Work Sample
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The Work Sample
And now ladies and gentlemen, we move on to what for many is the most frustrating part of the application process - the work sample. Because this is the portion of the application that gets more questions than any other, we're going to start breaking it down right away.
To view some of the work samples you'll need a Power Point viewer and an Adobe Reader. If you don't have those on your computer, you can get those right here:
1. Mr. Wade, what is the work sample, anyway?
Please read the sentence below as it is written in the application, because when you get down to it, this is what we are looking for:
YOU MUST SUBMIT AN EXAMPLE OF ORIGINAL WORK WHICH EXPRESSES YOUR ACADEMIC AND CREATIVE ABILITIES.
In other words, you need to create some kind of project. What you choose to create is entirely up to you. It can quite literally be anything you want it to be. Very often the idea of being wholly creative scares the socks off some kids, but it isn't really that big a deal. On this page, I'm going to offer specific example of work samples, tell you what you can and can't do and point you in some directions which I hope will get your creative juices flowing.
2. Does my project have to be a math project or a science project?
Not exactly. If you read the work sample description on the application it says, "the work sample does not, necessarily, have to be a math or science project, it should INVOLVE math or science principals." This gives you the opportunity to play to your strengths, because a lot of the "involve math or science principals" part can be done within the Narrative section of the work sample. For example, lots of students interested in MSMS have an artistic bent and will submit projects which show off their visual or musical abilities. The narrative part of the work sample accompanying their other work will then explain the scientific or mathematic principals behind what they accomplished. Visual artists often talk about geometry and musicians often talk about acoustics or the ratios between pitches in order to meet the criteria. Creativity is a big part of this portion and we want to see how creative you can be. That said, there is nothing wrong with a science fair type project or a straight math project. We are the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science after all.
3. Hey, Mr. Wade, I'm thinking about building some massive project for my work sample. Will that ensure I get into the school?
Keep in mind the work sample is only one part of the application and is weighted no more or no less than any other part. A great work sample will certainly help your chances of making it into the school, but your work sample shouldn't come at the expense of the other parts of the application. An amazing work sample combined with a terrible resume and two awful essays won't exactly sky rocket you to the front of the pack.
Here's a true story. A couple years ago a student submitted as their work sample a project which took the student an entire summer to construct. He transformed his parents garage into a fully functioning water filtration plant. The project was honestly amazing and looked very, very expensive. The student's project blew away the reviewers and he was awarded five out of five points for his work sample.
The same year, a different student submitted a Power Point presentation she made about bumblebees. It was competent and cleverly designed, but it probably took her no longer than a few hours to put together. The same group of reviewers who gave the water filtration system five out of five also gave the bumblebee student five out of five points for her work sample. Both of these students recently graduated from MSMS and their futures are equally bright.
Get the drift?
You do not have to build a thermonuclear submarine to get into MSMS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, use some common sense. The same year as the above work samples were submitted, another student sent in what was clearly a drawing he traced from a coloring book. He did not make it into the school.
4. So can I just write a report or something?
No one is going to stop you from simply writing a report, but please keep in mind, ultimately you are trying to impress someone. The work sample is just as much about presentation as it is about the academic work involved. Most reviewers spend about 45 minutes on each application, and you want to create a work sample they are going to REMEMBER (in a good way). In the past students have submitted videos, artistic projects, constructed projects and computer generated content like Power Point presentations. Students who have gone the written report route have included lots of drawings and images they generated themselves. The sky is the limit on the work sample and you need to come up with something that is going to make you stand out!
Because it is simple to use and relatively easy to learn, for many students the difference between a so-so project and an MSMS worthy project is Power Point. You have no idea how great a difference a big color picture splash with some simple animated transitions can help a project out.
Here are some work samples which utilized Powerpoint to flesh out their ideas:
Common Skin Disorders by Amy Herrod
Car Audio by Richard Chestnutt
Passive Solar Design by Daianera Watkins
Ionic Compounds by Heather Carreon
A Homemade Solar Oven by Janine Nowak
Also, most of us have access to some kind of video camera, whether it be a nice hand-held or a cell phone. If you've written a report and are wondering how to jazz it up, why not present the report on a video and submit it? The ideas of these videos are pretty simple, but almost simply because they are videos they went a long way in impressing the reviewers:
Powerpoint looks neat, but I don't have it/know how to use it. What do I do and how do I get it to you?
Most school and library computers will have Powerpoint or something similar (like Keynote) installed on their computers. If you simply cannot find a copy of it to use anywhere then you can download OpenOffice, which is a bit like the Microsoft Office pack, but web based and free. One of the OpenOffice programs is called Impress and is very similar to Powerpoint in functionality and design.
Get OpenOffice here:
If you don't have any idea how to use a program like Powerpoint, now is a great time to learn. Poke around the Internet and you'll find tons of tutorials and tips on making great looking presentations.
I think I'll do a video. What format does it need to be in? How do I get it to the school?
If you send in a video it is entirely up to you to make sure it is in our hands by application deadline and works on our equipment. The good news is other than a few cell phone formats (.a2w does not work on my stuff, for example), I have the equipment to handle just about any file extension out there. You can send your video in any way you wish: mail in a DVD or flash drive or go old school and send in a VHS; you can email it to me (if it is a huge file, however, our servers will probably boot it); or you can do the simple thing and post it to YouTube and send us the link. The third option is not only the easiest for you and for me, it also ensures your work is saved and accessible anywhere in the world. Make sure you have your parents' permission before you set up a YouTube account.
I went ahead and made a more traditional science fair project/physical structure/poster/item/painting, etc. for my work sample. Any advice there?
Making a physical "something" is always a great idea for a work sample and a good way to make you stand out. Instead of packing your enormous project into a crate and hoping the mailman gets it to the school in time, however, why not instead shoot a video of your project or take several pictures of your project and send those instead? It is considerably cheaper, less risky and more convenient for everyone involved. You are of course free to send us whatever you wish, but please keep in mind that the postal service is not perfect and from time to time things get dropped and lost. Don't put all your eggs into one basket, make sure you have a record of everything you submit.
What is this Narrative thing? Haven't I already done the project?
It might help if you think of the work sample as being the whole of two parts. The first part is the Project and the second is the Narrative. If the Project is the thing you present then the Narrative is the part that explains what exactly you created. Do not take for granted everyone will immediately understand your brilliant work. You should use the narrative space provided to clearly and thoroughly explain WHAT your work sample is and WHAT the viewer should learn from it and HOW you accomplished your creation of it. Don't write a book, a couple paragraphs will suffice.
Do I get my work sample back?
Nope. Whatever you submit as part of your application becomes the property of MSMS, and you don't get it back. Keep a copy for yourself.
And finally, don't cheat. You will get busted.
I can't believe I even have to address this, but please don't plagarize, guys. If we have even the smallest inkling you have plagarized or cheated in some other way we will put your project through the ringer and fully investigate it. Remember, you are applying to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and all of us have heard of Google and Wikipedia. If you are caught cheating your application will, of course, be terminated immediately. There is no appeal.
And that about does it for the work sample, gang. If I forgot to mention anything, or you have any additional questions about the work sample don't hesitate to give me a shout. And keep your eyes posted to this website for more work sample examples and check out the video blog for more advice from me. Now let's move on to the next part of the application.