Intensive preparation for the Olympiad “Phystech. We enter a university without exams: the Phystech Olympiad We enter a university without exams: the Phystech Olympiad

The Phystech Olympiad is one of the main Olympiads for MIPT or MSU applicants. It is quite possible to perform successfully at Phystech, but you need to start preparing at least a year in advance.

The Phystech Olympiad is two separate Olympiads in mathematics and physics. You can participate in one of these Olympiads, or both at once.

MIPT Olympiad "Phystech"

The Phystech online correspondence tour lasts just over two months. Only numerical answers are checked, which can be corrected many times throughout the entire duration of the online Olympiad.

For students in grades 7–10, only an online correspondence tour is provided. It is necessary to take part in the correspondence round in order to gradually get used to the level and specifics of the tasks of the Olympiad. In addition, tenth-graders who successfully performed in the online round are invited to participate in the in-person round of the Olympiad of the next academic year (that is, in the 11th grade they no longer have to participate in the online round).

For eleventh-graders, the Olympiad is held in two rounds: correspondence and full-time. The winners and prize-winners of the correspondence round are invited to the in-person round. Another way to get into the full-time round is a diploma from the MIPT Capital Olympiad.

The Phystech in-person tours are essentially the good old written exams at MIPT in mathematics and physics. The Phystech Olympiad inherited the spirit and traditions of previous exams.

Therefore, the best way to prepare for the Olympiad is to solve the problems of the Phystech Olympiad of past years and the problems of entrance exams at MIPT in the nineties and zeros; These problems are collected in the two already mentioned problem books (links below).

The Phystech Olympiad in mathematics has the second level. It provides the following benefits:

MIPT, Mechanics and Mathematics and Physics Department of Moscow State University - the winner or prize-winner receives 100 points towards the Unified State Examination in mathematics;
VMK MSU - the winner receives 100 points towards the Unified State Examination in mathematics (the winners, alas, are in the air).

As we can see, the “Phystech” Olympiad in mathematics (due to its second level) is the least interesting for VMK applicants. However, this very second level is very beneficial for those entering MIPT - after all, then there is the opportunity to get the same 100 points in mathematics, being the winner or prize-winner of the wonderful OMMO (which also has a second level and, in addition, generously distributes diplomas).

The Phystech Olympiad in mathematics in 2012 underwent some changes: there were eight problems in the full-time round.

To the six traditional “applicant” problems of increased complexity, two Olympiad problems in combinatorics and integers were added (compare the 2011 version with the 2012 and 2013 versions).

Combinatorial problems have also been present in distance rounds of the Olympiad since 2011. So keep this in mind and study combinatorics!

Source: http://gghelp.ru/index/fiztekh/0-284

Entering a university without exams: Phystech Olympiad

Why does a high school student need the Olympics and how to prepare for it. Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman is a Russian mathematician who proved the Poincaré conjecture. It is known that Perelman was an “avid Olympian” and, in addition to high school on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, studied at a mathematical center under the guidance of Sergei Rukshin.

Hard work helped Perelman become the leader of the circle. Thanks to his “Olympic gold,” he entered Leningrad State University without exams. Then there was graduate school at the Institute of Mathematics, a candidate's dissertation, scientific work in the USA and the solution to the first and only problem of the millennium at the moment.

Every high school student can follow the path of a great mathematician; you need to start with the Olympiad and enter a university without exams. Foxford correspondent. News" found out how the Phystech Olympiad will help a student.

Olympiad "Phystech"

The Physics and Mathematics Olympiad “Fiztekh” is held for students in the 9th, 10th and 11th grades. Thanks to it, high school students dive deeper into the study of the discipline, and the organizers recognize talented students who are capable of studying at the Physics and Technology Institute and develop their interest in research activities.

The Phystech Olympiad is held in two stages, separately in mathematics and physics. The following Olympiads are counted as the first (qualifying) stage:

Online stage of the Phystech Olympiad - from September 30, 2017 to February 4, 2018;
Moscow Physics and Mathematics Olympiad MIPT - December 9, 2017;
Qualifying round LETI mathematics - December 3, 2017, physics December 2, 2017;
MIPT visiting physics and mathematics Olympiad - January-February 2018;
Online stage Phystech.International - from September 25, 2017 to December 1, 2017;
Physics and Mathematics Olympiad MIET - from December 1, 2017 to February 1, 2018.

