General Study Events
General Study Events
So, I'm thinking about joining SciOly this year as a freshman. This practically leaves me with nothing I know really well. I know everyone has different opinions, but which topics do you think I would be able to pick and be selected for my HS team? I know, I do have to do a lot of research, and compete with others for that particular field, but which do you think would consume the least time (I don't know if this is possible though)? Thank you! Any tips would be great too. I'm really hoping to make the team!
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Re: General Study Events
Well depends on your team, the more competitive teams take a lot of work to get on, less competitive teams it's a little easier to get on. But no matter what team your on or what events you pick it's going to take a lot of time and work to medal, I don't know if you're concerned with that. Only you can really decide what events you want to do, we can sit here and all give you suggestions of events to do because we like them and the topics (I would tell you astronomy but look at my nick of course that's what I'll recommend
). You should pick an event that covers a topic that you like or interests you, if you pick an event simply because you think it'll get you on the team or get you a medal your likely to lose the most important part of Science Olympiad and that is HAVE FUN (trust me I have first hand experience in this). If there is nothing that really interests you right off the bat you should find a way to get the rules for all the events and skim over the rules for the events and pick the ones that sound interesting to you.
I hope this was helpful and good luck


I hope this was helpful and good luck
Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - Mark Twain
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Re: General Study Events
Yeah, what Starpug said.
2009 events:
Fossils: 1st @ reg. 3rd @ states (stupid dinosaurs...) 5th @ nats.
Dynamic: 1st @ reg. 19thish @ states, 18th @ nats
Herpetology (NOT the study of herpes): NA
Enviro Chem: 39th @ states =(
Cell Bio: 9th @ reg. 18th @ nats
Remote: 6th @ states 3rd @ Nats
Ecology: 5th @ Nats
Fossils: 1st @ reg. 3rd @ states (stupid dinosaurs...) 5th @ nats.
Dynamic: 1st @ reg. 19thish @ states, 18th @ nats
Herpetology (NOT the study of herpes): NA
Enviro Chem: 39th @ states =(
Cell Bio: 9th @ reg. 18th @ nats
Remote: 6th @ states 3rd @ Nats
Ecology: 5th @ Nats
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Re: General Study Events
Ah, good freshman events? It depends on what class is taught to freshmen at your high school. At mine, freshmen can choose between Earth-Space Science and Biology. Choosing an event in the area of your science class is a good idea. For example, someone who has never taken chemistry will have a lot of trouble with Chem Lab. Also, events where no one learns the material in depth in a school science class (such as Herpetology and Forensics) are good choices. Talk to your coach or your team captains about what events they need people on. They'll be excited about having someone on the team who is willing to do less popular events. Working on an event that no one else is doing is a really good way to get onto the team.
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Re: General Study Events
yay im a freshman too!!! um if your not really feid sepcific i would recomend inqury/general science events they are REALY easy too get and dont require alot of reserch and studying are your in B(middle school) or C(high school)?
for B i would recomend
write it do it its easy to get but requires some practice
expiremental design its easy you make a scienctific expriment but just like the above its esy to get but it need some practice
i would also do an event that does require some studying (if you TOTALLY fail the first year you try this next year you would have more info on the event and get a head start) some good events this year would be fossils (ill be around for 3 more years) anatomy (half the event is exactly the same as last year every year) and ecology (same as anatomy)
for C i would do do the same but i would also try
picture this science pictonary (fun!!!)
and i would also expect the learning curve to be steeper (i mean some people in C lve breath and thing science olympiad)
but
DONT BE TURNED OFF FROM THIS. I rember my first year doing this was HARD i got one medal in an event that my PARTNER was good at but the next year i use the stuff i learned and got 1st in the state
hope this helps
for B i would recomend
write it do it its easy to get but requires some practice
expiremental design its easy you make a scienctific expriment but just like the above its esy to get but it need some practice
i would also do an event that does require some studying (if you TOTALLY fail the first year you try this next year you would have more info on the event and get a head start) some good events this year would be fossils (ill be around for 3 more years) anatomy (half the event is exactly the same as last year every year) and ecology (same as anatomy)
for C i would do do the same but i would also try
picture this science pictonary (fun!!!)
and i would also expect the learning curve to be steeper (i mean some people in C lve breath and thing science olympiad)
but
DONT BE TURNED OFF FROM THIS. I rember my first year doing this was HARD i got one medal in an event that my PARTNER was good at but the next year i use the stuff i learned and got 1st in the state
hope this helps
SO stressed!
