Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up?
Follow the instructions here.

When do I have to sign up and pay?
Sign up and pay by April 27th. After April 27th, we will take students on a first-come-first-served basis until we need to close off registrations.

How do I sign up as a chaperone?
Follow the instructions here.

I followed all the sign-up instructions and paid the fee prior to April 27th. Am I accepted onto the team?
You should have received two confirmation emails: one for the Information Sheet and one for your payment. If you've received both, welcome to the team!

How do I pay the ARML fee?
The fee can be paid online during the sign-up process or by sending a check. You do not have to pay when you fill out the Information Sheet, but you have not committed to attending (and cannot be selected for an elite team) until you pay the fee.

What if I'm not sure yet whether or not I want to go to ARML?
Fill out the Information Sheet so we can send you updates and announcements. Do not submit payment yet, as this is nonrefundable.

What if I have a conflict with part of the trip?
We plan to offer several options for students who want to fly to ARML instead of taking the bus. Students who fly depart on Friday very early in the morning and return home on Saturday evening. If you are interested in this arrangement, please see the section about flying to ARML on our travel information page. If this does not resolve your conflict, but you are still interested in traveling to ARML, contact the coaching staff. Do not book any flight to ARML until instructed to do so by the staff. Students who fly will be required to travel on certain specific flights with team chaperones.

I signed up but can't go to ARML anymore. What do I do?
Refer to the section in the Team Policies about withdrawing from the team. Your ARML fees cannot be refunded, and withdrawing may have a negative effect on your team placement in future years.

Do I really have to get the permission slip notarized?
Yes. ARML is not like your usual school field trip--students are traveling to another state for four days. We have to be extra careful with all legal precautions.

Are my contest scores good enough to attend ARML?
ARML is open to all students in Northern California, regardless of contest scores. If you want an idea of what ARML problems are like, you can find a copy of previous years' contests online at http://mathleague.org/arml.php.

Am I old enough for ARML?
SFBA/NorCal ARML is open to students of all ages who are in grade 12 or below. Most of our students are in grades 6-12, but younger students have joined the team in the past. Parents of students in grades 5 or below that are interested in ARML should contact the coaching staff at arml-info@lists.berkeley.edu for more information.

Who chaperones the trip?
Supervision during the trip is provided by a combination of coaches and parent volunteers. Students are supervised throughout the trip, including on the bus (or plane). At least two chaperones are assigned to each 15-member team.

What about flying to ARML?
We plan to offer several options for students who want to fly to ARML early Friday morning and return Saturday evening. Students will have a short list of approved flights to choose from, and a team chaperone will travel on each approved flight. You are responsible for the cost of the plane ticket and transportation to and from the airport. However, we may be able to offer a partial rebate of ARML fees to students who fly in order to help defray flight costs. More instructions--including approved flights, booking instructions, and deadlines--will be emailed out to the team in late April. If you are interested in flying to ARML, complete the sign-up process first so you can reserve your spot and receive e-mail updates on flights. If your ability to attend depends heavily on the availability of a particular flight, contact the coaching staff before paying ARML fees. Do not book any flight until you receive further instructions from the staff.

I want to travel separately to ARML with my parents. What do I do?
Contact the coaching staff. All students MUST be supervised during travel, so any student not traveling on the bus or an approved flight must be dropped off and picked up in Las Vegas by a parent or guardian. Students who travel unsupervised will not be allowed to participate in ARML in any way and will not be eligible for any refund of ARML fees.

What happens at ARML besides the contest?
Students arrive Thursday evening. Team meetings and practices are held Friday morning, followed by a few hours for students to rest and eat lunch before the competition begins. ARML sometimes holds an optional event on Friday night; students either attend this event, hang out in the dorm with their teammates, or both. After the contest on Saturday, chaperones usually take students to do a bit of sightseeing in Las Vegas, and the coaching staff puts on a casino-game activity (with play money and small prizes) later. The team departs early Sunday morning.

What about t-shirts?
As is ARML tradition, we design a team t-shirt every year. Students (and chaperones!) are invited to submit designs for the t-shirt, which will be voted on by the entire team. Detailed instructions will be sent out by email, but plan to have your design ready by April 27th.

What is the COVID policy with respect to ARML?
We are proceeding with plans to attend ARML in person in Las Vegas, and you should only join the team if you are comfortable with the idea of participating in an event like this and understand and accept the risks involved. If the COVID situation in general gets significantly worse, we will adjust as needed; we appreciate your flexibility and understanding, and in the unlikely event things get bad enough that we have to cancel the trip to Las Vegas we will give students the option to back out with a full refund. If *your* COVID situation gets worse - in other words you test positive anytime after May 26 - we ask that you send us a copy of your test results (from a testing facility that provides such documentation) and we will refund your fees and cancel your registration. In the absence of one of these two scenarios our normal withdrawal policy will remain in effect (see above).