Research Science Institute (RSI) 2009

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
101

<p>[EDIT: @ hopeful1992 - no I wasn't actually at SSTP, although I do know quite a few people that were... off the top of my head, M. Tingley comes to mind, if you know him]</p>

<p>following the same format</p>

<p>PSATs (Sophomore): 80 M, 71 CR, 68 W, I'm still waiting for junior year ones though.
SATs: As of Sophomore Year (March I believe) 800M, 800CR, 720W-8Essay</p>

<p>Sophomore APs: Macro (5) , Micro (5) , Comp Sci A (5), and World History (3)
Junior: Physics B, Calc AB, Calc BC, Stat, Comp Sci AB, US Gov, USH, English Lit + Comp</p>

<p>Took Macro + Micro Online
Self Studying Stat, Physics B (basically since IB SL doesn't cover everything in Physics B), Comp Sci AB, Calc BC, US Gov (although I might take a class online just for the heck of it)</p>

<p>mmmm, Full IB courses this year, basically schedule consists of</p>

<p>IB [Physics SL, English, History, Comp Sci SL, Music SL, Spanish SL, Calc SL]
4.00 UW GPA
Something like a 4.58W GPA at the end of this semestre</p>

<p>Extracurriculars and Other Science Stuff:</p>

<p>3rd Place Regional Science Fair Team Project (to be honest, we really should have been first, without a doubt, but that doesn't matter...)</p>

<p>FIRST Robotics, Lead Programmer (3 years)
Participated in InvenTeams, Impact Mozilla
AMC12 Sophomore Year, Upper 80s; should qualify for AIME at least this year</p>

<p>Music (Marching, Jazz, Concert Bands) (3 years in HS)
Clarinet (6 years), All-County (5 years) + All-State Musician
Regional and State FBA Solo and Ensemble Superior Ratings
Alto Jazz (1 year)</p>

<p>Model UN (2 years)
President (1 year)
Distinguished Diplomat Awards, probability of winning regional competition
FHSMUN participant (1 year, so far)</p>

<p>Mu Alpha Theta (3 years)
Consistent Top or Second Scorer in School
Participant in FAMAT, awards at State Competition</p>

<p>Boy Scouts (3 years HS, 5 years overall)
Current: Star Scout (2 ranks before Eagle)
Officer Positions held: Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Scribe, Instructor, soon Assistant Senior Patrol Leader</p>

<p>Random other things, like Chess Club, Spanish Honor Society, and whatnot</p>

<p>I feel at a disadvantage because I have essentially no research experience whatsoever... but Idk. Perhaps I could make a really good science fair that would make up for it this year. Perhaps AIME will assist me as well</p>

102

<p>GPA: 3.85 UW
WGPA: Not sure, my school does it really differently. I've gotten all A's (one B+ in BC Calc) in all honors/AP classes.
PSAT: 75 M 76 W 70 CR (sophomore). Hopefully better this year!
SAT 2: Just took Math2, taking Bio in January</p>

<p>Current courseload:
AP Music Theory
AP Calc BC
AP Spanish Language
AP English Lit
AP US History</p>

<p>Research Experience:
I did a project by myself in ninth grade on the effect of music on hand-eye coordination. Finalist in several regional fairs, won some awards from organizations.</p>

<p>Shortly after that, a professor from an Ivy League university contacted me and offered me a research position with him. I have been working with him since. Last year I did a project on absolute pitch in musicians and music cognition and I was a finalist in the state fair among others.</p>

<p>This year, I'm working with him and an otolaryngologist to look into the physiology of the ear and how humans distinguish certain sounds from others.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Guitar- 6 years. In school jazz band and I have my own jazz band with friends. We have CDs and play live regularly. I also play in a pretty serious rock band (lead guitar/backing vox). I have organized and played in several charity shows and I am a regular volunteer for Incubus's Make Yourself Foundation.
Music Therapy- I volunteer in my local hospital's music therapy program. I firmly believe that music has enough cognitive power that it can make people feel better. I played/taught music. I am also a regular volunteer for the Institute of Music and Neurologic Function in NYC.
Key Notes Club- I am the co-pres/co-founder of my school's Key Notes Club. We play music for community service.
School Paper- Lead News Writer, hopefully next year I'll be one of the Editors in Cheif.
Internet Marketing Club- Launched an environmental website to raise awareness and collect donations, much of which went to the school. Webmaster/Co-President
Math Enrichment Club- Tutor middle-school students in mathematics</p>

