Saratoga High student places ninth in national biology competition

A Saratoga High School student won a bronze medal at the national level of an advanced biology competition.

Arjun Krish, 17, was part of the team representing the U.S. in the International Biolympiad. He went up against around 11,000 high school students from over 750 schools, ultimately ranking ninth in the U.S. The top four students went on to represent the U.S. in the international competition.

While his ranking wasn’t high enough for him to represent the U.S. on the international stage, Krish said his main goal was to make it to the training camp at Harvard University.

“I’m pretty happy winning bronze,” said the Saratoga High junior. “I hoped to get a little higher, but I’m glad that I did get a medal.”

The USA Biolympiad tests students mastery of biology, from basic facts to medical or PhD level, Krish said. The USA Biolympiad is one of a series of competitions led by the Center of Excellence in Education, a nonprofit that aims to propel students’ careers in the STEM fields.

Krish said that he took the first two qualifying tests in school. Of the almost 12,000 students that take the first exam, only 10% move on to the next round, from which the top 20 are taken to study advanced biology concepts through lectures and labs at Harvard’s training camp.

Krish said he had a general interest in science, but he became interested in biology in his freshman year and became engrossed in textbooks on the topic. He said he was especially interested in molecular biology and liked seeing how advanced levels of science interconnect with other subjects, like game theory and calculus.

He’ll be applying to colleges in the fall, and this was the last year he could compete and report his standing on his applications. However, Krish said he would probably compete again to make the national team, adding that the achievement reflects mastery of biology, which could make him a better candidate for medical schools. Krish plans to study computational biology for his undergraduate degree, but his goal is to get a Ph.D in biology.