When we say, “science fair,” some people think of students in taped glasses and suspenders standing next to nearly identical model volcanos most of which will, undoubtedly, fail to erupt. This image has been hammered in by sitcoms and animated movies, but it’s not what we think of. For us, science fairs are exciting and dynamic gatherings of outstanding STEM students who pursue inspiring projects. They are a place for competition, a place for community, and a place for imagination.
Undergraduate STEM programs have never been more competitive than they are now, and it’s really hard to stand out as a prospective science, engineering, or math student. There are so many smart kids with impressive grades that simply being another straight-A student doesn’t really move the needle on your chance of admission to a top-tier college. In order to ensure that your application makes waves, you’ll need to do more than get 100 on your mid-term exam.
The fastest way to amplify your application is by beefing up your activities. How you spend your time outside of class really matters! And there are so many local, regional, and national opportunities for you to make yourself stand out. One of the most fun, dynamic, and customizable of those opportunities are science fairs.
If you know what you want to study but aren’t sure how to get there, send us an email. We help students dial in their activities to amplify their applications.
Science fairs offer three majorly important things that benefit you and your application.
They’ll Spark your Imagination
Science fairs offer an opportunity to explore a topic outside of the classroom. You’ll be exposed to new ideas, technologies, and innovations you may not have otherwise been able to get up close and personal with. You may even come up with ideas or pursue a path you otherwise wouldn’t have gone down without these experiences or exposures, which may also serve to guide you towards a prospective major and college.
They’ll Connect you to a Community
Science fairs bring people together, and by doing them you get to become part of that lively and exciting community of driven young people. By doing science fairs, you’ll be able to build relationships with fellow students, educators, and even local leaders in science, and even in the specific field you’re interested in. If you really take advantage of the situation, you may even be able to leverage the connections you make into opportunities for independent studies or internships. Plus, at the very least you’ll make some friends! We’ve had students find supplementary recommenders and even employers through science fairs. These opportunities amplified their applications, and definitely contributed to them being accepted to their dream schools.
They’ll Help you Stand Out
The bottom line is that science fairs — if you take them seriously — will help you stand out in all the right ways. You can do a science fair and phone it in and barely put in any effort, and you’ll still be able to say you did it. However, the real value of science fairs requires additional concerted effort. If you can earn recognitions or even awards, they will go a long way in augmenting your resume and application once you press submit. Even if you don’t win anything but simply give it your best, you’ll also have experiences that you can write about in your supplements and discuss in interviews with admissions representatives.
Science fairs are an exciting and widely accessible opportunity for STEM-focused students, so we encourage all of the ones we work with to take advantage of them! Pursue something wild, meet new people, have fun, and write about it!
Applying to college is stressful. Send us an email to learn more about how we make application magic.