Frequently Asked Questions

I am a high school student in the US and interested in participating.  What should I do next?

You should talk to your teachers or other adults in your life and identify a team coach.  Your team coach can then apply the team for the challenge.  You should also recruit team members from your school for the challenge.

I am a college student in the US and interested in participating. What should I do next?

College students may form their own teams and register, with one person who is 18 or older acting as the Team Captain. This person will be the primary point of contact for the team. College teams do not need to fill a "coach" role.

I am a high school or college student outside of the US and interested in participating. What should I do next?

The Challenge works with teams outside of the United States only through specific partner organizations.

Can our team have fewer than 2 students or more than 5 students?

This is a strict limit. If you have only one student, please find another student to work with. If you have more than five students, consider forming multiple teams. Teams are encouraged to work together when appropriate, and may work with the same co-designer. We have historically had a few teams with more than 5 students, but coordination becomes extremely difficult, and often not worth the team size.

Do all team members have to be from the same school?

No, but all team members should be from the same geographical area so that you will be able to work together in person.

Can the team roster change during the season?

Yes, team members can be added or dropped during the season. Team members that drop do not need to do anything. Team members that are added need to fill out the same acceptance and media release form as other members of the team. The team rosters provided during the final project submission at the end of the season will be what we use as the official roster. Please remember when changing your team that we still recommend a 2-5 person team size.

Do co-designers count as part of the 2-5 person limit?

Co-designers are very much part of their teams, but do not normally count towards the 5-person limit. The only exceptions are the uncommon cases where they are also 1) students and 2) actively working on the design of the product apart from user testing and feedback.

I am interested in participating but we do not have enough team members.  What should I do?

You should consider reaching out to other high schools and/or community centers/organizations/programs to identify a team coach and recruit other students.

Can one of our parents serve as our team coach?

Yes.

Can there be more than one team coach for a team?

Yes. If your team is accepted then please ask additional team coaches to fill out the team acceptance form. However, only one team coach will be the team's primary point of contact.

Are we allowed to have more than one team from our school?

Yes.

I am a middle school student in the USA. Can I participate?

If you are able to assemble a team and find a coach and co-designer, please contact us. We are focusing our direct support on high school and college students, but we can work with you to see how you might be able to participate.

I am home-schooled in the USA. Will I be able to participate?

Yes, so long as you are a high school student.

I am a high school student in the USA, but am not a US citizen or permanent resident. Will I be able to participate?

Yes. The Challenge does not ask for or consider students' immigration status.

I am a university student in the USA. Can I participate?

Yes. Please see the answer under the Forming a Team section.

I am outside of the USA. Can I participate?

Only if you are working with one of our partner organizations. See the answer under the Forming a Team section.

Are there prerequisites for a student to have taken certain classes before signing up for this challenge?

There are no prerequisites but we expect students to be interested in STEM and the topics covered in the challenge and to be committed to learning throughout the challenge.

What criteria will be used in selecting the teams that receive direct support?

Selection criteria include, but limited to, the following:

• Skill background for successfully completing the challenge

• Commitment from all team members (including co-designers and coaches) to successfully participate and complete the challenge

• Need for technical and/or financial support

• Diversity of team members

• Plan for leveraging this experience to teach other students in the future

The Selection Criteria includes “Skill background for successfully completing the challenge.” What is the technical background needed for the selection of a team?

The technical background required will vary strongly depending on what kind of project you choose to tackle. Skills that previous students have found helpful include:

• computer-aided design

• 3D printing, laser cutting, hand and machine tools

• wood- and metal-working

• drawing and sketching

• sewing and clothing design

• computer programming, mobile app development, and web design

• electronics, particularly Arduinos, sensors, and actuators

• familiarity with classical mechanics and mechanical structures

You do not need to be familiar with all of these to do well. We are looking for a good match with the rough category of your project.

My team does not have all of the technical background described in the selection criteria.  Can we still apply?

Yes! The Challenge is intended to be a learning experience. We do not expect you to know how to do everything ahead of time. However, think about putting together a team with a mix of skills. A team with a diverse mix of technical experience will have the best chance of success in this challenge. Also, think about how you might learn some of the skills you might find yourself needing.

How much does it cost to participate in the challenge?

Participation in the challenge is free thanks to donations from our generous sponsors!

I am on a participating team, how do I receive funding?

If your team needs funding to build your AT product, please send us an email at bwsi-create-challenge@mit.edu with the subject "TEAM NUMBER - funding request" replacing TEAM NUMBER with your 3- or 4-digit team number, and cc all team members. Please explain what you need funding for - the more details you are able to provide, the easier it will be for us to make a determination. Teams may receive up to $125 of funding from Beaver Works, and students' financial backgrounds (as provided during registration) will be used to prioritize funding requests.

At the moment, we are only able to provide grants to US-based high school teams.

What computer resources would I need to participate in this challenge?

Laptop/computer (including Chromebook) with camera/microphone and internet access. A mouse will also be much more user-friendly for some of the CAD activities than a trackpad. Other computer resources that we use heavily include Google Workspace (Forms, Sheets, Docs) for assignment submission, and Discord (for general communication). 

If you cannot access Google Workspace or Discord products due to restrictions on a school-provided device, please email us at bwsi-create-challenge@mit.edu for alternatives.

I do not have the necessary resources. What are my options?

If your team is selected then you will be able to indicate in the acceptance form which computer resources you require.  We have a limited number of loaner laptops made available to students who need them. If your school or organization requires access to devices such as a 3D printer, please contact us at bwsi-create-challenge@mit.edu and we will try to work with you.

I'm having trouble logging into Edly. What can I do?

Please see the help guide here. We use the same process as the CubeSat course.

Will the CRE[AT]E Challenge match our team with co-designers?

Broadly speaking, no. We do not match teams with co-designers for two reasons:

1. Teams are extremely distributed, and we cannot easily match students with people who are local to them. We believe that being able to meet in person with co-designers is an important part of the design process that should be encouraged when possible.

2. We do not feel comfortable matching people we do not know (many potential co-designers) with minors (our high school division students).

The only potential exception where we may be able to assist in matching is if you are a Boston-area College Division team.

See Finding a Co-Designer for more information.

How are team numbers chosen?

Team numbers are random three-digit numbers assigned at the time when teams are accepted.

I am interested in being a remote mentor but I live outside the USA.  Will I be able to volunteer?

Unfortunately, we cannot currently accept mentors outside of the USA.

I am under 18, can I be a team coach (high school) or team captain (college)?

No. If you are under 18, you can participate as a team member.

How can I support the CRE[AT]E Challenge?

Individual and corporate donations can be sent to the Beaver Works Fund. If you are considering in-kind donations or other ways to support the Challenge, we would love to chat further. Please contact us at bwsi-create-challenge@mit.edu.

I have additional questions not covered here.  Who should I contact?

Email us at bwsi-create-challenge@mit.edu.