Chances at RSI?

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
1

<p>I don't know how I stack up:</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math IC - 770
Math IIC - 770
Bio - 750</p>

<p>as a freshman (retaking math 2 to get an 800 in fall)</p>

<p>Chemistry - 790 as a sophomore</p>

<p>Assume 800 in physics to set a ceiling on my hopes.</p>

<p>PSAT: 139 (out of 160), 74 math, 65 CR as a sophomore
SAT: 720 math, 680 CR, 730 writing as sophomore (retaking in december)</p>

<p>Anything else of significance:</p>

<p>Taken 4 science courses already (Earth Science, Bio, Chem, AP Bio --> distance education, so pretty close to self study)</p>

<p>Taken AP Calc BC as a sophomore, qualified for AIME, part of calculus league</p>

<p>I don't know how much this will matter either way since it's middle school but might as well throw it in there: 4th place out of 100 in state Geography Bee (as an 8th grader)</p>

<p>Again, let's assume 5's on all AP exams this year to set the ceiling.</p>

<p>Next year: AP Spanish, English lang, US hist, Statistics</p>

<p>I don't know if ECs really matter, do they?</p>

<p>So please, after hearing what I've heard about this program, I'll be happy with anything besides an outright rejection.</p>

2

<p>There are almost 3,500 posts in this RSI thread. Reading through this will probably answer any questions you might have about admissions to the program. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=101097%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=101097&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

3

<p>"I don't know if ECs really matter, do they?"</p>

<p>They're the most important. Everyone who applies to RSI is pretty much just as good as you are at everything. </p>

<p>I'd say you're highly unlikely to get in (or, if we were doing college admissions, you're at a big reach).</p>

<p>MIT: Reach
RSI: Big Reach</p>

<p>Not sure if you know, but I wanted to make it clear how hard it is to get into RSI.</p>

<p>Acceptance rate to RSI is like, what, 1.5%?</p>

4

<p>Higher than that actually. At least for US applicants.</p>

5

<p>It's about 5%. Somewhere around there.</p>

6

<p>They normally don't take people with less than 75 in PSAT math or 140(or maybe 145)/160 PSAT total.</p>

7

<p>staticsololiquy had less than 75 PSAT and he got in. He also got the NIH HS grant.</p>

8

<p>Well if ECs are the most important, I didn't list them yet. Oh well, I'll aim for another program while awaiting my "imminent" rejection I guess.</p>

9

<p>apparently the acceptance rate for US is something like 8% according to the site? it keeps my hopes up...</p>

10

<p>so, wat are the typical credentials for a RSI participant? someone who has previously posted, please post your Scores, ECs...etc.</p>

11

<p>since RSI seems like the program where bright studnets can LEARN lab/reserach techniques and explore their interests, would it harm you if you already have some sort of lab experience, like from 3 yrs of CTY?</p>

12

<p>There are some people with worse stats than yours who got in this year. However, I think a lot of it may have to do with whether or not your state is under or over represented. Bear in mind that you're in one of the toughest regions >_></p>

13

<p>Are you serious?</p>

14

<p>Ahhh k-theory, always on the money.</p>

<p>By the way, several mistakes in the first post: Add Physics C, Chem, Env. Sci. to the AP list, and Java, C, and Python in the technical skills section. Also, I'm relating athletics (EC) to science in my essays.</p>

15

<p>I don't think it's impossible for you to get in, bloodandiron. You are only a sophomore, you still have some time. The fact you take AP Calc BC as a sophomore is nice. Can you take more math courses? Like multivariate, linear algebra, etc.?</p>

<p>I would try to get a high score on the PSAT your junior year (but don't be too obsessive with the SAT IIs, etc. cause I don't think they particularly matter as much as people make them out to), and work really hard in your AP courses---try to get 5s, RSI will see your sophomore scores but not your junior ones---and try for some good sciency/mathy curriculars. The best thing is prob. to do research on your own--it's not required but it really helps. You get into RSI really by demonstrating a passion for math/science, I think.</p>

16

<p>Oh, I guess I misread your post...you are a junior?</p>

<p>Did you take the AP exams for Bio / Calc? What did you get?</p>

<p>How were you planning to relate atheletics to science in your essays? That sort of sounds iffy, but I dunno...</p>