Prize-winners and winners of the qualifying stage advance to the final stage of the Olympiad. Winners and prize-winners of the Phystech Olympiad of last year in the corresponding subject are also allowed to the final stage.

This year, the final stage of the Olympiad in mathematics will be held on February 24, in physics - on February 25, 2018. The winner will receive a 1st degree diploma, the winners will receive 2nd and 3rd degree diplomas.

Benefits when entering a university

Winners and prize-winners of the final stage of school Olympiads receive benefits when enrolling in prestigious universities in Russia. High school students will be able to enroll without exams or receive 100 Unified State Examination points in a subject that corresponds to the profile of the Olympiad.

For example, this year the winners of the Phystech Olympiad in physics can be admitted to MIPT for the corresponding specialties without exams. Prizewinners of the Phystech Olympiads in physics, winners and prize-winners in mathematics, when entering MIPT, can receive 100 points in the corresponding subject. To take advantage of the benefit, students must receive 75 Unified State Examination points in the relevant subject.

Independent preparation for the Olympics

To prepare for the Phystech Olympiad in mathematics on your own, MIPT teacher Boris Trushin advises solving variants of problems from previous years.

The type of problems and methods for solving them do not change from year to year. If a student has solved problems over the past 20 years, then he has every chance to cope with the Olympiad.

In recent years, 7 problems have been encountered in the full-time mathematics tour:

rational and irrational equations and inequalities (and their systems);
trigonometric equations;
logarithmic equations and inequalities;
tasks with a parameter;
planimetry;
stereometry;
combinatorics and number theory.

According to MIPT teacher Mikhail Penkin, in the final stage of the physics Olympiad there are only five problems and five topics: mechanics, thermodynamics, electrostatics, electromagnetism and geometric optics.

Often there is a very simple combinatorics, or stereometry, in which you immediately got a feel for the design (and this is already half the solution), or a problem with a parameter in which you immediately understood what the picture was, and you need very little to “extend” it.

Express preparation for the Olympics

The final stage of the Olympiad will take place at the end of February. There is less than a month left to prepare for it. You can get good results if you manage your time correctly and find a good mentor.

Students prepare for at least a year, combine online courses and come to the Foxford visiting school. During classes, they are completely immersed in preparation, focusing on the format of the tasks and those topics that are most often encountered. In addition, children learn to quickly read the meaning of a problem, look for a solution and formulate it correctly.

Source: https://foxford.news/post/olympfiz

Benefits for winners and prize-winners of Olympiads upon admission to MIPT - 2018

This information is relevant for 11th graders of the 2017/18 academic year who want to enroll at MIPT in 2018.

First of all, you need to decide on the faculty and, accordingly, the competition group - the set of competitive subjects depends on this.

The most popular areas of training are “Applied Mathematics and Physics” (APM; and then this is mathematics, physics, Russian) or “Applied Mathematics and Computer Science” (API; and then this is mathematics, computer science, Russian). For more information about competition groups, see the Admission Rules.

MIPT is forming its own list of olympiads that count. Graduates of 2018 who received Olympiad diplomas in 11th grade have the following benefits.

In physics(in the corresponding competitive groups) four first-level Olympiads are accepted: “Phystech”, “Rosatom”, “Conquer the Sparrow Hills!” and the Moscow Olympiad for schoolchildren.

The winners of these Olympiads receive a BVI benefit, and the prize-winners receive 100 points in physics.

In addition, the Kurchatov Olympiad (second level) is accepted: winners and runners-up receive 100 points in physics (and within the framework of the INBIXT Mathematics and Physics competition group, the winner has a BVI).

Mathematics(in the relevant competitive groups) the following Olympiads are accepted: “Phystech”, “Lomonosov”, “Conquer the Sparrow Hills!”, “Highest Standard”, “Kurchatov”, Moscow Mathematical Olympiad, Tournament of Cities, St. Petersburg Olympiad for Schoolchildren, St. Petersburg State University Olympiad and All-Siberian Olympiad. The winners receive a BVI, the prize-winners receive 100 points in mathematics. In addition, the third level Olympiad “Phystech.International” in mathematics is accepted, the winners of which receive 100 points.

To confirm the benefit, you must pass the Unified State Exam in this subject with at least 75 points.

Individual achievements

When entering MIPT, it is highly desirable to have all 10 points of individual achievements, which will be included in the total amount of competitive points. It is necessary to clearly understand in advance how many ID points you can receive and for what exactly.

