<p>I've applied to RSI. For the purpose of conversation, lets say I get in. I've recently secured an opportunity to be a research assistant to a major professor at Yale. I will be doing this throughout 2nd semester, and during senior year, but I'm trying to decide whether or not I would turn down RSI to work over the summer. I'm currently thinking definitely no, but I'm not sure if that is the right move.</p>
<p>I've also applied to Simons and Rockefeller. Lets say I get into those. In that case, I do think I'd do research with the Yale professor before going to Simons or Rockefeller, but again, not sure if it's the right move.</p>
<p>What do y'all think? (P.S: I really want to go to Yale. Like, bad.)</p>
<p>RSI. Everyone I’ve known that has done RSI ended up with a likely letter from Yale, regardless if they actually accomplished anything there. You could certainly have a similar result with the other programs, but that would depend on actually accomplishing something IE discovering something/publishing research and winning science competitions with it.</p>
<p>If you get in, go to RSI! Snipersas is right; I know at least four Rickoids that applied to Yale RD this year that have already gotten likely letters. </p>
<p>As for your other question, the internship at Yale would probably be more helpful to you than the other programs. I mean, Yale doesn’t formally consider demonstrated interest in admissions, but you really do want to maximize your connections especially if you are an otherwise unhooked applicant.</p>
<p>if you’re interested in pursuing Siemens and Intel STS, Yale program is better - longer duration, perhaps more research. You should talk yo your professor about this and see if the project would lend itself to that. </p>
<p>Simons has been phenomenal in that respect as well.</p>
<p>6 wks at RSI is insufficient for any substantive work, especially if it’s biological.</p>
<p>RSI is very prestigious and the kids in that program barely sleep they work so hard. </p>
<p>As for the Yale internship, I guess it depends. You say you will be a research assistant. This can mean a lot of things from cleaning vials and busy work to doing actual research. Is this professor actually going to be a mentor? Will you be working with him one on one? </p>
<p>I don’t know much about the other two programs you mentioned, so I won’t comment on them. I will say that snipersas has it right, it’s not necessarily the program you ultimately choose, it’s what you get out of the experience.</p>
<p>I’d also say go to RSI if you get in. Just getting in will demonstrate that you’re top notch, regardless of the actual research you do there. Second choice would be Simons. That program and the kids that do research at Stony Brook University always do incredibly well at Siemens/Intel. It’s not guaranteed of course, but you’d have an awesome shot at the top science competitions. </p>
<p>As for research with the Yale professor, it depends. Do you live around New Haven/in CT? You could work at Yale during the year and still attend the summer programs. There are tons of kids who casually work in labs at research institutions, but the intensive summer programs are different - especially the very selective ones.</p>
<p>I went to Rockefeller last year so I can weigh in from there. My thinking, see how your yale internship is going. If you are getting something amazing out of it, stick with it (unless you get RSI, I feel like RSI trumps all- its basically a likely letter to MIT). If you are not doing anything good/not getting the kind of experience you want, take another summer internship. Rockefeller at least is more well rounded where you take classes and engage in activities outside of the lab. The projects you do are also more geared so you can complete it during the summer and you make a poster at the end.</p>
<p>Anyways, I am really jealous about your Yale opportunity. Sounds amazing. (Yale is my top choice)</p>
<p>Such is the advantage of RSI. The OP would not need to accomplish anything at RSI for an admissions bonus at Yale - six weeks of cleaning MIT test tubes would merit a likely letter. The other programs likely provide similar research opportunities, but because Yale does not recognize them as an end themselves, a similar admissions boost could only come through a research project sufficient to place at ISEF/make STS finalist - a risky proposition given that a significant element of luck exists in all research, and a high school student is unlikely to complete more then two projects or so in the time allotted.</p>
<p>burningflame, assuming you don’t make it into RSI, I would investigate research prospects for all the programs you’re considering, and (if you really want to go to Yale above all else) pick a lab that will allow you to work on something with:
Implications sufficient for top research awards.
A reasonable chance of success (often times projects experimentally confirming well-established theoretical results are less risky)
from what I have seen, the two critical ingredients of a successful competition project. Then run the tests, and pray you find something interesting (and hit judges that like you).</p>
<p>I went to RSI and am now at Yale. I can confirm that many of the students at RSI were indeed able to substantive research, in biology or any other field. In my year, a majority of the US rickoids were STS semifinalists at least. Like others have mentioned, though, going to RSI in itself is a signaling mechanism. The main advantage, however, is just the fact that it will be the highest concentration of talent you’ll ever see in one place. Most rickoids go on to do incredible things, and as my year graduates from college, we’ve all swept the most desirable jobs, scholarships and graduate schools. </p>
<p>Out of the other two options, it’s more of a toss-up. Going to a program will be good for doing short-term research with direction from people used to mentoring summer-term projects, and it can be nice to have other kids around. </p>
<p>Doing research at Yale would be better if you are interested in doing research that has more potential to be followed-up on. It also demonstrates a commitment to Yale, and you get to know the campus very well. You might be able to get a lot out of it by talking with Yalies there during summer session as well.</p>
<p>I personally think you should look at them and choose based on what YOU LIKE the most. but apparently I’m one of the few people who feels this way. Everyone else on here apparently just bases decisions on what looks good for college. I looked at RSI and fell in love with it, I applied and I’m hoping to get in. I also applied to Simons, and something you should know, it’s a $1000 stipend for going to it. Some of my friends say the only reason I can afford to do things based on what I like is because I seem to be generally good at research (I made JSHS finalist, Siemens Semi-finalist, and Intel ISEF with a comp sci project that I created without any lab or mentor).
But yeah, I would look at them and decide based on what you like. You can always list “accepted to RSI” if you want to get the bonus from it.</p>
<p>Since the question was asked in a specific college’s forum, I answered assuming s/he wanted something related to admissions. However, if you do get accepted to RSI, I highly recommend attending for other reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li>It’ll be the best summer of your life–amazing people, great campus, fun activities</li>
<li>The alumni network will stick with you</li>
<li>The learning opportunities other than research, such as lectures from Nobel Prize winners twice a week</li>
<li>The only thing you can reasonably turn RSI down for is an international olympiad opportunity, and even then it’s 50/50</li>
<li>No stipend can compare to the unlimited spending money you’ll get at RSI</li>
</ol>
<p>Also, if you were accepted to Yale and chose a state school instead, would you write “Accepted to Yale” on top of your resume? It’d just look silly.</p>