SCIENCE OLYMPIAD DIVISION C SAN DIEGO

Torrey Pines
Science Olympiad

A student and parent run club at Torrey Pines High School. You pick the events you want, get matched with partners, and compete from September through the state tournament.

Apply in September See the events

Next up Sep 9 Information meeting Sep 23 Application deadline

Events

Twenty-two events this season, split across study, lab, and build. You'll compete in three or four of them, with one or two partners each. Study, lab, and build are open below.

Written tests, sometimes with a binder you spent all fall building. You study on your own and with your partner between weekly meetings. Depth beats cramming.

  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Astronomy
  • Botany
  • Designer Genes
  • Disease Detectives
  • Dynamic Planet
  • Remote Sensing
  • Rocks and Minerals
  • Codebusters

Hands-on testing at a bench, against the clock, with a partner you have to trust. Procedure counts alongside the answer, so the weekly practice is the point.

  • Chemistry Lab
  • Circuit Lab
  • Engineering CAD
  • Experimental Design
  • Protein Modeling
  • Thermodynamics
  • Water Quality

Devices designed in fall and still being rebuilt in spring. Builds take the most time outside meetings, between construction, testing, and rebuilding. Materials are reimbursed with receipts.

  • Boomilever
  • Electric Vehicle
  • Hovercraft
  • Mission Possible
  • Ping-Pong Parachute
  • Wright Stuff

Season Calendar

Three invitationals lead into the San Diego regional, and the top teams from every Southern California regional go on to state in April.

  1. Sep 9

    Information meeting

    Start here. What the club is, how events work, and what the year asks of you before you apply.

  2. Sep 23

    Application deadline

    You list the events you'd prefer. Assignments weigh those preferences against schedules, competition-day timing, and past expertise.

  3. Sep 27

    Teams released

    Events, partners, and teams are posted. Weekly meetings begin and build events start construction.

  4. January

    USC Invitational

    Billed as the largest in-person Science Olympiad tournament in the country, with Divisions B and C both competing. Held in January; the 2027 date posts when registration opens.

  5. February

    Golden Gate Invitational

    Run by Stanford and UC Berkeley students and the biggest invitational on the West Coast. The long trip north, and the hardest field you will see before regionals.

  6. Date TBD

    UCSD Triton Invitational

    Third year for this one and the closest invitational to home. Registration is not open yet, so the date is still unannounced.

  7. February

    San Diego Regionals

    One day, every event, one shot. The top 20 in each event get medals, and the top teams advance to the state tournament.

  8. April

    Southern California State

    The top teams from all nine Southern California regionals, in April. Everything from September points here.

How to Join

Four steps, all of them in September. There's no entry exam. You apply, and assignments are made from what you ask for.

  1. 01

    Come to the info meeting

    September 9. What the club does, how events work, and what the year will ask of you.

  2. 02

    Apply by September 23

    You list the events you'd prefer. Forms are posted when the application opens.

  3. 03

    Get your events and partners

    Assignments weigh your preferences, your schedule, competition-day timing, past expertise, and how partners work together.

  4. 04

    Teams released September 27

    Weekly meetings start. Attendance is tracked, and build events begin construction.

What it asks of you

Three or four events

Each with one or two partners. Weekly meetings for every event you're in, plus study on your own and with your partner between them.

  • Attendance is tracked at event meetings
  • Build events need extra construction and testing time
  • Competition days are a full day, start to finish
What you get back

Costs are reimbursed

Relevant, reasonable purchases are fully reimbursed when you turn receipts in to the coordinators. Build materials shouldn't be why you skip an event.

  • Medals for top 20 placements in your events
  • Team trophies on overall performance
  • Topics you can't get in a normal class schedule

Apply

Applications open September 9. Start at the information meeting, apply by the 23rd, and you'll have your events and your team by the 27th. Questions before then go to the inbox or the Discord.

Ask us to remind you Join the Discord

Application forms are posted when the application opens