How to Become a Contestant on Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

Do you think you are smarter a typical grade school student, and if you do, how would you like to try to win a lot of money? If so, have you ever wondered how to be a contestant on the Fox Network television show, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? If you are afraid of embarrassing yourself, however, by going on the show and not doing well, you can see some of the types of questions asked of contestants first and have a better idea how well you might do.

The application you need to complete as a contestant on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader be found at www.fox.com. After you complete it, you have to mail it to: ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER? P.O. BOX 503 149 S. BARRINGTON AVE LOS ANGELES, CA 90049-3310.

You will have to meet many eligibility requirements, including being 18 years old and a resident of the United States. You cannot be a candidate for any kind of public office and must not become one for at least a year after being a contestant. You will have to provide background information, so producers can investigate you and conduct a more in depth interview before your appearance. You must pay for your own travel and expenses to be on the show. During the final selection process you must be able to spend eight days in Hollywood. At that time, the production company will pay for your expenses.

Producers are not obligated to select anyone who applies, but their decisions are final.

You will be asked about your job, your current best friend locally and elsewhere, and for their contact information, and if you have a MySpace or similar Internet account. You will be asked how competitive you are and the biggest gamble you have taken. You will be asked about any talents you have and what the funniest thing you have ever done is.

You will be asked what elementary school you attended. You will be asked how good a student you were. You will be asked what you would do with your winnings if you won certain amounts of money on the show. You will be asked if you know any graduates of an Ivy League college who might live in the Los Angeles area who might want to be a contestant on the show.

That is how you would become a contestant on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? The questions contestants are asked are taken from a school textbook. How do you think you would do, with or without the help of the school children who would be your helpers on the show? Most of the contestants have been ordinary people, but some have been contestants playing for charity. Regardless, few have ever answered every question and won the top dollar amount of $1 million on the weekly show, $250,000 on the daily show.

Some of the kinds of questions you might be asked could include: 1. what continents were Inca civilizations on? 2. How many sides does a heptagon have? 3. What country in South America is the largest by area? 4. Is the statement the ostrich is the fastest bird on foot, true or false? 5. Is the statement the earth's moon gives off its own light true or false? 6. Is a turtle an amphibian? 7. How long is one term for a United States Representative? 8. How long is one term for a United States Senator? 9. In what month is the autumnal equinox in North America? 10. How many pencils do you have, if you have a gross of pencils?

How well do you think you would do on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? Do you want to try to become a contestant to find out?

Citations: Be a Contestant on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Graderby Carrie Grosvenor, Gameshows.about.com
Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? no author listed, Fox.com

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? Test yourself, no author listed, Blogs.orlandosentinel.com