Qualifications and How to Apply

1. Must be a resident of West Virginia;
2. Must be a 7th or 8th 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 schools;
4. Must be dedicated to learning;
5. Must be willing to accept academic challenges; 
6. Must not have attended GSI as a rising 8th grader;
7. Private, charter,​ and home-schooled students must provide documentation of immunization records required by West Virginia public schools.

Students must also exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Academic Aptitude for Mathematics and/or Science and a level of maturity commensurate with his/her age group, as well as an excitement for learning. 
   Potential students should have demonstrated a high aptitude for mathematics and/or science. This aptitude may be shown through grades and/or standardized test scores. Students are to have a B+ average in math and science.
   
2. Recommendation of certified mathematics or science teacher in their county
   Students who are talented in mathematics or science are either very extroverted in their interests, or as may be the case in middle grades, quite quiet about their interests or talents. In either case, a certified teacher of mathematics or science would logically be the best candidate to identify a student’s potential for research in these areas. The teacher need not be the student's current teacher.
3. Capacity for sustained dedication to open-ended task
   Adolescents are generally not noted for their long attention spans to academic work. The exception to this rule is generally indicated by their willingness to persevere with a personal interest over a long period of time. Students, therefore, should have a past history that includes the pursuit of individual interests in math or science.
4. Capacity and/or willingness to communicate with others
   With students assigned in a research team of five members, each member must not only be able to carry out the assigned component of the research 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 GSI.
2. Talk with your counselor to see when your application should be completed and submitted. The school deadline will be considerably before the statewide deadline, which is March 10​, 2023. ​Most schools will want your application by February 22.​
   
3. Remember that there are two distinct parts to the application: the online section and the paper section.
4. If you need help typing your application, ask for help. Your teacher or counselor will be happy to help you if you have no resources at home for assistance.
5. Ask two teachers for a recommendation. At least one of them should be a science or math teacher. Give the teachers two weeks to write the recommendation. You should also give your counselor two-weeks 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 before the deadline.