An Insider’s Look at ISEF (Part 1): Preparing for the Biggest Science Fair in the World
- jophy2467
- Jun 1
- 7 min read
When people see the photos from ISEF—the massive expo hall, students in blazers standing by huge boards, judges with clipboards—it feels like the Olympics of science fairs. And honestly, it kind of is. But those photos skip the most important part: the months of choosing a topic, wrestling with time, fixing broken code, re-formatting posters, and managing the “am I even good enough?” thoughts that sneak in.
This is the part you don’t see. And it’s the part that gets you to ISEF.
What exactly is ISEF?
ISEF stands for the International Science and Engineering Fair—the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition run by Society for Science (currently sponsored by Regeneron) and the world's largest science fair. Each May, ~1,600–1,900 finalists from ~70–80 countries/regions internationally bring original research to one city for a week of judging, events, and awards. Projects span everything from biomedical engineering and computer science to physics, chemistry, environmental engineering, behavioral/social sciences, and more.
You don’t apply to ISEF directly, and you can't. You have to qualify by winning at an affiliated fair (local/regional/state/national) that sends top projects onward. That’s why preparation matters: the real ISEF journey starts long before you walk into the big hall.
What judges look for (big-picture):
Originality/creativity of the question or approach
Sound research design (good controls, appropriate methods)
Depth of analysis and understanding (you understand why your choices make sense)
Realistic awareness of limitations and next steps
Clear communication (poster + interview)
My pipeline (and how yours might look different)
I didn’t even know ISEF existed until sophomore year, when I joined my school’s research club. I thought it would be small projects. I definitely didn’t expect to be the first person in my entire school district’s history to qualify for ISEF. That still feels surreal to write.
How it works in my region:
Step 1: JSSF (Jersey Shore Science Fair) — March. Compete by grade + category. Top 3 advance for each.
Step 2: DVSF (Delaware Valley Science Fair) — One of the largest and oldest fairs (NJ/PA/DE, ~1,000 students). Only first-place category winners get interviewed; from those interviews, judges choose the top three by grade to go to ISEF.
I placed in Computer Science at JSSF both sophomore and junior year, advanced to DVSF, interviewed, and qualified for ISEF both years. Reading that line sounds clean and linear. It didn’t feel that way. It felt like tiny wins, lots of uncertainty, and a ton of behind-the-scenes work.
Choosing a project (and how to not hate your life halfway through)
The hardest question isn’t “How do I win?” It’s “What do I work on for months without burning out?” I went through the “everything sounds either too basic or impossible” spiral. Heres what helped:
Start broad → narrow down: I began with “tech that actually helps people,” then narrowed to AI in healthcare applications.
Interest over trendiness: Chasing a buzzy or popular idea fades fast. It is genuine curiosity that keeps you going, and that will take you far and motivate you to make your research the best that it possibly could be.
Let your idea evolve: My direction emerged from literature review and thinking. It wasn’t a “eureka” moment. It was a long process of reading, note-taking, and connecting dots.
My starting point: I already knew Python and basic ML, so this project was part review, part leveling up. I spent time learning different AI approaches, figuring out what data existed, and what problem was meaningful and doable for a high schooler.
The real battle: Time
Sophomore and junior year for a lot of students (including myself) are already maxed out (APs, exams, activities). Layer a research project on top and suddenly you’re playing calendar Tetris.
What actually helped me:
Time blocking: I treated research like a class: set blocks 2–3 times/week that were non-negotiable.
Micro-tasks: Not “work on project.” Instead, something more specific like: “clean dataset,” “train model v2,” “add figure to poster.”
Consistency > heroics: Yes, I pulled all-nighters before JSSF and DVSF (both years), but the real progress came from steady weekly work.
Grace for crunch weeks: Some weeks APs win. Don’t spiral - you need to learn to reset and re-plan.
The biggest challenge for me was not the science but rather the unknown of how I’d be judged and the imposter syndrome that comes with it.
The stuff no one tells you: paperwork and rules
Before the fun parts, you need approvals. If you’re working with humans/animals/ hazardous materials/biological agents, you’ll go through SRC/IRB forms before you begin. For this, expect back-and-forth, signatures, and waiting. It’s about ethics and safety. Respect the process.
Then there’s ISEF formatting for boards and materials. It can feel nitpicky—font sizes, where acknowledgments go, what you can/can’t display—but it exists for clarity and fairness. If everyone follows the same rules, judges focus on the science, not flashy design.
Translation: Because of this, you should build time in for approvals and reformatting. You will need it.
