<p>do u suggest Latex only for math papers? or is it also better than MS word for science papers?
thx for the advice</p>
<p>Can someone define what a semi-finalist would be at ISEF? I mean, isn't everyone a finalist if they got to go to ISEF?</p>
<p>There's no such thing as an ISEF semifinalist. You're right, they're all finalists.</p>
<p>Perhaps you're confusing it with Intel STS.</p>
<p>MS Word is a pos. Use LaTeX for all scientific papers. It's a lot more convenient anyways.</p>
<p>LaTeX is inconvenient when your mentor/collaborators don't know how to use it and they want to suggest changes electronically. And then you finally get them to just change stuff in the .tex file but you have to search to see what they changed.</p>
<p>It's rare to find a professor who doesn't know how to use LaTeX. Most scientific journals have a tex template for papers.</p>
<p>Latex pwnz.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>i don't think semi-finalist helps too much. Anything after that does. btw i'm submitting a project for the competitions this year too. Technically I've only been working on this specific project over summer, but I've been doing work in this field since 9th grade. This is basically a culmination of everything I've done before plus a lot of new stuff. also, no mentor, no lab, etc. all at home</p>
<p>Anecdotally, it's quite easy to find a scientist that doesn't know LaTeX. My mentor doesn't, my PI doesn't. I haven't asked everyone else. I wouldn't assume that they do because most journals don't have a TeX templated. For example, in the journals relevant to my field, Nature uses Word, Journal of Biological Chemistry uses Word, Journal of Experimental Medicine uses Word, Circulation uses Word or WordPerfect, Blood uses Word or RTF. Hm. I only know of Science that accepts LaTeX.</p>
<p>Meh, then again, I can list a crap load of journals that do require latex. People can submit their papers to <a href="http://arxiv.org/%5B/url%5D">http://arxiv.org/</a> before getting it published, and it's all latex there. Judging from the journals you stated, perhaps, in general, the bio/chem ones don't require latex while math/phys/compsci do.</p>
<p>HOw do the collleges know whether or not you are a finalist? Aren't people recognized as winners in january, after the deadlines??</p>
<p>You can send that information to them AFTER you apply. I'm sure they'll still see it in time.</p>
<p>We've heard of kids (and heard it here on CC as well) thqat kids who made Intel semi-finalist who notified colleges were told. "oh, we already know" -- so for something that big and prestigious, I am sure colleges (with the resources to do it) are looking to see who among their pool made it. </p>
<p>That said, I wouldn't hesitate to contact colleges with a big award/honor made after apps are submitted.</p>
<p>^ How do you go about contacting colleges after the app deadline? Do you email them personally, or are their certain update forms (like the midyear report?)</p>
<p>I think the siemens winner from last year or two years ago--she did something in the mathematics field--only spent a summer on her project researching at RSI (not including writing the project, etc...)...but then again it's RSI and you have top-notch support....</p>
<p>Does anyone know when the finalists/semis will be announced this year? Last year they were in December, but I though the dates varied.</p>
<p>2007 Intel STS finalists were announced Jan. 15th, finalists on Jan. 31st.</p>
<p>Is it true that you need to be a senior to submit an individual project but can form a team of juniors, to submit before the senior year, at both Intel and Siemen competitions?</p>
<p>POIH,
Intel STS is individual projects, seniors only. ISEF and Siemens can take teams, and they don't have to be seniors. It's kind of buried on their respective websites.</p>
<p>Indidivual schools, however, may decide to limit whether juniors, sophs, etc. particpate and how many teams/projects they will submit. At DS1's school, it's a seniors-only thing. At DS2's school, it's whoever wants to do it and can work it in around getting the IB EE done as well.</p>