I would like to draw special attention to section 3 of the said ID table, which concerns the awarding of points for diplomas at RSOS Olympiads.

In accordance with paragraph 5 of this “Procedure for accounting for ID”, diplomas are accepted starting from 2015! So, if you were a winner of the Phystech Olympiad in 9th or 10th grade, then you have 6 points, and if you are a winner, then 8 points.

Prize winning at other second level Olympiads gives 4 points, victory - 6 points; medals at other first-level Olympiads give 6 points, victory - 8 points. This is why, in particular, it is important to win diplomas from list-based Olympiads in grades 8–10: this decides in advance the issue of gaining the full amount of ID at MIPT.

Source: http://mathus.ru/olymp/benemipt.php

There is no need to be afraid of the Olympics, you need to try

For yesterday's schoolchildren, and now applicants, a fateful time has come: submitting documents to universities.

The bulk of graduates enter there based on the results of the Unified State Exam, but some of the children who have become winners or prize-winners of high-level Olympiads expect either admission without exams, or 100 points in an additional entrance test (for example, at Moscow State University), or 100 points in the test Unified State Examination in a core subject. Exactly what benefit will be provided depends on the level of the Olympiad (it can be first, second or third), and also on the degree of the Olympiad diploma.

What should you focus more on – preparing for the Unified State Exam or for the Olympiads? Do you need a tutor for both? And why can’t everyone confirm their successes at the Olympiads in the Unified Exam? We talked about this with current applicants and with those who have already completed their first year.

Both for the Olympiads and the Unified State Exam

Olga Loktionova, graduated last year from Lyceum No. 1580 at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Now she has entered her second year of mechanical engineering at Moscow State University.

Tell us how you entered the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, what did you prepare for?

I entered both the Olympiads and the Unified State Exam. Teachers told us that if you are focusing on a technical university at the level of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University or slightly lower, then the most convenient way to enter there is through the Baumansky Olympiad. It’s not difficult, and we spent two years preparing for it.

This Olympiad is also suitable for universities that host level 2 and 3 Olympiads - MAI, MADI, etc. “Step into the Future” is a 3rd level competition that gives benefits to Baumanka and, for example, to the University of Civil Engineering.

If you go to MSTU, the easiest way is to write a project for “Step into the Future,” which makes it possible to enroll in a specific department.

If you have a choice between Moscow State University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and other top educational institutions, then from the 10th grade you should start preparing for the 1st level Olympiads.

They give either a discount for admission without an exam, or 100 points in a subject (and you need to pass an internal exam), or 100 points for an internal, additional exam.

To enter MSU, you also need to prepare for an internal test and write a first-level Olympiad. At MIPT, it is better to participate in the Phystech Olympiad, which gives you the opportunity to enter there without entrance exams.

I spent a year and a half preparing for both the Olympiads and the internal exam in mathematics at Moscow State University. We simply solved a large number of problems.

The Unified State Exam does not require creativity

You have a strong specialized lyceum, which is probably why many entered the university through Olympiads. Do you know how kids from public schools get into universities?

If we talk about people from ordinary, non-core schools, they rarely write olympiads, because they are not prepared for them. As a rule, they teach you to write the Unified State Exam well, for which you just need to prepare systematically. The Unified State Exam does not require any creativity.

What about the specialized Unified State Examination in mathematics? Are there very difficult problems in part (“C”)?

I wrote it, and it didn’t cause me any problems at all. I just needed to confirm the Olympics. And, although I decided everything and some points were lowered for me, I decided not to appeal. The points scored were enough to confirm the Olympiad.

In which olympiads have you achieved success?

I was a winner of the first level Olympiad of St. Petersburg State University in mathematics, the Baumanka Olympiad in mathematics and physics, and the MIPT Olympiad in physics. That is, I had 100 points each in mathematics and physics, and only had to pass an additional exam at the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of Moscow State University. Only the winners of the All-Russian Olympiad have the right not to do this.

Did you study with tutors?

Only when I was preparing for the internal exam at Moscow State University. And for the Unified State Exam, I simply bought textbooks and studied on my own. At school they started preparing us for the unified exam only in the middle of the 11th grade. Moreover, mainly to the second, more complex part. I know that in regular schools they most often prepare for the first part.

