<p>Just to clarify: ISEF is the science fair, not the talent search. It has about 1,500 finalists from over 40 countries. Basically, anyone who attends the international fair is considered a 'finalist'. </p>
<p>I'm wondering how significant that is, especially for admission to science and tech-centric colleges. </p>
<p>Does it make a difference that I did my project entirely on my own, without any help from a mentor or professor? I came up with the concept for my project, designed the experiment, and conducted the research, entirely on my own. From what I saw at the regional fair, most of the projects that did well had some sort of mentoring going on.</p>
<p>I'm not really depending on it as a hook, per se, but I don't know any word to describe what I mean. Is it a nudge? :p</p>
<p>It probably will look very good but it won't get you in with it alone. My friend is ISEF Finalist this year and also semifinalist for Intel, and he didn't get into the ivies or even schools in the wesleyan/emory/nyu range, but he did get a guaranteed transfer for Cornell. But his SATs were in the high 1300s, so maybe that hurt him.</p>
<p>Just note that there's a difference between hook and tip. The question you asked would fall in the category of possible tip, but not hook. (A frequent error on CC.)</p>
<p>Ah, so tip is the magic word missing from my college admissions vocabulary. I think I like nudge more than tip. Tip is an annoying little word, soundwise. Nudge sounds better, IMHO. </p>
<p>Hopefully I'll do well at the fair, but I'm trying not to be cocky or overly optimistic about it. The experience itself should be incredible whether I do well or not.</p>
<p>I've been a finalist for two years and know many people who have gone. Lots of them don't get into their first choice school.
Remember that unless you write your essay about your project, or talk about it in an interview, the admissions officers won't know that you did it all by yourself.
But don't assume that that makes your project better. I've seen amazing projects that kids designed on their own, but because their projects were so sophiscated, their schools simply did not have the equipment needed to do the project.</p>
<p>that's partly why almost all winners have mentors supporting their backs.
what's more, according to NYT, many projects came up by the professors b/c they knew that there was something that could have some breakthrough in that field w/o very sophisticated skills. and the professors design the experiment and the student just follows and do the labor work...</p>