<p>Crap - word usage error (Why doesn't CC allow us to edit after 20 mins? My mind operates in quanta so I often have additions to make after 20 mins):</p>
<p>"
Also - they're willing to read recs from students who've already attended the program (this is great because I already do ). So they're willing to read more than necessary. "</p>
<p>"this is great because I already know someone who does"</p>
<hr>
<p>The app asks for "what's the most creative or unusual thing you've ever done?" It's a change from last year's in which the app just asked for a "creative thing." Do you think it would be a good idea if I attached the fact that I persiaded my school to sign up for the AMC 12 on the second testing date - after e-mailing several other schools in the area and volunteering to pay the fee? Or about e-mailing 10 schools in the region to take the PSAT after I found out that my school's PSAT registration was full and that sophomores couldn't take it? It's certainly unusual - but not necessarily so creative. But as for creativity - I can only think of very mundane (and sinister) expressions of creativity, such as impersonating another person via e-mail to gain access to the documents of the cross-examiner during a classroom mock-trial.</p>
<p>ANd now I'm at the point of having to persuade my school ti sign up for the US CHemistry Olympiad.</p>
<ol>
<li>waitlist is different from deferral. i applied in 03 and was guaranteed a spot in '04 (campus of my choice). waitlist is they'll take you IF the people who were accepted decide not to show.</li>
<li>at least at ojai, the cafeteria was great about accomodating vegetarians. the asst. director was vegan and he had no problems with food. from what i remember, there was a vegetarian entree, salad bar, fruit, rice & steamed veggies at every lunch & dinner.</li>
<li>quality of social life is actually pretty good considering that SSP is in the middle of nowhere. you won't have THAT much free time but there's a TA in charge of social activities who plans more than enough stuff to fill your spare hours (especially on the weekend). we had movie nights every saturday, beach trips every wednesday, town trips every sunday, foosball & basketball tournaments, lots of other sports stuff, board/card games, etc.
and of course, a lot of socializing occurs at group study/project sessions too. =)</li>
<li>the phone does cost money. you'll need to bring a cell or a phone card.</li>
<li>considering that the final project is a computer program... yes, comps w/ internet will definitely be available. and you can use them for "non-educational" purposes like email, AIM... even playing online flash games (which a lot of people did). just don't download massive movie files or anything too stupid.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>Personally I would report the results from both rounds of USAMTS and also those from USACO. It can't hurt, and that's the main thing. Kids get in without ever taking calculus or sometimes even pre-calc, so they certainly won't hold your USAMTS results against you. As for the USACO results, that alone would put you at or above the average level of programming experience the SSPers have, so I would definitely mention it a well.</p></li>
<li><p>From what you've said, I don't think that would hamper your experience at SSP too much. Hopefully your teachers don't make too big of a deal about it, but in case they do mention it, you should too. I wouldn't want to leave the readers with a negative impression of your social skills. As for procrastinating, I doubt that will be a big problem. You <em>will</em> get your work done, even if it is at 4AM in the morning. When everyone else is working, it's hard for you not to. Your obsessions don't seem that extreme anyway, so I doubt it'd be an issue.</p></li>
<li><p>As for your response to the "creative or unusual" thing, I guess your persistence in getting your school to get those exams are fine. Shows a bit of initiative. I wouldn't mention the PSAT thing though.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>EDIT: Forgot some stuff from your earlier posts.</p>
<ol>
<li>Yes, vegetarians are well accomodated.</li>
<li>You have daily access to internet. The computer lab is open 24/7.</li>
<li>Calling costs money. You need to either buy a phone card, use your laundry quarters, or use your cellphone.</li>
<li>The social life is amazing. It was my favorite part of the program. Seems like innsayneidiot covered most of it though. At the end, a lot of the girls got really emotional and cried a lot, heh.</li>
<li>As for sophomores, there were about 5 or 6, if I recall correctly. You can't really tell the difference between the sophomores and juniors though, and it rarely comes up for discussion.</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks for the great responses, innsayneidiot and binarystar! :) Looks like there should be no worries there! :D innsayneidiot, why were you guaranteed a spot in '04 instead of being accepted to '03? Did you apply late or go into another summer program? I, as a sophomore, would really like to try for RSI as a junior and this would merit me taking SSP as a sophomore (now obviously, I have a low chance at RSI but there are other summer programs that are open only to juniors as well).</p>
<p>One problem however - is that I'm also applying to a free 6-week summer program at the local university. My chances there are probably lower than my chances at SSP, but if I'm accepted there, then I can't do both and my parents will pressure me into the free program. Oh well - I'll first wait to see if I'm accepted/rejected first.</p>
<p>But there were really kids who got in without taking pre-calc? I thought it was one of the minimum requirements (but now SSP has changed its '05 application to include the words 'or planning to take calculus next year,' instead of 'currently taking 'pre-calculus or calculus'.) Hmm then - so how's the mathematics and physics instruction like? If there are students who haven't even taken calc - then there certainly shouldn't be any complex calculus topics. DOes the instruction focus much more on problem solving and application rather than learning new fancy math topics like Lagrange multipliers and Laplace transformtions?</p>
<p>spherical trigonometry 3
differential calculus 12
integral calculus/series 15
matrices 3
vector calculus 3
numerical methods 3
differential equations 3
classical mechanics 8
celestial mechanics 8
radiation theory 6
electromagnetic theory 5
relativity 3
quantum mechanics 3
atomic physics 6
optics 3
spherical astronomy 3
introductory astronomy 3
observational techniques 3
planetary and space science 3
gravitation 6
stellar astronomy 3
stellar structure/evolution 6
galaxies and cosmology 3
asteroids 3
career counseling 2
photographic techniques 6
computer programming 6
history of astronomy 3
science and society 6</p>
<p>Alrighty - so... If we've learned calculus, will we have to go over review? (reviewing how to take the derivative of let's say sinxcosx or the integral of e^x?). Also, how's the differential equations? Are they as simple as "find the velocity given the initial value and the acceleration" or much different? Still - even if there was review - there still do seem to be quite a few very nice topics that I haven't studied yet.</p>
<p>ANd as for quantum mechanics - I realize that we can't learn Schrodinger's equation at this level - so does it implement some calculus in there or does the instruction correlate with say, chapter X of "THe Elegant Universe"?</p>
<p>hey binarystar, i figured out who you are. know who i am yet?
