<p>I ask the question because I wanted to be involved in the competitions every since I was in seventh grade, and every year I did a research project myself culminating in a project that created an equation to predict the probability for photons to undergo quantum tunneling i did junior year.</p>
<p>For summer before senior year I applied to summer research programs and got rejected (bc I got a 197 on the PSAT, but later got a 34 on the ACT go figure :p) I tried to do the work on my own (I was working on a project that was going to evalute how the type of polarization of light affects anisotropy) but the lasers and things were SO expensive that I did not make enough money from my summer job to support it, so needless to say there was no Siemen’s or Intel for me.</p>
<p>That long history is inclued bc it is revelant to my question: Is all research equal? I ask because almost EVERY single Intel/Siemen’s place winner and even many semifinalist have the aid of a mentor and access to labs. My parent’s don’t have connections like that (my mom is a high school counselor and my step dad did not go to college, dad died when I was three) so I was did not even know that it was possible to do so. As a result all the work that I did was 100% self taught and done on my own, I included my 16 page paper and a statement explaining the fact that I am the only person at my school who does anything like this (the teachers at my school did not even know how to register for science fairs, so I had to drive myself and register myself for the competitions) and that I simply did not have the access to those advanced opportunites.</p>
<p>Do you think that my accomplishments (I got several awards and a publication, but nothing of Intel caliber) will be evaluated the same as Intel’s bc I simply did not have those opportunties or do you think they will look down on my research?</p>
<p>Thanks, I did not apply to MIT (bc of financial reasons I only applied to schools where I could get really good merit aid HYP) but I vist the MIT thread bc I would have loved to go there, but I did not want to do undergrad there bc then I could not do my PhD at MIT which is what I would like to do.</p>
<p>I am just nervous about the app processs, I applied RD so I do not find out until March 31st, I’m hoping that my research stuff helps–if it doesn’t at least I still have being black :)</p>
<p>I think the “no connections” thing can be overcome. My parents both work in medicine, and we don’t know really anybody who is an engineer or researcher. So when I wanted to do a project in chemistry, I just emailed a professor at a nearby University, he let me into his lab to do my research, and I ended up getting 2nd at ISEF and being a Siemens semifinalist. It just takes a little work to find a professor/researcher to let you jump on.</p>
<p>Or else, you can do all the work by yourself! Who said that research is meaningful only when done for Intel, etc? I would say … Intel is fine … but not necessary and if you have really passionately done your work, it will shine through!</p>
<p>So Alcator, you found your own research project and asked the professor if you could use equipment, or did you assist the professor in his/her research?</p>
<p>I think it’s MUCH MUCH better that you did not use connections and did your research on your own, and I have a feeling that MIT will, too.
Just don’t make excuses on your app for “I didn’t go to Intel,” etc. Or even mention it. It’s nothing to lament about. What they’d love to see is that you’re doing this because you love it, and not for the award. Emphasize the work itself, why you got into it, what you liked about it, what you <em>did</em> accomplish and not what you didn’t or couldn’t. They realize automatically that there are setbacks to doing things on your own, so you seriously shouldn’t stress.</p>
<p>Maybe write about one of the things you accomplished, like that QM prediction, for your “something you created” essay?</p>
<p>Unfortunately there is tons of nepotism at the high school level. However, if you make ISEF this spring you’ll be happy. I can’t say much yet as nothing’s been confirmed, but your efforts will be redeemed.</p>
<p>I did not mention Intel, but in the additional information I explained that my situation basically that I did not have alot of resources (like my teachers knew nothing about science fair), that my parents don’t have a science background, and that I taught it to myself and got a job to pay for the materials.
I was not trying to make excuses and did not mention other compeitions (other than the ones that I won), but when I was on these boards so many ppl had Intel and USABO and the like, but my school does not even offer an Olympiad team.
Either way, the comments on here have developed helped.</p>
<p>Oh and about the HYP thing the aid is financial, but my parents are in that middle class limbo (110K) where some prestigious schools like Duke or MIT would expect us to pay way more than we can afford, but HYP with their financial aid I would only have to pay about 6K a year.</p>
Haha, I am asked this by judges all the time. The idea was my own, and all the work was my own, independent of the professor. I was just at the lab to use the equipment, which I also did on my own except for when I didn’t have the proper training. then I was helped by a grad student.</p>
<p>I didn’t enter Intel or Siemen’s bc i started a project working on how polarization affects anisotropy but i was not able to finish bc of money. These are the awards I recieved and the work I did. Do you think that this is okay? I ask bc I am paranoid bc I don’t have Intel or Siemen’s:</p>
<p>Science Research Awards</p>
<p>9th
Fort Bend Outstanding Achievement in Science Award </p>
<p>10th
Fort Bend Outstanding Achievement in Science Award
Elkins High School Top Chemistry Student Honor</p>
<p>11th
Evaluation of Photon Tunneling Probability by Spatial Variation published by The Society for Amateur Scientists
4th Place American Physics Society-Texas Chapter
Jacobs Engineering Science Research Award
4th Place Science and Engineering Fair of Houston
Fort Bend Outstanding Achievement in Science Award
Elkins High School Top Chemistry Student Honor </p>
<p>Distinctive Research:</p>
<p>9th Quantitative Analysis of Electron Transition in Helium </p>
<p>I think your passion and penchant for science will show through in your recommendations also: from what you have posted, it is obvious you are interested in research. Here is a statement from Marilee Jones, and although she is not with MIT anymore, I still think it probably applies: </p>
<p>“‘You don’t see the kind of wild innovation from individuals you used to see,’ Jones said over lunch during a recent interview. ‘You see a lot of group and team projects overseen by professionals, but you don’t see the kind of rogue, interesting stuff that we used to see at MIT.’”
-CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (AP), Taking the Anxiety Out of Admissions</p>