FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many teams will be participating?

A: We are hosting a total of 36 teams from various high schools.

Q: How many people per team? 

A: Each team can have between 4-5 students. We have a strict cap at 5 students per team.

Q: Where are the questions from?

A: The questions are written exclusively by UC Berkeley student volunteers. All questions are in the official NSB style.

Q: What’s our “Energy” category?

A: BSB Fall 2023 will feature a reinvented “Energy” category based on UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab research. 

Q: What difficulty are the questions?

A: The questions will range from Regionals-level in Round Robin to Nationals-level by the end of Double Elimination. 

Q: What’s our competition format?

A: There will be 5 Round Robin rounds in the morning, followed by a 16-team Double Elimination tournament. We will be providing spaces for informal scrimmages for eliminated teams in the afternoon.

Q: What times will the competition run from? 

A: We expect our tournament to run from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm (Projected Day Schedule). However, NSB tournaments often run late, so make sure to prepare for this in advance. We will do our best to reduce delays throughout the day.

Q: Does our team coach need to attend?

A: No, but we require at least one non-competing adult to serve as a chaperone from each school. These individuals will be responsible for communicating directly with BSB organizers on competition day.

Q: Will there be food served? 

A: Yes, food will be catered, and we will have vegetarian options in order to fulfill those with dietary restrictions. Food will only be available for coaches, competitors and volunteers. 

Q: What happens if my team is eliminated?

A: We have fun activities planned for eliminated teams! We encourage everyone to stay and watch the Championship round, which will be livestreamed to audiences across the country.