<p>Do you list 3-5 questions for the field, or subfield?</p>
<p>would it look better if you had more questions than less? like 5 questions for each field/subfield instead of 3?</p>
<p>ummm, theres no way we could know that excalibur, I did four (four questions for my first subfield might I add). I don't think they want more than 5 questions though, just do it for the field of your choice (whether subfield, field, whatever)</p>
<p>Don't throw in a crappy 5th one when you have four good ones, they'll see right through that.</p>
<p>Do the app your way, don't do it in the way that you think the admissions people will like, because honestly, no ones knows what the admissions people will like!</p>
<p>Good lucks guys :-)</p>
<p>I don't think I followed the direction as closely as you guys did.</p>
<p>For my #2 response:</p>
<p>I did two fields. The first field was biochemistry. I had three questions for that field. Enzymes and proteins were my two subfields in Biochemistry. The second field was developmental biology with one subfield Stem Cell, and I have only one question for that. So all together, 4 questions, and they all were all in "layman" term. I didn't use any esoteric rubbish in my #2.</p>
<p>"Just do it" (Nike's)</p>
<p>wow i wonder out of the ~1100? i think someone said? people that apply how many are on this forum...</p>
<p>Heh, I was thinking we could start a roster when it's closer to the app deadline, and later see what the admissions rate is for this board.</p>
<p>when RSI looks at ur transcript, do they care if you have B+'s or B's in English or History.</p>
<p>i don't think they do but that's my opinion. One rickoid has B's in English. But then again, he was a math genius.</p>
<p>Hm. Well. My PSAT math/verbal this year is 146, 73 in each of them (though I should've gotten an 80 math <em>bangs head on wall</em>) and I got an 800 on my IIC, although I live in a small town with no real research opportunities and such. Should I even bother applying?</p>
<p>those are fairly impressive scores... apply
i got 147 on M/V (80 on M) and 80W
with no real research opportunities</p>
<p>and i'm applying</p>
<p>Think about it this way: you have more of a chance of getting in if you apply than if you don't :).</p>
<p>I know the answers to my questions are somewhere in this monstrous post, but I don't want to search/look for them.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I've looked at the RSI research papers that have come out and I can barely understand them :(. Does this gauge my abilities in mathematics?</p></li>
<li><p>Is everyone else in RSI genious level, or do they just present a potential to learn?</p></li>
<li><p>Do you pose 3-5 questions for both of your fields or per field? Also, what types of problems should they be? Unsolved and high-level? What about for fields outside of math. For example, I am looking to do code work (crypto)... Should I just talk about interesting ciphers?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Help!</p>
<p>dude, alright, for future reference, NEVER get intimidated by fancy jargon that some of these papers have. The only reason u don't understand the jargon is because you aren't familiar with that area of research. This used to be my first reaction when I read Intel/Siemens papers i was always like W T F? Don't worry, it means nothing. For numbers 2 and 3, i think previous rickoids who attended the program can answer them better than i can.</p>
<ol>
<li>not at all. you should be inspired by it.</li>
<li>"an unbridled curiosity + a fervent passion" that's all you need.</li>
<li>anything your heart wants. there is no right/wrong way to do it. Well I guess wrong would be NOT following the directions, but there's a reason why they leave the questions vague.</li>
</ol>
<p>Do they want me to write two fields or multiple subfields? For example can I list computer science and 2 subfields or do i have to have more fields?</p>
<p>2 subfields should probably okay, but you might want to wait for an alum to answer.</p>
<p>i did 2 fields and 2 subfields for one field.</p>
<p>Did the RSI deadline really get extended or should I send it sometime next week anyway???</p>
<p>Haha they extended it last year too... But yeah if they extend it, feel free to use the extension, but make sure it IS extended. (I sure as heck did)</p>
<p>Wha? Where does it say it's extended?</p>