<p>^It may help set us apart from some other black applicants because about 1300 (might be lower than that this year. Anybody know the exact number?) become finalists while HYP get over 2000 black applicants, but I can’t say that becoming a finalist would help as much as being an ISEF finalist would, for example. Here’s a thread that talks about how much it helps:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/636877-national-achievement-seems-help-alot.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/african-american-students/636877-national-achievement-seems-help-alot.html</a></p>