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Re: General Study Events
i would suggest building events, because they usually don't require as much specific knowledge, and they are relatively easy to compete in,
for study events, do something that interests you, not something that will get you a medal, doing an event no body else wants to compete in is a good way to get on the team, but only do something like that if you are actually interested in it. biology and earth science events are usually best for freshman and sophomores because you have just taken the biology, and earth science is covered in middle school
remember, having fun is the main thing for science olympiad, even if you don't get to compete this year you can always be an alternate, and have a higher chance of competing the next year.
for study events, do something that interests you, not something that will get you a medal, doing an event no body else wants to compete in is a good way to get on the team, but only do something like that if you are actually interested in it. biology and earth science events are usually best for freshman and sophomores because you have just taken the biology, and earth science is covered in middle school
remember, having fun is the main thing for science olympiad, even if you don't get to compete this year you can always be an alternate, and have a higher chance of competing the next year.
I am a practitioner of the art of magic known as science.
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Re: General Study Events
When I started scio in 7th grade, I did one event (fossils) and didnt make it on the state team. In 9th grade, I did 5 events and got 2 medals in nationals. So even if your not used to scio and arent sure what events to do in your first year, you'll get used to it.
2009 events:
Fossils: 1st @ reg. 3rd @ states (stupid dinosaurs...) 5th @ nats.
Dynamic: 1st @ reg. 19thish @ states, 18th @ nats
Herpetology (NOT the study of herpes): NA
Enviro Chem: 39th @ states =(
Cell Bio: 9th @ reg. 18th @ nats
Remote: 6th @ states 3rd @ Nats
Ecology: 5th @ Nats
Fossils: 1st @ reg. 3rd @ states (stupid dinosaurs...) 5th @ nats.
Dynamic: 1st @ reg. 19thish @ states, 18th @ nats
Herpetology (NOT the study of herpes): NA
Enviro Chem: 39th @ states =(
Cell Bio: 9th @ reg. 18th @ nats
Remote: 6th @ states 3rd @ Nats
Ecology: 5th @ Nats
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Re: General Study Events
Read over the rulebook and pick the events that you like. Getting medals isn't all there is to Science Olympiad (though doing so is fun), so just try any event that you want to do.
Good luck and have fun!
Good luck and have fun!

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Re: General Study Events
If you do a really easy event, you might do well on it but so will everyone else! (so overall you will do worse) If you do an event that seems really hard, you might do fine because it was even harder for your competitors. Just pick something you like, don't worry about if its "easy"
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Re: General Study Events
it depends on the stregth of the team at the school... mine team almost never has freshmanelated wrote:So, I'm thinking about joining SciOly this year as a freshman. This practically leaves me with nothing I know really well. I know everyone has different opinions, but which topics do you think I would be able to pick and be selected for my HS team? I know, I do have to do a lot of research, and compete with others for that particular field, but which do you think would consume the least time (I don't know if this is possible though)? Thank you! Any tips would be great too. I'm really hoping to make the team!
except last year there were 4...
this year 1 whos an alternate...
Nationals History...
2008: Team 1st, Rocks 2nd
2009: Team 3rd, Fossils 7th
2010: Team 5th, Fossils 4th, Ornithology 7th Egg o Naut 6th
2011: Team 4th, Ornithology 3rd
2012: Team 2nd (Assistant Coach)
2013: Team 3rd (Assistant Coach)
2008: Team 1st, Rocks 2nd
2009: Team 3rd, Fossils 7th
2010: Team 5th, Fossils 4th, Ornithology 7th Egg o Naut 6th
2011: Team 4th, Ornithology 3rd
2012: Team 2nd (Assistant Coach)
2013: Team 3rd (Assistant Coach)