Which AIME cutoffs apply to November 2026?
For the AMC competitions taken in November 2026, the relevant invitational examination is AIME 2027. MAA lists qualifying thresholds of 100 or above on AMC 10 and 85 or above on AMC 12, provided the student meets its other eligibility conditions. The new system uses set scores rather than the previous percentage-based cutoffs. Source: MAA AIME information and FAQs.
| Competition taken | Score threshold for AIME 2027 | What the number means |
|---|---|---|
| AMC 10A or AMC 10B, November 2026 | At least 100 | Score requirement; other eligibility rules still apply. |
| AMC 12A or AMC 12B, November 2026 | At least 85 | Score requirement; other eligibility rules still apply. |
The dates in a search result matter. A page discussing the November 2025 contests may accurately describe an older cycle while giving the wrong answer for your current result. Similarly, an AMC honour or award threshold answers a different question from whether you can register for AIME.
Calculate your score before interpreting it
Let C be correct answers, B blanks and W wrong answers. For a complete AMC 10/12 paper, C + B + W = 25. The current rules award six points for a correct answer, one and a half for a blank, and none for a wrong answer. Source: current MAA scoring policy.
The second form compares your result with leaving every answer blank. Turning a blank into a correct answer adds 4.5 points; turning it into a wrong answer loses 1.5. That is why counting only the number you attempted gives an incomplete picture.
| Correct | Blank | Wrong | Score | Score-only interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 11 | 0 | 100.5 | Above the AMC 10 threshold. |
| 14 | 10 | 1 | 99 | Below the AMC 10 threshold. |
| 11 | 14 | 0 | 87 | Above the AMC 12 threshold. |
| 12 | 9 | 4 | 85.5 | Above the AMC 12 threshold. |
Every valid score is a multiple of 1.5. Consequently, 100.5 is the lowest attainable score meeting a threshold of 100; 85.5 is the lowest attainable score meeting a threshold of 85. These are arithmetic consequences of the scoring system, not alternative official cutoffs.
The popular statement “14 correct is enough on AMC 10” therefore needs a condition: the other eleven questions must all be blank. One wrong answer among those eleven changes the score from 100.5 to 99.
When does guessing beat a blank?
If your chosen answer has probability p of being correct, its expected score is 6p. A blank earns 1.5 with certainty. Guessing has the larger expected score precisely when p > 1/4.
| Situation | Expected score from guessing | Comparison with a blank |
|---|---|---|
| Five equally plausible choices | 6/5 = 1.2 | Lower by 0.3. |
| Four equally plausible choices | 6/4 = 1.5 | Equal expected score. |
| Three equally plausible choices | 6/3 = 2 | Higher by 0.5. |
| Two equally plausible choices | 6/2 = 3 | Higher by 1.5. |
The phrase “equally plausible” does real work. Crossing out two choices helps only if the eliminations are justified and you have a sensible basis for distributing confidence among the remaining answers. An option that merely looks familiar does not automatically have probability one third.
This calculation applies when you have finished useful reasoning or must allocate your remaining time elsewhere. Spending another minute on a question may be valuable if it substantially improves your confidence, but that minute also has an opportunity cost: another problem might be easier to finish.
Expected score and chance of qualifying are different objectives
A higher average score does not always mean a higher probability of crossing one particular line. Consider two deliberately simplified situations in which you somehow know the score from your first 24 answers exactly.
Example A: known score 94.5, one answer remaining
For AMC 10, leaving the final answer blank gives 96, below the threshold. A correct answer gives 100.5. Even a random five-choice guess then creates a 1/5 chance of reaching the line, despite having lower expected value than a blank. It changes the chance of qualifying from zero to one fifth.
Example B: known score 99, one answer remaining
A blank gives 100.5 and crosses the line. Guessing gives either 105 or 99. Even a 90%-confident answer has only a 90% chance of staying above the line, while the blank guarantees it in this artificial example. Guessing has the higher expected score but the lower success probability for this particular target.
In a real contest you usually do not know which earlier answers are correct. These examples explain the distinction; they are not instructions to treat an estimated running total as certain. Practise decisions in mocks and examine whether your confidence estimates match your later accuracy.
What should you check after a qualifying score?
Use your final official result, then follow the invitation and registration instructions. Current AIME information includes a minimum age of 13, alongside other age, grade and participation conditions. A calculator cannot establish those conditions. The official AIME window is 5–6 February 2027; the US/Canada administration is at Pearson testing centres. Check MAA’s current AIME guidance.
For students in the international programme, follow the policies of the International Group Leader for the country or region concerned. Do not assume that every US/Canada administration detail applies worldwide. Find the official international programme information.
If you are below the threshold, work backwards from the errors rather than from disappointment. Separate questions you could solve untimed, concepts you had not learned, and guesses whose confidence you overestimated. Then choose one repair task: a topic lesson, a short timed set, or a careful review of lost early marks. The AMC preparation portal provides a route into level-specific practice; it is separate from official contest registration.
Common questions
Is the 2026 AMC 10 AIME cutoff really 100?
How many correct answers do I need on AMC 12?
Does taking both A and B mean my scores are added?
Should I guess if I can eliminate one answer?
Does the same calculator apply to AMC 8?
Sources & further reading
Official rules and programme details can change. Use the linked source for your exact course, competition or examination session.
- MAA AIME information and FAQsCurrent qualifying thresholds, eligibility reminders, administration and regional guidance.
- MAA AMC rules and policies, updated 30 October 2026AMC scoring, separate contest sittings and current policy authority.
- MAA international programmeInternational Group Leader route.
- MAA 2026–27 competition calendarContest-year and examination-year context.
