Research Science Institute 2005

Pre-College Topics High School Life
2101

<p>Kyshantry was a CalTech admission officer. This is what Galen (aka Kyshantry) had to say about RSI from the CalTech board: </p>

<p>"Basically you need to be one of the top 100 or so math/science students in their junior year of high school in the nation. It's much harder to get into RSI than it is to get into any college in the nation; in fact our admissions office at one point was considering just informing anyone accepted into RSI that they were automatically accepted into Caltech, just to give you some idea of their caliber. " </p>

<p>From my knowledge, all the rickoids who applied to Caltech got in. Almost all of them got a full ride, ie Caltech's Presidential Scholar. I think the least financial aid package was like 20K, which is extremely large! Anyway, one of the privileges of being a rickoid is that you get to turn down schools like Caltech to come to Harvard or MIT because that's what rickoids do :)</p>

2102

<p>to get you excited, i'll select some passages from past threads:</p>

<p>RSI is the Research Science Institute. It is a program sponsored by MIT (and this year, CalTech), and the Center for Excellence in Education, fully residential, and research-based. It accepts 30 international students and (pertaining to this discussion) 50 national students every year. Applications usually number in the 1500-3000 range, from what I can ascertain. It is very highly selective, as you could probably deduce ;) It is 100% free and, in fact, I earned money this summer. </p>

<p>Entry into RSI generally means the following: $720 in TECHcash, redeemable at the campus stores and whatnot, plus a $180 stipend for travel and lunch if you have an off-campus mentorship. The quality of the staff and mentorship is <em>very</em> high... I, personally, was counselored/tutored by a Rhodes scholar, an Intel grand prize winner (#1 in the world), received technical assistance on linux and LaTeX from a 3-time Putnam medal winner, etc. etc. In addition, Linda West (an RSI alum from '03 like me) just won #3 in the Siemens-Westinghouse science competition with a project based on her RSI research. This closeness to MIT also means that, out of the last 20 years of RSI, only one alum who applied to MIT has gotten turned down, and that was because he really ticked off the administration. Somewhere in the neighbor hood of 70-80% of the RSI alums who apply to Harvard also get in. </p>

<p>And oh yes. the research. You're placed with INCREDIBLE mentors. I got to do research in a neurology lab at the Massachusetts General Hospital, sponsored by the Harvard Medical School. The other RSI person in my lab (a polish girl) and I worked with one of the two or three leading experts in our field (neurofibromatosis-1,2, and schwannomatosis) and Harvard grad and undergrad students. I did work that most kids aren't doing until at least sophomore or junior year in college. </p>

<p>Basically... RSI is the summer program you turn down other summer programs for. This year, 80 students were accepted to RSI. 79 of them came. Only one kid was accepted and turned RSI down, and that was for a place in the IMO. Considering that RSI is considered the most prestigious summer program in the world (possibly), its no wonder that it attracts only the best. </p>

<p>In the words of a famous man, mein freund, "You better believe/the hype is real," for RSI is no-holds-barred, 24/7/42 exposure to the Cambridge/Boston/White Mountains area. You are given full access (and full responsibilities, as well) within the city and surrounding areas. The Kendall T-stop is within 5 minutes' walking distance, and <em>everything</em> in Boston is within distance of a T station. Literally, if you want, you do not have to sleep. Literally, if you want, you do not have to go to your room. Literally, if you want, you may go to mentorship and bedcheck and then <em>disappear</em> all night. Just please, please, do not turn up dead.</p>

2103

<p>ahem, all this "no one can resist a male rickoid" --? you got to be kidding me. pshhhhhhh what do you guys have anyway?</p>

<p>and i never placed a bet so i'm going to go with the 28th. </p>

<p>as for all these wonderful descriptions, it's getting my hopes up so bad. and it's also confirming that i will, in fact, receive a rejection letter. </p>

<p>"top 100 or so math/science students " <--- =\ that means top two per state-ish....oh dear. say bye-bye to chances...</p>

2104

<p>"turn down schools like Caltech to come to Harvard or MIT because that's what rickoids do"</p>

<p>Haha, it is my hope that this time next year I have the privilege of turning down Harvard and MIT for Caltech. Maybe that's a sign that I'm not getting into RSI.</p>

2105

<p>wow, I</p>

2106

<p>OMG HEY CHRIS!! i hope you're having a greaaaaaaat time in Europe!!</p>

2107

<p>So how do RSI admission officers know whether the applicant is one of the top math/science students of the nation? I feel that our application forms do not contain enough information to verify that. Do RSI admission officers in fact look up the names of the applicants to find out their past accomplishments? For those accomplishments that would elevate one to the status of top scholar of the nation, I think, would make one quite well-known. Is that, therefore, the criterion by which RSI selects its applicants, I wonder? staticsoliloquy, could that have possibly applied to you?</p>

2108

<p>thats just it, RSI really cant tell. Katherine Aull was rejected from RSI after going to the IBO and getting a silver medal. the year after that she went to the IBO and got second overall! shes at MIT now. so yeah RSI can usually get the top students, but sometimes theyll look over some real talent.</p>

2109

<p>i just got an email response from RSI...
it said, "all the applications have been read by the selection committee" and "You will be receiving a decision from us by March 31st."
nothing really new, just thought i'd share</p>

2110

<p>thanks tsr472. Does that mean the letter should have arrived by the 31st, or it will be mailed by the 31st?</p>

2111

<p>Thanks, tsr472! I think it means we'll receive it by the 31st. I wonder why no one else seems to have received that email?</p>

2112

<p>tsr said "email response." He probably emailed them first.</p>

2113

<p>it says BY the 31st...so is there a chance that we'll get it before then? just put me out of my misery!!!</p>

2114

<p>yeah, i did email them first. she said, "You will be receiving a decision from us by March 31st," so i'm assuming the decisions will be mailed before the 31st (i'm betting they'll mail them on the 28th)</p>

2115

<p>does anyone have any idea how long it takes U.S postal mail to get to europe.. I just wish the wait would end sooooon. for the sake of guessing my guess is after the 31st actually 2nd or 3rd of april maybe.</p>

2116

<p>I think standard postage is 7-10 days for overseas, but i believe they'll use better shipping options.</p>

2117

<p>Do any of you e-mail RSI with updates when they come? For example, your score on the AMCs/AIME or new awards during Feb/Mar?</p>

2118

<p>Hm. It is 4 isomers... interesting. Time to pour over some more chem.</p>

<p>"all the applications have been read by the selection committee" -> I wonder if this means they've selected the '05 rickoids already. Heh, I'm afraid to bet on a day for the letter arrival.</p>

<p>And no, I didn't e-mail RSI any updates.</p>

2119

<p>simfish, my email was about updates. i mentioned my amc12 score in my initial app, so i was offering to send verification. she basically said that they've already decided and that she can't add anything to the application at this point.</p>

2120

<p>Yea... I mailed an updated transcript to them around Feb 20 or so, and hopefully they looked at it. I thought my AP Calc and Physics grades and updated SATs would be important.</p>