Because it is where the bulk of points are scored. Last year you could get about 70 points for the first error-free part and for the first two numbers of the second part. This was enough to confirm the Olympics (last year - 65 points).

I prepared for the first part because there you have to be extremely attentive, and that’s what I lack.

Are there many winners and prize-winners of Olympiads in Mechanics and Mathematics?

About 10 people entered the All-Russian Olympiad. There are three of them in my group. They are really strong.

That is, the conclusion is this: if you want to enter a strong university, you need to focus on the Olympiads?

It's worth doing if you were prepared for them at school and you have the level. But then you will probably write the Unified State Exam normally, confirming the Olympiad. As a rule, this is not difficult.

And I can advise everyone else to prepare for the Unified State Exam. It's easy to train him. You can study well for 11 years and solve problems perfectly on the Unified State Exam, because you understand how to solve them and have the knowledge.

Or you can decide everything because you were trained to do it. The result will be the same. Maybe that’s why universities organize internal exams and greatly inflate the passing score.

To select people with a creative mind.

I wouldn’t have gotten 98 points without a tutor

Sasha Bakinovskaya graduated from the Pirogov School this year and is going to enroll in linguistics at the Russian State University for the Humanities based on the results of the Unified State Examination.

Why are you applying for the Unified State Exam and not for the Olympiad?

Maybe we should have paid more attention to preparing for the Olympiads, because it seems to me that if you write the Olympiad well, it’s difficult to pass the Unified State Exam poorly. After all, the tasks of the Olympiads are more difficult. But I didn't do that. I was afraid. I have good results in Russian and English - 98 points, but in history - worse - 65. Simply because I didn’t prepare for it very well.

Did you prepare for the Unified State Exam yourself or with tutors?

For English – I took courses to prepare for the Unified State Exam. I had a wonderful Russian tutor. And in history, I also studied with a tutor.

How necessary is a tutor when preparing for the Unified State Exam?

Although initially everything was fine with my Russian, I understand that I would not have scored 98 points on my own. Knowledge is needed, but it is important to understand the form of the Unified State Exam, the criteria by which essays are assessed, and the specifics of the questions for the text. In general, clearly know what tasks and how you must complete them. And also meet the timing.

Did everyone at your school have tutors?

In our class - for everyone.

Why was it necessary to prepare additionally for English?

To understand the form of tasks. I myself would have passed the oral part much worse. When you look at the picture that is offered to you, you need to know which phrase to start with and which to end with. Over the course of a year of taking courses, you “get your fill.”

Is it possible to prepare for both the Olympiads and the Unified State Exam at the same time?

Can. But these are different tutors.

Double pay?

All Unified State Examinations contain tasks not from the school curriculum.

Alexander Harutyunyan, graduated from the gymnasium class of school No. 56. He plans to enter the Faculty of Public Relations at MGIMO.

Did you participate in Olympiads or prepare intensively for the Unified State Exam?

The Olympics are a good option, but becoming a medalist or winner is quite difficult. They may be an additional option. It is better to prepare with tutors for the Unified State Exam.

Did all your classmates do the same?

All. After all, almost all Unified State Examinations contain tasks that are not included in the school curriculum. Therefore, you need to prepare for the Unified State Exam separately from school. This exam tests not so much knowledge as the ability to complete the tasks it contains. For example, understand the algorithm by which essays in Russian and foreign languages are written. School doesn't prepare you for this.

It turns out that the Unified State Exam does not test what is taught at school?

It is clear that the Unified State Exam is based on the school curriculum, but, for example, in specialized mathematics there are tasks that are never discussed at school. Many of us took specialized mathematics and studied with tutors.

Were there any kids in your class who entered the Olympiads?

Not a single person. In those Olympiads that really influence admission, it is difficult to take any place. Almost everyone participates in them (and this is a plus when applying), but it is difficult to count on a prize place.

It seems strange to me this type of exam, where the deeper, the worse

Maria Shur, graduate of the Pirogov school. Applicant to the Faculty of Literature of the Higher School of Economics

You are entering a university based on the Olympiads. Which of them did you participate in and why did you decide that it was more convenient for you to act according to their results?

I won the “Conquer the Sparrow Hills”, the “Lomonosov Tournament” in literature and the Russian language Olympiad “Highest Standard” (Higher School of Economics). Why did you focus on the Olympics?

They are more closely related than the Unified State Exam to the subject that I am going to study next. To successfully pass the Unified State Exam, you must have not only knowledge of the subject, but also specific skills.

