Regeneron Science Talent Search vs WOOT (Worldwide Online Olympiad Training)

Comparing two elite STEM opportunities. Regeneron Science Talent Search is a competition while WOOT (Worldwide Online Olympiad Training) is a enrichment.

Regeneron Science Talent Search WOOT (Worldwide Online Olympiad Training)
Prestige Tier Tier 1 — Elite Tier 2 — Highly Competitive
Type Competition Enrichment
Organization Society for Science Art of Problem Solving
Acceptance Rate Approximately 0.2-0.3% (2% of ~2,000 applicants become Top 40 finalists; 15% become Top 300 scholars). Highly selective with ~2,000 projects submitted annually. No formal acceptance rate published; program appears to have open enrollment for qualified students
Applicants Approximately 2,000 projects submitted per year; historically 147,000 students have competed since 1942 Not publicly disclosed; AoPS serves over 1 million problem solvers globally
Deadline 2026-11-05 Rolling
Cost to Apply Free $0
US Only Yes No / International
Grades High school seniors only Grades 8-12
College Impact Regeneron STS is considered one of the most prestigious high school science competitions and carries significant weight in college admissions, particularly for top-tier universities (Ivy League, MIT, ... WOOT and olympiad participation are viewed very favorably in college admissions to top-tier universities: MIT Admissions explicitly mentions that mathematically inclined students find AoPS an 'indispe...