<p>I've found a number of discussions on CC about ISEF, and a lot of talk about how an ISEF award is a great thing to put on a college application. However, I can't find an answer to this question: If you're a high school senior, and your regional science fair (qualifier for ISEF) doesn't even take place until after applications are due, then how can you make your project relevant to the admissions process?</p>
<p>I guess when people talk about having ISEF awards on their applications, they must have entered the competition as juniors. But if you're a senior, aside from listing your research under "activities" or having a teacher or counselor mention it in a recommendation, how can you get your research in front of adcoms?</p>
<p>With so many parents here who have been through the application process before, I'm sure someone has thought about this. Thanks.</p>
<p>mantori - your son can always update his science fair status for RD apps. If he wins regionals, then he can say he’s invited to ISEF. Any applicant can submit an abstract, a part or an entire length of their research report to any college that’s willing to receive supplements. This policy is usually stated on college admissions websites.</p>
<p>There was a student at my son’s hs who, as a junior, won the regionals and was invited to ISEF. That student can certainly write about it in his app. </p>
<p>One word of caution. Simply participating in ISEF by itself is not an overly impressive EC to the tippy-tops, because it simply means that you’ve won either first or second place at an regional contest (I believe some regions actually allow the second place winner to go on to ISEF). I’ve seen some regional winners failed to win even honorable mentions at the states. Some regions are much weaker than others. It becomes impressive, however, if you win an award at ISEF.</p>
<p>Our local ISEF-qualifying fair doesn’t even happen til mid-March – after Intel STS.</p>
<p>Mantori – Intel STS is due around 11/15. It’s already too late for Siemens (10/1). Check the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium – those are regional and feed to the nationals, but I don’t recall the deadlines.</p>