The Competition
SAT and ACT Scores (10% of total score)
Your highest composite test score will be used and weighted 10% of the overall score. We allow "superscoring" and will take your best Math and Critical Reading to make your best combined SAT score and we will take your best subscores on the ACT to determine your best composite ACT score.
Team Challenge (45% of total score)
| The team challenge portion of the competition is worth 45% of the overall score and will be conducted Friday afternoon. Participants will be placed in groups of five and take part in a group activity which will allow evaluation of leadership and interpersonal skills. The group will be given a problem/challenge to discuss and then present their results. The problem will be situation-based rather than academically-based. The evaluators will be composed of faculty, staff, and previous Heritage students and will be evaluating each student's ability to think creatively and communicate effectively. Student should dress "professionally" for the interview. |
The Essay (45% of total score)
The final element of the competition will begin on Saturday morning with a session devoted to an essay competition. Students will meet in the computer lab and will type out their response to the essay. No outside reference materials can be used, and there is a time limit of 75 minutes to write the essay.
| The essays will be measuring, in order of importance: 1) the strength of support for your position 2) logical organization of ideas 3) fluency of expression/appropriate word choice 4) originality in support of your position |
A team of faculty members will independently grade the essays on the student's ability to develop the topic, communicate effectively and think creatively.
