How To Apply to the Governor's Computer Science Institute

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​ Qualifications

1. Must be a resident of West Virginia;
2. Must be a 9th or 10th grader at time of application;
3. Must attend school in West Virginia and plan to do so next year. This includes home-schooled students and students in private/parochial/charter schools;
4. Must be dedicated to learning;
5. Must be willing to accept challenges; 
6. Private School students and home-school/charter school students must provide documentation of immunization records required by West Virginia public schools.

Students must also exhibit the following characteristics:

1. A level of maturity commensurate with his/her age group and an excitement for learning;
2. Recommendation of a teacher from the 2022-23 school term;
3. Capacity for sustained dedication to open-ended tasks;
4. Capacity and/or willingness to communicate with others;​
With students assigned in a learning team, each member must not only be able to carry out the assigned component of a project, but also effectively communicate findings and needs to the remainder of the group. A student incapable of or unwilling to work in this environment should reconsider applying.

Steps to take in the application process

1. Read the entire web site so that you know what to expect if you are selected to attend GCSI
2. Talk with your counselor to see when your application should be completed and submitted in order for him/her to complete page 8 and print your transcript. The school deadline will be considerably before the statewide deadline, which is February 13, 2023.
3. Remember that there are two distinct parts to the application: the online section and the paper section.
4. Ask a teacher for a recommendation. Give the teacher at least a week​ to write the recommendation. You should also give your counselor two-week notice that you will need a copy of your transcript. Just remember: Be considerate of others' time.
6. Think about your answers before starting to type the application. As a matter of fact, it is a good idea to type your answers on a word processor ahead of time and then simply paste them into the actual application
7. Submit your application to your counselor for your transcript and principal signature.
8. Mail your application by February 13 to

​Jennifer Gill
West Virginia Department of Education
Building 6, Room 750
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305

















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