Intel STS/Siemens Ideas?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hey all,
After finally obtaining the SAT and SAT II scores that I'm after, I'm setting my sights on having some fun with the Intel STS and Siemens science competitions!
As a current junior, I have basically half a year until the submission deadlines approach for 2015.</p>

<p>I've been looking around online and have seen some INCREDIBLY amazing projects- some that definitely inspire me to start my own project. In that manner, I'm also daunted by the descriptions of some notable projects and the rather advanced level of study that they encompass.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any links to an actually successfully written project research paper that they would be willing to share? Past Intel/Siemens participants, regardless of whether you made Semi-Finalists or not, how did you start your research process? Which part was the most intimidating? I believe it's the searching for a lab/mentor and picking a topic to which to devote several months of your time of research. Once you have everything set up, that's where it's much less stressful right? Or do you have the constant pressure of your research not resulting in anything or leading nowhere? Is the paper the hardest part?</p>

<p>I haven't seen much about these two science competitions on this forum yet, so if there's any abundance/forum section that I have overlooked, I would be eternally grateful if someone kind could guide me there. Furthermore, I've been contemplating several areas of research that I could do my project on, but I just don't know if they're too...basic..you know?</p>

<p>What did you guys do? How did you plan out the steps of your project throughout a year's time? What difficulties did you face? How did you balance all of this/fit it into a merciless, never-ending junior plus senior year of college-application onslaught and anxiety plus constant-OMG what if I get outright rejected from "x" college-type stress?</p>

<p>Help! I seem to have fallen into a lost hole and cannot get out. Inspire me please?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Here’s some comments from last year’s Intel STS winner…<a href=“Sara Volz - Winner of the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search - YouTube”>Sara Volz - Winner of the 2013 Intel Science Talent Search - YouTube;

3

<p>Um, I don’t mean to be rude, but participating in these competitions is not ‘just for fun’. I don’t know if you understand the process, but it requires traveling through multiple levels of local and state and other science fairs. You have to have the project done for the first qualifying local fair and then move up from there. It’s a ton of work. One of the girls that won one of these had to alter her sleep schedule to that of her algae. However, it’s fun to do something you’re passionate about.</p>

<p>As for mentors and research and stuffs, I’ve been accepted by a mentor at a local hospital very recently and am meeting her Monday (fingers crossed that all goes well!), but it took me over a year to find someone, to be honest. I emailed over a dozen professors before finding anyone even remotely interested in working with me. I would suggest having a general idea as to what you want to study before emailing or calling, but that’s up to you :)</p>

<p>So start with a problem that you see for inspiration. I read an article years ago in a newspaper in a doctor’s waiting room about my topic and it’s grown in my mind since then. I’d advise reading medical and science articles, browsing like you’ve been doing (I do that, too, sometimes. It’s incredible what these people are doing!), and not being intimidated. You can do this :D</p>

4

<p>Alright, thanks for your input!
As for the “not just for fun” part, I completely understand.
My original intention was not to come off as treating this inappropriately and halfheartedly; I simply wanted to convey that I was passionate about science competitions and communicate that I’m not doing this “just for college”, if you know what I mean.</p>

5

<p>I figured that if you knew about it, you were probably a pretty serious student anyway, I just wanted you to know that a few months might not be enough time, depending on your project and stuff.
Do you prefer math, life sciences, physical sciences, psychological sciences, etc?</p>