<p>Crazy vectors on the first day = very rapid adjustment :)</p>
<p>I also had no physics going into SSP - I often wondered if admissions had made a mistake when I literally could not do anything on a physics problem set without asking for help. But I had programming and calculus experience, so it all worked out in the end :)</p>
<p>Hey, I am really interested in SSP. I am wondering, when do they notify you if you got in or not?</p>
<p>Is it before April 15th?</p>
<p>Because I am also applying to some other summer programs for safeguard, but the other summer programs require me to make a decision by a certain date, like April 16th. I don’t know if I will be able to make a decision then.</p>
<p>Sadahila:</p>
<p>Admissions notifications generally come in three… “waves,” for lack of a better term. It all depends on when you submitted your application. I sent in my app on the last day and received my decision on April 9. If you submit your app sometime in January/early-to-mid February, you should be fine.</p>
<p>And for all those worrying about your academic qualifications… I had 1 semester of calculus, no programming knowledge, no physics knowledge (I got G and g mixed up in the first two weeks), and no astronomy knowledge. Score-wise, I had decent PSATs and SATs, nothing phenomenal. I was the worst student there, but I think everybody feels lost at some point or another in the SSP curriculum. Just think about what special quality/skill/ability/characteristic/trait that you can bring to the table, and let that shine in your application.</p>
<p>Poachedivory:
“Admissions notifications generally come in three… “waves,””. is that ture?</p>
<p>On SSP website it says, “We start evaluating applications on the day after the first-round deadline”. So that means all the applications materials are reviewed after deadline. So I wonder there is any difference of application submitted on January or on the last day of deadline?</p>
<p>Yeah, it’s true. If you can get it in by the second wave, you’re good.</p>
<p>So SSP start its admission before it received all applications in March?</p>
<p>Yeah, otherwise it would probably too hard for them to get it all done by the time the program starts… lol</p>
<p>I took a look at the 2010 application. The questions for the short essays are basically the same as for many college applications (Caltech, MIT, and UCs come to mind). In retrospect, I wish I had spent more time coming up with ideas for those short essays… they’d certainly be handy now during the college application season >.<‘’</p>
<p>Whoa!!! Looking at the 2010 app right now – there are the “world you come from” and “something you do for the pleasure of it” prompts, pretty much exactly like they were on the MIT app, unless I’m hugely mistaken? (Which would be really sad considering I did that app.) I’m pretty sure we didn’t have those prompts last year – something about extracurriculars, and like, goals for the future, or something? I do remember the first short answer question, though. Weird!</p>
<p>Lucky people, just recycle essays from RSI failures lol.</p>
<p>When is the “first round deadline”?</p>
<p>so its better to send the application in asap, right?</p>
<p>isn’t SSP expensive?</p>
<p>in addition to my previous question. I think I will do a chance me.</p>
<p>Junior
Chinese, Female</p>
<p>PSAT: 219 (R: 74. M: 80. W: 65)</p>
<p>I have straight A’s. I am in the International Baccalaureate Program in school, and will most probably acquire the IB Diploma. I am number two in a class of about 450 (and is planning on reclaiming number one). I have straight one hundreds in my math and science classes. Actually, I haven’t had a grade lower than one hundred in any of my classes.</p>
<p>I have won international awards in writing (chinese) and art. I have over 400 service hours and maybe even more by the time I am done with high school. I participates in all kinds of activities in school. I am in Fed Challenge, Knowledge Bowl, Mu Alpha Theta, German Club, Engineering Club, Varsity Band, and Chinese Culture Society.</p>
<p>I am the founder and president of the Chinese Culture Society. I am Fed Challenge Team Captain. I also have many other leadership positions in other places. I am accepted in the TN governor school of science as a sophomore. I studied modern physics there and passed with the highest grade in the class.</p>
<p>I take Taekwondo and plays Piano and Flute. I have been playing piano since 6 and will have a black belt in Taekwondo by I graduate. </p>
