<p>would it be advisable to get two extra recs though? id want to have two.</p>
<p>I'll probably just submit the two required recs.</p>
<p>Bad idea?</p>
<p>@ bookworm: not a bad idea</p>
<p>Frankly, I'm very nervous about leaving NY for 6 weeks - I've never been apart from my family or away from NY for that long. And I haven't gone anywhere west of Niagara Falls in the US, so going to either CA or NM for 6 weeks is quite nerve-wracking. But I'm loving how the questions we have to answer don't have to be full-fledged essays like that for TASP, haha (also applying to this prog).</p>
<p>^ I would have applied to TASP, but the teachers writing my reqs won't have them back to me in time. I didn't realize that TASP needed a techer req until I went to their thread.... oh well, at least I don't have to write a billion essays....</p>
<p>One of my SSP essays is 301 words - number 3 (something unique about you). Bad!!</p>
<p>Speaking of word count, how important would you guys say it is to stay within the specified number of words?</p>
<p>I guess 300 words is okay for those short answers, but no more than that. I didnt really pay that much attention to word count, but in all, my application took up about two pages. </p>
<p>In tight situations, I go by the 110% rule. People start to notice when youre more than 10% above the word limit. =p</p>
<p>Well, I would say try to abide by the 250 word rule. If not... yeah.. don't try to exceed 300 words. Who knows what might happen then. =O</p>
<p>^The world will implode.</p>
<p>^ that reminds me of Chandler from friends- when he as santa was fighting with ross, the holiday armadillo. Anyway, I should start my essay soon... How long are you guys spending/planning to spend on them?</p>
<p>^I've been writing essays whenever the inspiration strikes. I have the 3 250 word ones done, and just need minor revision. The last one is going to be my problem child :(</p>
<p>^ I haven't done ANYTHING for SSP yet...should start soon..</p>
<p>compared to the brutally long tasp essays, i found these to be almost fun .. they took me a few hours but i finished them all yesterday and managed to stay under 2 pages.</p>
<p>i have a question tho (for anyone) - for #4, writing about the "notable achievement," i was planning on discussing a time when my eng teacher told me i should look into publishing my poetry and i felt honored by that .. but that's not really notable. should i replace that with the time in 9th grade when i won this writing award (given to 1 student in each grade)? both meant a lot to me..</p>
<p>^ I would choose the first one. It's notable with a personal touch.</p>
<p>for anyone who wrote his or her essays:
how much did all of your essays relate to science and math?</p>
<p>is two extra recs excessive?</p>
<p>and when is the ssp app due?</p>
<p>^ yes. Unless the two extra are very, very good and/or from Nobel Prize winners.</p>
<p>Sometime in March. I want to say the 20th, but don't quote me on that :)</p>
<p>fluffy1, thank you! :)</p>
<p>trickysocksman, the deadline for apps is march 21.</p>
<p>thanks you guys.</p>
<p>3/31 postmarked or received?</p>
<p>and do they put heavy emphasis on the recs? ill only send one extra one thatll be great, but as for my current math/sci teachers, they just know i can get 100s on their tests and cant comment much on how much i looooveee science :O. are essays more important?</p>
<p>But there's a priority deadline in Feb, usually exactly a month before the March deadline.</p>