Qualifying for the USAMO doesn't involve proof-based mathematics. It involves the AMC and AIME. At least in the early 2000's, a bunch of people would just get

Qualifying for the USAMO doesn't involve proof-based mathematics. It involves the AMC and AIME. At least in the early 2000's, a bunch of people would just get told by their teachers they're taking the AMC math contest one day, and do well on it, then do well enough on the AIME to qualify.