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Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 10th, 2008, 3:08 pm
by Uncle Fester
that really is retarded. i mean, how do they not look at when APs are? although im with gneissisnice, i already took world history and human geography and i personally dont have to deal with the other ones. but not everyone on the team can say the same...
Well, let's take a look at just how retarded we are. Let's use my upcoming "Build It Day" on Saturday, November 8.

First, November 8 is free at our venue. Not only "free" as in "available", but "free' as in cost. if i went with that date instead of other dates, it would save each team attending some $35-$55.

But wait-- that date is a home football game at the Big 10 college where we get almost half of our college-age help. SO let's move it to the week before. Nope. Half our management help has major school (employment) commitments.

The week after? No, can't get the venue. Not only that, but changing will cause us to lose our "seniority" as far as scheduling priority.

Week after that? Ha Ha Ha-- first day of deer hunting season in three states!

Week before? Homecoming at the school or some kind of big thing; venue is unavailable.

So, it's back to the 8th. While a sizable chunk of help can't attend, it's the best date available. Good thing, because NOW I find the Academic Boosters can't serve food on any of the other dates, and this isn't a town where the kids can go outside and run down the street a short ways to get lunch. Now I have to start the calling all over again (groan!), all over IL, IN, and MI to see what event heads are available, what event assistants & volunteers are available, and (alas) what events we can't cover due to a lack thereof.

THEN, armed with this list, I determine what and how many support people will be needed to cover what all necessary things (cutting wood and/or metal, hardware available, safety watch, etc), pass this list on to the local people, and then THEY locate the necessary people, tools and parts. I'm on pins and needles until I geta reply, since certain events get canned if certain help doesn't materialize-- Everyone wants to be in charge of an event, but a lack of support people will kill an event just as fast as a lack of Big Chief will.

SO, with supply-side all taken care of (fingers crossed that nobody cancels out), it's now time to see who shows up. The whole thing repeats itself-- hopefully there'll be no "lack of transportation" issues, no home football games, no college recruiting visits, no detentions, no AAU meets, no family reunions, no weddings, no tryouts, no funerals. . . the list goes on. And the obvious, no OTHER Science Olympiad activities.

Note that this is for a 4-state event with about 150-200 kids. Now try setting up something 25 times larger, like Nationals, with Host University scheduling tossed in.

In short, THERE'S NO DATE AVAILABLE FOR ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T CONFLICT WITH SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S IMPORTANT. Actually, we're lucky-- most Nationals have been scheduled the Saturday closest to May 19th. Reason is, especially during the earliest days, Armed Forces Day (weekend, actually) meant that a substantial pool of available help had an easier likelihood of getting time off to help. Also, most colleges have let out for the Summer, freeing up rooms & labs at a much lower price, and MS/HS nationwide are still in session.

And don't forget that you have makeup exams two weeks later. We don't. Plus, if enough want to take exams at Nationals, we've actually done that before once or twice.

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 10th, 2008, 7:23 pm
by eathousemd
1. I'm a girl (don't say "he" it hurts inside you know.)
2. You guys may not care about how much is costs, but your parents will!
3. Skipping school is bad.
4. AP test save you a lot of money once you get to college, because not only do you get college credits, but in place of those credits you can take classes pertaining to your major/minor.
5. Plane rides don't really take that long. So, it's alright if I miss the swap meet, as long as I'm there for the competition.
6. Michael Phelps!USA USA USA...go Phelpy!

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 10th, 2008, 7:28 pm
by Pleiades
1. Hey, be nice!! how are they supposed to know that?
2. Save up for it!! Plus, the school will also probably do some fund raising.
3. Not if its for something science related
4. I thought you said you were only a freshman.. APs dont come until junior year.
5. The swap meet sounds like a lot of fun but you obviously dont want to go to it so i'm not arguing
6. right on!!

BTW, we haven't even made it to nationals yet!! We can have this discussion once we win states [which i doubt will happen]

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 10th, 2008, 7:31 pm
by eathousemd
The misused pronoun was bothering me. Sorry about that.
My brother's going to college, so I know all about that college crap. hehe

PHELPS PHELPS PHELPS

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 10th, 2008, 7:42 pm
by eak227
2. The cost should be covered at least in part by the school district. The rest, if your parents care about you, should not be too much of a problem. Or... get a job and pay for it yourself. Making nationals is quite an accomplishment and cost should not get in the way of going.

3. Skipping school doesn't matter. Especially 2nd semester senior year, but really any time. If you're smart enough to make nats in SO, you're smart enough to be able to make up the couple days of missed school without any problem. It's worth it.

4. Guess how much money my six 5's and two 4's on the AP tests over the years are going to save me in college? $0.00. Harvard doesn't accept most AP scores... the few they do have to be 5's and you have to talk to advisers and profs about your placement. But again, AP is an irrelevant excuse for skipping nats or coming late at all because of the makeup dates.

5. But most of this post itself is irrelevant because it is obvious that you do not have the dedication most people on this site have for SO. If you don't want to experience all of nationals, that's fine. It's not my job to convince you. But don't make excuses about why you wouldn't go other than that you're just not interested.

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 10th, 2008, 10:05 pm
by andrewwski
1. Fine, whatever.
2. The money is well worth the opportunity. When else in your life would you get that chance? Fundraise, start doing odd jobs, whatever. You can do it.
3. It's not skipping when it's an academic field trip like this would be.
4. True, and that's what the biggest conflict would be. But if there's a makeup it's a moot point.
5. I'd try to be there as long as I can.
6. Sure, go USA!

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 11th, 2008, 7:04 am
by gneissisnice
And Im sure your school would be glad if your team gets to nats. Being known as top in the state definitely doesnt hurt its image. Im guessing theyre not going to be upset if you miss a day or 2 of school then. Besides, no one learns anything in AP week anyway.

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 11th, 2008, 8:22 am
by rocketman1555
my school pays for everything for state, so thats almost a guarantee that they'll pay for quite a bit of it for nats, and why make excuses that you shouldn't go, placing at nats looks just as good as an AP test on ur college application, because placing at nats is a lot harder than doing well on an AP test

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 11th, 2008, 10:33 am
by eathousemd
So, does everyone's school pay for the lined paper?! Or is it just my school that can't afford that lined paper stuff. I like the ones with the 5 holes in them!
So, maybe the school won't pay but I suppose there would be some fund raising going on and the PTO of the school would help out. There would be a problem for me though because I'm in high school, but I'm competing in the Div.B with my old middle school, so I'm not sure if they cover me.

Re: National vs. AP exam dates

Posted: August 11th, 2008, 10:39 am
by Pleiades
eathousemd isnt joking about the money part.. Last year at the first meeting our coach was telling us what science olympiad is and he said "The winner of every state goes on to compete in the national competition. We have NO CHANCE at winning states. NO chance at all. But if for some odd reason we do win we'll have to turn down the opportunity to go to nationals so dont get your hopes up." I remember him saying that word by word.. it crushed me inside since i'm such a huge competitor and i'll do anything to win even if that means doing 10 events. This year i REALLY want to win states and go on to nationals. I'll do whatever it takes. But the first place team in my state is REALLY good so it would be REALLY hard