USNCO

Follow the link to the ACS Chemistry Olympiad site for additional information about this competition

Chemistry Olympiad
The Southern New Mexico-West Texas Chemical Olympiad Competition serves as the American Chemical Society Rio Grande Section local exam used in qualification for the U.S. National Chemical Olympiad (USNCO) competition. Full details of the USNCO exam are available at the ACS USNCO website. A maximum of 10 students from the ACS Rio Grande Section, comprising portions of Southern New Mexico and West Texas, will be selected to participate in the USNCO.
 
 
 
USNCO Eligibility Requirements:
 
Note: Participation in the Southern New Mexico-West Texas Competition is open to all interested students regardless of citizenship or other qualification criteria for the national exam.  The following are requirements to participate in the national exam to be held on April 20 (complete eligibility rules are given under the Eligibility Information link on the competition web page):
 
  • The student must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) on the day the national exam is administered.
  • The student must be a regularly enrolled high school student who will graduate no earlier than the spring of the year of the competition.
  • Students must be younger than 20 years old as of July 1 of the year of the competition.
  • A total of no more than two qualifiers are allowed from any single teacher or any single high school in the local section.
Selection of USNCO Qualifiers: Eligible students will be selected to participate in the USNCO exam based on their written examination scores in the local competition. Students must participate in the USNCO Division of the local competition in order to qualify. In the case of a tie, selection will be based on performance on the individual experiment. Alternates will also be identified in the case qualifying students decline to participate or are later determined to be ineligible. Students thus selected will be officially nominated to take the USNCO exam to be administered on April 20, 2024. USNCO Exam Details:
 
  • Date and Time: Saturday, April 20 (8:30 AM – 3:00 PM). Lunch provided.
  • Location: NMSU Chemistry and Biochemistry Complex
  • Events (two written, one laboratory practical).
    • 90-minute multiple-choice section (Part I)
    • 105-minute free response section (Part II)
    • 90-minute laboratory practical (Part III)