Frequently Asked Questions from Students
Q: How do I get started on the competition?
First, you have to register and you have to confirm your email by going to a message from us and coming back into the system and logging in. This shows us that you can be reached via email. Then you form a "Team of 2" with 1 friend and 1 adult (the adult is optional) that you know. Finally, you join with a team from another country to make your International Team and you are "started." The offical language of the program is English, so all team members should have a working knowledge of it and be able to read and write in English.
Q: What are the step-by-step directions for forming a team?
We have provided a wizard that will walk you through the steps to create a team. Just click the first button on the team building wizard and you will be on your way of forming a complete international team.
Q: I want to ask a neighbor if he would like to join my team as an adult, but I want to make sure that he is informed on what he is getting into. He is not a teacher, I am not sure if this is required.
It is fine to choose ANY adult who you know and trust to be helpful to you. The adult's time is for him and you to decide. He or she is expected to be a helper to you in whatever way you decide. Some adults have a weekly checking phone call of 10 minutes to go over questions such as: What goals have you set this week, How's the team doing, Is there anything you need help with? The adult can then be in touch with us and your Mentor to help solve problems as they come up - or can just be a silent partner to you as you go through the whole experience.
Other appropriate adults might be: parents, brothers and sisters or friends in college, business people, pastors, youth group or club leaders, and of course teachers. The adult role is an optional part of your team, but many teams have found an adult to be very helpful.
Q: What is the focus of the TIP?
The TIP is a smaller project than the GBP. It focuses on the technical innovation - but not the global business aspects of your idea. If you do the TIP, you can then insert all that work into the GBP, if your team wants to and has the time. Your team can only submit 1 solution - either a TIP or GBP.
Q: Are the challenges due at the end of each week? When are things "due?"
Nothing is due until April 30 or October 30 (you choose the date you want to submit your final project), and it does not matter what week you complete any particular project, exercise, or challenge. The final evaluation will NOT take time of completion into consideration. The challenges will be reviewed near the end of the whole year, so the week that you post answers, products or solutions does not matter. However, to keep your team moving forward, you should make your own team deadlines and then hold people to them, otherwise you'll have too much to do at the end. We've arranged the calendar so that your team can work carefully one step at a time to create an outstanding solution as well as learn about the science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each time you complete any of the tasks, put a document into your teamspace.
