Welcome to USACO 2006


USA Computing Olympiad team
wins gold and silver medals
at IOI in Mexico (Aug 2006)

Richard McCutchen (S), John Pardon (G), George Boxer (S), Bohua Zhan (S)

 

  

This year the USACO conductred 6 Internet contests, the US Open, plus the week-long USA Invitational Computing Olympiad. The summer training camp was held at  Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sixteen students were be invited by the USACO committee.  The team, on the left represented  USA at the 18th IOI in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, Aug 13-20, 2006

http://ace.delos.com/contestgate
Internet Contests

Schedule
We intend to run contests for the entire gamut of programmers, from those taking their first course through the international level challenges we've held for years.  Here are the divisions and the general levels they represent:


Below is this year's schedule for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold contests. We still don't have the means to run Novice contests but we are working on it. Contest lengths are not shown because we choose the length based on the problems the contest contains. Except for the US Open, which is proctored and held on a single day for USA contestants, contests run from Friday morning until Tuesday morning, USA Mountain Time:
 

GOLD DIVISION:
The elite level with the most difficult challenges. The lowest-level competitors in this division should be able to create a dynamic programming algorithm from scratch (similar to the old Green division).

SILVER:
Just below the Gold division, Silver competitors should know a number of standard computer algorithms (e.g., the flood-fill algorithm). Silver is similar to the old Orange division.

BRONZE:

Students who can write programs that work, including ad hoc programs that don't require fancy optimized algorithms.

NOVICE:

For first year students. Problem levels escalate through the year in parallel with standard instructional curricula. Contests will be one hour in length and are intended to be administered during class.

Both Gold and Silver levels are "invitation-only".  Invitations are
earned by:

  • Doing well on the October 14-17 qualification exam
  • Doing well at the Bronze or Silver Level on subsequent contests
  • Special cases as determined by the coaches
  • Achieving the Gold/Silver level in previous contests
     

Our first contest will be the three hour USACO Qualification Exam.
Only those who wish to move up from their current competition level need take this exam.  Its scores will be used only for qualifying -- they will not be used for determination of national champions,invitations to travel camps, etc.

The tasks and scoring are anticipated to facilitate placement of competitors at the proper level. Not all competitors will solve all problems. It is possible (after subsequent contests) to be invited to move down a division if it is clear that the contestant is miss assigned.
 
  • Oct. 14-17, 2005 :
    The USACO  Qualifying Exam. This contest will be the three hour contest that is expected to feature five or six problems. The tasks and scoring are anticipated to facilitate placement of competitors at the proper level. Not all competitors will solve all problems. It is possible (after subsequent contests) to be invited to move down a division if it is clear that the contestant is miss assigned.

 
  • Nov 11-14, 2005 
    The USACO November Contest is open to all pre-college students who have access to the Internet.
  • http://ace.delos.com/contestgate
     
    •
  • Dec 9-12, 2005 :
    The USACO December Contest is open to all pre-college students who have access to the Internet.
  • http://ace.delos.com/contestgate
     

    •  
  • Jan 13-16, 2006 :
    The USACO January Contest is open to all pre-college students who have access to the Internet.
     
  • Feb 10-13, 2006:
    The USACO February Contest is open to all pre-college students who have access to the Internet.
     
  • March 10-13, 2006 :
    The USACO March Contest is open to all pre-college students who have access to the Internet.
     
  • April 27, 2006 :
    The USACO Open is a proctored contest for USA students only.
     
  •  April 28- May 1, 2006 :
    The USACO Open for international students.
     
  • Early June, 2006
    The USA Invitational Competition, Colorado College, ~ 8 days. By invitation only.
     
  • Registration:

    Registration at http://ace.delos.com/usacoregister (for both contests and training)

 

 

 
       
Registration Training Materials
For both contests and training is at:

http://ace.delos.com/usacoregister

 

 


The USACO training pages at http://train.usaco.org are still available free of charge for anyone who wishes to practice.
 

While we have supported Java in programming contests for almost a year now, we are pleased to announce that THE TRAINING PAGES AT http://train.usaco.org NOW ALSO SUPPORT JAVA (though you have to do an extra click for the 'experimental grader' until it's solid).
U S Open

Schedule
The USACO U S Open is a five-hour proctored competition that is conducted at local high schools under the direction of a local coordinator. A 2006 USACO U S Open and International Champion will be selected. 

The USACO is open to:

  • All pre-college students throughout the world with access to the internet are eligible (except cheaters who have been banned.
  • No fees are charged
  • Contest languages include C, C++, Pascal, and Java
  • Contests beyond the first-year level are three to five hours in length
  • Results are widely disseminated and reported on the USACO web site
  • The 'big prize' is an invitation to the USA Invitational Competition (name still pending) in Colorado Springs, CO in the first half of June, 2006.
  • The 'biggest prize' is selection for the four-student USA
    international traveling team that will represent the USA in Mexico at the International Olympiad where 70 other countries will also compete in August, 2006.

 

  •  April 27  for USA participants.
      

  •  April 28-May 1 for non-USA participants.


 
Second  USA Invitational Computing Olym

Schedule
The USAICO  consisting of 14 US finalists and 8 foreign competitors will be held at Colorado College. From the US finalists, four students will be chosen to represent the USA at the 18th IOI in Mexico in August 2006.

 

  • Early June, 2006
Criteria For 2006
We will use all contest results and work on the training materials as evaluation criteria for choosing attendees at the USACO training camp to be held in June, 2006. 
.
This means that candidates who show long-term strength (and/or growth) are more likely to be chosen for camp than those who have one lucky contest. We will be keeping a record of all  progress on the training materials.