<p>Classes:
Theory of Knowledge
IB Music SL (studying HL on my own)
IB Physics HL
IB Math SL
IB History of Americas HL
IB English HL
IB German SL</p>
<p>Past Classes:
Biology Honors
Chemistry Honors
AP Macro
Algebra I Honors
Algebra II Honors
English (all four years)
German (all four years)
Band (all four years)</p>
<p>@nil desperandum</p>
<p>SSP is USD 3 750. However, they offer excellent financial aid if you feel such an expense would pose a difficulty to your family.</p>
<p>@sadahila</p>
<p>I see no problems. Your achievements are clearly exemplary. Why do you want to go to SSP, what do you feel you bring to the table, and how do you show your passion for maths and science? As best I can tell (and I am an alumnus), the answers to these questions are far more important than the number of APs or HLs you’re doing once they see that you’re academically qualified to attend.</p>
<p>It’s really hard to avoid sounding cliche in the essays :(</p>
<p>Plus, there really isnt a place to list ur EC’s (except in that one essay asking what u do for pleasure)</p>
<p>And also, to bump my previous question, When is the “first round deadline”?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Theoretically, submitting early will give you an edge since the readers will not be tired of reading essays yet.</p>
<p>Is it okay if I only send in my PSAT score and not my SAT even if I have taken it? Because my SAT score was epic fail, and if I want a better score I will have to wait till the january one.</p>
<p>I don’t think SSP needed official score reports, just photocopy your PSAT scores in (can anybody verify this?).</p>
<p>@Sadahila
I don’t know you personally, but your classes and ECs are nice. Math SL has a little calculus, so try to show you’ve learned more calculus someway (like say, by taking the AP Calculus AB or BC test). German is pretty neat, and so are your grades. You’re pretty well off, as long as you do what unitofobscurity said.</p>
<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I just found out about this program this year, and it looks extremely interesting. I’d love to be able to attend but I’m not sure I’d fit well (mainly because of my less-than-awesome GPA) since everyone who has attended seems to be exceptionally talented.</p>
<p>Could anyone please chance me? Thanks in advance. </p>
<p>I’m female, Chinese and a junior.</p>
<p>Freshman year: 4.0 first semester, 3.2 (several B’s, in math/science classes) second semester
Classes: H. English, H. Geometry, P.E, Bio, H. Global Studies, Drawing 1-2, French II</p>
<p>Sophomore year: 4.0 first semester, 4.0 second semester
Classes: H. English, AP World History, Chem, French III, H. Pre-Calc, Physics, P.E.</p>
<p>Junior year: 4.5 first semester (with B’s in Bio, Calc BC and US)
Classes: AP English, AP Bio, AP French IV, AP Calc BC, AP Statistics, AP US History</p>
<p>That brings me to about a 3.92 weighted cumulative GPA… but with an upward trend! XD</p>
<p>I’ve taken one AP exam (World History) and received a 5, while I received a 204 on the PSAT. Also taken the SAT (2320) and SAT Math IIc (740, bad I know). I am very interested in math and science (though my grades may not show it), but I feel that I can demonstrate this through my essays… however, would that me enough to make up for those B’s? </p>
<p>Extra Curricular:
Art/Art Club - a really long time… (won several local/county awards)
Mock Trial - 2 years (completed at state last year)
DECA - 1 year (went to state competition)
Museum Volunteer (100+ hours)
Math Team - 2 years
Interact Club - 2 years (30 + hours)
Science Olympiad - 1 year
Badminton (but just a hobby) - 3 years </p>
<p>Thanks again for taking the time to read though this. :]</p>
<p>@unitofobscurity: I am extremely passionate about the program and really, really want to go. I believe I can demonstrate that through my essays. However, does it really what you really talk about in your essays? Can you talk about something other than math and science? For example, I take Taekwondo. I love it. I am a red belt. Can I tell them about that?</p>
<p>@SATstricken: I love your screenname. That is the exact situation I am in right now. lol. Okay, back on topic. I am actually self-studying Math HL at home, on my own. I have always wanted to be engaged in some kind of club or competition; however, most of the competition require the participation of a school team and my school is extremely bad at that.</p>