<p>Ok cool..so SSP would look really good on college apps?</p>
<p>Seriously though. Don't do it to look good. I'm sorry but I can't stand people who do that. It might be a bit hypocritical, but seriously these programs are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunies and the experience in itself is amazing. I would write more but I g2g.</p>
<p>yeah, ssp ojai is doing variable stars (with film!) and near earth asteroids this year.
i don't think socorro's doing the variable stars, though</p>
<p>We did variable stars too last year (ojai) but it was an "after OD" project. I think they're doing it because they really want us to learn to use the takahashi and measure the analog film, but the meade is probably more reliable to use for the OD, especially with the neas (which was another "after OD" project).</p>
<p>Just posting here for future reference, if anyone comes upon this thread:</p>
<p>I'm an SSP alum from Ojai 2006, and was rejected by RSI 2006 with also pretty good stats, if you don't mind me saying so myself (238 PSAT, and a slew of other math/science stuff). Now I'm at MIT, and obviously I've met many others who either did SSP or RSI back in high school.</p>
<p>I agree with a lot of the stuff that classof09 said, but I think it's rather difficult to compare RSI and SSP side by side. SSP is about asteroids (something that you'll probably never study nor do another OD on for the rest of your life - unless become an astronomy major), while RSI is more about individual-oriented research. Moreover, I think you should not do either of these programs just to "look good" for college. Number one, it wouldn't work for RSI, because the admit rate is around 7% (might be harder now! it was around 7% in 2006), and chances are you won't make it just on those grounds. Number two, if you don't truly like science, there's no way you can go through the SSP program since it's so heavily focused on physics and calculus (well not advanced for either - but still, you have to go to lectures and program a lot). </p>
<p>SSP and RSI are both different from programs like CTY or Harvard SSP, however, since SSP and RSI really takes a subject (SSP - astronomy, RSI - something of your choosing) in depth and you do really cool things with it. At CTY and Harvard SSP, I would say what you do is a ton more structured than either SSP and RSI and more "traditional" (something you would find easily in a good high school or university, for example). </p>
<p>However, if you choose to go through the programs, I'm sure you would have an amazing experience. I still connect with my SSP friends (7 from my year at Ojai are now with me at MIT), and it was one AWESOME summer. I learned a lot (programming in Python!) - but learning aside - the things that you do together (going up to the telescopes at 2 in the morning and nearly walking into rattlesnakes, stressing out about measuring the films that we obtained (measuring the films for the OD generally takes anywhere from 5 (our fastest group) to over 40 hours (our slowest group)), and even learning stuff like developing pictures in a dark room!) were definitely some of the best memories I had in high school.</p>
<p>I did something for every summer in high school - and I would say my summer at SSP was the best. I'm sure if you ask the Rickoids (RSI participants) about their summer, they would say the same too.</p>
<p>In short, I would say that if you get into either SSP or RSI, you won't go wrong with either of them, but please, please don't apply just because you want something else to put on your resume. It's not worth it, and (apologies), these two programs are frankly not those "pay-a-bundle-of-money-and-get-something-on-your-application" kind of programs.</p>
<p>But, since "selectivity" gets thrown around on CC a lot, here's the admit rates, if you really care about that. (note, this was 2006, so it may have gotten harder)</p>
<p>RSI: ~7%
SSP: <30%, generally in the twenties.</p>
<p>(sources: RSI from the stats they had when I applied, SSP from asking program staff)</p>
<p>I have to agree with everything Oasis said!</p>
<p>I went to SSP as a sophomore last year, and am in the middle of this year's RSI session now. The most important thing to keep in mind when applying to both programs- statistics aren't going to get you in. The PSAT scores I sent into CEE made me cry when I first got them, since I had taken them with CEE's cutoff score of 220 in mind (and I didn't redeem myself with SAT scores until two weeks before decisions were mailed, so it really couldn't have been a major factor). Sure, you need to be in the top few percentiles for math and science, for both SSP and RSI, because they're both incredibly intense academically, and you need to be able (and much more important, willing) to assimilate a very large amount of information very quickly. So many people apply with the exact same credentials, though; you shouldn't blame either yourself or CEE for not being admitted as a result.</p>
<p>The programs are definitely quite different. SSP has a comparatively limited focus that introduces you to research processes in observational astronomy. You can extrapolate this throughout the physical sciences, though, and the experience of learning that quickly and working through problem sets with your peers, as well as learning how to combine observation with theory with programming is incredibly valuable. And a heck of a lot of fun. It's also neat to be that close to major observing equipment (I was at Socorro, so we were minutes from the VLA). It's fairly small at each campus (only 36 students), and you're clearly there to do astronomy. You're probably not going to discover something amazing that will change modern astrophysics, though, because you're not working to extend theories or to do major research with multimillion dollar equipment. You go to learn how to do science.</p>