simfish: yes, you have to listen to all the calc review lectures. after about a week you start learning new stuff, assuming you haven't taken anything higher than calc BC yet. and even if you have, the applications are very astronomy-specific so it's not too boring.
differential equations != differential calculus. d-eq is stuff like partial derivatives (not the same as implicit differentiation), etc. but the concepts are not very hard if you didn't have trouble with single-variable calc.
the prof will teach all the math/physics/astro that goes into the equations you use, but that's mostly for planetary motion and not quantum mech (heck, i don't even remember learning quantum mechanics... but i might have fallen asleep during that part =P) of course, whether you learn the derivations or just memorize the formulas is up to you. =)
every year SSP defers some sophomores that they "auto-admit" into the next year's class. i don't know if it's a space issue or what... but anyway, when i got deferred sophomore year, i went to a math camp instead.</p>
<p>The only quantum mechanics I remember from SSP had to do with quantum pressures and how it applies to nuclear fusion reactions (I think). It wasn't much; with three hours it's pretty tough to learn anything complicated.</p>
<p>As for your other questions, I'd have to agree with innsayneidiot.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info! =) Mm..I suppose I have a high chance of being deferred (considering that my teachers may have some concerns about me adjusting to a residential environment and that SSP just put that question onto the recommendation form). Oh yeah - maybe I should just ask my teachers personally about that section and go over it with them - and if they do raise a concern, then I'll have to mark the section for "concerns for residential life" on my app too since I don't want to be taken as dishonest. </p>
<p>Oh yeah - the lectures really can only be an intro to the stuff at best; or maybe some factor it has in the asteroid determination part. But of course, lectures aren't what SSP is mostly about - the research component is by far the best.</p>
<p>Ok, so I just gave the rec to my science teacher. He did say that he was going to answer "yes" to a question asking about "anti-social behavior," namely, that I ate paper during class and ultimately ran out of class when I was really stressed out. Still, he said that out of his 140 students, he told me that I would be the best of them, since he recognizes my drive. Still, I'm concerned... A "yes" to a question about anti-social behavior. And there could be some questions about deferral too - to giveme time to improve my behavior. I'm not too thrilled about a deferral - since I know of many junior-exclusive programs and if I'm deferred, it's either those or SSP. Maybe I could mention that I'm aiming for SSP this year and a junior-exclusive summer program next year so they'll have some more reservations about deferring me.</p>
<p>Still, he's not disclosing Asperger's Syndrome. My guidance counsoler told me that I didn't really have a choice - but I honestly don't know. I'm going to have to disclose some personality defects - if I can twist it into my favor, they might... admit me.</p>
<p>HOwever it goes, I might as well have the largest application of anyone applying to SSP. I'm thinking about attaching an essay that Im writing for the DuPont Science Essay Challenge - but Bowdon told me that I should probably just attach an e-mail there.</p>
<p>Sophomore
3.98 GPA
SAT I: 1330
PSAT: 213
ACT: 31
SAT IIs: Math IIC: 800, Chemistry: 790, Writng 690
AIME Qualifier
IB Calculus and pre-IB Chemistry, both A's
Advantages: Academically qualified, *<strong><em>ing motivated, *</em></strong>ing passionate
Disadvantages: had to disclose Asperger's because emotional immaturity was mentioned in another rec, Chinese male with no life.
Remarks: Eh, life is hell. If science doesn't want autistic Chinese people with no life, i'll live out my life programming. Unremarkable but like I said, life is nasty, brutish, and short.</p>
<p>hyper, were u a junior or sophomore
if u were a soph, then u still have a great chance next year
if u were a junior, its still not a big deal cuz u can always do something else during summer!</p>