Membership Application

Questions & Answers

Do I (the student) need my own e-mail address to start my application?

Yes. If you don't have a personal e-mail account, your school may be able to provide you with a student account.

Do I have to use a school provided e-mail account for my application?

No. We recommend you use whatever e-mail account you check the most frequently.

I (or my parent, or a reference) never got the e-mail message with access information. Where is it?

Make sure you entered the e-mail address in question correctly. You or the person in question should also check the "Spam" or "Junk" folder in case your provider erroneously filtered the message. Access information for applicants, parents, or references can be re-sent from "Resend Application Information".

Can a parent submit the application for the student?

No. Applications must be completed and submitted by the student applicant. The student will have to provide a parent e-mail address during the application process, to which the parent will be sent an e-mail message seeking their approval, before the application is reviewed.

Why is my public or charter school not listed as an option?

We only accept public and charter school students from schools located within Wake County and some nearby areas of Johnston and Harnett Counties. We do not accept students from schools that are affiliated with another FIRST Robotics team. It's possible that our data is not up-to-date, so if your school is not listed, and you believe that this is an error, please contact us and explain why.

Where do you accept private and home school students from?

Anywhere in Wake County and some nearby areas of Johnston and Harnett Counties, based upon proximity to downtown Raleigh. Exceptions may be made, under certain circumstances, for home school students only, given the scheduling flexibility that home schooling affords. If you are outside of our typical membership area and want to request an exception, please contact us and explain.

Where does the team meet?

We have our own meeting and work space in south downtown Raleigh, off South Saunders Street (US-401/US-70), just north of Interstate 40.

Why is there an application fee?

The $5 application fee that must be paid as part of the parent approval has been implemented to ensure applicants take the application seriously, and to confirm the identity of the parent providing their approval.

Where does the application fee go?

For applicants who complete the application process and are accepted, application fee will go towards their membership dues. If an applicant completes the application process but is not accepted, the fee will be refunded. The fee will not be refunded if an applicant neglects to complete the application process.

I completed my application, including parent approval and references, so when do I find out if I've been accepted?

Completed applications are reviewed after the early (Friday, August 29th, 2025 at 3:45pm) and final (Friday, September 26th, 2025 at 3:45pm) deadlines. You should expect to be notified 2-3 days after the deadline which you completed your application before.

I've submitted my student application, but my parent or a reference has not completed their part yet. What should I do?

It is the student's responsibility to follow up with their parent and references. If a person providing a reference will not be able to submit it before the deadline, the student can return to their application and enter a different person, even if the application has already been submitted.

Why is there an early and a final deadline?

The early deadline is for proactive applicants that want higher priority consideration for open spots on the team and who want to be notified of their status earlier. Applicants who don't meet the early deadline but meet the final deadline will be considered for however many open spots remain (if any) after early applicants have been accepted.

What if I submit my application on time but my parent doesn't approve it on time or my references aren't completed on time?

All parts of the application process, including references and parent agreements, must be submitted by Friday, September 26th, 2025 at 3:45pm to be considered.

I have another question that's not answered here. What should I do?

Just contact us and we will try to respond to your question as quickly as possible.

Who do I contact to report a technical issue with this system?

The system's developer and Team Coach, Mr. Randy Kemp.