<p>At RSI, it's also pretty unlikely that you're going to discover something amazing that will change modern astrophysics. The program lasts for six weeks, but the actual research portion only lasts for four. This is a very, very short amount of time, which you will fully appreciate when someone asks you to have results and a 10-15 page paper at the end. Is it worth the stress and work? That should be the reason that you apply. Like SSP, RSI is about having the opportunity to live and think as a scientist for six weeks and interact with a group of eclectic, eccentric, creative, and incredibly energetic peers with a similar focus. Admissions are a mystery to everyone, and there's no doubt that CEE has to turn down hundreds of fully qualified applicants every year. Because they thrust you into the middle of the research world, though, they are looking for past experience. Not necessarily research (although most people have had some experiences working in labs), but a really fully developed interest in a relatively specific topic. If all of your time is spent doing non-Euclidean vector spaces and you decide that you really, really want to research genetics, they'll probably give the spot to someone who is more familiar with the field and has more experience and a wider knowledge base to draw from. Naturally this is all conjecture- we don't really know what goes on. </p>
<p>Either program offers you an incredible experience. If you have a burning passion for bio, don't go to SSP, because they are a lot of other programs at which you will probably be much happier academically. Feel free to pm me if you have more questions.</p>
<p>Bumping this thread a little because I feel it's a very excellent one, with good comments all around.</p>
<p>I would like to say, though, that I never did Summer Science Program or RSI (I didn't even apply), and here I am at MIT. Don't focus so much on getting into "prestigious" summer programs - focus on doing something you really want to spend your time on during the summer. I did other summer programs instead (two programs at Notre Dame, the Harvard SSP, and Northwestern CTD) and was perfectly happy.</p>
<p>And don't forget to open yourself to new opportunities! Even though I wanted to be an engineer, I still took a humanities course at Harvard SSP because I was interested in the subject. :)</p>
<p>Woulda plan for continuing a previous project help with an application to RSI?</p>
<p>help? the chances of getting into RSI are slim... no matter what you do :P</p>
<p>Well, unless you win the Nobel Prize or something important. lol
Just go out there and have fun. =D</p>
<p>ok ssp was amazing. SSP socorro'08
Like srsly. The ppl there are really smart, and yes it helps with admissions.
But more than that, i really matured and had sooooooo much fun there.
Our group was amazing, but i think we got an intersting group. I don't know who chill rsi is, but ssp is srsly so chill.
I know most ppl say this, but i srsly think our group was the best.
SRSLY there were 6 couples there LOL. 12/35 kids were in relationships there alone, i means shows how much ppl bond at ssp.
WE had 35 cos one girl left after the first week :(</p>
<p>I go to a school that, no matter how smart you are, will only accelerate students in math one year. That means I am going into tenth grade and taking Algebra II. Unless I can skip a year, I have no way of completing Calculus before the summer between junior and senior year. If I cannot find a way to take calculus in junior year, will I have no chance of getting into SSP? I read their website and calculus almost seems like a prerequiste for getting in. I would really like to go as it sounds like a great program, but I worry that I cannot get in because of the calculus. Does anyone know if I would have a chance of getting in without having already taken calculus?</p>
<p>my roommate hasn't taken calc, neither AP physics. He faired it pretty well.</p>
<p>I don't kno about RSI... I applied but got rejected... and I'm not regretting any of it after SSP. SSP is the best summer I've ever had. That should do a lot of explaining on its own.</p>
<p>;-)</p>
<p>seriusly for ssp, i think that the most important thing is to know programming. It woulda saved me a lot of time if i had done some programming before ssp.</p>
<p>lol. yeah. MITdude was my roomy. I didn't take calc or ap physics before I went, although I did take 1st year physics. SSP is really challenging, especially if you don't know calculus, but if you try hard enough, you'll be fine.</p>
<p>Just be yourself and show it in your application.</p>
<p>SSP is an amazing place. It's so chill and relaxed, yet intense at the same time. Who doesn't want them immerse themselves into a great social environment over the summer? </p>
<p>Btw, Ojai > socorro</p>
<p>Also, AP physics and calculus seem pretty simple after SSP b/c you are exposed to all of it (although they do teach it pretty quickly)</p>
<p>uh yo homie, i am thinkin that socorro >>>>>>>>>>>>>> ojai. Thats at least what all the ballers say.</p>
<p>Is it possible for a Soph to be admitted to RSI?</p>
<p>DataBox, only if you're graduating HS a year early, at the end of junior year.</p>
<p>well, there were three soph going to be juniors at my location. Lets just say though that as a soph gonna be a junior, application is much harder.
I am assuming u just started your soph year, and gonna be a junior after this summer?</p>
<p>I was answering the question about RSI accepting sophomores.</p>