Student Mathematics League (SML) | Grand Rapids Community College

It’s time for the Student Mathematics League (SML) Round 2 exam!

This semester’s exam will be given:

Wednesday, March 11, 2026
3-5 p.m.
102 Cook

The SML exam is a national mathematics competition for community college students. Round 1 is given in the fall and Round 2 takes place in late February or early March. The exam consists of 20 questions at the pre-calculus level, all or mostly all multiple choice. "Pre-calculus level" means "no knowledge of calculus is required.” It does not mean "these are easy questions.” A perfect score on a test is 40 points. GRCC scores in the upper 20s are quite rare.

Any GRCC student may participate!

Any GRCC student may participate, even if he or she didn’t take the Round 1 exam. This means any student regardless of mathematics ability/background, but of course those at or below the level of MA 107 could find the exam very challenging.

Students have one hour within the 3:00 – 5:00 PM timeframe to complete the exam. Those who begin at 3:00 are done at 4:00; those who start at 3:45 end at 4:45; those who start at 4:15 end at 5:00, etc.

Calculators are allowed, unless they have a QWERTY keyboard. So, a TI-84 is fine, whereas a TI Voyage 200 would not be allowed.

Scholarship money for top scorers!

The GRCC Mathematics Department awards scholarship money to the top five or so cumulative scorers on both rounds of the exam. We will have $1600 to award. Since we had 0 students take the first round test, the top scorers on this test will finish with some scholarship money.