alternate
Hmm interesting, the online portal says I was accepted, but I have yet to receive an email
Do y’all know what the chances are for someone who is an alternate? 
:o never mind got into CS research group
what are the chances that I’ll get in (currently an alternate)? does anyone know?
@deblob Where did you find the CS research group info?
My acceptance email linked me to my mentor’s page and I noticed that he was a CS professor!
deblob, can you share your stats?
What do you guys suggest Iowa SSTP or Boston RISE Internship?
GPA: 3.97 unweighted, school doesnt rank or weight GPA but by my own calculations ~4.3-4.4
AP: Self studied[CS(5) Econ(macro, micro both 5) AB(5)] Bio(5) Currently taking 6 APs
ACT : 35
Main Extracurriculars: USACO Gold, 3x AIME
@btw632 @koby392 well last year, I was originally an alternate so that kinda says something. Also, last year I knew 6 kids including me (there may have been more) who were originally alternates but got admitted. I have no idea how long the waitlist is, but it’s all a matter of luck. So they have at least one alternate for each subject area or lab so if someone drops out, they put the alternate in so there is no queue. You just need to hope that someone studying the subject you applied for gives up their spot and you’re at the front for that position
@vxia12371 and other experienced members, Do you know anyone who did Boston RISE Internship and IOWA SSTP? I am debating between these two programs. I am just trying to understand the REAL research work-vs academic exposure to research. Also, does IOWA SSTP leads to formal publication of the research performed towards the end of the program?
@RedMan108 unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who did RISE but I know 2 of my SSTP friends got rejected from there. And it depends on your lab for SSTP about formal publication and whether you really get to do something. I heard that RISE is better if you want to do pre-med because they have more specialized fields, and your experience depends on your lab (like SSTP). I don’t know that much about RISE, but I think SSTP maybe be a little more selective but it’s a little shorter in terms of length. SSTP is also slightly less expensive (well it depends). Overall, I think it really depends on what you’re studying
Thanks @vxia12371 I think the duration is pretty same, Rise if 1/2 week longer (6 weeks vs 51/2 weeks). I like SSTP as they seem to be more selective and research oriented. While BU is equally good, I noticed that their program includes attending classes, sharing a day with practicum students, making a social network, college application strategies etc. Will spend more time reading about these two.
@deblob Hi, does “USACO Gold” mean USACO Gold Division or it means you’ve passed Gold and you are currently in Platinum Division.
@EddieX Im currently in gold, still working on joining the plat boiz
@vxia12371 do you have any suggestions on what to bring(sheets, fan, laundry stuff, toiletries, etc)?
@deblob they actually provide sheets and a blanket for you, which is nice. But you may not think it’s enough so if you get cold easily or something, you could bring more blankets. If you forget to bring toiletries of laundry stuff, there is a CVS nearby and you could also ask people if you could borrow their laundry stuff. But I would definitely suggest you bring your own toiletries and laundry stuff. And I HIGHLY suggest you bring an umbrella or poncho or raincoat or something because I remember I got soaked because there were episodes of sudden rain. If you’re driving there, you can bring more things but there is an air conditioner in the dorm. You should also bring like 2 sets of semi-formal clothes for the last 2 days. We didn’t have a dance or anything but we wore those for the poster presentation. Also, there’s a handbook that also suggests what to bring in case if I haven’t covered everything
@vxia12371 How was the food? Is food included in the fee? Do you get to go out for lunch/dinner?
@RedMan108 the food wasn’t SUPER good but definitely wasn’t bad. I’m a picky eater and I always had something to eat. But if your lab is on the west side of campus, you’d go to Hillcrest for lunch and I think it’s much better (they had soft serve ice cream and food that was slightly better in my opinion). The main dining hall is Burge, and they always had a grill to get burgers and a pasta & pizza section in case if I really had nothing else to eat. They also had a salad bar if you’re vegetarian. There was also a homecooked meal section, Mexican food section, and asian food section. The desserts were good too (I loved their snickerdoodles). Also, on weekends (and sometimes weekdays which was for dinner and only if we had time) a lot of us would go out with our friends to eat, especially on Sunday’s. On Thursday’s, there would be food trucks on the west side of campus and that food was pretty good. And also, food is included in the fee but if you go out you’ll have to pay for that. You can also look at the menus online if you want to know more details haha