College: Your Rise to Success

Applying and getting into college can be an uphill battle. Your job is to climb each ramp as if it were a step in your college application process. The ramps get steeper as you go, representing the level of difficulty of the process. Although it gets harder and harder, you are getting closer to being admitted to the college of your choice! Getting to the top of the first ramp represents taking your PSAT. Getting to the top of the second ramp represents visiting colleges…etc.

In this event, teams will compete to see which robot is able to successfully climb the steepest ramp. A variety of motor speeds and design techniques may be used. Robots must start at the base of the ramp and all parts of the vehicle must completely cross a finish line near the top. Teams will be given two chances to successfully climb each ramp. Ramps are 2 ft x 4 ft and constructed of plywood with a 3 inch high barrier around the edges. They will increase in height in approximately 4° increments from approximately 30°- 45°. Scoring for this event is based on climbing ability, not the speed of the climb. However, in the event of a tie, speed will used as the determining factor.

Judging Procedure:

Students will attempt to climb ramps of increasing heights. Those who are successful will continue through the ramp circuit. There will likely be more than one referee/ judge for this event, so each one will follow a team though the circuit and then pick up another team.

1) Assign a judge/ referee to follow the first team throughout the circuit.
2) Students should place their vehicle on the bottom of ramp 1, directly in front of the wooden strip.
3) Students should press the red “On” button on their vehicle then proceed to press the green “Run” button.
4) Vehicles must completely cross the black finish line at the top of the ramp to be considered successful.
5) Teams have two chances to climb each ramp.
6) If they successfully climb ramp 1, they should continue onto ramp 2.
7) Repeat the process until the vehicle is unable to climb a ramp.
8) Teams that successfully climb ramp 8 should wait in the immediate area. When all these teams are assembled together, the ramp will be adjusted to the next height. The ramp will continue to be adjusted until there is a clear winner.
9) Record the number of the highest ramp each team was able to successfully climb on the results sheet.

*Ramp 8 is adjustable and actually serves as Ramps 8, 9, 10, and 11.

10)At the end of the competition, if more than one team is tied for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place on a ramp, the winners will be based on speed of the climb. Return to the last ramp the vehicles were able to successfully climb and use a stopwatch to determine which vehicle crosses the finish line the fastest.

11) Complete the rubric for each team.

12) After each team has competed, complete the results sheet and hand it in to the scorer’s table.

Rubric: