Contests and Awards
We always encourage students to find a niche, an interest, a
passion early on in their high school careers and then to purse
that interest both in and outside of school. Students have to be
self-motivated as they can’t count on their schools or teachers
to submit them for awards. They have to find opportunities to
deepen their interests and turn these interests into
distinguishing achievements.
The nation’s top colleges look for state- or national-level
distinction in a student’s field of interest, so whether you are
a poet, writer, mathematician or computer geek, you should search
out any awards programs that can substantiate your interests and
show you stand out. The more competitive the college, the greater
the need to win significant competitions. MIT, for instance, is
known to value international and national science Olympiad
winners, Intel Science Talent Search winners and finalists and
Siemens Westinghouse winners.
The Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology recognizes
remarkable talent early on, fostering individual growth for high
school students who are willing to challenge themselves through
science research. Through this competition, students have an
opportunity to achieve national recognition for science research
projects that they complete in high school. It is administered by
The College Board and funded by the Siemens Foundation. This
month they post details of this year’s competition on their
website. Explore this opportunity if you are a science scholar
and stay tuned for other contests and opportunities in future
weekly tips.
Less famous, but more numerous, competitions are available for
liberal-arts students. Countless foundations, literary
magazines, and arts societies sponsor event such as poetry
contests or publications of student work. There are very few
national-level competitions, but if you can get a few pieces
published or win a speech competition, you’ll stand out as a
student with talent rather than a student who “just likes to
write.”
Looking for the best way to showcase your talents? Purchase
The Ultimate Guide to Top High School Contests and Awards to
leverage your academic niche. This 60+ page guide gives you
hundreds ofsuggestions to distinguish yourself in the college
application process.
Congratulations Everyone!
Michele’s students had record breaking acceptances in the early round of college admissions results for the Class of 2014.
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