Level Promotion Policy & Assessments

Last updated: February 1, 2026
Promotion testing begins: March 1, 2026

Overview

This page explains how level promotion works at Random Math, including the reasoning behind our assessment-based system, how and when promotion assessments are offered, passing thresholds, retest policies, fees, and topic-based advancement at higher levels.

Our objective is to ensure fairness, consistency, and genuine mastery, while protecting students from advancing with gaps that can cause long-term difficulty.

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What Problem Are We Addressing?

The core issue this policy addresses is learning quality, not testing.

Over time, we observed that many students follow a learning pattern such as:

• Attempting a problem briefly
• Reading the solution
• Moving on
• Concluding that the topic is “understood”

This happens across homework, books, quizzes, and past contest problems. Unfortunately, reading a solution is not the same as being able to solve a problem.

Mathematics and problem solving are learned through doing, struggling, failing, and retrying. Reading solutions too early creates a false sense of mastery.

With modern AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini), this illusion has become even stronger. Explanations may feel convincing when read, but independent problem solving often collapses under real test conditions.

This mismatch has led to frustration for students, confusion for parents, and inconsistent promotion outcomes — which this policy is designed to fix.

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Why the Promotion System Was Updated

Previously, level promotion relied largely on a coach’s in-class assessment. While effective in many cases, this approach had structural limitations:

• Quick answers in a single topic could mask gaps in other required areas
• Strong classroom participation sometimes hid lack of consistent at-home practice
• Standards could vary slightly across classes despite best intentions

As students move into contest-focused and olympiad-focused levels, these gaps become costly. The updated system introduces a clear, objective, mastery-based standard, while still respecting coach judgment about when a student is ready to be assessed.

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D2 and Below (No Change)

For levels D2 and below, students continue to follow promotion guidelines set by Head Coach Stuti.

• Promotion remains coach-guided
• No standardized promotion assessment at or below D2
• This allows flexibility and age-appropriate pacing

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Objective Promotion Begins at D2 → E1

Starting with the transition from D2 to E1, all promotions require objective, standardized assessments.

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Nature of the Promotion Assessment

• Based on past AMC 10, AMC 12, or AIME problems (level-appropriate)
• Expect the most difficult problems at that level
• Numerical values or wording may change; core reasoning does not
• Essay-style format (all steps must be shown)
• Answers without reasoning receive no credit

The assessment is designed to confirm that the student can solve problems independently, without solutions, hints, or external help.

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Passing Threshold

• Default requirement: ≥ 90% mastery

Parent-Requested Exception (After the Test)

• Parents may request an exception to accept ≥ 80% mastery after the test
• This is reviewed as an exception, not a default option
• Requests for a single “grace point” are not accepted
• No rounding or ad-hoc adjustments

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When Are Promotion Assessments Offered?

• When the coach believes the student is ready
• Based on understanding, consistency, and completion of level-based practice
• If parents believe readiness exists but no assessment is offered, they may formally request one

Parent-requested assessments follow the same standards, thresholds, and fee rules.

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Assessment Fees, Retests & Incentives

Assessment Fees

• $100 fee for all parent/student-requested first attempts
• $100 fee for all retests, regardless of who initiated the original attempt
• No fee for coach-initiated first attempts

Retest Timing

• Coach-directed → after 30+ days
• Parent-directed → after 90+ days

Reward for Genuine Self-Nomination

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Level Benchmarks (From D2 Onward)

• D2 → E1: AMC 10 ≤ Q14, AMC 8 ≤ Q25
• E1 → E2: AMC 10 ≤ Q17, AIME ≤ Q3
• E2 → F1: AMC 10 ≤ Q20, AIME ≤ Q5
• F1 → F2: AMC 10 ≤ Q23, AIME ≤ Q7
• F2 → G1: AMC 10 ≤ Q25, AIME ≤ Q10
• G1 → G2: AMC 12 ≤ Q22, AIME ≤ Q12
• G2: AMC 12 ≤ Q25, AIME ≤ Q15

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Topic-Based Advancement (F2, G1, G2)

• Advancement may be granted by topic (e.g., Geometry, Number Theory)
• Requires ≥ 90% mastery (or ≥ 80% if approved as an exception)
• Base level remains unchanged
• Schedule flexibility is required

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Summary

This policy ensures that advancement reflects true problem-solving ability, not solution reading or superficial completion.

Not passing an assessment is not failure — it is feedback, and often the most valuable kind.

For further questions, please contact the Random Math support team.