All You Need to Prepare for Coding Exams

How Does USACO Scoring Work?

Learn the philosophy behind the question, and the score will follow. We have learned this from experiences shared in the past by programmers, finalists, and USACO contest winners. In USACO, every problem comes with a predefined score. There is a negative marking for the mistakes. Let’s see how does USACO scoring work. Problems are scored… Continue reading How Does USACO Scoring Work?

ACSL vs. USACO: Which One Is Better?

“Controlling complexity is the essence of computer programming.” – Brian Kernighan. ACSL vs USACO: Which competitive programming contest is a better choice for a future coder? These competitive programming competitions are more of a mental sport. ACSL and USACO are competitive programming contests out of nearly 35 such games. To excel in these competitions, you… Continue reading ACSL vs. USACO: Which One Is Better?

Best Ways to Prepare for USACO

Steve Jobs once said – “Competitive Programming teaches you how to think.” That’s what competitive programming does to you. It makes you a thinker and a problem solver. When programming becomes a contest, it is called competitive programming. And one such contest is the USACO or the USA Computing Olympiad. Popular among pre-college students, let’s look… Continue reading Best Ways to Prepare for USACO

What is USACO Platinum? Is it Prestigious?

“Make it work, make it right, make it fast.” – Kent Beck. Competitive programming holds true to this quote. Today with different kinds of coding languages and tech-powered tools, innovation is always around the corner. Colleges and universities look for such talents and groom them well in programming skills. The USACO contest is one such… Continue reading What is USACO Platinum? Is it Prestigious?

USACO Gold: Is it Good? How Hard is it?

Did you know programming is the new literary device, and an algorithm is the most effective mean to run this device? Still, wondering how this is related to USACO Gold. Let me put it in simple words. USACO, or the USA Computing Olympiad, is designed to judge your knowledge of algorithms and how you use… Continue reading USACO Gold: Is it Good? How Hard is it?

How Hard is USACO Silver? Tips to Move to Silver

The USACO Bronze division targets students who have programming knowledge but don’t have algorithmic experience. Contrastingly, the USACO Silver focuses primarily on algorithms. Even though bronze is the first division, it’s the silver division where you will face algorithmic problems for the first time. So, if you’re curious about how hard is USACO Silver, you… Continue reading How Hard is USACO Silver? Tips to Move to Silver

How Hard is USACO Bronze? Score You Need to Pass

Most beginners find USACO tests impossible to crack. So much so that there’s a thread on the USACO forum on “Why is USACO Bronze so ridiculously hard.” Dear first-timers, do not jump to conclusions after reading such threads. Try to learn more about the topics and question types to find out how hard is USACO… Continue reading How Hard is USACO Bronze? Score You Need to Pass

Is USACO Good For College?

The short answer to this question is YES. High school students are swamped with to-do lists that never end. From AP classes to community service, they do everything possible to get into the best colleges. Adding USACO contests to this hectic schedule reduces the time for school studies and hampers participation in co-curricular activities. It’s… Continue reading Is USACO Good For College?

USACO: Everything You Must Know Before You Register

Are you a high schooler aiming to become a coder? Are you a job seeker looking for programming-related jobs in top companies? Either way, you need to clear USACO contests. This will enhance your programming skills and prepare you to create better codes. Here’s everything you need to know about USACO. From preparation to application,… Continue reading USACO: Everything You Must Know Before You Register