FAQ

Q: Do I need to win in a qualifying contest to be eligible to compete in the state final?
A: Yes. We will verify your name against the lists of winners provided to us from the qualifying contest sites before finalizing your registration.

Q: Should I come here to compete in the state final?
A: It depends on where your school is. Student from schools in the following counties should compete in the Eastern Region at Fayetteville State University: Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Cumberland (new this year), Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Sampson, Tyrell, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson. Note that students from schools in Wake County should compete in the Central Region at UNC Greenboro.

Q: I have won in a qualifying contest, do I have to register for the state final?
A: Yes. Your registration lets us know how many and who will be coming. We need this information to prepare for the contest. We will also use your registration to verify your eligiblity.

Q: When do I have to register?
A: Registration usually opens as soon as the first qualifying contest is completed. It will remain open until the Monday before the state final.

Q: I missed the registration deadline, can I register on site?
A: Unfortunately, we are not able to accept on-site registration.

Q: Will I get a confirmation of my registration?
A: If your registration is complete (meaning that you finished the online registration AND sent in the photo release form), you will receive a confirmation email by the following Wednesday. This email will be sent to the email address provided on the registration form. If you do not receive this email, please contact Dr. Chan to verify your registration status.

Q: We do not have access to a fax machine, is there other way to submit the photo release form?
A: If you have access to a scanner, you can scan the signed photo release form and then email to Dr. Chan. If you do not have any other way to submit the form, please contact Dr. Chan for assistance.

Q: I made a mistake in the registration, what should I do?
A: Please send an email to Dr. Chan to have your information updated. Do not go to the registration page and re-register - doing so will confuse the system and cause other unpredictable errors to your registration.

Q: I do not see my school listed in the dropdown list, what should I do?
A: The list of schools is based on the participating schools from last year's contest. If you do not see your school listed, please have your teacher send an email to Dr. Chan with your school information (name, address, school phone number, and school system) to have your school added. Once your school is added to the system, you can then continue the registration process. Important: Do not call or email your qualifying site since they have nothing to do with the registration system.  

Q: What do I have to bring for the contest?
A: You need to bring a photo ID (school-issued ID is acceptable), HB or No.2 pencils, and erasers.

Q: Can I use a calculator during the contest?
A: No. Calculators are NOT allowed during the contest.

Q: Do I have to bring scratch paper?
A: No. You CANNOT use your own scratch paper. Scratch paper will be provided.

Q: Our school does not issue student IDs, what should I do?
A: Any school or government issued photo ID will be acceptable. If you do not have any suitable ID, then you have several options. You can get an ID card from the DMV (for a fee); it usually takes several weeks for the ID to arrive in the mail. If you do not want to get an ID card from the DMV, or if it is too late to do so, you can have your teacher take a photo of you and email it to Dr. Chan for verification. If your teacher is also coming to the contest, you can also have the teacher to confirm your identification (the teacher must have their own school ID). Parents and friends cannot confirm students' identification.

Q: We are driving to the contest, do we have to pay for parking?
A: In general, no. We will send out a temporary parking permit on the Tuesday before the contest date. Just print it out and place it on your dashboard. Make sure you park in the location specified on the permit.

A: You have two options. The first option is to park at 815 Washington Drive for free and take a shuttle to campus. This is a special provision courtesy our Traffic and Parking Services Department and free parking is only available on the contest day. We have two shuttles and each can take 14 to 16 passengers. Note that the shuttle service is a shared service with other students, faculty, and staff; therefore, you may have to wait for some times to get on the shuttle and please plan to arrive early. If you have more than one adult coming with the students, you can drop off one adult and the students on campus (students with ages under 18 must be escorted, and under supervision of, a responsible adult at all times) and the driver then park at the Washington Drive lot and take the shuttle. The second option is that, if you prefer to park on campus, you can register your car at our parking portal site and pay a $5.00 parking fee, and then you can park at any available parking space in the open lots with green flags. A token will be emailed later for those who park at the Washington Drive lot to get on the shuttle. Whichever option you choose, it is advisable to arrive early on campus to avoid wasting time looking for parking.

Q: Do you provide lunch?
A: Lunch will not be provided. However, students, teachers, and parents can dine in the Student Center for a fee. There are also many restaurants within and around campus, within walking and/or driving distanst.

Q: I would like to see how I am doing in the contest, can you send me this information?
A: We are not able to send contest results to students or parents. However, teachers can request to receive report cards for the students in their school. You can ask your teacher to send an email to Dr. Chan to request this information.

Q: I have some other questions not answered by this FAQ, who should I ask?
A: You can send an email to Dr. Chan, who overseas the registration process. His email is achan@uncfsu.edu .