<p>I believe the envelopes just have to be sealed, don’t worry about it. It would be really shallow if you were rejected for an envelope without a signature.</p>
<p>@RSIuser: Technically the envelopes only have to be sealed, but many teachers sign just to provide evidence that the recommendation was not seen by the student.</p>
<p>@burningflame: Even though sophomores can’t apply this year, I doubt the applicant pool is any less competitive. At any rate, the sophomores would have been the least accomplished applicants, right?</p>
<p>Overnighted my application today with FedEx. (They’re usually pretty reliable.) Best of luck everyone!</p>
<p>Sent app today!!! Also overnighted via FedEx.</p>
<p>So happy to finally be done! XD</p>
<p>@iambenk: Angela’s one of the interns, I believe (unless there are multiple Angelas or she has become a full-time staff member since last year). I know that was probably a rhetorical question, but :)</p>
<p>@burningflame: I guess around 900 applied last year. I don’t think it’s actually any different than last year, unless part of the application that I don’t have access to says “only juniors,” the only requirement I can see is “one year left in high school.” That’s the same as last year I think, there were a couple sophomores but they were skipping their junior year so they still only had one year left.</p>
<p>From what I remember, there were more than 900 applications. I think about 1500, I remember the acceptance rate being about 3%.</p>
<p>no one answering my questions :(</p>
<p>@atomicbaseball: Thanks haha now I can sleep well at night. From all your anecdotes I assume you were a participant last year?</p>
<p>Overall, how many words did you guys have in your essays? I’m not sure if mine are long enough… is more detail better?</p>
<p>I just sent my application today. I’m not going to expect to get in, nor do I think anybody should since this program is for math and science gods only, but good luck to all applicants (:</p>
<p>Yeah I don’t actually remember how many applied last year and I don’t know where my letter that’d have that info went but I’ve seen 900 quoted once or twice. And I want to say it was around 5% acceptance rate, but regardless it was definitely pretty low.</p>
<p>@sadface9: I would answer them but they all seem to be about submitting the application and I can’t really answer those questions. At this point you’re running out of time so just go with whatever seems most reasonable.</p>
<p>@iambenk: Yep! RSI '11</p>
<p>@juniorapp: Detail is not necessarily better. Try and cover all the necessary info of course, but there is value in being concise.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m pretty sure the acceptance rate indeed is around ~5%, so chances are pretty abysmal hahahaha. Good job in getting in! Just wondering, do you remember approximately how many math olympiads were there and how many people wre there who had previous research?</p>
<p>@ChrxswxN: I don’t have a count or anything, but it did seem like basically everyone had one or the other or both. Although I define “previous research” loosely, not just as research done with a professor at a university or what have you. Good luck! Everyone’s chances are pretty abysmal, so don’t worry 
(kidding. It’s hard to predict who, but some of you will get in.)</p>
<p>Alright whew I guess that gives me a sort of breather-ish with respect to the research done with a professor thing. Thanks (:</p>
<p>@ atomicbaseball,
Do you think most people who were accepted had some extraordinary achievement in math/science? My classmate went to ISEF but my SAT scores were slightly higher than his. Does SAT matter beyond cutoff?
+1 NJ!</p>
<p>@college134nj: I’d think ISEF is going to be worth quite a bit more than “slightly higher” SAT scores, all else being equal. I mean, scores are important and all, but they’re not accepting a score, they’re accepting a person. What it seems they’re looking for is legitimate passion for the sciences. “Extraordinary achievements” show that, but so do a lot of other things. SAT scores, not so much.</p>
<p>Thanks for addressing my question! It’s wonderful to have someone reliable to help us in our times of need :D</p>
<p>over 950 submissions, apparently.</p>
<p>I mailed my son’s application via UPS yesterday (sent it overnight).
+1 MN</p>
<p>@ChrxswxN I think probably all but 5 or 10 had previous research experience. Probably about 10-15 USAMO qualifiers, if that’s what you mean?</p>
<p>@college134nj I agree, ISEF definitely means more than a higher SAT score. In fact, I would say most people that got in for research merit went to ISEF.</p>
<p>And now we wait… :D</p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-T959V using CC App</p>