<p>I guess I just have wait till my school is finally ready to give them out...groan.</p>
<p>I actually did worse on this year's PSAT then last year because my dad became very seriously ill right before the test. Do you think RSI would mind if I sent in my tenth-grade scores, which are a couple of points away from their minimum values, with a note explaining my situation?</p>
<p>In such a situation, I would imagine that CEE/the RSI admin committee would understand. However, I don't think your PSAT score will have a dramatical effect on your admission. Putting too much emphasis on these numbers may not be a very good idea, for that may detract from the actual substance of RSI (the love of learning, risk-taking, motivation, and sexual promiscuity that is common among all the rickoids). So the moral of the story is: think instead about how you will go about conceiving little ricklets in the future. The self-confidence embedded in that idea alone will take you very very far. =D</p>
<p>shravas:</p>
<p>From a purely logical standpoint, RSI doesn't admit enough people for quotas to make any sense or have any meaning. The largest number of regions for which they could have a quota would be around 50, the total number of participants from the US. The smallest acceptable region would be a state - but the problem is that states vary hugely in size. State populations vary to the extent that a state might not even have 1/50th, 2%, of the US population (like mine, CT), meaning that on a purely random basis, Connecticut, at about 1.1%, would only be represented at RSI just over half the time. The fact that the using the largest permissible region, the state, admits people nondeterministically for the reason I have shown above means that a quota system would actually interfere with the CEE's purpose of admitting the most deserving possible. </p>
<p>Thus I doubt strong quotas exist. 29 states were represented at RSI last year. Whereas I was the only one from Connecticut, there were two girls from the same school, a math and science academy in a mid-Atlantic state. I advise against counting on a quota to either include or exclude you.</p>
<p>I would like to back up hansel. RSI does not have any meaningful quota systems (whether it be at the school, region, or state levels), nor do URM or 1st-gen or low income status have any noticeable effects IMO.</p>
<p>In fact, I would say that RSI is one of the most purely merit-based programs that I have ever encountered.</p>
<p>RSI only uses quotas in the sense that they can't accept a lot of people from competitive states. The invisible limit is probably three or four from one state. I think that NY, NJ, VA, CA... would be more heavily represented if there were absolutely no quotas. It's also unlikely that RSI will ever admit more than two people from one school in one year. But they are not trying to find representatives from every state, so I don't think they will lower requirements if you happen to come from poorly-represented state. I remember a dinner with Mrs. D, the program director, where she basically said outright that she doesn't believe in affirmative action...</p>
<p>It certainly is cool to be "in the know," isn't it? Posting all the inside jokes about RSI lets everyone know you're in the "club." How studly, indeed.</p>
<p>The problem is that an outside reader doesn't necessarily know what's a joke and what's not. So RSI is all about sexual promiscuity? Not when I went. I suppose stuff happened, but the program was really about a chance to do real, open-ended science... There aren't many opportunities to do this in high school, and it would be a shame if someone missed out because his/her overprotective Asian mom got the wrong idea from this thread.</p>
<p>RSI was a big deal for me. It changed my understanding of what science was. It was also the first time very smart adults trusted in my intelligence and judgment. I'd like to think they weren't wrong.</p>
<p>If you have a beef with the program, say so. Otherwise, understand that whatever you say <em>as a Rickoid</em> reflects upon the program and everyone else who attended.</p>
<p>My child is an 11th grader and is going to apply for the RSI. We live in a very competitive state, and I think this makes the application even harder. </p>
<p>good test scores:
GPA 4.0
PSAT 240; SATI: havent not received yet, expected 2350-2400;
SAT II; math and physics; 2*800;
11 APs: took and taking all the math and science Aps; all 5s.</p>
<p>some good awards:
two times USAMO qualifier;
Semifinalist in Physics Olympiad;
semifinalist in siemens competition;</p>
<p>small awards in speech and debate etc;
about 100 hours in community service;
officer in 3 clubs;</p>
<p>Thanks for your input.</p>
