How many people do you think will sign up for Bible Bee this year?

Started by ZachB
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ZachB

As of 8:45 PM EST April 23, 2012, there are 1556 contestants signed up. Any guesses on how many will there be by June 1st?

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Peter

I made a chart of the trends in contestant and host registration in the past years, and according to that, attempting to account for the new format, (etc.) I think there will probably be about +/- 125 hosts and anywhere from 3500 (approx. current trend) to 5000 contestants (with changes accounted for). I would love to be proved wrong on the high side though, let's all promote the Bible Bee!

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Emily H

I'm not sure. I hope there are a lot. I know several families who have not been able to sign up due to the cost. :(

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ZachB

Sounds pretty to-the-point (if I'm using the right word…?), WretchedMan! So far there are 130 hosts and 2059 contestants! Any more guesses from anyone else?

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Cowboy4Christ

"I know several families who have not been able to sign up due to the cost."

Do any of you think it is possible that part of the reason there have been many less contestants in recent years compared to the first year is at all related to the increased cost to sign up? (I think it was only $25 a family the first year, and over 17,000 signed up.) Now, it's $30 per child.

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Emily H

Growing in Grace: Haha!!! :)
C4C: I'm not sure. It could be. But I know people have also been scared off by how many verses there were. Even as it is, some people we have talked to thought 100 verses was a lot, till we told them that it was only two cards a week.
We are fundraising right now (not literally) to sponsor kids who would do the Bible Bee but are held back by the cost.

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beachGirl

Yeah I do think people have been aware of the increasing amount… I did not know it was only $25 per family the first year!! that is a rip off! really, when you think about it, $30 dollars is a fair price for all that they give you… the shirt, the Bible, the Cards, the Sword Study… that is a lot more than $30 dollars in itself… plus, all the trouble to put the emblem on everything… it comes down to machinery, electric, time… I think $30 is not a bad deal, although some of my friends have been driven away by the price. A lot of my friends last year were scared away by the amount of verses too though.. I am really glad about the amount being lowered because we are VERY busy during the summer and the amount of verses to memorize once you make it to nationals makes up for it:) what is it, like 400 more or something?

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Emily H

C4C:
"As many as God wants to do it. :)"
Exactly! Amen!!! :)

Cowgirl up!:
Oh, I know! I don't know how they can give us all that stuff for only $30! I think it's a really good price, but if you're barely getting by as it is, $30 is a lot. But, personally, I think it is the amount of verses accounts for the extreme drop off of contestants. We're doing a lot of publicity, so hopefully it helps.

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Wretched Man

Cowboy4Christ: Are you trying to say that God is going to "force" people to sign up, because He "wants" them to? :)

(Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

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Emily H

7,002!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bethany, you were right!!! That's so exciting! There's still a little time left to sign up, so we'll see how many we end up with! :)

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Hannah

Yea, apparently they extended registration again until tonight! So right now, our local bee has 143 contestants!!! And my family is hosting!!!! :O This is gonna be exciting :D

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