<p>I'm currently a junior in high school and am spending my winter break filling out various application forms for different summer programs. Two of the programs that I am applying for are MIT's WTP (Women's Technology Program) and MIT's RSI (Research Science Institute). I'm really interested in both of these programs and wouldn't mind attending either one.</p>
<p>I was just wondering, for those of you who did attend these programs, or even similar ones, what were your qualifications? How impressive were your applications?</p>
<p>I attended WTP-ME last summer, and I have to say that there was an EXTREMELY wide range of application impressiveness. Everything from 5's on the AP Physics B test to absolutely no physics experience, a wide range of high schools, and a fairly wide range of test scores.</p>
<p>WTP really cares about your essays, though, and while I don't know anyone else's, mine were very honest and reflected who I am. Also, my teacher recs were great and spoke to how I could really benefit from a program like WTP.</p>
<p>Your application will need to be significantly better for RSI than WTP, because while WTP is very rigorous, RSI is much more so, and so you will need to show you can handle an extremely intense workload.</p>
<p>WTP was a fantastic experience, though, and I'm excited you're applying! PM me if you have any more questions, because I'd love to answer them.</p>
<p>Most of the girls didn't have any experience at all (I think they try to move most of the girls with programming experience into the ME track) and it's perfectly fine, because you start from scratch in most of the classes. Some of us had basic E&M in Physics classes, and some people had taken Physics B, but it's just such a mix, particularly because there are girls from all over the country from such different high schools. Not everyone has 2400s, or even 800s on the math sections of everything. Not even close. WTP is designed, I think, to give girls a chance to experience things they wouldn't otherwise. At least that's what I got out of it. So I agree, the essays are important. Show your passion towards math/science/engineering, show why you want to go to WTP.</p>
<p>And so again, I don't really know a whole lot about RSI (I only applied to WTP!) but it seemed a lot more intense. It was mostly guys, from what I saw, and they were working a lot of the time. WTP gives you a fair amount of work/labs, but there is still tons of time to hang out with your friends and wander around campus and even explore Boston! </p>
<p>But really...WTP was amazing amazing amazing amazing. I recommend it so much. I honestly don't want to be an engineer, but I had ridiculous amounts of fun. I think it's the best way I could have spent the summer, and I met so many great people.</p>
<p>Good luck! Feel free to PM me as well if you need anything!</p>
<p>I did apply to MIT WTP EECS and was rejected. I was AP National Scholar (after Junior year), and NMSF. I had taken all the math science APs before my senior year including AP Calc BC, AP Stats, AP Physics C, AP Comp. Science AB, AP Chem, AP Biology.
I did get into MIT early though. So I think MIT WTP is for those who are not exposed to engineering/science to the full extent.</p>
<p>I did the MITES program. I know that's not on your list, but I highly recommend it.</p>
<p>While I was there, I interacted with a few RSI kids and saw (just saw...lol) some WTP students. The WTP'ers seemed like they were having fun.</p>
<p>RSI, on the other hand, seemed insane. I'm sure it was fun, but whenever I walked into the Athena clusters (where typing/printing documents occurs) at 4am to print an essay or something, the room was full of RSI students. It seemed like they worked 24/7 doing research (and we thought we had it bad at MITES...). Also, they weren't social creatures. Most of the ones I attempted to talk with were...not in a talking mood. However the TAs (or helpers or whatever) seemed really nice.</p>
<p>So RSI is insane, WTP is (relatively) laid back, and MITES is right there in the middle from what I understand.</p>
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I attended WTP-ME last summer, and I have to say that there was an EXTREMELY wide range of application impressiveness.
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<p>I have a couple of friends who were TAs for WTP-EECS and helped with admissions. The thing about WTP is that it wants girls who are academically talented, but unsure about or unexposed to engineering. It also wants girls who are not likely to get this sort of opportunity elsewhere (which may help economically disadvantaged students, students from poor/poorly educated states/regions, etc, as they are less likely to have access to other similar programs). You have to be able to do the work, and the work moves at quite a quick (college-level) pace, but the academically strongest applicants are not necessarily going to be the ones who get in.</p>
<p>The program is not intended for girls who already know that they want to be engineers, and it's not intended for girls who have already have tons of engineering background. Those girls tend to get rejected from the program, since what does it offer them? It's not meant to be just another enrichment program. It's meant to give girls access to something they wouldn't otherwise have, and to proselytize engineering to girls who might not have thought of it, not known much about it, or be ambivalent about it.</p>
<p>RSI is a different story. The applications process looks for qualities very similar to what MIT undergrad admissions does. It's meant to pick out people who are already top math/science/engineering students with some focus and knowledge of the relevant fields, and give them an intense summer research experience and exposure to MIT's campus.</p>
<p>I applied to both RSI and WTP, and was rejected from RSI but accepted to WTP-ME. WTP was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I'm really glad that I went. Everyone in the program was great, and we all got along really well. As burnitblue said, there was a lot of variety in the impressiveness of the participants, but mostly, everyone had to be able to handle fast-paced work.</p>
<p>The essays again probably were the most important part, as they showed how enthusiastic you are about learning and what your personality is. If you have too much engineering experience prior to applying, however, you probably won't be accepted since you already will know much of what we learned there.</p>
<p>RSI I feel was looking more for experience and higher scores. I only saw the RSI participants a few time over the summer, and they seemed less social and more work-oriented then WTP.</p>
<p>WTP was amazing and you should definately go for it. You can PM me as well with questions!</p>