FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many teams will be participating?
A: We are hosting a total of 48 teams from various high schools.
Q: How many people per team?
A: Each team can have between 4-5 students. We have a strict cap at 5 students per team.
Q: Where are the questions from?
A: The questions are written exclusively by UC Berkeley student volunteers. All questions are in the official NSB style.
Q: What’s our “Energy” category?
A: BSB Fall 2024 will feature a reinvented “Energy” category based on UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab research.
Q: What difficulty are the questions?
A: The questions will range from Regionals-level in Round Robin to Nationals-level by the end of Double Elimination.
Q: What’s our competition format?
A: There will be 5 Round Robin rounds in the morning, followed by a 16-team Double Elimination tournament. We will be providing spaces for informal scrimmages for eliminated teams in the afternoon.
Q: What times will the competition run from?
A: We expect our tournament to run from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. However, NSB tournaments often run late, so make sure to prepare for this in advance. We will do our best to reduce delays throughout the day.
Q: Does our team coach need to attend?
A: No, but we require at least one non-competing adult to serve as a chaperone from each school. These individuals will be responsible for communicating directly with BSB organizers on competition day.
Q: Will there be food served?
A: Yes, food will be catered, and we will have vegetarian options in order to fulfill those with dietary restrictions. Food will only be available for coaches, competitors and volunteers.
Q: What happens if my team is eliminated?
A: We have fun activities planned for eliminated teams! We encourage everyone to stay and watch the Championship round, which will be livestreamed to audiences across the country.