What else doesn’t suit you about the Unified State Exam?

Well, for example, it’s a very strange way of writing an essay on the Russian language. And the Unified State Exam in Literature is just a minefield: the very criteria for evaluating his five essays allow for subjectivity, and everything depends on the person who checks it. Four essays are small works of five to ten sentences, in which it is often difficult to develop a topic in depth.

They may tell you: what you wrote is superficial. And, although I was lucky (100 points for the Unified State Exam in Literature), I have friends who scored only 69 (then, on appeal, they lost 6 points and received their 75, which was necessary to confirm victory at the Olympiad). And at the Olympics, if you have presented the topic well, this fact is simply impossible to ignore.

The Olympics are also good because there are many of them, and you can choose the format that suits you best.

For example, at the Lomonosov Tournament, in the last round in literature, there were two essays: one is an essay that can be written in free form, and the other is more scientific.

At the Olympiad “Conquer the Sparrow Hills” - one big essay. And at HSE, the first round consists of test assignments, and the second round is also an essay.

But if you only write the Unified State Exam, it all depends on which inspectors you get. Despite the fact that the tasks there are more primitive.

I was told that children who are successful in Olympiads, when answering Unified State Exam questions, can go deeper in the wrong places. And their grades are reduced for this. They are too smart for the Unified State Exam.

Yes, yes, it happens. And here the inspector subjectively decides: did he go deeper and was it worth doing? It seems strange to me this type of exam, where the deeper, the worse. The Unified State Exam is not suitable for smart people: they complicate everything.

Did you start participating in the Olympics early?

For example, you can participate in the Lomonosov Tournament from the 6th grade, in the “Highest Test” in the Russian language - from the 7th grade. And in the “Conquer the Sparrow Hills” Olympiad - generally from the 5th. Then you worry less and master the form of the Olympics better.

There is no need to be afraid of the Olympics, you need to try. In addition, going there does not interfere with preparing for the Unified State Exam.

Can anyone win the Olympics?

Egor Maslikov, absolute winner of the All-Russian History Olympiad. Graduated from Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 1523. Enters the Faculty of International Relations of MGIMO.

When did you decide that you would enter a university based on the results of the Olympiad?

A year before graduating from school, I decided to enter the Olympiad. The Unified State Exam is a lottery, but the Olympiad is much more interesting. In addition, during the preparation process you develop, and competition plays its role. In general, I started participating in the All-Russian Olympiad in the 10th grade.

Did you prepare with a tutor or was school preparation enough for you?

School helped me become interested in history, but without persistence and a good tutor it is impossible to prepare for the Olympiad. The school teacher may not be competent enough and may not know the Olympiad format.

Was it easy to confirm victory in the Olympiad with 75 Unified State Exam points?

Winners and runners-up of the All-Russian National Examination do not have to have their Unified State Examination confirmed. At that time I myself was preparing students for the unified exam.

What qualities do you need to have to win the Olympics?

Anyone can win the Olympics; no special talents are required.

It can not be!

Maybe. My memory wasn't the best. I won thanks to diligence and a good teacher who directed me in the right direction. I was preparing for the Olympics because it was more interesting. In addition, I decided that in any case I would be ready for the Unified State Exam.

You graduated from the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum at MEPhI. Why suddenly history? And did it help you that you studied mathematics and physics in depth at school?

By the 8th grade, I was so “full” of physics that I didn’t want to study it in the future. What helped me win the History Olympiad was rather the fact that I play chess very well and have a high rank. The school also had very good teachers, including in humanities subjects.

P. S. As a result of these conversations, several conclusions can be drawn. I would like to advise guys who are focused on serious studies in science: do not be afraid to participate in Olympiads.

Moreover, start doing this not right before admission (in the 10th-11th grade), but earlier. After all, there are competitions that you can plunge into even in the 5th or 6th grade. Not only because this way you will be less afraid of the Olympiads and will better understand their formats.

Simply, in this way, you can get a powerful boost to your own development, get to know guys who are passionate about the same thing as you, and meet amazing teachers. In general, the Olympiads are not only a way to enter a university without unnecessary tests. This is an opportunity to make the most of your capabilities and receive a powerful incentive for your own development.

Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman is a Russian mathematician who proved the Poincaré conjecture. It is known that Perelman was an “avid Olympian” and, in addition to high school on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, studied at a mathematical center under the guidance of Sergei Rukshin.

