<p>no, I found out at 4… don’t think the press really cares all that much, lol</p>
<p>haha I guess it depends where you are … Im in NY and they kinda make a big deal out of it …</p>
<p>Nope. My school probably still doesn’t know…</p>
<p>haha im in ny too but my school doesnt care and we have so few semifinalists lol.
but i think the teacher that wrote your rec finds out when you do cus they get notified. at least mine did</p>
<p>also, just wondering, do you guys think getting siemens regional finalist is harder or easier than intel finalist?
i’ve heard both ways, especially for people from a competitive region like ny, siemens is harder cus they split it by regions and intel just does everyone (but i also heard that intel sorta does do it by regions too…)</p>
<p>I just found out one or two hours ago that I am a semifinalist. The Chinese newspaper called me and told me; it came as a surprise, because I had totally forgotten about Intel STS.</p>
<p>hm idk about the siemens vs. intel thing - about half of the siemens semifinalists from my state (Maryland) also became intel semifinalists, but none of the siemens finalists are intel semis? hrm</p>
<p>didn’t get it…kinda knew though, I bs’ed the app. Don’t really care anyways, already got into college woot.</p>
<p>I think Siemens ~= to Intel STS
Only catch is there’s no teams.</p>
<p>I guess one can say that Intel is slightly more selective because they pick their finalists out of the 300 or so semifinalists, whereas Siemens have about 300ish semifinalists and another hundred finalists… but then siemens has team projects whereas intel does not… </p>
<p>@Whan: how was the siemens regional?</p>
<p>Haha, tomjonesistheman, I think a lot of people b.s.ed their app. Congratulations on your acceptance by the way:)</p>
<p>Haha it was good, met some awesome people.</p>
<p>2 of the individual projects from my siemens regional made it to STS, and my partner’s old project from freshman year also made it haha</p>
<p>From my experience, Siemens/Intel is harder depending on what kind of project you do. Intel focuses more on real life applications and benefit to society, and I think Siemens does too, but it’s easier to win with an abstract/complicated project in Siemens.</p>
<p>I found out my school got a big packet yesterday with all the Intel stuff, i.e. certificates for me, and my teacher recommender, etc.</p>
<p>Today I also got a similar packet in the mail with another certificate, tax forms, and the semifinalist book printed out</p>
<p>Some people from siemens finals did make intel STS, I was one of them :).</p>
<p>Also, though siemens picks more finalists, it also has more “levels” of competition. Regional Finalists compete to become national finalists and then compete for final placement. Intel STS semifinalists do not compete again, but are re-evaluated for finals. So in the end, siemens have less finalist projects 12 (6 individuals and teams) where as Intel STS has 40.</p>
<p>4 out of the 5 siemens regional finalists from my region got intel semis… so idk.
last year, i think the girl who won 8th place in intel was a siemens regional finalist but never made it to nationals… so siemens and intel dont always match up.</p>
<p>imo, this is the order from easiest to hardest (for individuals)
siemens semis < intel semis < siemens regionals < intel finals < siemens nationals < intel top 10… idk though. some people tend to disagree with the siemens regionals and intel finals part esp for people from competitive regions such as ny, b/c its really hard to get siemens regionals from those regions… idk idk idk lol</p>
<p>Congrats guys!
I found out I’m a semifinalist when some Intel people came to my school with balloons and a giant check. I was pretty excited, because I’ve gotten a giant check before.</p>
<p>Cido - Too bad INTEL doesn’t go to each school in the country individually to congratulate every semifinalist. Never mind getting one of those giant checks. Troller just get out of here.</p>
<p>Does being a intel sts semi really improve college decisions??? i surely hope so</p>
<p>I hope so too!! I’m not sure about semifinalists, but I know that the finalists typically get into TOP schools (HYPSM)</p>