We will leave for ARML on May 31 and return either once the awards ceremony is completed Saturday June 2 (arriving back in the Bay Area after midnight) or on Sunday June 3 (arriving back in the Bay Area in the evening). Specific transportation details will be finalized once we have an idea of who will be attending. This year's contest conflicts with an SAT test date, so students who had planned to take the June SAT will need to make alternate arrangements. The easiest solution is simply to schedule the SAT for another test date, but students who have no choice but to take the test in June may go to http://www.arml.com/sat_conflict/sat_2012.php for details on how to reschedule their test around ARML.

The total cost of the trip this year will be $300, which covers registration, round trip transportation to Las Vegas, housing at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, two meals on Saturday, and a team T-shirt. You will be responsible for your meals on Friday and dinner Saturday night, as well as any additional spending money you wish to bring. Many school districts pay part or all of a student's expenses to attend the ARML meet. Feel free to seek funding from your local district, and please contact us if you would like us to prepare an official letter to assist in securing funding once you are accepted onto this year's team.

For more information about the ARML program, feel free to check out the ARML website at http://www.arml.com. Application information is listed below, and information about transportation and practices will be announced in April. If you have any questions, we can be reached at 866-387-6284, or by email at mathleague@mathleague.org. We look forward to your participation on this year's team!

To do list:

• Tryouts - For this year, we will be selecting students for our A1 and A2 teams based on performance at various math contests throughout the year. AMC performance will be heavily considered in this process, and a student should not expect to be placed on the A1 or A2 team if s/he does not take the AIME. In addition, performance at other contests (particularly mathleague.org's series of local contests and the California state championship) will be considered to the extent such scores can help us get a better picture of each student's potential. We will announce the 30 A1 and A2 team members at the state championship on April 21, and we will determine which of these students are on A1 and which are on A2 based on performance at the practices in April and May.
• Application - Your application for participation should be completed by April 16; the application is available at http://mathleague.org/armlapp.php. If your parents are interested in traveling to Las Vegas with the team, please have them fill out an application form as well and we can work out the appropriate details with them.
• Payment and permission slip - Students planning to go to ARML this year need to send a notarized permission slip, along with a check for $300 (made out to Math League), to PO Box 622768, Oviedo FL 32762. The permission slip is available online by clicking this link. If you prefer, you may bring a check and permission slip to the State Math Championship on April 21 or to practice on April 22, or you may pay online by clicking the link to the mathleague.org store; either way, make sure participant's name is attached to the payment. Any student accepted onto the team whose payment is received by noon on April 21 will be guaranteed a spot on the team, after which positions will be filled on a rolling basis until the buses are full or ARML's internal deadline passes, whichever is earlier; note that students whose payments are received after the A1 and A2 participants are announced on April 21 are not eligible to participate on the A1 or A2 teams. Registration fees are nonrefundable after April 22, but if you end up unable to make it to ARML you may designate another student to take your place at the competition.
• Practices - Attending practices is an important part of the ARML process; and as such you should plan to attend weekly practices held throughout late April and May. Practices will be announced on our website and via email once they are organized. Practices will be held at Stanford and in Sacramento, and we may also organize practices near Berkeley if enough students are interested. Once practice dates and times are announced, you are expected to attend most of the practices. If you miss more than one scheduled practice without authorization, you may be bumped down to a lower team.