Olympiad "Phystech"

The Phystech Olympiad is held in two stages, separately in mathematics and physics. The following Olympiads are counted as the first (qualifying) stage:

Online stage of the Phystech Olympiad - from September 30, 2017 to February 4, 2018;
Moscow Physics and Mathematics Olympiad MIPT - December 9, 2017;
Qualifying round LETI mathematics - December 3, 2017, physics December 2, 2017;
MIPT visiting physics and mathematics Olympiad - January-February 2018;
Online stage Phystech.International - from September 25, 2017 to December 1, 2017;
Physics and Mathematics Olympiad MIET - from December 1, 2017 to February 1, 2018.

Benefits when entering a university

Independent preparation for the Olympics

To prepare for the Phystech Olympiad in the mathematics major on your own, MIPT teacher Boris Trushin advises solving variants of problems from previous years.

The type of problems and methods for solving them do not change from year to year. If a student has solved problems over the past 20 years, then he has every chance to cope with the Olympiad.

In recent years, 7 problems have been encountered in the full-time mathematics tour:

rational and irrational equations and inequalities (and their systems);
trigonometric equations;
logarithmic equations and inequalities;
tasks with a parameter;
planimetry;
stereometry;
combinatorics and number theory.

To successfully complete tasks, Boris Trushin advises not to solve all problems in a row, but to spend the first 20 minutes reading and studying their terms. “The simplest and most understandable problems are solved first. Often there is a very simple combinatorics, or stereometry, in which you immediately got a feel for the design (and this is already half the solution), or a problem with a parameter in which you immediately understood what the picture was, and you need very little to “extend” it.

Express preparation for the Olympics

Foxford teachers will help with this at the Phystech Olympiad preparation school. They will tell you how to plan time to solve problems at the Olympiad, overcome stress and successfully cope with tasks. The school is held annually for 5 years. 93% of its participants successfully wrote the Olympiad and entered MIPT and other leading universities in Moscow. Students prepare for at least a year, combine online courses and come to the Foxford visiting school. During classes, they are completely immersed in preparation, focusing on the format of the tasks and those topics that are most often encountered. In addition, children learn to quickly read the meaning of a problem, look for a solution and formulate it correctly.

Take a closer look at your students. And check - what if there is a new Perelman among them, who will solve another mathematical problem of the millennium?

The story of two brothers who went through three schools, the Phystech Olympiad and are now waiting to be accepted into MIPT

Enter MIPT

We studied well at school. First in a regular municipal school, and from the 8th grade in a scientific and engineering lyceum in the city of Korolev. We moved to the lyceum when we became interested in the exact sciences and wanted to study mathematics and physics in more depth.

Olympic trials and successes

In the 10th grade, at an open day at MIPT, we decided that we would enter this university. The passing grade at Phystech is one of the highest - you can’t get into the Olympiads without success. We began to attend competitions from the list of the Russian Council of Olympiads for schoolchildren and in the 2016-2017 academic year we received several diplomas.

It was very disappointing when, at the final stage of the Phystech Olympiad, due to annoying mistakes and inattention, only 1-2 points were missing from the diploma. We realized that we need to prepare more seriously and select from the RSOS list only those Olympiads that are accepted by MIPT.

In the list of the Phystech Olympiad, the first level is assigned to physics, and the second level to mathematics. At the same time, the winner's diploma gives the right to admission without entrance examinations, and prizes - 100 Unified State Examination points in the relevant subjects.

According to our feelings, the level of difficulty of tasks at the Phystech Olympiad is lower than at Conquer the Sparrow Hills, the Moscow Physical and Mathematical Olympiad or VSOSh. Therefore, we decided that a Physics and Technology diploma is the best way to enter MIPT.

How the Phystech Olympiad is organized

To successfully perform at the Phystech Olympiad in mathematics, it is enough to solve the options from previous years. In physics, you need to have a good knowledge of the theory and typical problems. The topics are repeated from year to year, and if you understand them, solving the problems will not be difficult.

The Olympiad takes place in two stages: qualifying and final. Winners and prize-winners of the first stage, as well as holders of diplomas from the Phystech Olympiad last year, are admitted to the second stage.

