Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

captbilly
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by captbilly »

The idea of the very best individuals going to competition obviously has some merit. The issue seems to break down to how to do it (and the fact that some people don't like the idea). Some other science competitions already do only all star competitions. Intel Science Fair is an example of a competition where individuals rather than teams progress. I believe there is some sort of math and also a physics competition that sends the best individuals to competition rather than the best team as well. SO seems early on to have decided on a team approach rather than an individual approach, and that is perfectly fine.

There are advantages and disadvantages to either the team or individual approach. With the individual approach we are more likely to see the very best individuals progress through the competition. We all know for example that often the best bridge, or egg-o-naut, or trajectory, whatever, never makes it to Nationals. For some competitors it can be very demoralizing to realize that they didn't go to States or Nationals only because they are on a team that isn't highly motivated like they are. As well, it can be demoralizing for a very competitve individual to wonder if they were really good enough to beat the best competitor in the country, rather then just the best competitor who's team made it to Nationals. The team approach can be a wonderful bonding experience for the team members. Sometimes the motivation provided by 14 other students can make a competitor just that much better. Logistically it is obviously easier to send 120 teams to Nationals then it would be to send 15 times 120 individuals. Some of the other competitions that do send individuals (and some that send teams as well) are well enough funded that they pay for all the expenses of everyone going to competition. Intel pays the expenses for their National (international?) competitors, DOE pays for the competitors in their math competition, etc. Perhaps if SO had a sugar daddy like DOE or Intel then they could afford to pay the expenses of all the competitors and their chaparones.
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by fmtiger124 »

I think having individuals completely degrades the purpose of SO. a lot of it is about the team and this would get rid of that
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Helix_Nebula_Freak
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by Helix_Nebula_Freak »

I think it would b interesting, but I think one of the great thing about SO, at least for me, is that it gives non-athletic kids (as well as athletic kids) an oppertunity for a team "sport," for lack of a better term. Ik I'd never be as confident as I am without SO, without feeling like I was important enough to b of use to anyone because I couldent play a sport. SO gave me friends because of the team. Individual qualification would ruin that.

Just my opinion... :)
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by sciolyscorpio95 »

i agree. i think that, while SO is completely amzing by itself, the best part is that u get to make RLY RLY RLY good friends. im have so many more friends now cuz of SO, and even tho i love the actual events, i think that individual qualification would ruin the whole idea of SO.

altho, for ppl who often have bad partners who dont study hard, it would b rly good for them...
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by sr243 »

I really wish they had like an event where they test in a variety of topics and it was done by one person. This shouldn't count towards the team score but allows the best person to have a chance to go to nationals. It really sucks when you are really good, but your team drags you down. This would give people who are dedicated a chance to go even if their team isn't.
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by oceangirl.007 »

That's rather confusing...so with this plan there will only be individual medals and no overall first place??
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by Helix_Nebula_Freak »

There wuld b no team qualification 4 nationals... it would b like whoever got first in a certain event at the state level wuld go... I think...

then there's the whole "all-star" team idea where evrey state takes the 1st place winners from each event forming one team of all the best-in-state ppl in each event.

Wat I see as the major problem here is that in most states, it wuld b like primarly composed of one or two teams, with maybe some stragglers from other ones.

Again, just my opinion...
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by gneissisnice »

Except for the amazing teams that get first in everything anyway...
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by Helix_Nebula_Freak »

then it wuld b all one team on the all star team! :lol:
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Re: Proposed Individual Qualification for Nationals

Post by croman74 »

Helix_Nebula_Freak wrote:then it wuld b all one team on the all star team! :lol:
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