Building the project (without a built-in lab)
A lot of my work happened on Google Colab with GPUs—experimenting, retraining, iterating. It wasn’t glamorous. It was a lot of:
Tweak hyperparameters → run
Wait → read logs → realize it failed
Adjust preprocessing → try again
Document in my lab notebook what changed and why
That cycle—experiment → learn → refine—is the whole point. If your first version works perfectly, you probably didn’t push far enough. Even, if your second and third version works perfectly, that might also be the case.
Presentation: posters, interviews, and being understood
You can have the best project in the hall, but if you can’t explain it clearly, it won’t land. Nor will it stick if you don't present it WELL.
Poster basics that matter:
Research question (What did you ask? Why does it matter?)
Clear, minimal text; show results with clean figures (legible axes/units)
Methods succinctly (diagram/flow over dense paragraphs)
Limitations + next steps (this is where a lot of projects stand out)
Consistency (fonts, spacing, captions)—your design shouldn’t fight your content
Interview prep that helped me:
Practice explaining to a non-expert (friend, sibling). If they get it, most judges will too.
Prepare 3 versions of your pitch: 30 sec, 2 min, 5 min.
Expect questions like: What surprised you? What didn’t work? Why this approach over X? How would you validate in the real world?
It’s OK to say, “I don’t know - but here’s how I’d test it.” Judges don't expect you to know everything. You shouldn't lie or make up the answer because most of the time, they can tell.
Imposter syndrome (and the “unknowns”)
Before DVSF interviews, my mind was running: What if they ask something I can’t answer? What if my idea is basic? What if I don’t belong? The truth is, judges don’t expect you to be a grad student. They don't expect you to know absolutely everything, though you should try your best to learn as much as possible. They expect ownership—that you understand your choices and what your results mean (and don’t mean). Authenticity > buzzwords.
A realistic prep timeline (that I followed + you could adapt this to your fair dates)
Summer / early fall
Read broadly in your area. Keep a doc of 1–2 key takeaways per paper.
Draft your research plan + begin SRC/IRB approval (if needed)
Prototype early (toy data/simulations are fine)
Late fall
Lock your question + methods
Start real data collection / model training
Keep a logbook (dates, runs, results, what changed)
Winter
Iterate analyses; stress-test claims
Draft figures (re-make them cleanly now; don’t fix them at midnight later)
Write your abstract (it will change; that’s normal)
Feb / early March
Finalize poster text + layout (within rules)
Do mock interviews with peers/teachers
Build a 30-sec / 2-min / 5-min pitch
March → Regionals (JSSF)
Expect last-minute tweaks. Leave time for reprinting.
Debrief immediately after: what didn’t land? Fix it
April → DVSF
Tighten logic. Simplify language.
Practice Q&A with people outside your field.
May → ISEF
Draft all needed materials (e.g., poster, quad chart, etc.)
Confirm compliance of materials
Pack backups (USB, printouts, tape, scissors, extra labels)
Sleep. Seriously.
What I wish I knew at the start
Don’t choose at the last minute. Give yourself time to deep dive, because learning your area is actually rewarding, at least that's what I thought personally.
You can teach yourself a lot. My path was lit review → small prototypes → real build. School won’t cover everything you need, and that’s OK.
All-nighters happen (I pulled them before JSSF and DVSF both years), but they are not a strategy. Consistency is.
Judging fear is normal. The unknown is scary for everyone. Preparation shrinks it.
“Limitations” aren’t weaknesses. They’re signs of maturity. Acknowledge them and propose next steps.
If you’re aiming for ISEF, here’s my blunt advice
Don’t wait. Not because you’ll run out of time (you will), but because you’ll miss the chance to actually fall in love with your topic (yes, corny, but that's the truth). When you give yourself time to read, experiment, and understand the field, the work gets fun. You stop building for judges and start building because the question is genuinely interesting. That shift shows in your board, your interview, and your results.
Looking ahead to Part 2
Preparation is the marathon, ISEF week is the finish-line sprint. In Part 2: What Really Happens During Competition Week, I’ll walk through the on-site experience—setup day, navigating inspections, talking to judges, pin exchange, the community vibe, and how it actually feels to stand in that hall with thousands of brilliant students.
If you’re thinking about starting your project now: do it. Start small, read a lot, and give yourself the gift of time. And if your brain is telling you you don’t belong—welcome to the club!!! Work anyway.
About the Author: I'm Jophy Lin, a high school junior and researcher. I blog about a variety of topics, such as STEM research, competitions, shows, and my experiences in the scientific community. If you’re interested in research tips, competition insights, drama reviews, personal reflections on STEM opportunities, and other related topics, subscribe to my newsletter to stay updated!