The following are counted as the qualifying stage of the Phystech Olympiad:

Olympics	Approximate period
Online stage of the Phystech Olympiad	September - February
Capital Physics and Mathematics Olympiad MIPT	December
Qualifying round LETI	February March
MIPT visiting physics and mathematics Olympiad	January February
Online stage Phystech.International	September - December
Physics and Mathematics Olympiad MIET	December - February

Olympiads that allow you to qualify for the second stage of Phystech

To get to the second stage, we participated in the Capital Physics and Mathematics Olympiad in Physics and the online stage Phystech.International.

The diploma of the Olympiad winner must be confirmed with at least 75 Unified State Examination points in physics and mathematics. Due to the fact that applicants pass mathematics and physics with high scores, the Unified State Exam in Russian also plays a role. To pass the competition, you need to strive to score 100 points on the Unified State Exam in each subject.

Three pre-entry schools

For the last year, we studied at three schools at the same time: our lyceum, the correspondence school of physics and mathematics at MIPT and Foxford. The lyceum taught us good knowledge in mathematics - we consolidated it by solving problems in class and at home. We studied at the correspondence school from 9th to 11th grade. And we bought Foxford courses in our senior year.

🎓 School at MIPT

To enroll in a correspondence physics and mathematics school, you need to show your knowledge and complete assignments. The school at MIPT is useful for children from regular schools, and in our case the program practically coincided with the lyceum.

After enrollment, you choose how to receive assignments: on paper, by mail, or in your personal account on the website. Each task consists of theoretical material and analysis of examples. The student needs to answer test questions and solve problems. Sometimes they are similar to those in the examples, sometimes not. We wrote down our decisions and answers in a regular notebook and sent them in an envelope every 1-2 months.

Successful study at a school at MIPT gives points for individual achievements when entering this university. For example, we were given 7 points for an excellent finish.

🦊 Foxford

Phystech students told us about the Foxford online school at the Open Day. We bought: four in physics and mathematics to prepare for the Unified State Exam and the Olympiad, and two Unified State Exam courses in the Russian language - with a test part and an essay.

Online classes in physics olympiads were held twice a week, since 30 lessons had to be studied by February, and the rest - once. Homework was also assigned. To study successfully, you had to do them.

Foxford's course on preparing for the Unified State Exam in the Russian language turned out to be very useful. After classes at a regular school and lyceum, we successfully wrote the test part, but the essay caused difficulties. In Tatyana Bazzhina’s online classes, we wrote and checked 10 essays and learned how to “grow meat onto a skeleton” so that

What is the difference between “technical” and “ideological” tasks, how to get rid of fear at the Olympiads and why it is important to learn Russian

Prize-winner of the Phystech and Rosatom Olympiads in physics

I took part in many Olympiads in physics and mathematics. He became a prize-winner at the regional stage of the All-Russian Secondary School in physics and the Phystech and Rosatom Olympiads in physics. Now I am studying at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology at the Faculty of General and Applied Physics, and in the future I am going to study science.

About my experience at VSOSH I already wrote. In this article I will talk about how I prepared for the list Olympiads and what you need to know about them.

How it all started

As a child, I was taught to read early, and one of my first books was an encyclopedia on astronomy. That's when I became interested in physics. At school I continued to study it and set a goal for myself - to enter MIPT. To achieve this, he began to participate in Olympiads in physics and mathematics.

I soon realized that the Olympiads not only allow you to enter a university with benefits. They deepen knowledge on the subject and give confidence in future exams at the institute. Especially when you are not just writing an Olympiad for fun, but you understand that it cannot be “leaked” and you study hard.

How I prepared

In the 10th grade, I transferred to Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 31 in Chelyabinsk. This is a strong school with many Olympiad students. There I went to physical camps, but after the regional stage of the VSOSH in the 11th grade I realized that, most likely, I would not qualify for the final one based on points. Then I began to prepare for Physics and Technology at an accelerated pace.

Mikhail Penkin’s course on preparing for Olympiads in physics helped me a lot with this. The material in it is presented very systematically and draws attention to the main points of the Phystech Olympiad: to its characteristic types of problems and methods of solution. If you watch this course from beginning to end, while doing well in school and not making arithmetic errors, then you may well become a winner.

What you need to know about these Olympics

"Phystech"

The Phystech Olympiad in physics is similar to a very difficult Unified State Exam. This is its advantage: anyone can prepare for it if they wish, and this is very helpful when entering a university. In addition, there is a key to Phystech in the form of Penkin’s course. After this, it never happens that you look at a problem and don’t know the method by which it can be solved.

