2026 - 2027 Academic Year Program Overview

Information sessions (Zoom meeting: 94578394448) for the Fall Session of the Year-Round Programs
and Contest Bootcamps for 2026-2027 will be held at 8:00 pm (US Eastern Time)
on July 22 (Wednesday), July 24 (Friday, primarily in Chinese) and August 21 (Friday), 2026.

(The information on this page is for reference only and is subject to change without notice.)

Program Overview

During the academic year, IDEA MATH offers the following programs:


Program Description Courses Offered Location
In person Program at
Plano (TX)
Math Roots
Math Buds
PC0/Pre-Algebra 1
PCA/Pre-Algebra 2/Intro to Algebra 1

Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry
PC1 (Algebra 1 with Contest Prep)
PC2 (Intermediate Middle School Contest Math)

MAP 1 (PCX and algorithms)
MAP 2 (UC1 and algorithms)
MAP 3 (UC2 and algorithms)
John Paul II High School,
900 Coint Road
Plano, TX
In person Program at
Lexington (MA)
MC1 (Math Challenges 1)
MC2 (Math Challenges 2)
MC3 (Math Challenges 3)
MC4 (Math Challenges 4)

CE0-A (Contest Edge 0-A)
CE1-2 (Contest Edge 1-2)
CE3-4 (Contest Edge 3-4)
CE5-6 (Contest Edge 5-6)
Lexington High School
Lexington, MA
Online Year-Round Program PC1 (Algebra 1 with Contest Prep)
PC2 (Intermediate Middle School Contest Math)
PCX (Advanced Middle School Contest Math)

UC1 (Foundations of High School Contest Math)
UC2 (Intermediate High School Contest Math)
UC3 (Advanced High School Contest Math)
Online
Online Advanced Studies Program XC7 (Advanced Pre-Calculus and 3D geometry)
XC9 (Calculus I with math reasoning and proofs)
XC10 (Calculus II with math reasoning and proofs)

MO1 (Foundations of Math Olympiad Problem Solving)
MO2 (Intermediate Math Olympiad Problem Solving)
Online

Students are welcome to enroll in multiple programs depending on their learning goals. For example, a student may take two online courses from different programs, one online course and one in-person course, or courses from multiple in-person programs. Please note that each course operates independently. Students may attend only the classes associated with the specific courses in which they are enrolled. For example, a student enrolled in a PCA course in one program may not attend PCA classes offered through another program unless separately enrolled in that program.


In person Program in Plano (4670 McDermott Road, Suite 208, Plano, TX)
( Register & Check Details )
Session 1 (Fall Session)
(part 1 of each course)
September - December
Check Calendar
Session 2 (Spring Session)
(part 2 of each course)
January - May
Check Calendar
Courses* Date** Class Time**
Math Roots Sunday 4:15 pm - 5:45 pm (US Central Time)
Math Buds Sunday 4:15 pm - 5:45 pm (US Central Time)
PC0/Pre-Algebra 1 Sunday 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm (US Central Time)
PCA/Pre-Algebra 2/Intro to Algebra 1 Sunday 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm (US Central Time)
Algebra 1 Sunday 3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (US Central Time)
Algebra 2 Sunday 3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (US Central Time)
PC1 (Algebra 1 with Contest Prep) Sunday 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm (US Central Time)
PC2 (Intermediate Middle School Contest Math) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (US Central Time)
Geometry Sunday 3:45 pm -5:45 pm (US Central Time)
MAP 1 (PCX and algorithms) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (US Central Time)
MAP 2 (UC1 and algorithms) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (US Central Time)
MAP 3 (UC2 and algorithms) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (US Central Time)

*All class times are in the US Central Time Zone. Math Buds and Math Roots are 45-hour courses. MAP1, MAP2, MAP3 are 75-hour courses. All other courses are 60-hour courses. Check the webpage of the program for the exact information.


In person Program in Lexington (Lexington High School, Lexington, MA)
( Register & Check Details )
Session 1 (Fall Session)
(part 1 of each course)
September - December
Check Calendar
Total hours: 30 hours
(10 three-hour meetings)
Session 2 (Spring Session)
(part 2 of each course)
January - May
Check Calendar
Total hours: 30 hours
(10 three-hour meetings)
Courses Title Class Dates Class Time*
MC1 (Math Challenges 1) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
MC2 (Math Challenges 2) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
MC3 (Math Challenges 3) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
MC4 (Math Challenges 4) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
CE 0-A (Contest Edge 0-A) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
CE 1-2 (Contest Edge 1-2) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
CE 3-4 (Contest Edge 3-4) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
CE 5-6 (Contest Edge 5-6) Saturday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm (US Eastern Time)

* Each course will meet 20 times (three hours every time), 10 times in the Session 1 (Fall Session) and 10 times in Session 2 (Spring Session) for a total of 10*3*2 = 60 hours in this session.

Online Year-Round Program ( Register & Check Details )
Session 1 (Fall Session)
(part 1 of each course)
September - December
Check Calendar
Total hours: 30 hours
(15 two-hour meetings)
Session 2 (Spring Session)
(part 2 of each course)
January - May
Check Calendar
Total hours: 30 hours
(15 two-hour meetings)
Courses Title Class Dates Class Time*
PC1 (Algebra 1 with Contest Prep) Monday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (US Eastern Time)
PC2 (Intermediate Middle School Contest Math) Monday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (US Eastern Time)
PCX (Advanced Middle School Contest Math) Wednesday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (US Eastern Time)
UC1 (Foundation of High School Contest Math) Wednesday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm(US Eastern Time)
UC2 (Intermediate High School Contest Math) Thursday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (US Eastern Time)
UC3 (Advanced High School Contest Math) Thursday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm (US Eastern Time)

* Each course will meet 30 times (two hours every time), 15 times in the Session 1 (Fall Session) and 15 times in Session 2 (Spring Session) for a total of 15*2*2 = 60 hours in this session.

