<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>So I have a few questions about applying for RSI, and any help would be greatly appreciated. First, if I’ve taken a college math course, would that go under regular, honors, AP, or IB? Second, should volunteering as a coach for Mathcounts (community service) be mentioned in question 5 (STEM related) or question 6 (non-STEM and community service)? I am wondering since I do have to teach many math concepts. Thanks!</p>
<p>Do we need to submit all test scores, or should we only include the tests that we did well on? Can we use the score choice option when sending an official score report?</p>
<p>Can you do economics research at RSI? I think it said that on the website?</p>
<p>@mayee107: I don’t think it really matters either way for either of your questions. For the second question, I guess I’d lean towards putting it under STEM activities.</p>
<p>@Renasani: The RSI application page does say to include “All scores from nationwide standardized tests” but there’s no way they can really enforce the “all” part. You don’t send the scores online to CEE (you only send paper copies) so I don’t think “score choice” (at least in the official sense – <a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board) really applies.</p>
<p>@sirswish7: There have rarely been economics-related projects in the past, and they seem to relate through economics through a different primary field like math. For example, in 2011 there was a project on supply chain optimization. I don’t know how CEE would view an applicant that applied to research economics, but I would personally advise against it since RSI exists to promote and facilitate science, math, and engineering research.</p>
<p>@Kanyeezy: I’m sorry, I can’t really give meaningful advice there.</p>
<p>Hey guys,
I’m an international student who is applying to rsi 2014.
My school doesn’t follow the US system and so what should I do for the “course level” tick-box section? Is it advisable to leave that section blank and instead submit a supplementary document that lists national exams and school courses taken?
Also, I have zero computer-programming experience (school doesn’t offer…) so should I leave this section blank as well? Did everyone in RSI 2013 have sufficient programming skills? I realize that most applicants and attendees have a solid foundation in CS, but will the admission officers see that my disadvantages come from lack of resources/opportunities?</p>
<p>Thanks for replies in advance!</p>
<p>@sarahsu: The international student application process is different from the domestic (U.S.) student application process, and it usually involves selection through an agency in your home country (i.e., not actually sending an application by mail to CEE). Are you working through such an agency? If you are working through such an agency, it is probably best to contact someone in that agency to answer your question. If you aren’t working through such an agency, you should contact Ms. Maite Ballestero (CEE’s Vice President of Programs) to ask about the application process for your country.</p>
<p>Regarding programming experience, to quote the application: “RSI does not require that you have programming skills; however, you should possess well-developed computer skills to model systems and analyze complex data.” Not everyone at RSI has programming experience. However, I would also encourage you not to let your school’s lack of programming classes to deter you from learning to program – there are a lot of free online resources available to do so.</p>
<p>So I got a 78/79/80 (M/CR/W) on my PSAT- will my 78 on my math hurt my application (as compared to an 80)? I scored 800 on my SAT, 80 on my PSAT last year, and won numerous math competitions statewide, 130.5 on AMC 10.</p>
<p>@ringwraith10 Clearly you have demonstrated competence in math. I doubt that a 78 will hurt your application.</p>
<p>Would not taking the SAT/ACT significantly affect my chances of getting in? Would a score of 231 on the PSAT (71R/80M/80W), SAT II scores, and AP scores be sufficient?</p>
<p>So is a PSAT score below 230 really bad for RSI? I got a 229 (75 CR, 80 M, 74 W). I know statistics may vary, but what were the average stats for participants? Thanks.</p>
<p>Adding on to mayee107, average stats for ACT scores?</p>
<p>Hey, how much are PSAT scores weighted in the decision process? I don’t do too well at standardized testing and received a 170 PSAT score. However, I do have very good grades and I know for a fact that my math teacher from this year and science teacher from 10th grade can write glowing recommendations for me. I’m not too worried about everything else on the application it’s just the test scores that I’m really concerned about. If everything else is excellent, then can they masks my poor PSAT score?</p>
<p>@Panorama No one is certain exactly how strongly they’re weighted, but everything else would, as you said, have to be excellent to outweigh a low score–not that RSI really emphasizes testing or requires testing skills for success or anything, just because the applicant pool is so competitive. Perhaps you could consider explaining this (your score/not doing well with testing) in an essay?</p>
<p>@mayee107 A 229 is not significantly different from a 230, in any case. Your score is fine.</p>
