Which Competition is More Prestigious?

stemit
Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:30:50 +0000

Seimens joint projects are not restricted to seniors.

ISEF results come out too late in the year to Impact admissions.

It is very very difficult to achieve recognition in ISEF, Siemens, or STS. Many entrants during their senior year do Seimens and STS - not because of prestige; rather these entrants love science. That said, as of today, Caltech, Dartmouth and Columbia have made ED/A decisions and Seimens winners have way more acceptances then rejections (FWIW).

STS isn’t announced til January (semis), but I know that STS semi status can really impact an application.

Doing apps, two science fairs, grades, and tests is tough but possible.

I would suggest anyone entering either (or both) try to get ALL testing done by the end of your junior year. Then work during the summer (or earlier) on your research while percolating essay topics.