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04-05-2008, 05:48 PM
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#166 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Threads: 1
Posts: 61
| on college applications, it looks great if you make it to the camp.
it's awesome if you go to internationals
and it's incredible and amazing if you get a medal, even if it isn't gold.
HOWEVER, the worst way to approach ANY olympiad is to think of it solely as a addition to a resume. I'd hate you. | 
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04-05-2008, 07:40 PM
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#167 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Threads: 1
Posts: 90
| No.. Chemistry is my favorite class atm.. However, I dunno if I can qualify for the study camp but i did make the national exam. Is that worth mentioning or is it worth nothing? | |
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04-05-2008, 11:20 PM
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#168 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NY ---> Outer Haven, MA 2012 Gender: Male
Threads: 129
Posts: 2,058
| ^Yeah, I put "USNCO national exam" on my apps (we wont get into why I didnt put anything more lol) and it worked out fine.
Funny enough, lately I've been reading up on hemiacetals and imine formation...probably should focus on INORGANIC chem for the next week lol Quote: |
HOWEVER, the worst way to approach ANY olympiad is to think of it solely as a addition to a resume. I'd hate you.
| QFMFT. In truth, olympiads are also a good headstart on your knowledge base for the MCAT, if that's your type of thing. | |
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04-05-2008, 11:21 PM
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#169 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Threads: 1
Posts: 61
| nothing hurts. making it to nationals wouldnt be a hook though... | |
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04-05-2008, 11:24 PM
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#170 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NY ---> Outer Haven, MA 2012 Gender: Male
Threads: 129
Posts: 2,058
| ^there aren't many hooks besides D1 athlete/Intel finalist/int'l olympiad medalist lol | |
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04-06-2008, 01:00 AM
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#171 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Threads: 1
Posts: 61
| lol even int'l olympiad medalist isnt enough. my friend who went to phys camp knows someone who got a medal but didnt get in everywhere.
maybe its just lame physics...? although i like physics lol | |
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04-06-2008, 01:45 AM
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#172 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NY ---> Outer Haven, MA 2012 Gender: Male
Threads: 129
Posts: 2,058
| well if you win a medal but show no passion in the subject then I guess...?
(and btw I really need to get in touch with you somehow off CC, it's somewhat important and not entirely related to usnco) | |
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04-07-2008, 05:04 AM
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#173 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Threads: 1
Posts: 79
| does anyone else find it annoying that only two people per school qualify for the nationals? | |
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04-12-2008, 01:01 PM
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#174 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007 Gender: Unknown
Threads: 9
Posts: 89
| Uh i havent taken this test before, but does anyone know the format of the test?
For the local exam, can as many people as you want from one school take it (this year I didnt take it but it seems to me other people in my school took it because they were "selected" to take it)
And I read the website, it seems to me like it goes from 10,000 people to 1,000 people that take the National USNCO exam? Are those about the right numbers?
And how would you rate this compared to other national olympiads, like the USAMO for example? It seems to me that the USAMO is way more prestigious (because its like 600,000 people>500 people that make USAMO) but I dont really know...
would a winner on this USNCO be like making USAMO?
And what are some good ways to study. I am going to be a 11th grader next year and I will be taking AP CHem, do you think just by taking that class, I should be able to do well on the exam? What extra books are highly recommended?
Umm^ it also seems like only 2 people can make USNCO from a school...that seems highly unfair because my school has over 4000+ kids and its one of the top schools in the US...(unless only a certain amount of people can take the local exam)
Thanks.
Last edited by blah1290 : 04-12-2008 at 01:10 PM.
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04-12-2008, 04:18 PM
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#175 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NY ---> Outer Haven, MA 2012 Gender: Male
Threads: 129
Posts: 2,058
| Those numbers are right. USNCO is a regionally-based competition (i.e., there is no "cut-off" score across the nation), so you could say it is the easiest to qualify for the semifinal round for, or the hardest depending on where you live (one of the IChO medalists didn't even have to take the local exam- he and one other person were the only people interested in USNCO from his section). USAMO might be more "respected" because it's OMG MATH, but qualifying for the national exam in a competitive region (NY, NJ, or CA) is worthy of merit.
Don't worry about the rule though, I'm working on an alternative qualification method.
Who took the USNCO today? Maybe it's just because I knew all my orgo, but that test was a fackin joke...I made a few careless errors on the MC (~3 wrong), but that first FR problem killed everyone except past campers...and myself. Plus it also helped that I got every reaction in number 5 correct. 
Does anyone know how the graders consider each response? As in, do they get an impression of the student's body of knowledge and understanding of chemistry from the entire response (one that goes above and beyond, especially in organic chem)? Because honestly, if I don't make the cut then I'd blame it on the grading style, not myself.
Anyway, good luck to all who are taking it next week. | |
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04-12-2008, 04:52 PM
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#176 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Midwest, USA --> Harvard Yard
Threads: 40
Posts: 485
| Haha, piccolojunior, you're so intense. I would much rather spend time hanging out with friends during the summer than go study esoteric chem principles. And I say that as a prospective chem major... Haha, maybe I should look into another major.
Anyways, yeah, I'll be taking the national exam this week. I'm very much looking forward to doing miserably on it! | |
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04-12-2008, 05:10 PM
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#177 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NY ---> Outer Haven, MA 2012 Gender: Male
Threads: 129
Posts: 2,058
| Ironic you'd bring my social life into question after I spent last night playing 5 on 5 at the gym, but that's irrelevant.
12 days until they start making calls. | |
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04-13-2008, 12:01 AM
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#178 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Midwest, USA --> Harvard Yard
Threads: 40
Posts: 485
| Dude chill... I was not bringing into question your social life at all, and I'm not sure why you would interpret my statement that way. All I'm saying (and perhaps I should have elaborated) is that -- and I speak for myself here -- I would rather enjoy the last couple of months before college with my amazing friends than with rather impersonal chemical principles.
Anyway, I respect the fact that you're willing to juggle chemistry and your social life, which I'm sure is very vibrant, as playing 5-on-5 B-ball shows. | |
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04-13-2008, 01:13 AM
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#179 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Threads: 1
Posts: 61
| lol who REALLY has a social life here anyways? | |
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04-16-2008, 08:35 PM
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#180 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Threads: 8
Posts: 36
| USNCO nationals tomorrow for me.
i'm also taking another national physics test (not olympiad, physics bowl i think?)
ACK
the natl practice tests were SO MUCH harder than the local exam. i'm sad now 
i dont know how ill do on fr because most of the stuff beyond AP chem i've learned is in chinese... >.<
oh and how prestigious is just nationals vs camp? is this lower valued or higher valued than say, USABO (1 person from our school got to camp) | |
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