Is Science Olympiad worth it?

[windu34]

Electric Vehicle: A competitive vehicle would put you back between $60-100 if you were careful with your supplies and had to buy all parts from scratch. Mine was more like $450, but alot of that was unnecessary spending (Large amounts of carbon fiber, 3D printer filament, unecessarily nice brushless motor/ESC combo that was $110 alone)

Mousetrap: I'd estimate $35-50 for a competitive device, maybe $120 for a really really nice one, but I highly doubt you could spend much more than that (unless you buy ceramic ball bearings).

Hovercraft: Approximately the same as EV, except less on the high end because of no ICs and brushless motors. $60-100 seems about right and maybe $150 on the high end.

[Raleway]

I should probably clarify... I meant TOTAL amount That's why the word EVENTS is plural

But Science Olympiad is not cheap. I think that's quite clear; the prices listed are the bare minimums if everything goes according to plan.

[Matholy]

It is near impossible to be competitive at even the regional level without around five hundred dollars for the technology events.

No way this is true. A regional-medaling Mission, even in the more competitive states, can be built off of perhaps $70 (probably less for a very skilled competitor). Helicopters would be hard to scratchbuild, but can definitely be done - even if using the kit, it's only perhaps $90 counting supplies. A decent (albeit inconsistent) tower could be built on $20 wood plus glue. Mousetrap and Hovercraft I'm less knowledgeable about, but I doubt it would reach $300 between the two to build decent devices.

Maybe its true in New Jersey or a more competitive state. In less competitive states...not so much.

Definetly not.
For a national medalling Mission, I spend literally nothing, with all spare parts. The only things I bought were filament and paint sticks. Everything else (screws, super glue, wood) I used I all had before. I literally have a bin of extra screws from things like garbage Ikea shelfs, random small trash electronics, etc.
$25 for 3d printing filament + $25 for paint sticks from home depot = $50.
Btw, at nats, 2nd place had this crazy little mission device that you could automatically tell cost a LOT. all the panels and stuff were acryllic plexiglas type materials, everything was literally perfect. There's really no point though, I literally used at least 10+ packs of 5 paint sticks each. Like, if you know how to use them, then they're REALLY helpful

Also a tower doesn't cost $20. A tower made with really good wood only costs around $10.

[Simi]

Anyway, experience something is still better than just sitting around doing nothing. For me it's worthy the S.O.

[antoine_ego]

SO is the reason why I want to do Astronomy as a career.

[pikachu4919]

SO is the reason why I want to do Astronomy as a career.

Ditto - SO is the reason why I picked bioengineering + forensic science minor, and my current top career options are in those fields as well.

[Ammon]

Anyway, experience something is still better than just sitting around doing nothing. For me it's worthy the S.O.

This was exactly the logic why I went with the path that I did. I wasn't into it at first, but because I gave it a shot, I had the chance to fall in love with it.

[megrimlockawesom]

Short answer: Yes. Long answer:

[Unome]

hey we should resurrect this thread

[Killboe]

hey we should resurrect this thread

yes