<p>@Renasani No idea–most people I talked to took the SAT, and even then I don’t know what the average stats were.</p>
<p>Hey, does anyone here know how the RSI mentors are chosen? Do they volunteer, or does RSI approach them and ask them to mentor?</p>
<p>Also, what type of people are on the RSI selection committee? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I just got my PSAT scores on Friday, and was disappointed to see that I got a 224 (79 CR, 78 M, 67 W). I also have a 35 on the ACT, but have not taken any other standardized tests. Will these scores be enough to get in? Also, I was wondering, does CEE try to pick the Rickoids by state, or do they just pick the best overall applicants?</p>
<p>@aj2015</p>
<p>The Director of Research Science Institute program ( I don’t want to give his name here) knows the mentors personally, through years of collaboration (i.e. the mentors have typically been mentoring RSI students for years). So yes, every year RSI approaches them and kindly asks them to mentor. And I think they are not paid. </p>
<p>For your second question, some people from the MIT Admissions Committee are involved in the selection of applicants from the United States; for international applicants, agencies in each participating country are involved in the selection of RSI scholars.</p>
<p>Hi guys, I just had three questions about RSI applications.</p>
<p>Firstly, what kind of achievements should be put on the application for essay question #9? I do not have all that many awards/achievements (at all), just some Regional and State Intel Science Fair stuff, a small math tournament win, and acceptance into George A. Jeffrey NanoExplorers at UTD’s Nanotech Institute last year. That adds up to around 5 accomplishments - how do I fill up one - let alone two - pages? There are some other projects I have done/am doing, but I have not yet entered these into competition. I am currently writing a paper for publication, but I doubt that I can use this for anything. </p>
<p>Secondly, can I get a recommendation from a university research professor? I noticed that the site said that a “research supervisor” could write a rec; does the professor count as a supervisor, or can I only get a rec from a grad student who physically looks over my independent work? I have already asked him, my Calculus BC teacher from last year, my grad student research supervisor, and my AP Bio teacher from this year; I don’t know which two I will end up going with yet. I am confident that all will give me great recs, but the professor will definitely have a lot of weight since he is a leader in my fields of interest. I asked all of them a couple of weeks ago, but I doubt that any have actually started yet.</p>
<p>Lastly, for essay question #1, should I treat this almost as two separate essays, or should I show some continuity between both fields? My fields are Biology and Chemistry; subfields are evolutionary biochemistry (i.e. transition from chemicals to life) and organic chemical engineering.</p>
<p>Sorry for anything ignorant; I joined College Confidential just 10 minutes ago.</p>
<p>Tagging on to what SJSF01 said, if I ask a university research professor who happens to be in a different state, does she have to send the recommendation-in-an-envelope to me, or can she just mail it directly to RSI?</p>
<p>So I just got back PSAT scores and am a tiny bit bummed out (to the person who scored 224, imagine how taking this must feel) – does a 201 greatly decrease chances of getting in? Also, if I take the Jan 25th SAT would it be too late to send scores in if I got anything higher than a 2010 (which I probably will; I just had a bad day that day)? Should I even bother?</p>
<p>Just wondering how this whole application dealio works – so say hypothetically I write exceptional, bossin’ essays and have good recs, beautiful extracurriculars along with a 200 or so PSAT, do admissions still read over my application or will it automatically be put into the pile of rejects? (my fingers are crossed that they aren’t) </p>
<p>Much thanks and happy holidays btw</p>
<p>@1starrynite</p>
<p>A previous RSI alum summed up the whole “should I even bother applying since my PSAT score is relatively low” thing pretty well. For the record, I don’t know this person, I just think s/he made some great points.</p>
<p>Post#4 on this thread —> <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/1425208-pondering-mit-rsi.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/1425208-pondering-mit-rsi.html</a></p>
<p>From LuoSciOly:
"I would definitely apply to RSI if I were you. Aside from the application fee (which can be waived if needed), there are no downsides to applying. Even if you get rejected, the time you spent on essays will not be wasted, because you’ll be able to use portions of your essays for other applications, and it’s a great dry run for the college admission process.</p>
<p>Honestly, I doubt that a single low test score alone would preclude your admission to RSI. RSI is not filled with kids who are perfect at everything. Rather, it’s a collection of intellectually diverse, curious young scientists eager to immerse themselves in intense research. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, many Rickoids (including me) applied to RSI fully expecting rejection. The only way to have a 0% chance is to not apply."</p>