nvc - FAQ



Q. Who can participate in the NVC?

A. The NVC is open to legal U.S. residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who resides and are physically located in the United States or D.C. at the time of entry, and who are in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12, and between the ages of 13 and 19 years old as of the date of each applicable NVC exam and/or event.

In addition, students who are an immediate family member (defined as children and siblings, regardless of where they live ) of: (a) any person who is an employee, officer, director or agent of Game Show Network, LLC, Liberty Media, Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Princeton Review, Civic Entertainment Group, JetBlue Airways, Houghton Mifflin Company, Mead Westvaco Corporation, LLC, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Philadelphia Inquirer, L.P., Youth Service America, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., the Public Library Association, Comcast Communications, Charter Communications, Cablevision Systems Corp., Time Warner Cable or any other sponsor of the NVC, or any of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, service agencies or independent contractors, or (b) any individual engaged in the development, production, implementation or distribution of materials for the NVC, are ineligible to participate in the NVC or win any prize.

Q. Can I still participate if my school is not listed?

A. Of course you can! Eligible students whose schools are not listed as a participating school or who do not wish to take the in-school qualifying exam can participate via the National Qualifying Competition.

Q. How many winners will there be?

A. Each location in which the NVC will be holding a Citywide Championship (currently anticipated to include Detroit, New York City, Nashville, Northeast Ohio, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento and St. Louis) will produce one Citywide Champion. These eight winners will join the 42 finalists from the National Qualifying Competition to compete in the NVC Finals where one person will be named National Vocabulary Champion.

Q. Who administers and scores the exams?

A. All exams are created by The Princeton Review. Qualifying exams in participating schools will be administered by the school's designated NVC coach. The Princeton Review will score all exams. If you are participating in the National Qualifying Competition, the online exam will be administered through the National Vocabulary Championship website located at www.winwithwords.com. Top scorers will be invited to take the regional exam at one of The Princeton Review's testing locations. These exams will be administered and scored by The Princeton Review.

Q. Are there any fees associated with participating in the NVC?

A. No, there is no cost to enter or participate in the NVC.

Q. I would like to participate in the National Qualifying Competition, but I do not have a computer at home. Can I still participate?

A. The online qualifying exam must be taken on a computer. Students who do not have a home computer should plan on taking the online qualifying exam at another location with an available computer. Possible locations include a library, school or friend's home.

Q. I am a student in a participating school. What should I do if I cannot take the in-school qualifying exam on the date my coach and school are offering it?

A. Unfortunately, participating schools are only able to offer the qualifying exam at one particular date and time. If you are unable or do not wish to take the exam at that time, you will not be eligible to qualify for your city's Citywide Championship. However, you can still attempt to qualify for the NVC Finals by participating in the National Qualifying Competition.

Q. I would like to participate in the National Qualifying Competition, but I am unable to take the online qualifying exam on the days it is offered and/or I am not available on the day of the regional exam. Can I still participate?

A. The online portion of the National Qualifying Competition, which is called the National Qualifying Exam, will be offered every day during the entire month of November 2007. We are unable to accommodate any other testing dates. If you are unable to take the exam during this time, you will not be able to participate in the National Qualifying Competition. The regional exam will be proctored by The Princeton Review at its nationwide testing locations on January 12, 2008. This will be the only date on which the regional exam will be offered, so please make sure you are available to take the exam on this date if you qualify. Students who are unable or do not wish to take the regional exam on January 12, 2008 will forfeit their opportunity to qualify for the NVC Finals.

Q. What is the mission of the National Vocabulary Championship?

A. The National Vocabulary Championship is an initiative that aims to inspire students to expand their vocabularies and narrow the achievement gap. The program offers free educational resources, creates spirited competition through testing and game play, and awards more than $100,000 annually in college tuition and other prizes.

Q. How can I prepare for the National Vocabulary Championship?

A. While there are many ways to study for the NVC, a good place to start is the Study Tools page of this website. There you will find 10 study modules created by The Princeton Review that will help you learn new words, study techniques and other reference sites to find new vocabulary words. In addition to the modules, there will be other study tools available, including a Word of the Day, word lists and other activities. Please note that you should consider these study materials to be just a starting point for your preparation. Questions for the NVC exams and events will include other vocabulary words that do not appear in the study materials. We recommend that you be creative in your studying: look at newspapers, listen to song lyrics, read a book (the sky is the limit). Don't limit your studying to the vocabulary words provided on this site

Q. What prizes will be awarded in the Citywide Championship?

A. The grand prize winner of the Citywide Championship will receive $5,000 toward college tuition, a copy of The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition and a trip to the NVC Finals in Spring 2008. The second place winner will receive $1,000 in Princeton Review services and materials. The third place winner will receive $500 in Princeton Review services and materials.

Q. What prizes will be awarded at the National Vocabulary Championship Finals?

A. The grand prize winner of the NVC Finals will receive $40,000 toward college tuition, a Sony Vaio® SZ Series laptop, and a copy of The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition. The second place winner will receive $2,500 toward college tuition and $2,500 in Princeton Review services/materials. The third place winner will receive $500 toward college tuition and $500 in Princeton Review services/materials.