All information about the 2021 Regional Finals for the National History Bee, National Science Bee, US Academic Bee, and International Geography Bee will be posted on this page as we get closer to the start of each event.
If you have any questions, please email us at info@iacompetitions.com.
General Information
Rules Summary
The rules for all four Regional Finals Bee events are all the same. You can review the basics on this page. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Students will be using the online COBA buzzer system (coba-cc.slapbowl.com).
- There will be 30 questions per round for students in 8th Grade and 7th Grade, and 25 questions per round for students in 6th Grade and the Elementary (5th Grade and Younger) division.
- The student who buzzes first and answers correctly gets the point.
- Each student may only buzz one time on each question.
- If a student receives 6 points in a round, the student is finished for that round and will earn bonus points.
- After buzzing, you have five seconds to begin your answer.
- At the end of the question, the moderator will wait five seconds before calling time.
- Three incorrect answers by players on any question ends the question.
- If you are the third player to buzz, answer incorrectly, AND buzz before the end of the question, then you lose one point.
Schedule
The full schedule of events can be accessed on this page.
In order to compete in this event, students must have access to a computer with internet access. You’ll need a web browser in order to sign into Google Meet (for audio and video) and COBA (the online buzzer system we’ll be using). You will need to be signed into both at the same time – otherwise you won’t be able to both hear the questions and buzz to give your answers.
You’ll be able to access links to both your Google Meet and COBA rooms approximately 15 minutes before the first match begins (using the links below). Please make sure that the moderator can see and hear you and that you can hear the moderator on Google Meet. After all rooms in a division are finished, IAC staff will post the Meet and COBA links for the next round(s).
You are allowed to protest the correctness of an answer (e.g. you believe the answer you gave is correct and the answer provided in the packet is incorrect). Timing decisions made by the moderator are not protestable; additionally, any technical difficulties you may experience are not grounds for lodging a protest. If you wish to lodge a protest, you must inform the moderator of this after the question is finished being read, before the next question begins. The moderator will inform the protest committee of the protest, and staff will update your score if the protest is resolved in your favor. Decisions made by the protest committee are final and may not be appealed.
Nationals Qualification
To qualify for the National Championships, you must finish in the top 60% of your division based on scores during the preliminary rounds or the Final Round of your event. Note that the 60% rule is in effect for all IAC Bee events that are run online, effective September 1, 2020.
Finals / Playoffs
For each event and in each division, a number of players (which will be announced at the beginning of each event) will advance to the final round based on their preliminary scores. Ties will be broken if needed to determine the final group. In each final, players will compete to be the first, second, and third to reach six points. Rules will remain the same as in the preliminary rounds.