<p>tsubomi thank you for your input! i could not help but notice you are also from new jersey! do you have any nj-specific suggestions? i don’t go to an intense, competitive academic school that does well historically in science fairs/competitions (madison, livingston, millburn, high tech, bergen…) i totally know who you are by the way =)</p>
<p>@aznhopeful: well I attend one of those “intense, competitive academic schools”… :p</p>
<p>Hmm…I did a lot of state competitions in my freshman and sophomore year that I suppose distinguished myself within a pool of NJ applicants, but I don’t think that was what really got me in to RSI. Besides, there really isn’t a whole lot to do at this point, just work on those essays. I briefly mentioned awards in a paragraph, but did not spend anytime elaborating on them, but instead, wrote more about my interest in math and physics. Just be yourself.</p>
<p>thanks! tsu i sent you two messages with more questions…i appreciate your help! =D</p>
<p>So I just opened up the application and realized they want my psat scores. I did not take it this year because I was sick and instead am taking the sat in march and national merit will convert that score to enter me into national merit. I took the psat last year as a sophomore and got a 212 (80 math and 66 in the other 2) (this would have qualified me for nm last year). I am not sure if I should submit this score. It is below their 220 but the 80 is well an 80 and they have to know I would have improved by 8 points. I have not taken the sat (other than in 7th grade) or the act. I took calc bc last year and got a 5 on the ap test and ap language and comp and got a 4. I also took math 2 and got a 780. Should i submit my psat score? should i submit it with a note or ignore that section?</p>
<p>I would put all that you have on the app, scoreswise, then add that note saying the psat score is a year old. Though I’m not the definitive source of knowledge on the subject.</p>
<p>Sorry, but with all the chatter about research based summer programs and everything I’m a little confused. Do you have to know what you want to research before you apply? Or do they help you choose a project once you get there? How much math/science background do you need?</p>
<p>You have to choose two fields and corresponding subfields you are interested in researching in, and must tell them what you think are interesting questions in those fields and why, so in that sense, you do need to know what you want to research. But you don’t have to be super-specific and pick some obscure problem in a rarely-studied part of the field.</p>
<p>Once you get there, they try their best to match you with a mentor that does research relevant to your interests.</p>
<p>You should probably have a decent background in what you want to research, but it’s not absolutely necessary if you learn (very) fast and work (very) hard.</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks! I guess this isn’t the program for me, then. I was only looking at this because it seemed like fun (based on what my friends told me), but then again I live next to a major university so all their parents are research scientists anyway :)</p>
<p>a question about the essay on extracurriculars not related to science/math/etc…</p>
<p>I have one extracurricular that I have participated in pretty much since time starts for me. I love it and can write pages after pages about how awesome it is… If this is the only I mention in the entire essay, will it seem like I only know one thing outside of science? I do have other activities I can also write decently about, but it’s just that if I go deeply into this one, I don’t think I’ll have space for the other activities. what should I do?</p>
<p>@momo, I would probably do something along the lines of “I participate in many activities, such as blank blank and blank, but the one that matters most to me is zlank”, and then just talk about zlank, if you’re worried about appearing one sided (though, really, you’ve got the math science thing, so you’re going to at least be two-sided)</p>
<p>^yeah that’s what I did (what greenbean said). I was also RSI 10, and although I frankly don’t know how I got accepted :P, I must have done <em>something</em> right - I think it was my essays. I think I showed a real interest and passion (though those are cliche words, don’t use those) for the subject I was interested in.</p>
<p>how did you guys format your three pages of essays? font size, margins etc?</p>
<p>mine is pretty squished x]</p>
<p>Are standardized tests mandatory? I spent a good month-2 months trying to find a school that would let me write the PSAT without any success (yes, this was BEFORE the test was written, I am not that dumb)</p>
<p>I have the ecs, competition scores, research experience, essays etc.</p>
<p>and isn’t LaTeX more of a typeset?</p>
<p>@momo: my three pages was SUPER squished. i think 10 point font, shrunken margins?</p>
<p>so lets say my SAT scores are higher than PSAT, would i still have to send the PSAT</p>
<p>for long-term goals, how far ahead are they looking?</p>
<p>Do they want your official HS transcript in the same envelope (so everything is together) or sent separately? I’m not quite sure what they mean…</p>
<p>@harvard76: yes, still send your PSAT score.
@NspiredOne: I told them about my college plans (undergrad and grad school) and a little bit of my career plans.
@Metrical: I don’t remember very well, but I think I sent it in all together.</p>
<p>hey guys</p>
<p>whats with the self addressed post card thing?</p>
<p>do they mail that after they receive you app?</p>