Should I join Science Olympiad?
Do you like science, technology, or engineering?
Do you want to pursue STEM in college?
Do you want to join Science Olympiad?
Would you like to meet awesome people?
Are you free Thursdays?
Can you attend all practices/competitions?
If you answered yes to the above, then yes, you definitely should!
What should I do about time conflicts with other commitments?
We expect that you prioritize SciOly over any other commitments you may have. If it is a one-time conflict, then we can try to work around it; just let the Coaches know through email (and let us know as soon as possible, not the day before). If you are unable to make it to multiple SciOly dates, then SciOly may not be the club for you, as unfortunate as it may be.
How do partners work?
For each event, you will be paired up with 1-2 partners (the number depends on your event) to study and compete with. You may or may not have the same partner for different events. We determine partners based on similar skill level and compatibility. Please set aside time to actually meet up with your partners to study, do practice tests, ask questions, revise note sheets, etc. !!
How are the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams determined?
Those who can score the best on tests and in competitions tend to be placed higher. Our initial Varsity roster will not be permanent, and it is very possible for one to work their way up to Varsity throughout this year with hard work and dedication. If you are a new member, it is also definitely possible for you to be able to make it on the Varsity team if you are diligent and dedicated. Both Varsity and JV team are only allowed to have 7 Seniors as per national Science Olympiad rules. We take into account the following criteria when choosing the teams:
previous experience in multiple events
tryout scores for multiple events
no conflicts with other clubs/activities
flexibility to change preferred events for the sake of the team competition
Tryouts / Runoffs / Making the Team
UGH!!! I'm stressed about runoffs; what should I study?
We completely understand that runoffs are going to be stressful because you likely have a busy schedule and thus cannot dedicate as much time as you may like to studying. So, for now, focus on the main rules/topics for the events you are trying out for. We will provide a link to the Rules Manual for all events at our Informational Meeting on September 7. There are almost guaranteed to be questions that you may still stumble on during the runoffs, but that is completely fine! Just try your best :)
Events / Studying
How many events should I focus on?
We recommend studying for 2-4 events, preferably 3. The max number of events you can have in the team is 4. Remember that although we look for flexibility in being able to do multiple events, as we prefer quality over quantity!
Are captains going to be teaching us the information? How do we study?
All the events are mainly self-researched and self-taught, but the Captains will be here to provide extra resources and study tips! We will post a resource page in our Google Classroom once the teams are determined.
Competitions
Can I compete in multiple events at Competitions?
Of course! As long as the events do not occur in the same time block (we will share Conflict Block information with you when it is posted) you are welcome to participate in any combination of events. However, there are benefits to focusing on a single category, like chemistry or earth science, as it is easier for you to study multiple events if their concepts overlap.
How do competitions work?
We compete in 3 Invitationals, a Regional, and often times, the State tournament. These competitions are all held on Saturdays and are ALL DAY (6am-6pm) events. A typical competition will have 5-6 hours of event competition followed by an awards ceremony at the end. All team members are expected to stay the entire day and may not leave early or come late to competitions.
What is a 'conflict block'?
Blocks represent events that would be held simultaneously. For example, someone who is in Anatomy & Physiology can't compete in Astronomy because they take place at the same time during an invitational! Self-schedule events on the other hand do not have set times for each person - if you are in a self-schedule event, you will be told what time you are testing your inventions.
Our schedule is based on the National Schedule. We take the National 6 block schedule and bring it down to 5 blocks. The blocks DO NOT determine where in the day those events fall. The conflict blocks are published so that everyone in Illinois has the same framework for student preparation throughout the season
OTHER QUESTIONS?
Please reach out to our Coachs/Captains, any time you have questions! WE are here to help!