<p>^ dude thats tight. Brings back all the ole memories</p>
<p>so you don't NEED research to get in SSP right?</p>
<p>wow. well said, asian gangsta. i gotta a fuzzy feeling when i read that, i swar. los tres amigos strike again. (do you know who i am yet?)</p>
<p>y'all don't need research. But some did have it. Its just like admissions for college. they look at your whole thang and see whats up. If they feelin you then its cool.
Research is never needed. I have heard that there are ppl who did not have research who got into rsi. Of course having research will help you. Shows sciene passion or somethin like dat.</p>
<p>This looks like a ridiculous amount of fun? I will definitely be applying, despite my relative lack of experience in the area.</p>
<p>SSp IS strictly astronomy? What is it like anyone whos been there say a little abotu it?</p>
<p>It seems realyl different than RSI and TSAP in the sense that the APP is realy heavy on test scores and stuff huh?</p>
<p>@collegefreak1</p>
<p>SSP is definitely not strictly astronomy!</p>
<p>It melds physics, math, astronomy, and programming altogether. After SSP, I got a much better sense of how all the branches of physical science linked together. </p>
<p>For me, SSP was just as much a process of self discovery and learning in a collaborative environment as it was about academics.</p>
<p>I believe the apps ask for the same test scores. </p>
<p>There are many great, informative posts in the old SSP thread and here
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/436202-summer-science-program-ssp-v-research-science-institute-rsi-2.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/summer-programs/436202-summer-science-program-ssp-v-research-science-institute-rsi-2.html</a> as well.</p>
<p>i need to say something about EC's. I HAD NONE. no research, either. off the top of my head, i can come up with a few people who did nothing. at all.
extracurriculars are big, giant hoaxes. don't do them b/c they'll get you into college. that's pointless. if you're not the type, then, sure, you may not be the type. you might make giant projects on your own, or...oh. i lied. i tutored, and spent a decent amount of time doing that. still, you don't need impressive amounts of research or ec hours or leadership to get in.</p>
<p>same with the essays. i spent 3, count them, 3 hours on my essays, after school, the day before they were due. convey yourself, not what you think they want. you'll be wrong. i remember having a strange amount of fun with them. didn't take them seriously, was a bit more irreverent than i should have been. i didn't save the file, though, so i really don't remember what i talked about.</p>
<p>strictly astronomy? yes and no. we had classes in phys/math/programming, and a couple of practice exercises/psets in everything on every possible sub-topic. sort of. the final application, though, the goal we were working toward was the variable star coordinates and the OD. (correct me if i'm wrong, but socorro didn't do variable stars, did they? psh. film is awesome.) sure, you do a lot astro, but the stuff you learn is pretty universally applicable.</p>
<p>about college admissions. i believe it's a definite advantage at Caltech, but idk if that's b/c ssp kids were awesome already.</p>
<p>where's the other ec basher? Team Just-Shut-Up-And-Pick-One-Already truly is dysfunctional. i love it.</p>
<p>oh oh. fellow ec-basher and I came up with a theory about ssp admissions. this is the official, definite Answer.</p>
<p>SSP accepts INTERESTING people.</p>
<p>10char.</p>
<p>I have to agree with eternallysleepy here. </p>
<p>Though, a room full of people who have done nothing is not very interesting. But maybe I'm just speaking from a butchered existentialist view. Action is good. If some activity interests you, by all means pursue it. </p>
<p>As for essays, convey yourself genuinely. And do take them seriously. That does not preclude having fun. </p>
<p>At Socorro, we didn't do variable stars or film. We did work with light curves of a type IA supernovae. I thought the material was more balanced. There was a good bit of everything. You can't go wrong with either campus.</p>
<p>i wasn't bashing ec's that people are genuinely interested in--those are awesome. i'd say that the most intriguing things about a person are their hobbies and activities. the ones people do for resume-padding, though, not so much.</p>
<p><em>sigh</em> the previous post wasn't too well-thought out. my point was, be an interesting person by being true to yourself. don't pursue things b/c it'll get you in places.</p>
<p>Are the recs really important here? I think my physics teacher will give me a good one, but I doubt my math teacher will (I do all my homework and all, but I tend to be borderline-A in his class and I think he knows I don't bother to study, and I tend to turn my tests/quizzes in way early and I don't check them over -- hence, careless mistakes xD). As far as ECs go, I have a grand total of two that are science-related (both engineering/robotics type, though), one of which I've put a LOT of time into. I'm glad you guys have said we don't need to be the type to load up on clubs, though, because I don't. Haha.</p>
<p>Otherwise, I think my grades are pretty good and I'm rather optimistic about my writing skill... this summer program sounds like an incredible of fun, so hopefully I'll get in and see some of you all there =D</p>
<p>Certainly recs are important, but the process is still holistic. And you don't have to limit yourself to clubs/ECs. Science related or not, I'm sure everything that excites you can be just as interesting! Just talk about what's most important to you. </p>
<p>It was by far the craziest and most interesting summer I've had.</p>
<p>WOOO! Ojai '06 representin'.</p>
<p>I don't get it. People clamor on these boards for RSI (just check out their 150+ page threads) while people seem to know next to nothing about SSP (or always confuse us with Harvard's Summer Program, which is basically a money making scheme). </p>
<p>SSP changed me after one summer. I don't think I'll ever forget those summer nights with the red light in the telescope room, the smell of fixer in the darkroom, and the countless hours we spent measuring our plates with loud music =p </p>
<p>Oh of course. VPython. You can't forget that. (we're the inaugural year for Python!)</p>
<p>ps. potential applicants, apply to ojai. =D socorro got rained out like 4 weeks our year and ended up borrowing some of our measurements =p</p>
<p>do you have to use this year's teachers for ur recs? cuz im thinking that i dont really wanna use a teacher that ive only had for a couple months -__-</p>
<p>and does ur extra rec have to be from a math/sci teacher? and do they fill out that rec form too or is it just a letter?</p>
<p>yeah, it does ask for two current teachers. I emailed the director about the extra rec. In my case, he suggested that I print out another copy of the science teacher recommendation. But on the app, it listed mentors, coach, counselor as possible people. So I'm guessing a letter is fine.</p>
<p>that just seems illogical though. youre asking for recs from teachers whove only known you for a couple months. i mean, my stats and physics teachers are aware of my pwnergeness as a student, but iono how well theyll be able to reflect that in a rec.</p>
<p>any a yall reckon its ok to send in 2 extra letters? lol</p>
<p>yeah, I didn't really like the current teacher thing, but check page 3 of the application. Just get a really stellar 3rd rec.</p>
<p>You also don't have to get a third rec. :) I didn't and I know that most of my friends didn't either. Just throwing that out there. You can be surprised how much teachers can write about you.</p>