Hey everyone! A few people have asked me about my journey to IPhO and for advice on how to prepare. Instead of repeating myself in DMs, I figured I’d just put everything down in one place for anyone interested. To learn more about me, click here: About me
Resources
I have compiled some important resources for physics olympiads here: Resources (to be expanded over time)
Introduction
My name is Eddie Chen, and I am a physics graduate from MIT with a passion for physics, math, and computer science. My journey in physics has been a rewarding one, culminating in a gold medal at the IPhO in 2021 as part of the USA team. I've also achieved success in other competitions, including a gold and platinum in the Physics Cup, a perfect score on the F=ma exam, and qualifying for the USAMO 3 times. Moreover, I’ve written problems for the F=ma exam. This guide shares the path I took, the resources I used, and the lessons I learned along the way.
How I Got into Olympiads
Unlike in some other countries, the US doesn't have a super-centralized Olympiad culture right from the start of high school. It’s more of a thing you seek out. I had done many math competitions starting in elementary school, but my physics journey started in 5th grade, just from watching stuff fall and wanting to know the rules. I picked up a Barron’s E-Z Physics book and was immediately hooked by how you could use math to describe the real world. The intuitive nature of physics captivated me and set me on a path of self-study and exploration. I then tried the F=ma exam in 7th grade, but unfortunately didn’t qualify for USAPhO. The next year, however, I did qualify, but didn’t do well on the USAPhO. I realized I didn’t really have a good grasp of anything besides mechanics. So I studied hard (using textbooks listed below) and was selected to the US Physics Team Training Camp in 10th grade. Finally in 12th grade, I obtained an IPhO Gold medal representing the US Team.
I didn't have a formal program unfortunately, so I spent a lot of time self studying, and had to work very very hard. A cool thing I did in 8th grade was learn Java and then build my own N-body simulator to watch how gravity works. Seeing my code actually simulate planets was what really pushed me to see how far I could take physics.
How Did I Prepare for Olympiads
Okay, so I didn't exactly have to give up my social life, but it did take a lot of focused time and effort, especially since there weren’t that many good physics olympiad programs at the time (Looking back, I wish I had a physics olympiad tutor, for example). My preparation started with just working through every past F=ma and USAPhO exam I could find. This is a must; you have to learn the style of the problems.
After I felt I had a decent handle on the basics, I moved on to these undergrad physics books:
And of course, Jaan Kalda’s physics Olympiad handouts as well as Kevin Zhou’s are legendary for a reason. If you get stuck on a problem, note it down and come back to it later. The feeling of solving a problem that stumped you for days is way better than just looking up the solution.
The single most important experience for me was the USAPhO training camp. It was about 1-2 weeks of intense lectures and labs. Honestly, figuring out the lab equipment was sometimes as hard as the exam problems. The camp is where you really get challenged and meet people who are just as competitive and passionate.
But don’t think you have to lock yourself in a room for years. During the pandemic, when we were worried USAPhO might be cancelled, my friends and I created the Online Physics Olympiad (OPhO). We organized the whole thing, from the website to the problems. It was a massive effort but also incredibly fun and a great way to learn. It proves you can still be social and do creative things while chasing your physics goals.
What I wish I had done differently
I definitely wished I had gotten in touch (or even gotten tutored by) someone who did well in physics olympiads. There are a lot of tips and tricks that can’t be found online or in textbooks, but are very useful for physics olympiads. This would have saved so much time and effort, as I was essentially trying to figure everything out on my own. However, I have compiled a lot of my insights and intuitions that I developed throughout my physics olympiad journey on my website, to hopefully save you some time and effort: My Physics Site. I will continue to add to it.