Intel STS...Is there a point?

<p>Do I have a chance of winning anything for Intel if my project was submitted to Siemens and didn't get anything (Finalist or Semifinalist)? I know you have to submit your resume and essays and everything for Intel, but I heard they didn't look at that until the second round.
I'm beginning to think my data and the impact for my research are not very significant :(</p>

<p>Who can possibly judge your project here? Some ISEF winners won nothing at Siemens and vice-versa.</p>

<p>Do you only enter contests you will win? if so, how do you know that ahead of time?</p>

<p>Enter if you enjoy it and don’t if you don’t.</p>

<p>Well yes, but there is an ungodly number of essays and short responses to write…One doesn’t simply go “I think I will submit a project for Intel even if I have no chance”. In any case, thanks for the advice. No one ever really knows.</p>

<p>I wasn’t very clear in my original post, but I am still genuinely wondering if Intel and Siemens read for different things in your paper. I heard that a large part of the decision for Siemens was based on your abstract, and it made me wish that I had worked harder on my abstract. Is there anything like this that I should know for Intel?</p>

<p>Thanks for any help >.<</p>

<p>While my experience is anecdotal I’m certain that Intel STS and Siemens look for different things. I was a Seimens semi-finalist my junior year, but did not reach that level with my senior year project. Still, after Siemens, I rethought my work and reworked my paper and ended up placing in the top 10 at STS. Intel STS has to distinguish itself from Siemens and ISEF. You don’t need three competitions all judging the exact same thing. This is a challenge also faced by MILSET and Google. Some of the projects at STS would never have placed at Siemens or ISEF or NJSHS. In fact the person that won Siemens my senior year only placed 7th at STS. The person that won STS my senior year didn’t even place with the exact same project at the prior year’s ISEF. In short, Siemens is more project oriented, Intel STS is looking for the students with the most potential in all areas of science. Said another way, Siemens is about how you’ve thought about and thought through the work you have already done while STS is about how you problem solve in general and whether you have a vision that’s broader than any one project. You really see this as a finalist during the interview phase. So yes, there is a point in applying to STS even if you didn’t place at Siemens or ISEF. Take a chance on yourself and you might surprise yourself.</p>

<p>Good post^</p>

<p>I was an ISEF Award Winner and a Siemens semifinalist, but I doubt I’ll get anything at STS :(</p>