<p>Can a person get in without any olympiad awards or science fair awards? Is it possible/ what do you think are the chances?</p>
<p>How many juniors have won awards at ISEF, Siemens, USAPhO, USAChO, USABO, and USAMO? Could a student who has shown passion in science, but may not have conducted significant research or won significant awards actually be admitted?</p>
<p>BTW, I'm not the above poster's child, if that wasn't obvious already.</p>
<p>I'm filling out the application now, but I haven't taken the SAT I since 7th grade (I'm planning to take it in January) or any SAT IIs yet. Should I be concerned that I don't have anything to put down when it asks for those? It seems to be asking for them twice, since it also has spaces on the first page for your scores, adding "if taken" in parentheses. If RSI is anything like SSP, statistics aren't the focus of the application. Is all of this focus on test scores (at least to some degree) unfounded, if you express really enthusiastic and passionate interest/experience in the rest of your application?</p>
<p>It's interesting, because a balance is very difficult to strike between passion for math and science and excellence in standardized test scores.</p>
<p>Because RSI has such a qualified applicant pool and only takes about 50 U.S. students, it can afford to be extremely picky with which students it accepts. It's not necessarily like college admissions where passionate interest can override mediocre test scores. RSI can afford (and usually does) to select the students with both outstanding test scores and passion for math and science.</p>
<p>Mintymojito, can you also look at my post before thestralnerd's?</p>
<p>classof09, I would definitely think that it is possible to be accepted to RSI without any of those awards. However, I am racking my brains trying to think of a U.S. Rickoid that didn't have at least one national-level award or recognition in math, science, and/or research. I suppose this is discouraging, but definitely don't let it stop you from applying. Your chances are only zero if you don't apply.</p>
<p>Classof'09 ...as minty pointed out a majority of rickoids did have exceptional test scores and very impressive accomplishments. That said, the CEE staff are reasonable. They're aware that not everyone has the same opportunities. Even if you haven't made it to a bunch of olympiad camps, you still can demonstrate scientific passion. For someone in your boat especially, I'd really spend your time working on the scientific interest essays. In my opinion, these can make or break your application. Research your interests before writing ... I know I did.</p>
<p>.... and as Minty said IT IS ALWAYS WORTHWHILE TO APPLY!!!</p>
<p>classof09, I didn't have any significant awards until after I had applied to RSI. </p>
<p>I won the state science fair the week before they made decisions, and told them. A classmate also won the fair (I won Physical, he won Life), told them, and didn't get in, but did get in to SSP.</p>
<p>Um just to let you know.. your classmate was also one of my partners at SSP. :)</p>
<p>I wish I could win Life.</p>
<p>Props to DDPSC's advice to research your interests before writing. BS will definitely not work for this application...it's way better to write like you actually know something and convey something scientifically meaningful. I spent a good amount of time researching my topics, and I like to think it made up for my lack of crazy accomplishments in science fairs or olympiads.</p>
<p>Yeah, I was pretty much in the same situation as ghansel. I didn't get my Who's Who letter until a few weeks before RSI decisions came out.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'd really spend your time working on the scientific interest essays. In my opinion, these can make or break your application. Research your interests before writing ... I know I did.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Agreed!</p>
<p>I don't know if they still do, but the staff of RSI used to perform a skit on the admissions process. The skit is supposed to be silly, but I think there are some kernels of truth in it. One of the things they lampoon is the silly stuff that shows up in the application essay. </p>
<p>A couple of years ago, someone I know was on the committee. She's a math person, and she commented on the number of applicants who name-dropped "Goldbach's conjecture," "four color problem," and "Fermat's last theorem" without actually saying anything of substance about them. She also described a couple of essays she really liked: neither of these mentioned a $1M Clay or Faber problem, but both gave a clear indication that the student had actually worked through some of the math and gotten some preliminary results.</p>