[DaAzNkIgGa627]

Hey guys well I'm from Minnesota, and a friend and I are going to set up a Aca Dec team at our school (yeah... I did my homework, Minnesota's 1st competition is in January, and its more of a practice for the only meet that matters in our state the state meet =P so we still have time)

Anyways. For you people that do Aca Dec could you give some tips on what to do. Because our coach has never really done anything like this or is familiar with it, and I've just kind of skimmed the rules and study guides so I'm not familiar either.

Any help would be very appreciated ^.^

[illneverletyougo]

STUDY BY USING DEMIDEC 'S RESOURCES
for real!
lawl.

[DaAzNkIgGa627]

Thanks ^.^

Edit: OMG! That thing's expensive... sigh =P
Well better convincing people to open up their wallets

[in0centvtgrl]

yeah use the resources online and just read everything. we have our scrimmage coming up and i barely done anything =[

[tHe_aRisTocRatiC_aSSaSSiN]

Study the resources they have online at demidisc.com, but I think your coach is supposed to set up your school's account to get the resources. It's also good to get together and assign people to each topic and have them teach it to the rest of the team.

[DaAzNkIgGa627]

Yeah thanks guys, like I said the teacher we asked isn't familiar at all with the whole thing so yeah... we're trying to still just learn =P

Thank you!

[Twiggy]

You basically take tests and complete three other categories : Speech, Essay, Interview

For the tests the best advice I can give is read the USAD resource guides, the tests are multiple choice. Demidisc has all the quizzes you'll ever need. There are also questions on basic knowledge in literature, art, music, economics, etc. So study your basics too. I'll give you the spiel on the topics

Language and Literature: Read the short selections in the resource and know some things about poetry in general.
Another thing you need to study is the novel, its The Red Badge of Courage this year so start reading because its kinda boring, at least for me. You also get like 10 questions on the actual test about a reading passage they will give you, its usually detailed and wordy.

Art: Read the resource on every artwork and know some basic knowledge in art like hues and all that.

Music: Again read the resource, know basic knowledge, but you also have listening questions. The USAD should provide you with a CD and you should listen to it. IMO music is the hardest subject, so I don't try at all.

Economics: Most of the questions are basic knowledge, but they will still ask you some questions on the resource.

Science: I love the science this year, read the science resource (its about infectious diseases) and 25% of the science is independent research. The USAD gives you some topics to look into, fortunately demidisc has a thorough guide on it.

Superquiz: This year is the civil war, just read the resource, all 130 pages of it. At the end of the tests there is also a superquiz relay where you directly compete against other teams. Its the most exciting part of the competition.

Math: You either know it or you don't. Actually since they implemented graphing calculators this year just learn how to use a graphing calculator. The questions range from Algebra to Calculus.

Okay I got the tests down, now for the other three.

Speech: Prepare a speech any topic of your choice and make it last 3.5 mins to 4. You also have to give an impromptu speech in front the judges when your at your competition. They'll give you like 3 prompts and you pick one and talk about it for 1.5 to 2 mins. Make sure your prepared speech is interesting!

Essay: You have to write an essay in 55 mins. There will be three prompts usually on the Literature, Superquiz, or some quote.

Interview: You'll have like 2 or 3 judges that will ask you questions. Demidec has a guide to the interview (actually to every subject) and it will have some questions that the judges WILL ask you.

You have to dress business casual in the Speech and Interview, and I think these 3 subjects are the easiest to get points in.

I may have left out some stuff. I hope I didn't scare you, Academic Decathlon is really fun after the competition there is an awards ceremony, where students proceed to win medals,scholarships, etc. if they got a good score. Academic Decathlon is my favorite class and I'm sure most people commenting in here would agree. If you need help raising money for supplies, why don't you try asking your school district or using tax donations. Although I'm pretty sure your district would pay for it.

Lol I didn't realize I wrote so much.

[lovablekrnstar63]

hmm. i would help you
but i'm too stupid for academic decathlon at my school

[joie.de.vivre]

whoa academic decathlon sounds intense o-o;;
my school just has a quiz bowl team lol

[Onesweetypie]

Aca Deca is killing me =(

Gosh, so much things to do and competition is near.

Our Varsity and JV both got 3rd last year.
We want to be 1st this year, but it seems very hard since Civil war is a topic that many students know about. =\

[DaAzNkIgGa627]

Thank you very much guys, we're assembling a team right now so it's going pretty good at this point, we'll just see what happens.

[Onesweetypie]

Thank you very much guys, we're assembling a team right now so it's going pretty good at this point, we'll just see what happens.

if u can, ask teachers to help u out.

Like an Art teacher, Music teacher, English teacher, Science teacher

Make them a copy of the section, have them go over it before they teach.

It will help alot since they know what they are talking about and they can always give u more insight info =]

That's wat we do.

[illneverletyougo]

music section was easy for me
esp for the listening!! i never listened to the CD, but the listening was like common sense stuff.
i was one question away from medaling which made me angry.
Art is easy to know too as long as you know fundamentals and stuff about every single artwork and artist in the Resources.

basically, if you study then you'll do well.
right now in our acadec class we are working on speeches.

has any school formulated their team for competition yet??
we find out this week.
: (
i'm pretty sure i'm in it cause at our first meet, i scored as the second highest in the B division, and 5th overrall from my school.