<p>I'd like to begin prep for the three science Olympiads (USABO, USNCO, USAPhO) over the summer. Do you guys think this is plausible? </p>
<p>Bump
10char</p>
<p>Choose one, maybe two, to focus on. You’ll be spreading yourself too thin trying to do all three, especially considering that you probably have other things going on over the summer. I remember you mentioned in another thread that you haven’t taken a physics class. If you haven’t even taken a class for the subject, I wouldn’t recommend trying to study for the national Olympiad. Basically, choose the subject you’re best at and focus on that. My $0.02.</p>
<p>physics goes with math.</p>
<p>@elf4eva: I’ve just got research going on over the summer. I’ll have a lot of time to do other things.</p>
<p>bump</p>
<p>10char</p>
<p>Even with that time, you probably still won’t be able to. Well, it actually depends on how far you want to go. I don’t know if the biology Olympiad has two rounds like the physics and chemistry, but I would think that its possible to get to the second round of all three. You would probably need to study a little bit after the summer too. If you want to have a shot a making the national training camp, you definitely need to concentrate on one or two, which depends on how hardworking you are. If you are going to pick two, I would pick Chemistry and Biology or Chemistry and Physics because these are sort of related.</p>
<p>@fooiey: I see what you’re saying. I’m definitely going to study after the summer; I’ll get started around summer is what I was saying in my original post. I want to place into AP physics c next year, but I haven’t had a physics course. I thought that if I was going to build a physics base for myself, I may as well do Olympiad, but now I see that the foundation needed for physics c definitely isn’t Olympiad level. I’ll be laying a physics foundation(SAT II Level?) through Khan Academy and whatnot; I’ll be studying hardcore for biology and chemistry Olympiads, though. I’m also going to go through AOPS so I have a shot at AIME, but it’ll be background prep more than anything. Is the viability of this better?</p>
<p>Difficulty of qualification for science olympiads (in ascending order):</p>
<p>USNCO (selects top 10% of a small number of students, local exam is about as easy as AP chemistry) < USABO (local exam is much much more comprehensive than AP Biology, and requires memorization) < USAPhO semifinals (F=ma exam requires problem-solving ability, and only the top 300-400 move on to the semifinal exam)</p>
<p>All three exams have substantial prerequisites in terms of basic knowledge (though it is less in the case of physics locals than chemistry/biology locals). </p>
<p>Physics C will also require a good working knowledge of calculus (integration, differentiation, differential equations mostly). </p>
<p>@mapletree7:</p>
<p>I have a knowledge of calculus (self studying BC currently). Other than cal, is there any physics I need to know before trying to take the class? I have no physics experience, you see.</p>
<p>Bump
10char</p>