Online Advanced Studies Program ( Register & Check Details )
Session 1 (Fall Session)
(part 1 of each course)
September - December
Check Calendar
Total hours: 30 hours
(twelve 2.5 hours meetings)
Session 2 (Spring Session)
(part 2 of each course)
January - May
Check Calendar
Total hours: 30 hours
(twelve 2.5 hours meetings)
Courses* Date** Class Time**
XC7 (Advanced Pre-Calculus with 3D geometry) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
XC9 (Calculus I with math reasoning and proofs) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
XC10 (Calculus II with math reasoning and proofs) Sunday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm (US Eastern Time)
MO1 (Foundations of Math Olympiad Problem Solving) Sunday 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm (US Eastern Time)
MO2 (Intermediate Math Olympiad Problem Solving) Sunday 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm (US Eastern Time)

Each course will meet 24 times (two and a half hours every time), 12 times in the Session 1 (Fall Session) and 12 times in Session 2 (Spring Session) for a total of 12*2.5*2 = 60 hours in this session.

Course Placement and Placement Test

IDEA MATH provides an extensive curriculum. Our courses are intended for able students who wish to expand their mathematics knowledge beyond regular classroom settings. We emphasize study skills (such as taking notes, oral and written presentations, listening, observing, organization, etc).

In general, each applicant not recently enrolled (that is, who has not completed an IDEA MATH course this spring or summer) in our programs shall take a placement test in one of our open online/onsite placement test sessions. (For more details on our placement test/course placement process, please visit here.)

It is important for each applicant to input accurate, complete, detailed, and up-to-date academic background information(i.e., age, grade level, math courses taken, official contest scores, etc.) in the applicant's IDEA MATH student account. We review this information to make initial course placement/placement test level decisions. We will find the most appropriate course placement based on placement test work and general academic information in the student account. Please note that our academic team will make the final decision on your course placement based upon your academic background and your work in the placement test. (Further course placement adjustments can be made, by our academic team, based upon your class work.)

Placement test levels and dates are shown below. Please click this link to register for the placement test. The placement test fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Test Levels and their corresponding courses
Test Level Targeted Course
S0 Math Roots/Math Buds
S1 School Enrichment Series: Algebra 1
S2 School Enrichment Series: Geometry
S3 School Enrichment Series: Algebra 2
S4 Calculus 1 and Calculus 2
T0 Extra Curricular Series: PC0/Pre-Algebra 1 and PCA/Pre-Algebra 2
Holiday Contest Prep program: CW0/A
T1 Extra Curricular Series: PC1-ALG1 and PC2
Fall and Winter Contest Prep: CE1A/CE1B and CE2A/CE2B
Holiday Contest Prep Program: CW1/CW2
T2 Extra Curricular Series: PCX and UC1
Fall and Winter Contest Prep: CE3A/CE3B and CE4A/CE4B
Holiday Contest Prep Program: CW3/CW4
T3 Extra Curricular Series: UC2 and UC3
Fall and Winter Contest Prep: CE5A/CE5B and CE6A/CE6B
Holiday Contest Prep Program: CW5/CW6
T4 XC Series: XC7, XC9, and XC10
MO Series: MO1 and MO2
Fall and Winter Contest Prep: CE7A/CE7B and CE8A/CE8B
Holiday Contest Prep Program: CW7/CW8
Placement Test Schedule for Fall Session
Placement Test Date/Time* Placement Test Location Test fee paid by Test Fee**
July 26, 2026 (Sunday)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (US Eastern Time)
Online July 23, 2026 $50
August 7, 2026 (Friday)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (US Eastern Time)
Online August 4, 2026 $75
August 23, 2026 (Sunday)
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (US Central Time)
John Paul II High School (in-person) August 20, 2026 $50
August 23, 2026 (Sunday)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (US Eastern Time)
Online August 20, 2026 $75
August 28, 2026 (Friday)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (US Eastern Time)
Online August 25, 2026 $100
Special Placement Test Session
Online contact info@ideamath.org
for availability
$150
Placement Test Schedule for Spring Session or Holiday Contest Prep
Placement Test Date/Time* Placement Test Location Test fee paid by Test Fee**
November 15, 2026 (Sunday)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
(US Eastern Time)
Online November 13, 2026 $75
December 6, 2026 (Sunday)
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
(US Central Time)
In-person
John Paul II High School (Plano, TX)
December 3, 2026 $100
December 6, 2026 (Sunday)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
(US Eastern Time)
Online December 3, 2026 $100
Special Placement Test Session
Online contact info@ideamath.org
for availability
$150

*Each placement test is 90 minutes long. Students should arrive at the testing location (onsite or online) 10 minutes prior to the test. All test times are in the US Eastern Time Zone.

** The placement test fee is non-refundable and non-transferable; that is, it cannot be transferred from one applicant/student to another applicant/student, and it also cannot be transferred from a registered/chosen test session/date to another placement test session/date for the same applicant/student. Special test sessions (test fee of $150 or more) can be arranged depending on staffing availabilities. Please contact info@ideamath.org for inquires on special test sessions.