<p>Ok, Senior Year.<br>
Whoever told me this year would be easy is dead WRONG. I can guarantee you guys if you are bound for a Top 25 college, you will be working your tail off this year.</p>
<p>So, I have a question for you guys.</p>
<p>Intel Science Talent Search: Is it worth it?</p>
<p>I did a research project over the summer which I enjoyed, and wish to use it for the Search.
But...application requires:
Like 4 essays? Varying in Length
10ish short answer questions
Teacher Recommendations!??!!?
Professor/Scientist Recommendation
"Less than 20 page report on you project"...meaning at least 10+
Application itself is like 20 pages of info/fill-in-blanks.</p>
<p>All due in 3 weeks..while I'm trying to juggle APs, bringing up a C+ in Biology (***FF right?) and college essays/applications.</p>
<p>Out of 1600 that apply for this, 300 are semi-finalists. Out of 300, 40 get to go to D.C.</p>
<p>So bottom line.. is it worth it?
Have any of you made it? Done this? Tried but failed? Tried and got to D.C?</p>
<p>It’s worth it if you think you’ve got a shot. You need to understand that you’re up against some serious competition. Going through all that work (which would not ease your other activities at all) just to miss the chance in the end wouldn’t be good lol.</p>
<p>Well, my paper is a little unorthodox. First of all, it’s in straight up evolutionary biology, not molecular or cell biology or any of the other fields that seem to be more popular. Second of all, it has some significant results, but only in one clade (Alligatoridae, the alligator family) that not many people seem to care much about besides herpetologist. As a result, I have no idea how good a shot I have.</p>
<p>Ehh, I was considering this but I was like- dude, i did the research, I learned from it, and the results from intel will be after I submit my apps. So whatever. I got what I wanted out of my research. Might continue it next summer.</p>
<p>For me, I chose no. The huge application is too much work for this time of the year for a senior.</p>
<p>Plus, its not like I started my project freshman year like some applicants, so I don’t have a for sure or close to for sure chance of getting selected, so why bother?</p>
<p>And yes, I know its probably 1600 of the brightest kids in the U.S.</p>
<p>I know chances are slim, but if you make it to the top 40, that would greatly help you get into some of the top schools right? </p>
<p>There is also another science fair in my area that take the top 2 winners in every category to the international science fair…which gives a lot more prize money. I know I’m working on that one for sure, but is it worth it to try for the Intel too?? I know working my tail off and not even getting to the semi-finals would be a huge disappointment hahaha =P So much time investment, but a huge paper just recycled…</p>
<p>I would probably use similar displays for both…but the application is sooo soo sooooo longgggg ahhhhhh. </p>
<p>And proletariat2, how long is your paper? And how long did it take you to complete the whole application process?</p>
<p>My paper is about 17 pages long, double spaced, size 12, 1" margins all around. I’m not done with the application (really haven’t started), and I’m expecting it to take much longer than Siemens-Westinghouse did…</p>
<p>Siemens was October 1st, we find out results for Semifinalists this Friday O.O so nerve-racking =[ though I don’t think my paper was that great. I’m doing Intel STS too…just look at the website. I’m pretty sure it’s really competitive, but hey, 300 out of 1600 is better odds than the top colleges…haha. I’ll probably start and cram the application in the last several weeks, after I finish Early Action supplements =[
My topic is math though, so I don’t know how successful it is (absolutely ZERO applications). It’s like 16 pages double-spaced, 75-word abstract.</p>
<p>I’m hoping for Siemens Semis to put on college apps, but just doing STS and ISEF for fun. I want that prize money haha.</p>
<p>I was wondering the same thing as the OP. My decision will likely be a function of how well I do at Siemens. I mean really - who needs to do Intel if you get Siemens Finalist (which will be a lot more extra work during Intel app time anyway) unless you want bragging rights (it’s like retaking a 2390 for the 2400). Unfortunately Finalist itself is a longshot so…</p>
<p>It seems like for individuals Intel is a better shot though, especially if your non-research credentials are top-notch.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, Siemens Competition purely focuses on the scientific rigor of your project, whereas Intel STS takes a holistic view of you as a “future scientist.” So I guess you could decide which competitions to enter based on what category you feel like you would do better in?</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m also anxiously awaiting for Friday’s results.</p>
<p>If you had spent time and effort on a research project and you truly enjoyed it, then you should definitely give Intel a try. I figured that if I don’t make it, and I probably won’t, I can still recycle some of the essay questions for the activity section of my college application.</p>
<p>emphasize not “check out this cool stuff I found” but why it can potentially benefit mankind. Read some of your professor’s papers to get an idea. For example, I worked on figuring out this apoptotic pathway “in an attempt to identify potential targets for cancer therapy”</p>
<p>Lol, of course! Saving alligators is absolutely important and has all sorts of practical applications! You can mention how important alligators are to biodiversity, blah blah blah, how, by understanding alligators, you not only saved the ecosystem from destruction but also gained understanding of life itself… see? your project is absolutely groundbreaking. It all depends on how you present it and how enthusiastic and assertive you are.</p>
<p>on the “science projects and publications” section of the application, is it bad if I have nothing else except the one that I did for intel???
I feel so unqualified with all the blank spaces…</p>
<p>hey guys, did you write the #2 essay question yet? the one about major scientific question of the future? How are you suppose to write that? when they say “in your field” do they mean like biology/ chemistry etc? or do they mean the specific field of your research like nanotechnology or organic chemistry?</p>
<p>Also, they said to “use examples from your own experience/research”… I don’t get this… how are we suppose to use our research to answer the “major scientific question” if they are not directly related??? Am I thinking about this question too hard?</p>