How to Start Your AMC 8 Prep (with 6 Free Pre-AMC 8 Practice Tests & Digital Mock Test)
- Nov 14
- 7 min read
What Is AMC 8 – And What Does “Pre-AMC 8 Prep” Mean?
The AMC 8 (American Mathematics Competition 8) is a 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice math contest designed for students in Grade 8 and below. It’s often a student’s first serious step into competition math and a great way to build logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and confidence.
When we say “Pre-AMC 8 prep”, we mean the foundation phase before you dive into lots of timed past papers. In this phase, students:
Strengthen core topics (fractions, percentages, algebra, geometry, counting, number theory).
Learn how to read and decode competition-style word problems.
Practice regularly with short, focused worksheets that feel like AMC 8 questions but are not as overwhelming as a full test.
This blog post gives you:
6 Pre-AMC 8 practice PDFs you can use as weekly or bi-weekly sets.
A simple, realistic prep plan (around 6 months, but flexible).
A digital AMC 8 mock test that simulates the real exam.
A complete score-report–based mock test so you know exactly where you stand.
An introduction to the Thriving Scholars tutoring program and our flagship AMC 8 prep method if you’d like structured guidance.
Pre-AMC 8 Practice Test PDFs (6 Free Worksheets)
Before we talk about the detailed prep plan, let’s look at your Pre-AMC 8 toolkit.
You’ll have 6 downloadable PDF practice sets. You can think of them as step-by-step “ramps” that gently raise your level towards full AMC 8 readiness:
Set 1–2: Core skills and easier AMC-style problems (arithmetic, fractions, percentages, basic word problems).
Set 3–4: More geometry, number theory, counting & probability, and multi-step reasoning.
Set 5–6: Near full-test level difficulty – great as mini-mocks or intense weekly challenges.
Each sheet is designed to be:
Student-friendly: Clear, clean layout and approachable questions.
Teacher-friendly: Easy to assign as classwork, homework, or an enrichment module.
Parent-friendly: You can simply print, time your child for 30–40 minutes, and then go over the solutions together.
You can use them as “Pre-AMC 8 Weeklies” – for example, one set every week or every two weeks, depending on your schedule.
Week-wise Practice | Pre-AMC 8 Worksheet |
Week 1 | |
Week 2 | |
Week 3 | |
Week 4 | |
Week 5 | |
Week 6 |
Done with the sets? Let's Test!
An Ideal (But Flexible) 6-Month AMC 8 Prep Plan
You can compress this plan into 3–4 months if needed, but a 6-month timeline keeps things relaxed and sustainable. It’s meant for everyone – students, parents, and teachers.
Months 1–2: Pre-AMC 8 Foundation
Goal: Build comfort with competition-style problems without pressure.
Work through Pre-AMC 8 Sets 1–2 slowly and carefully.
Focus on:
Fractions, decimals, percentages
Basic algebra (simple equations, patterns)
Geometry basics (perimeter, area, angles)
Don’t worry about speed yet. Focus on understanding solutions and fixing gaps.
Parents: Set a routine like “AMC 8 Sunday” – 45–60 minutes once a week. Sit with your child, let them try independently first, then discuss solutions together.
Teachers: Use problems from Sets 1–2 as warm-up questions in class or as optional challenge homework.
Months 3–4: Topic-Wise Strengthening
Goal: Become strong in the main AMC 8 topic areas.
Now mix in more focused and slightly harder questions.
Use Pre-AMC 8 Sets 3–4 topic-wise:
Counting & probability
Number theory (divisibility, primes, remainders)
Geometry word problems
Multi-step logic puzzles
Aim for 1–2 timed mini-sessions per week:
For example, 30 minutes to attempt as many questions as possible, then 30 minutes of review.
During this phase, start tracking:
Which topics feel comfortable.
Which topics you are guessing on.
Where you repeatedly make careless mistakes.
This “error log” will be gold in the last month.
Month 5: Full AMC 8 Mode – Mocks + Past Papers
Goal: Shift into real-exam style practice.
This is where your practice starts looking like the actual AMC 8:
Start taking full-length mocks (25 questions in 40 minutes).
Mix:
A digital AMC 8 test (see next section).
Past AMC 8 papers.
Your harder questions from Sets 5–6 as timed drills.
Try to do at least one full mock per week.
After every mock, ask:
How many questions did I attempt?
How many did I get right?
Did I run out of time?
Which 3 topics cost me the most marks?
Use this to fine-tune your final month.
Month 6: Refine, Review, and Gain Confidence
Goal: Clean up weaknesses and feel calm, not panicked.
Redo selected problems from all 6 Pre-AMC 8 sets, focusing on ones you got wrong earlier.
Take 1–2 more full mocks, including the detailed score-report mock (explained below).
In the last week:
Light, focused practice (no heavy new topics).
Revisit your error log.
Solve a small “confidence set” of problems you know you can get right to stay positive.
