Making Better Thinkers for Life

IMACS, the Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, is an online program that has been offering classes to elementary, middle and high school students for 30+ years. Our goal is to help bright students reach their full potential by using a curriculum that focuses on logical thinking and analytical skills, and places students by ability and not age or grade.

• Mathematics Enrichment: for students in grades 1 – 6, students must take a mathematics enrichment placement class before enrolling in a math enrichment program.
• Computer Programming Enrichment: for upper elementary and middle school students, or those who have completed the mathematics enrichment program. Some students switch to this course earlier, depending on interest and ability.
• University-level courses in Computer Science and Mathematical Logic: for talented middle school students and advanced high school students, students must take and pass an aptitude test to determine readiness.
• Summer Classes: Logic Puzzles classes for students in grades 1 – 8, Computer Programming Enrichment, and University-level courses in Computer Science and Mathematical Logic.

Since IMACS students are placed according to ability and not by grade or age, prices depend on the class type and level that is recommended for your child. To see more details, visit the classes page, click “Learn More” under the type of IMACS program, and view the FAQs on that page.

If your child has already been placed, detailed pricing information is available on the Add/Modify Registration page of the parent portal. If you need more financial information, please email parentrelations@imacs.org.

The majority of parents learn about IMACS by word-of-mouth. We are delighted when parents recommend IMACS to their friends and therefore offer a referral program. The current referral program is described on the home page of your parent portal.

IMACS also offers sibling discounts and auto-enroll discounts.

IMACS students are placed by ability, not age or grade. Below are guidelines for determining the best starting point in our program, but we will never hold students back from reaching their highest potential.

For students in grades 1-6, we strongly recommend the Mathematics Enrichment program, for which there is a three-step placement process. First, students complete approximately 20-30 minutes of pre-placement preparation which includes a few short videos interspersed with a small number of interactive and fun activities. Upon completion, an email will be sent with information on how to register for a Placement Class. This instructor-led class will not only show parents and students exactly what an IMACS math class is like, but will also allow the instructor to work with the students to determine correct placement. Lastly, instructor recommendations and an enrollment link will be emailed after the placement class.

Students in grades 6-8 should start by taking a free computer programming enrichment trial class. Following the class, the instructor will make a recommendation detailing which course is best for your child. While students in grades 3-5 can also take a computer enrichment trial class, we strongly recommend students of this age start out with the math placement process.

High school students or exceptionally talented middle school students must take an aptitude test to determine eligibility for the advanced university-level courses.

In the early 1990’s, IMACS founders Burt Kaufman and Edward C. Martin designed a series of lessons to teach logical reasoning to elementary school students. These lessons improved on activities that appeared in a series of books written in the mid -1980’s by Kaufman and Martin together with Professor Vincent Haag of Franklyn and Marshall College and Professor Gerald Rising of the State University of New York. Each lesson is meticulously scripted to improve students’ problem solving and reasoning skills while keeping them fully engaged.

Classes are live, and depending on the level, range from 45 minutes to 120 minutes in duration. In addition, math enrichment students prepare for each lesson by watching carefully scripted videos and completing interactive worksheets that introduce or remind students of material that will be covered in the upcoming live session. Following each live session, students complete homework worksheets. Maximum class size is 10 for the first level and 12 for the more advanced levels.

IMACS is proud of a long history of working with talented instructors. All IMACS instructors are hired after a rigorous training period. Initial applicants are given an aptitude test of which the majority — even many seasoned teachers — do not pass. Those who pass, work with IMACS directors and senior instructors to learn IMACS teaching methodologies. Those who pass this final process become IMACS instructors.

In simple terms, a typical school mathematics program seeks to instruct students in a number of well-defined techniques, based on arithmetic and its derivatives. Execution accuracy and speed are valued attributes of the successful student. A tutor’s role is to increase the student’s competence, speed, and ability to identify which technique to apply to which question. However, if such a student meets a problem that is not in a recognized category, they will often claim it is “stupid” or “impossible.” On the other hand, the IMACS student has logical tools they can apply to investigate each novel problem. Plus, they know that solving new puzzles is a lot more fun!

All of the following options are available by taking a Free Class:

Students in grades 1-6 will be invited to complete approximately 20-30 minutes of pre-placement preparation which includes a few short videos interspersed with a small number of interactive and fun activities. After your child completes this preparation, you will receive an email inviting you to a free placement class. If your child has enjoyed the material and you are impressed by its content, choose a date and time for your free class from the several that are scheduled each week. Placement classes last about 45 minutes.

Students in grades 6-8 should begin with a free computer programming enrichment trial class.

Older students will be invited to take an aptitude test for one of the IMACS university-level classes.