2018 USABO Semifinal Exam
Dates: March 19 to 23, 2018
Time: 120 minutes for the exam.
Place: A classroom monitored by a licensed teacher or school representative. The exams cannot be administered by a parent or at home.
Students: Students who scored in the top 10% on the Open Exam. Each Test Administrator has been notified of students’ Semifinalist status via the Student Roster available in the TRC.
Materials:
- Test Administrator Semifinal Exam Certification Form
- Student Semifinal Exam Certification Form
- Non-programmable calculator (optional).
- Prepopulated Answer Sheets emailed to teachers one week prior to the exam.
- Number 2 lead pencil.
- Copies of the Semifinal Exam (see Download Exam).
- Available for download on March 17, 2018 after 5:00 PM (EST)
- Password to access the Semifinal Exam will be emailed to teachers prior to the exam.
Restriction: All Semifinalists must take the exam at the same time, day, and location.
Submission: All Answer Sheets must be returned to the USABO (CEE) no later than March 24, 2018. Hard copies with certification forms should be returned with a postmark no later than March 24, 2018.
Selection of the National Finalists: Selection is based solely on the student’s score on the Semifinal Exam.
- Students with the top 20 scores will be invited to the National Finals.
- If one of these top 20 students cannot attend the National Finals, the next highest scoring student will be invited.
- Student selection is done without regard to race, gender, or ethnic origin.
- USABO does not limit the number of students from a specific school or regional area.
- A student must be a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident.
- A National Finalist must be able to attend BOTH the National Finals and the International Biology Olympiad (IBO).
After the USABO Semifinals
The top 20 Semifinalists will be invited to attend the USABO National Finals. The National Finals consists of two weeks of intensive laboratory training and theoretical tutorials. Students work with leading biologists in the U.S. The top four students of the USABO National Finals will represent the United States at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). They will remain at National Finals for an additional two days of intensive training upon the conclusion of the National Finals.
Source: https://www.usabo-trc.org/.