Parents can help by:
Keeping the atmosphere supportive (no pressure on “marks,” more focus on “learning”).
Helping the student see progress: “Three months ago, this problem would have felt impossible – now you solved it!”
The Digital AMC 8 Test: A Realistic Online Simulation
Along with PDFs, you’ll also have access to a digital AMC 8-style test.
This test is designed to feel like the real thing:
Same format: 25 multiple-choice questions.
Same time limit: 40 minutes, with a visible countdown timer.
No calculator: Just like the real contest.
Instant scoring: Know your raw score immediately after you submit.
Why a Digital AMC 8 Matters
Experience the pressure safely: Students feel what it’s like to manage 40 minutes and 25 problems before they ever sit for the real AMC 8.
Build endurance: Working for the full duration trains focus and stamina.
Reduce test-day anxiety: When you’ve “been there, done that” in practice, the actual contest feels familiar, not scary.
You can use the digital test:
Once in the middle of your prep to see where you stand.
Once again near the end as a final rehearsal.
Pre-AMC 8 Mock Test with Complete Score Report
On top of the simple digital simulation, we also recommend using a Pre-AMC 8 practice test that gives a detailed score report.
Here’s what that typically includes:
Overall score: How many questions you got correct out of 25.
Topic breakdown: How you performed in:
Arithmetic & algebra
Geometry
Counting & probability
Number theory / logic
Difficulty bands: How you did on easier vs. medium vs. harder problems.
Time usage insights (if tracked): Whether you’re losing marks because of speed or because of concept gaps.
How This Score Report Helps You “Know Where You Are At”
Instead of just seeing “I got 14/25,” you’ll know:
“I’m strong in geometry, weak in probability.”
“I lose marks on easy questions because of careless mistakes.”
“I rush too much in the first 10 questions and pay for it later.”
That kind of insight lets you:
Set realistic goals for test day (e.g., aim for 18+ this year, 20+ next year).
Decide where to focus your last 2–3 weeks of prep.
Have meaningful conversations with tutors/teachers about what exactly you need.
For parents and teachers, the score report becomes a roadmap – not just a number.
Thriving Scholars’ AMC 8 Tutoring Program & Flagship Prep Method
If you’d like structured support alongside these free resources, Thriving Scholars offers a dedicated AMC 8 test-prep program that pairs perfectly with the approach in this blog.
1. AMC Practice Test Series (Guided, Structured Prep)
Our AMC Practice Test Series provides a sequence of high-quality, exam-style papers with solutions and guidance, so students can move beyond “just solving questions” into intentional, coached practice.
👉 Learn more: Thriving Scholars AMC Practice Test Series
In this series, students:
Take regular timed tests in a realistic format.
Get detailed feedback so they can see which topics and question types need work.
Learn competition strategies: when to skip, when to guess, how to avoid traps.
Parents can use this series as a ready-made prep track: just follow the sequence of tests and discuss results with your child using the score reports and solutions.
2. Free Topic-Wise Past Papers (AMC 8 & AMC 10)
In addition to the Pre-AMC 8 PDFs you’ll insert in this blog, Thriving Scholars also provides free topic-wise past papers for both AMC 8 and AMC 10.
👉 Explore them here: Free AMC 8 and AMC 10 Topic-Wise Past Papers
These are extremely powerful because they let students:
Focus on one topic at a time (e.g., do 10–15 geometry questions in one go).
See how a topic has appeared across different years and levels.
Transition smoothly from AMC 8 to AMC 10 when they’re ready.
Teachers can use these topic-wise sets to build mini-units or enrichment modules in class.
3. The Thriving Scholars Flagship AMC 8 Prep Method
At Thriving Scholars, our flagship AMC 8 prep method brings everything together into a step-by-step, student-friendly system:
Concept Clarity First Short, focused teaching on key AMC 8 topics so students are not just memorising tricks but actually understanding the math.
Pre-AMC 8 Practice (Your 6 PDFs)Carefully chosen problems that ease students into competition style without knocking their confidence.
Topic-Wise Deep Dives Using curated past papers to attack one area at a time until it becomes a strength.
Regular Digital & Paper Mocks Both on-screen and on-paper practice so test-day format never feels like a surprise.
Detailed Score Reports & Review Sessions Every mock is followed by analysis: What went wrong? What improved? What’s the next target?
Mindset & Confidence Building We emphasise growth: from “I’m bad at math” to “I can learn this with practice.” That mindset change often matters more than any single trick or formula.
You don’t need to be a “math genius” to start AMC 8 prep. You just need:
A clear starting point (your Pre-AMC 8 PDFs).
A simple, steady plan (the 6-month outline above).
A realistic mock experience (digital test + score-report mock).
And, if you want extra support, a structured program like Thriving Scholars.
Whether you’re a student learning independently, a parent supporting your child, or a teacher building a math club, you can use this framework to help students grow, enjoy problem solving, and walk into AMC 8 feeling prepared.
And that’s the real win, no matter what the final score is.
Comments