***USNCO 2016***

Pre-College Issues High School Life
41

@dncn88

  • Passed Local Exam = Qualified for USNCO National Exam
  • National Exam Top ~150 (roughly top 10 percent) = Honors
  • National Exam Top ~50 = High Honors
  • National Exam Top 20 (Camp) = Finalists
    As ACS is apparently not doing the camp this year, the “Finalist” distinction will not exist.
    While you should be taking this test because you love chemistry, achieving Honors / High Honors is a significant award that college admissions officers value highly.
42

1golfer1,

Thanks. Do you know if permanent residents can take the national exam? (Again the conflicting view btw ACS and CC).
If I start with Brown and Lemay now, do you think I can get honors? (I got a 5 in AP Chem so I think I’m somewhat competent and have hope, but I’m not sure).

43

@dncn888 Go with what the ACS says. If you can’t make USNCO, then so be it.

44

@dncn888 I know a permanent resident that got honors last year; you should be fine unless there’s something weird going on in your section. Its stated in the website PR can take nationals

45

@dncn888
Yes, permanent residents may take the national exam.
I actually didn’t use any books to prepare; nonetheless, I made Honors. AP Chem is a total joke compared to the Olympiad.

46

Hey Everbody,

Which Zumdahl textbook is everyone referring to and is it enough to make Honors?

Thanks

47

. (Sorry, I had a question, but it was already answered in this thread)

48

So this test is is March right? Is it usually early, middle, or late March? Does it depend on location?

49

@JuicyMango Yes, it is in March. It varies by section, everyone just finishes testing by the end of March. Ask your local coordinator for your section’s exact date.

50

Hi, sorry to revive this thread, but i’ve been taking an interest in Chemistry the past year (I’m in AP Chem right now), and was wondering what the cut-off score is to get past Local and into National for my region? I’m in Texas, so I think that’s District/Region IV. How many questions out of 60 do I have to answer correctly to get Nationals?

No one at my school does Chemistry Olympiad by the way, so I don’t really have to worry about anyone from my area, but what score do I need for Nationals?

Thanks

51

@ThatSpellingGuy111 If you make it past the Local Exam, you qualify for the National Exam.
The number of questions you need to answer correctly depends on the students in your region and the difficulty of the test. Last year’s Local Exam was very hard, and a score of 45 / 60 was enough for nearly everywhere.

52

@ThatSpellingGuy111 varies by section. Some sections have very high cutoffs (mine was 45 last year, the test was SO hard), while some have no cutoffs at all. If no one else from your section competes, then you are by default going to nats.

53

Hey all,

Is a local section a whole state or is it a sub section of the state, such as northern Virginia? Also, how much Orgo Chem do you need for Honors?

54

@dncn888 Depends. I know California has at least three sections, but you need to ask your local coordinator/look this up yourself.

55

Does anybody know if there is a list/document somewhere that reports how many students from each section are allowed to take the national exam? Specifically the New York metro section? Also the number of questions one needs to get right on the local exam? Thanks!

56

@ivyrunnernyc Number of delegates to take the nats exam is proportional to the size of your section, bar former campers, who get it no matter what. Also, cutoff score depends on your section. You have to contact your coordinator for that.

For reference, last year my section got 17 members, and the cutoff score was 45, significantly lower than 55 from last year.

57

Hey Guys,

So right now, I’ve been doing the local exams and i’m only getting mid 40’s (not on the really hard local exam last year). How do you improve from here and how do you get the trivia questions? Also, is there still hope to get honors since I’ve only finished roughly 7 chapters from Atkins?

Any help appreciated

58

@dncn888 Aside from memorizing things like flame tests, there is not much you can really do for the “trivia” questions. The more lab work you have done, the easier those questions will be.
The Chem Olympiads do not have have more than 2 or 3 trivia questions per test. There is always one Organic Chem trivia question, which you just have to hope you know (sometimes it’s easy, like Question 58 on the National Exam last year; other times, it’s a blind guess).
But even many of the trivia questions can be answered by process of elimination. In fact, most trivia questions test not trivia but more advanced technical knowledge. As an example:

A chlorine-based bleach is recommended to be mixed with all of the following substances under a fume hood EXCEPT
(A) hydrochloric acid
(B) sodium hydroxide
© ammonia
(D) vinegar

59

Hey Everybody,

I’ve registered for the local exam, does it cost money?

Thx

60

And if there is only 2 people (including myself) taking the exam, do i just have to beat the local section cutoff score?