<p>As for suggesting ISEF… not a chance. MIT is my ideal school but if it requires that prestigious of an award, I’m MORE than happy to settle for UT Austin (public, in state, 3 hours from my family, and one of the top 10 engineering schools in the US). </p>
<p>One of the top 3 winners of ISEF this year was the older sister of a girl I went to middle school with, who goes to the school down the street from me (NOT the school I attend). I guess you guys wouldn’t understand this unless you lived in the houston area, but Bellaire High is a gigantic school of around 3000 kids, whose students fetch major awards in just about every skill imaginable. THAT is the goliath of the district that my puny 400 kid school competes with.</p>
<p>You know what that girl did to win? “Li Boynton developed a biosensor from bioluminescent bacteria (a living organism that gives off light) to detect the presence of contaminants in public water. Li’s biosensor is cheaper and easier to use than current biosensors, and she hopes it can be used in developing countries to reduce water toxicity.”</p>
<p>She had to create a better biosensor than grown scientists. Not only does that require incredible ingenuity but (per reading the local paper’s article on her) it required having family friends who work in the science department at Rice university who were willing to let a high school student use their expensive equipment.</p>
<p>Even if I did come up with a brilliant scientific advancement like her, I wouldn’t have the slightest connection to equipment, or even a lead to get my idea in motion. Lol, I think I’ll just stick with being an intelligent, well-rounded student and cross my fingers that MIT sees potential in me.</p>