<p>Wow whoever said we are behind this year was lying. I checked last year's RSI 08 page....they were at like page 8 on their November 30th...were at page 15</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is computer science skills a major factor in getting into RSI?</p>
<p>Also, which standardized test scores should we verify?
How should you verify them? Is xeroxing the sheet that collegeboard mails good enough?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I think computer skills overall depend on what subject you want to go into. For instance, if you want to do CS and your computer skills aren't that great, I would be a little worried. But for instance, if you want to do math, I don't think computer skills will be that important, a lot of the stuff you do with math projects can't be computed with a computer anyways. You'll learn necessary computer skills once you get your project.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure sending a copy of the score report will be good enough. No need to give money to CB, etc. to send RSI an official score report. I don't think RSI has a CEEB code either...</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that colleges and other organizations won't receive lists from this year's PSAT until January or February.</p>
<p>dudes calm down. getting rsi brochures in the mail has nothing to do with whether or not you will get in. lol</p>
<p>What I'm really confused is on the essays. I mean, let's say applicant "X" has done a lot of chemistry research in the past, gotten awards (not ISEF caliber, though), and is thinking about publishing this research. Should the applicant mention this on the essay relating to extracurriculars?
Also, to those that got in, how did you go about writing the essay about your future plans? Do they have to relate to your present research.
Any tip on how to sell yourself to RSI will be appreciated.</p>
<p>The essays seem pretty flexible, so there's room for interpretation. When I did the application, in the future plans section I talked about continuing research in high school, going to college and pursuing a doctorate (in this case astrophysics), and then having a career in academic research. I said explicitly that I wasn't sure what area I would be pursuing research in, but mentioned something like developing models of high-energy systems and exploring the growing intersection of particle physics and astrophysics. I doubt it would hurt you if not you're quite sure what you want to do, as long as you discuss some of the options and show that you're not sure because you're interested in a lot of different things.....not because you're choosing between science and a NASCAR driver. Although that would definitely make your application stick out...</p>
<p>And I talked about junior-year research in the math/science competitions/activities paragraph. Worked in a university astrophysics lab, but on part of a much larger project without the intention of using it for a competition, so I didn't mention awards - I just talked about what a great experience it was and the challenge of learning how to assimilate information and computer skills quickly. :)</p>
<p>Thanks, thestralnerd. Did you get in without ISEF and stuff? Also, did you use a mentor recommendations. My math and science teach wrote me stellar recs in the past, but I don't think the professor I work for at university would write me anything that stellar (although he is an MIt alumni). Do you recommend getting one from him?</p>
<p>dashboard,</p>
<p>I wouldn't recommend getting a rec from an MIT alumnus if it is not going to be a fantastic rec... plenty of kids will have solid recs, and you want the exceptional ones.</p>
<p>the teachers I asked were hs teachers who had known me since seventh grade... they wrote me very long, fat, and heavy letters :D</p>
<p>ugggh essays -_-</p>
<p><em>Sigh</em>Sigh*
With probably about 1000 applicants from the U.S., I think getting in, in the end, is pretty random, unfortunately.
Anyways, are mentor recs okay, even if they are not professors?
I truly envy any RSI alumni. They have witnessed nerd heaven.</p>
<p>lol, very true.</p>
<p>I should probably start seriously working on my application instead of waiting for the perfect one to fall out of heaven... :D haha.</p>
<p>As far as score reports go, is a copy of the score report that we receive okay or do we need to get an official copy from CB. Finally, if we submit SAT scores, should we and do we need to submit PSAT scores - and if we do, is it necessary to submit the most recent?</p>
<p>No ISEF (and I think the subset of the participants in '08 that had already been to ISEF was relatively small). I had SSP (Summer Science Program) as a sophomore, but the other two students who had gone as sophomores weren't accepted, so I don't know how much it counted for. No mentor recommendations either.....the conventional wisdom is to just submit them if they're going to add something way beyond what your teachers might say, and I hadn't been working with the professor long enough for it to really have much more. You'll just have to use judgement on this one - but it's definitely not required in any way. Copies of the score report are fine for the PSAT, and I'm assuming you can submit earlier years - I did, but I had a note explaining that it was because my dad was diagnosed with cancer right before the junior-year ones. But obviously earlier ones aren't any less valid than junior year.</p>
<p>I haven't got my recs from teachers back yet, but if thye happened to be kinda short, would that absolutely kill my chances? </p>
<p>I didn't feel really comfortable telling them how competitive the program is, so i worry that they are just going to "fill out the form."</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>^Wow you guys already picked out ur teachers? I haven't even told my teachers yet..I think I'll go tell them tomorrow, it'll give them approximately a month. You think that'll be ok? Also, how do I send my SAT scores? Do I print out a copy of the scores ? Thanks!</p>
<p>
[quote]
As far as score reports go, is a copy of the score report that we receive okay or do we need to get an official copy from CB. Finally, if we submit SAT scores, should we and do we need to submit PSAT scores - and if we do, is it necessary to submit the most recent?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>RSI currently does not have a CEEB code. They're applying for one, but it hasn't been granted yet. You need to photocopy the front side of your score report -- including that ID number up at the top of the page -- and send it in. They want all your scores.</p>
<p>I know that it says that you should apply for 2 different fields.</p>
<p>But I really want to apply for 2 different math subfields.
Both of these are more applied math.</p>
<p>Should I be a prick and write 2 math fields or write a different field?</p>
<p>In previous years I don't think there was a strict field requirement.</p>
<p>@theproblemchild:</p>
<p>"I know that it says that you should apply for 2 different fields."</p>
<p>And there you have it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
They want all your scores.
[/quote]
If we don't send an official score report, how would they know the difference? And is it stated officially anywhere that all scores should be submitted? Because I don't see what value they could gain from looking at, say, 8th grade SAT or 10th grade PSAT scores.</p>
<p>So the issue on score reports is that copies are accepted, and the only scores they absolutely require is the PSAT. Now if you have SATII, SATI, ACT, AP scores that you would like to send in, it would help your application, but none of these scores are absolutely required. They'll trust that you haven't lied about your scores. Think about the consequences if you did, especially if you got in.</p>
<p>Realize that pretty much everybody who is applying has similar scores to you, everyone is top of the stack in scores, so really scores don't matter as much as demonstrated interest in the field you want to go in. As long as you have decent scores, you're going to be fine in this area. Move on and work on essays.</p>
<p>@theproblemchild:</p>
<p>Unless they changed the application for this year, it should be okay to do math:A and math:B. When I applied, both of my fields were biology and I still got in. Good luck!</p>
<p>And for people stressing about APs and computer experience and whatnot, let me just say that I had taken no AP classes before junior year simply because my school doesn't offer any. I explained that on my application in #6. As for computer experience, I had none at all. I basically thought my chances of getting in were zilch because of the lack of APs and computer experience, but it turned out that I was wrong. :)</p>