Some of your Questions:

Q. How many cadets can compete ?

A team is comprised of four primary team members. Two alternates (optional) may compete in the online rounds but will not be allowed to travel to the Championship in Washington, DC should the team qualify. In the Academic competition, cadets may be in the 8th - 11th grade. In the Leadership competition, cadets may be sophomores or juniors. Seniors may not compete.

Q. Why can’t seniors participate?

One of the main goals of this program is to prepare students for college entrance exams (SAT and ACT). The competition will not conclude until late spring after most seniors have completed their high school exit and college entrance exams. Another program goal is to increase retention among 10th and 11th graders which would not include graduating seniors.

Q. I don’t want my seniors to miss out on a JROTC event. How can I get them involved?

Instructors may use seniors as “coaches” during the team’s preparation for the competition. Seniors may drill team members on language arts, math, science, and current events. However, seniors are NOT allowed in the room during the actual testing.

Q. If I created an instructor account last year, do I need to Sign Up again?

No, if you created an account previously, just click on Sign In then enter your email address and password. If you did not Sign Up last year, you will need to create an account. If the school has never participated in the Leadership and Academic Bowl (or is a new unit in a school), you will need to add the school info during the Sign Up process.

Please be prepared to answer the following questions when adding a school:

1. High School Name, Address, Phone Number

2. High School Demographics – total number of students, number of students in the Free or Reduced Lunch Program, type of school (suburban, rural, private, public, etc.)

Q. How do I register a team ?

You may assemble a team on the instructor dashboard beginning October 25. The team should be assembled prior to competing in Level I. To assemble a team, sign into the instructor account and, once on the dashboard, add team members.

Q. Where can I find the SAT and ACT guides to study for the competition ?

1.Register as a cadet or instructor.

2.Sign in using your username and password.

3.On the Dashboard, click on Resources.

Q. What do I do if I have forgotten my account email address ?

Please contact us using the contact form on cofcontests.com or call us at 888.576.8287.

Q. Is there a fee to participate in the online competition?

There is no fee to compete online in Level I and II.

Q. What are the testing dates ?

1.Practice Test – October 01 - February 15.

2.Level I – November 01 - November 20.

3.Level II – February 01 - February 15.

Q. How does a team compete ?

1. Select a day and time during the competition window that works best for your team.

2. The instructor should logon to www.cofcontests.com and Sign In using his/her username and password.

3. Once on the Dashboard, click on Tests.

4. Follow directions on that page and begin the competition.

5. Both Level I and II consist of approximately 75 questions and take approximately 1 hour to complete. This is a TEAM event – all cadets on the team (including alternates) should sit at one computer and answer questions as a team.

6. Once a team has begun the test, there is no ability to stop and start over. The competition must be completed in one sitting.

If your team advances to Level II, you will follow the same procedure, using the Instructor’s account.

Q. Do the cadets take the test individually or as a group ?

The Level I and Level II tests are taken as a team around one computer. The four primary team members and two alternates (optional) take the test together. An instructor or proctor is the only other person allowed in the room during testing.

Q. Do I have to sign up for a test time ?

No, the competition website (cofcontests.com) is live and available 24 hours/day during the testing window.

Q. Is there a deadline to participate ?

Yes, all teams must complete Level I by November 20. We highly encourage all teams to take the test prior to the last day of competition.

Q. How long will the test take ?

The test should take approximately one hour, but if you have not registered, you should allow extra time to login to the website and enter the required information. Once a team has logged in, there is no ability to stop and start over. The competition must be completed in one sitting.

Q. When I click on http://www.cofcontests.com, I cannot access the test. Why ?

The tests are available online during the testing window. If it is outside the testing dates, you will not be able to access the tests.

Q. I can’t load the contest website. What should I do?

Check with your internet administrator at school. The school may have an internet security blocking system preventing you from accessing the website. Ask the administrator to adjust the security settings. Another suggestion is to restart the computer to make sure there are no other browsers open and nothing is running in the background.

Q. Our school computer will not allow access to the website, even after we’ve worked with the network administrator. What should I do?

Find another computer system to access the website. You may try the school library, local library or a home computer.

Q. How will we know our score?

At the end of the test, all scores, including the final score, will be displayed. The score will also be available on the instructor dashboard.

Q. How will College Options Foundation know our score?

Scores will automatically be sent to the Foundation’s server.

Q. How will we know if we made it to Level II?

All teams will receive an email a few days after the conclusion of Level I. In addition, teams moving on to Level II will be listed on the Foundation’s website.

Q. How many teams will advance to Level II?

The teams scoring in the top 50% will move on to Level II. The number of teams competing in Level II will be half of the number of teams in Level I (but we won’t have the total number until after Level I is complete).

Q. Are all expenses covered for teams advancing to the final championship round in Washington, DC?

Yes, all travel, lodging, and meals are covered for the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force JROTC teams. Incidental expenses (souvenirs, etc.) are not included.

Q. What do we win if our team reaches the final championship round?

Congratulations! You (the team and one instructor/chaperone) will win an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. In addition, all teams advancing to the final round will receive certificates of achievement and team plaques. Other prizes may be awarded.

Q. What browser should we use to complete the test?

Google Chrome works the best to access the tests. Be sure your screen resolution/size is a minimum of 1280x768

Q. How many cadets can compete?

A team is comprised of four primary team members. Two alternates (optional) may compete in the online rounds but will not be allowed to travel to the Championship in Washington, DC should the team qualify. In the Academic competition, cadets may be freshmen, sophomores or juniors. In the Leadership competition, cadets may be sophomores or juniors. Seniors may not compete.