<p>Recs from my Honors Alg 2 teacher last year, who saw me improve from a struggling B/B+ to an A+ (98% last semester) and from my science research teacher, who knows me very well.</p>

<p>Hopefully my application conveys that I am passionate about music and that I want to dig deeper into the science behind it, because I really am. Ah, good luck to everyone!</p>

103

<p>will the october psat scores be available before the deadline for rsi?</p>

104

<p>Should I even apply?</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9 UW (School doesn't have W)
PSAT: Waiting for junior results...
ACT: 35 (Soph year)</p>

<p>Soph Courseload: AP Chem, AP US History
Current courseload: AP Econ Micro/Macro, AP Biology, AP German, AP English Lit, AP Music Theory (self study)</p>

<p>ECs:
Piano for 12 years...local - international winnings (nothing to do with science though)
Project LEAD - chairperson
Science Olympiad
Biology Competitions Club
MERIT Student Program - 15 selected students from school to shadow at HFHS
City Youth Council
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Youth Board</p>

<p>Research
Last summer did research at hospital - probably going to pick up again this summer. Has to do with Cardiovascular stuff and pressure sensors.</p>

105

<p>@parent56: Yeah, Oct. PSAT scores will be available for you, since the RSI app is due in early Feb.</p>

<p>@Emiiliye: Give me a good reason you shouldn't apply, you have a good chance just like everyone else.</p>

106

<p>Well, I'm not applying but here's what I looked like on my application last year. Note that I am a math person. My margins were something like 0.25in each side so I could fit my stuff on 3 pages.</p>

<p>The following scores were put on Question 5:
PSAT: 80 M, 68 CR, 66 WR
ACT: 36 M, 34 R, 32 Sci, 31 Eng.
SAT: 750 M, 690 W, 660 CR
SATII Math 2: 800
SATII Chem: 790
SATII USH: 800</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 UW</p>

<p>AP Scores and Yr.: AP Calculus BC (5, 06), AP Statistics (5, 07), AP USH (5, 07), AP Chemistry (5, 07)</p>

<p>Currently (at that time) doing: AP Physics B, AP Biology, AP English Langauge, AP French, AP US Govt, Computer Programming I (Java)</p>

<p>Computer Skill: LaTeX (medium), Java (beginning), Mathematica (beginning)</p>

<p>Previous Research: Combinatorial problem on braid groups, we didn't finish until pretty much a week before I left for RSI, at the time I applied to RSI, I didn't really have any results</p>

<p>Hinted achievements, ecs, etc. in essays (at least the ones I could remember that I put):
2 state math contest 1st place wins
USAMTS Silver medal
AMC 12A and 12B school winner
qualification for AIME every year
took Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
iTest team captain for the state 1st place team
participated in iTest tournament of champions
alluded to MathCounts state wins
Local Math Circle TA
FBLA, CIA (Chemistry in Action), MESA, NHS
2 awards from FBLA
Piano certificate Lvl. 9/10
Sports I do: Tai Chi, badminton, ping-pong, croquet
Other achievements alluded: Geography Bee, We the People, AAA Travel Challenge, and one more I can't remember right now</p>

<p>So yeah I'm pretty sure my essays and recommendations helped a lot, since my accomplishments were rather bland. If you notice I had NO major national competitions, and my scores were all that great either.</p>

<p>I don't think RSI has ethnicity bias, I remember reading on some old RSI thread that Mrs. D hates affirmative action.</p>

<p>@areyoukidding: What rickoid class were you?</p>

107

<p>Hmm, quick question. On the application, it specifies that the ACT minimum math scores should be 33 and reading, 34.</p>

<p>My composite ACT score was a 35. But the breakdown was 36 W, 36 M, 35 S, 31 R (killer reading curve...-1 was a 34 :[) Will this affect my application heavily?</p>

<p>Should I also mention my past research (with the cardiovascular/MEMS project)?</p>

108

<p>computergeek:</p>

<p>I do know Tingley!!</p>

<p>he was a little strange, but nice enough=)....</p>

<p>I have noticed that some of you say taht Rickoids are siemens finalists, but I thought that you had to be a senior to enter that competition....</p>

<p>Am i misinformed?</p>

<p>and to emiiliye:</p>

<p>Of course you should apply. Look at post 106...his/her reading scores weren't up to par with what RSI said they wanted, and he got in.</p>

