<p>Well, personally my projects that have won awards at the Intel ISEF, Siemens Competition, and other things of that type in the past have been research projects that I have done myself without actually working in a lab under someone. However, if you live close to some type of research facility or major university, it doesn’t hurt to get in touch with someone there in the area you are interested in working in and maybe also to get some guidance and borrow equiptment (that’s what I did). But I think, like some others have said, these things are not necessary to get into a top college. Moreover, winning lots of recognition in these sort of things does not guarantee admission into any college.</p>
<p>People on collegeconfidential seem to think by winning some of these things you are a lock for schools. Believe me, you aren’t.</p>