general and Focus Tests in our archive to determine which choice is right for you. In particular, if the Focus Tests feel prohibitively difficult, please consider taking the General Test, and if the General Test does not provide the challenge you are looking for, please consider taking a focus pair.
For coaches and parents:
We strongly encourage you to provide opportunities for your students to try previous BMT focus and General Tests or to encourage them to do so on their own. We think trying past tests is the best way for your students to understand the differences between general and focus so they can pick the test(s) that will give them the best experience.
It is not too late to change students' test preferences! To change between focus and general or to switch focus topics, login to ContestDojo and change your test selection by October 31.
Feel free to email us at team@berkeley.mt if you have remaining questions about choosing focus vs. general or about any other aspect of the competition. See you soon!
Best,
BMT Team
