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Can some very knowledgeable homeschool person please help me understand how Intel & other science fairs work for homeschooled students? As far as I can make out, from Intel's web site, the student must first enter a local or state science contest. Then, somehow is chosen to enter Intel's contest. Is this correct? Secondly, how do you get into a local contest. We have a county contest that starts with registration in Feb. then awards in May. If you don't know that your a winner until May, how can a student do Intel the same year? Maybe I have this all wrong.

The Intel site seems very complicated, maybe because I know nothing about science fairs. I have a son who would like to enter Intel, please tell me anything that you can.

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 05:42 pm: Edit

The fact that your son is homeschooled has no effect at all on the process, with the lone exception that if your son is interested in ISEF you might have to do some research to figure out where to register for your local fair (there are links to local fairs on the ISEF website). For Intel, you just fill out an application. The process is described here:
http://www.sciserv.org/sts/about/process.asp
There aren't any forms to look at right now because 2004 is closed and 2005 hasn't opened yet. When they become available, you will be able to download them here:
http://www.sciserv.org/sts/documents/

Except for students at a few places like TJ and Stuyvesant, I suspect that most kids do things like Intel and Siemen's-Westinghouse pretty much on their own w/o useful school assistance or guidance.

They will probably go over all this at RSI. Even if they don't, your son (and mine) will meet people there that they can ask.