The tasks at Phystech are interesting: not the most difficult, which are hard to think of, and not as simple as on the Unified State Exam. They can be called “technical”, in contrast to the tasks at Vseros or the Moscow Olympiad in Physics. There, the problems are rather “ideological”, in which you need to find an unusual way to solve them.

For comparison, here are examples of problems at the Physics and Technology Institute and the Moscow Olympiad in Physics.

An example of a “technical” problem in physics at the Phystech Olympiad

An example of an “ideological” problem at the Moscow Olympiad in Physics

When preparing for Phystech, you can skip quantum physics and wave optics - these topics are not included in the Olympiad. They will be on the Unified State Exam, but in a small volume. I think it’s worth throwing all your energy into the February tour of Phystech, getting benefits for it and no longer worrying that there will be a couple of mistakes on the Unified State Exam due to quantum physics. In addition, before the exam you will still have a lot of time to study it.

But there is also a minus at the Phystech Olympiad - in the assignment evaluation system. As a rule, problems contain 1–3 questions, and if you make even one arithmetic error, you will be given zero points for the entire task.

I just made that mistake once due to carelessness and ended up falling short of the winner. Of course, the inspector can turn a blind eye to a typo and give a few points, but still the cost of an error is very high. At Vseros or the Moscow Olympiad in Physics there is no such strict division of points.

"Rosatom"

Rosatom is an average, fairly simple Olympiad. But this year there was a catch: in almost all of Russia it took place at the same time, and in the Chelyabinsk region a week later. Therefore, the options were changed, and in the end we faced a very difficult “coffin” problem. This is the name for problems that few people can solve.

The same “coffin” task at the Rosatom Olympiad in physics

The solution to this “coffin” problem

It turned out to be unusual and unfamiliar to me - probably because I had solved few problems involving interactions with magnetic fields. Because of her, I didn’t have enough points to reach the winner.

Love the subject. It's quite difficult to just pick up and love something. But if you participate in the Olympics just to get benefits, then the excitement will quickly wear off. It’s the same with higher education: getting it just for the sake of getting a crust, I think, is pointless. And if you are looking for knowledge, then, of course, you need to enroll in a university to study your favorite specialty.

The best job is the one that brings pleasure. Otherwise, it’s not work, but torture.

Study regularly and in small portions. It’s not very good when you prepare for the entire Olympics in a month. To avoid confusion in your head, you should study more evenly.

On average, I watched one Penkin lecture a day and did my homework. But this is because I already knew physics quite well, and in class I only reinforced the material. Homework helps a lot with this. I also advise you to solve as many assignments from previous years as possible.

Don't forget about the Russian language and write essays. When, due to an annoying arithmetic error, I lost the benefit of admission without entrance tests, a good result in Russian saved me. I watched a little of Foxford’s course on preparing for the Unified State Exam and practiced writing essays at the Lyceum. As a result, I made one mistake in the test part, but I received the maximum score for the essay.

During the 11th grade, be sure to write essays and solve the first part. It is difficult at first, especially when you prioritize physics and mathematics. But this is important, and not only for admission: competent and cultured speech will help you establish contacts with new acquaintances, employers and colleagues.

Switch things up. In order not to burn out mentally and spoil your health during intensive training, I advise you to switch to other activities. For example, sport helps very well.

I knew a guy who studied only chemistry throughout the 8th and 9th grades; in the 9th grade he took the All-Russian chemistry class, but in the 10th grade he could no longer see it. As a result, he entered the Faculty of Radio Engineering in Yekaterinburg. This is not the worst option, but I think he could have easily entered the chemistry department of Moscow State University if he had studied something else besides chemistry.

Monitor your health and daily routine. It’s very disappointing to get sick right before the Olympics, which can help you with admission. I was a little worried about this and supported my immunity by taking vitamins. I also advise you to get a good night's sleep - not only before the Olympics, but also during preparation.

Don't worry. Panic is a common scourge of Olympic participants. When I came to the Moscow Olympiad in Physics, for some reason I was very scared of the scary and non-standard problems. In the end, I got so excited that I decided almost nothing.

It was like this for me at the very beginning of my Olympiad journey: I was not thinking about the tasks, but about how not to perform poorly. But with each completed Olympics, I felt more confident. Therefore, I advise you to participate in the Olympiads as much as possible.