Could there be a better time to do your science project than during COVID?! While you’re stuck at home, it may be a good time to think about an exciting STEM project that you can focus on while we all wait for the vaccine. Registration for the 2021 Orange County Science & Engineering Fair opens January 4th, so there’s plenty of time for research and ideas that might change the world.
If you’re thinking about whether or not to join the OCSEF family (and history!), here are our top 5 reasons why you SHOULD do a science project:
1. It helps with your College Application
If you want to be enrolled in a specific college, then participating in the science fair will help to make your application stronger.
Some schools can be very selective, and participating (and winning) in a science fair gives you a point of distinction so that your application will stand out.
2. It helps with Scholarships
Winning in science fairs mostly means winning scholarships. OCSEF has awarded more than $700K, and there are science fairs like STS that award $1 million every year. But even if you don’t win, participating in a science fair gives you leverage over other students in getting scholarships by application, for a science fair project is considered unique.
3. Learn to share knowledge and teamwork
The science project process helps you learn how to share knowledge with your fellow students. It also gives you experience in confidence in presenting your idea when you stand in front of the judges (some of the key points for good presenting are taught in the OCSEF Academy). It gives you a push in learning time-management and planning and polishing your research and writing skills. If you chose to work on your project in a team, you learn the environment of co-workers and how to divide tasks among each member of the team.
4. Acknowledgment and recognition
Just by participating in a science fair you can get recognition and acknowledgment. ‘Collecting an award’ in OCSEF or other science fairs is very encouraging as you move forward in your academic life.
5. It’s fun!
Science fair is fun. It gives you a chance to take something in your life that you’re really interested in, and develop it and understand it further. You experiment with various things in science, meet fellow students with shared interest and have a learning experience that is validated and outside the regular school curriculum.