<p>My major problem with the app is the length constraint. If they wouldn't have said that three pages was the maximum, I think I would hav easily mailed in a 20 page packet of essay responses. I can't fir everything I have to say on three pages!!</p>

<p>One more thing....I noticed that this year's app doesn't ask you to describe 3 interesting probs/questions in your field of study....So are we simply supposed to list ou chosen fields?? with no explanantion???</p>

<p>And in regard to the geographical bias, I used to live in Alaska....I think I would have a waaaayyyy better shot if i still lived there.</p>

<p>This thread has made me feel a little bit better about my chances at RSI. Now I almost feel average in comparison with the rest of the applicant pool, which is a huge stride in confidence.</p>

109

<p>Hopeful, read the application carefully, especially question #2.</p>

110

<p>A question: if i take the ACT this December, will I get the results back in time to send in the RSI application? Hoping to get 36 on math, and 34+ overall..Also, I know the app is due sometime in February, so if I take the AMC 12 this year, will I have time to list/show scores for this year? (hoping to get into AIME) Thanks!</p>

111

<p>i got 2 questions:</p>

<p>1) if I take the SATII in January, is that too late for me to have it matter in RSI applications? I might not be able to do it the December time around so I need to gauge when when I should do that....</p>

<p>2) how important would it be for me to send SATII scores in the first place? I'm pretty sure i can grab 800s in mathII and physics [based on getting a lot of 800s from practice tests]. but nevertheless, would it make a big difference? I do have prior research experience so i guess i fulfill that part, but ill see...</p>

112

<p>Hey you guys...you think my sister (current junior) will get into RSI?
Race: AZN
Location: gaaaah...Southern California</p>

<p>SAT I : 800, 800, 800 (2400)
SAT II: math (800) chem (800)
PSAT: expecting a 238, at least
GPA: 4.0/4.73</p>

<p>APs: Calc AB, Calc BC, Stats, Chem (all 5)
current: Art Hist, USH, Span, Bio
Course at prestigious local university: very hard multivariable calculus/linear algebra </p>

<p>Summer Program: COSMOS...did very well</p>

<p>ECs:
1. science olympiad (capt)
2. math olympiad (president)
3. academic dec (president)
4. race-social justice club (president)
5. Mu Alpha Theta (vice-president)</p>

<p>Awards: many acadec medals, National Chemistry Olympiad qualifier, 2-yr AIME qualifier,
awards from Nat'l Mu Alpha Theta, National Science League (many medals), science olympiad (many many medals)</p>

<p>Research experience:</p>

<p>chemical engineering project: won local fair in category, also won category award state (2nd place chemistry) fair...planning to publish research on membranes
current: doing synthesis of thermoelectric materials for chemistry lab
past research: worked in microbiology lab, won category for local fair
several science fair awards
Intel Young Promising Scholar</p>

<p>As you can see...no ISEF or anything...is it gonna kill her?</p>

113

<p>I'm afraid to comment on the above post -- although I don't understand why someone would troll the RSI forum. </p>

<p>@hopeful: Haha, nice. Yeah, Tingley's one of my best friends. Just a heads up... at our school alone I think we have 4 people applying to RSI. So that should be interesting... (Which means Florida is going to be the bastion of competition this year :\ )</p>

114

<p>Yeah, seriously. Agreed.</p>

115

<p>Can we get a breakdown of location of applicants of this forum?
Just add on to this, and try to organise alphabetically by state:</p>

<p>computergeek173 - Florida</p>

116

<p>gblob- same year as you, ;) i'm on here cause i guess, not to sound sappy or anything, rsi really shaped my life goals... so hey, if I can help some people who're applying out, that's cool.</p>

<p>btw, posting or asking about stats is pretty pointless... rsi isn't too heavily stats-based. they know that 2400 doesn't mean anything other than the fact that you can answer multiple choice questions. it is the essays, extra stuff (Olympiads, prior research, college courses NOT ap's), and the teacher recs that probably matter more. so it's great if you have 800 on all your SAT II's but it's not going to make or break you.</p>

117

<p>gagh i heard that to get into RSI, even if u have a billion internships, u have to do something presitigious with it</p>

118

<p>Are there usually lots of people from Southern California?</p>

119

<p>california is quite well represented, as far as i know</p>

120

<p>
[quote]
I have noticed that some of you say taht Rickoids are siemens finalists, but I thought that you had to be a senior to enter that competition....</p>

<p>Am i misinformed?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It's Intel that you can't enter until senior year.</p>