Science Olympiads

[appianway]

A few thousand students sit each NQE each year. However, these students are usually in the top 2% or so intellectually - most schools are very selective about who they allow to take the paper (they're notoriously difficult), and often really smart students encourage their schools to participate. The vast majority of the very brightest students (not always the top scorers in VCE) sit the papers - all of the very best selective and private schools from around the country enter, and most often the top NQE performers are attracted to schools like this because they "fit in" better/are offered scholarships. Most students who have the potential to be top scorers also hear about the competitions from friends - people who are likely to do well often win other prizes and do other programs, and hence meet other participants. The academic world in Australia is quite small...

[appianway]

Chemistry and Biology always have the highest number of year 10s participating in the program. You could give it a shot - you never know! Not sure if either of the year 11s in the chemistry program this year will make the team; one from biology did.

[the.watchman]

Ok thanks for the info I will give the biology olympiad a shot this year (I'm year 10 doing 1/2) just for fun, because since it's only one week after the AMOC Senior Contest, AIMO and AMC, I will probably be preparing hard for those and not the biology. Ok, do you think the chem is worth a shot if I'm only doing year 10 chem (school doesn't offer 1/2 in yr 10)?

May as well try, if you get in, then you can do it during Yr 11 rather than spending valuable Yr 12 time

[appianway]

Yeah, olympiad's going to slaughter my VCE. I'd have loved to have done it last year... would've liked to have done two different sciences! And it's definitely possible to go and do well in year 11 - you learn most of the material there anyway.

[the.watchman]

Yeah, olympiad's going to slaughter my VCE. I'd have loved to have done it last year... would've liked to have done two different sciences! And it's definitely possible to go and do well in year 11 - you learn most of the material there anyway.

I haven't asked you yet, any yr 11s at summer school?

[appianway]

Quite a few. There were none in Physics, a few in biology and two in chemistry. One of the biology students made it onto the team.

[the.watchman]

Are year 12s not allowed to sit the papers?

It's only yr 11 or younger

[the.watchman]

So most people who are sitting the olympiads are only doing maximum unit 1/2 in the subject?

Yeah most, but some are doing 3/4 (eg. appianway last year )

[the.watchman]

So most people who are sitting the olympiads are only doing maximum unit 1/2 in the subject?

Yeah most, but some are doing 3/4 (eg. appianway last year )

Ok, but aren't the olympiads a bit hard for people doing year 10 or 1/2? I'm not sure if I'll do chem olympiad - I'll c how I find it after I do year 10 chem.

Yeah thats what I thought, but appianway says there's hardly any hard topics and not much unit 3 up.
So if you do some extra prep, like I'm starting now, you should be fine in yr 11
Probs not a good idea to do it in yr 10, but if you're confident then go for it!

[appianway]

Most people who sit the olympiads are only doing 1/2 in their subject, with the possible exception of biology. That said, almost everyone from NSW and WA doesn't accelerate their subjects, and even if they did, the NSW curricula for chemistry and physics are ridiculously bad.

The most important thing to remember is that the NQEs ultimately test reasoning ability. You can honestly get into any of the subjects with a limited knowledge of the field - if you know the basics, you'll be fine. As the cut off for chemistry is generally about 35-40% on the NQE, if you can get the multiple choice and simple questions that require knowledge you can get in, but you can still make it if you're still brilliant... it's just harder. Just remember that the work at the summer school and the FSEs are MUCH, MUCH more difficult than the NQE, so if you get into the summer school for chemistry based solely on knowledge you might not do amazingly later in the program. The physics paper didn't require much knowledge - if students knew conservation of momentum and how forces act, it was doable.

Oh, and guys, keep in mind that the olympiads are hard, irrespective of how old you are. They're designed to identify the top handful of students in the country. Not your class, not your school, your suburb or Melbourne or Victoria - but Australia.

[the.watchman]

Yeah thats what I thought, but appianway says there's hardly any hard topics and not much unit 3 up.
So if you do some extra prep, like I'm starting now, you should be fine in yr 11
Probs not a good idea to do it in yr 10, but if you're confident then go for it!

Okay, then I'll do Biology this year and leave chem for next year! I think it's best to mainly just stick to the maths olympiads like AMO, Senior Contest, AIMO etc... because it's kinda hard to work hard for a gazillion olympiads at once which are a week apart

Yeah ... just a bit

[appianway]

Teams have now been officially announced!

Science:

http://www.asi.edu.au/newsroom/mediareleases/

Maths:

http://www.amt.canberra.edu.au/olteams2010.html

For physics, there's a team of 8 - all of the listed team members went to the APhO in April, and 5 of the 8 are continuing (as usual) to IPhO in July.

[appianway]

Blazers was a LOT of fun. Although you do get really tired of doing the cheesy grin thing over and over...

[TrueTears]

Congratz appianway, wish you all the best!

[appianway]

Thanks