Chances at RSI?

Pre-College Topics Summer Programs
1

<p>I don’t know how I stack up:</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math IC - 770
Math IIC - 770
Bio - 750</p>

<p>as a freshman (retaking math 2 to get an 800 in fall)</p>

<p>Chemistry - 790 as a sophomore</p>

<p>Assume 800 in physics to set a ceiling on my hopes.</p>

<p>PSAT: 139 (out of 160), 74 math, 65 CR as a sophomore
SAT: 720 math, 680 CR, 730 writing as sophomore (retaking in december)</p>

<p>Anything else of significance:</p>

<p>Taken 4 science courses already (Earth Science, Bio, Chem, AP Bio –> distance education, so pretty close to self study)</p>

<p>Taken AP Calc BC as a sophomore, qualified for AIME, part of calculus league</p>

<p>I don’t know how much this will matter either way since it’s middle school but might as well throw it in there: 4th place out of 100 in state Geography Bee (as an 8th grader)</p>

<p>Again, let’s assume 5’s on all AP exams this year to set the ceiling.</p>

<p>Next year: AP Spanish, English lang, US hist, Statistics</p>

<p>I don’t know if ECs really matter, do they?</p>

<p>So please, after hearing what I’ve heard about this program, I’ll be happy with anything besides an outright rejection.</p>

2

<p>There are almost 3,500 posts in this RSI thread. Reading through this will probably answer any questions you might have about admissions to the program. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=101097[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=101097&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>“I don’t know if ECs really matter, do they?”</p>

<p>They’re the most important. Everyone who applies to RSI is pretty much just as good as you are at everything. </p>

<p>I’d say you’re highly unlikely to get in (or, if we were doing college admissions, you’re at a big reach).</p>

<p>MIT: Reach
RSI: Big Reach</p>

<p>Not sure if you know, but I wanted to make it clear how hard it is to get into RSI.</p>

<p>Acceptance rate to RSI is like, what, 1.5%?</p>

4

<p>Higher than that actually. At least for US applicants.</p>

5

<p>It’s about 5%. Somewhere around there.</p>

6

<p>They normally don’t take people with less than 75 in PSAT math or 140(or maybe 145)/160 PSAT total.</p>

7

<p>staticsololiquy had less than 75 PSAT and he got in. He also got the NIH HS grant.</p>

8

<p>Well if ECs are the most important, I didn’t list them yet. Oh well, I’ll aim for another program while awaiting my “imminent” rejection I guess.</p>

9

<p>apparently the acceptance rate for US is something like 8% according to the site? it keeps my hopes up…</p>

10

<p>so, wat are the typical credentials for a RSI participant? someone who has previously posted, please post your Scores, ECs…etc.</p>

11

<p>since RSI seems like the program where bright studnets can LEARN lab/reserach techniques and explore their interests, would it harm you if you already have some sort of lab experience, like from 3 yrs of CTY?</p>

12

<p>There are some people with worse stats than yours who got in this year. However, I think a lot of it may have to do with whether or not your state is under or over represented. Bear in mind that you’re in one of the toughest regions >_></p>

13

<p>Are you serious?</p>

14

<p>Ahhh k-theory, always on the money.</p>

<p>By the way, several mistakes in the first post: Add Physics C, Chem, Env. Sci. to the AP list, and Java, C, and Python in the technical skills section. Also, I’m relating athletics (EC) to science in my essays.</p>

15

<p>I don’t think it’s impossible for you to get in, bloodandiron. You are only a sophomore, you still have some time. The fact you take AP Calc BC as a sophomore is nice. Can you take more math courses? Like multivariate, linear algebra, etc.?</p>

<p>I would try to get a high score on the PSAT your junior year (but don’t be too obsessive with the SAT IIs, etc. cause I don’t think they particularly matter as much as people make them out to), and work really hard in your AP courses—try to get 5s, RSI will see your sophomore scores but not your junior ones—and try for some good sciency/mathy curriculars. The best thing is prob. to do research on your own–it’s not required but it really helps. You get into RSI really by demonstrating a passion for math/science, I think.</p>

16

<p>Oh, I guess I misread your post…you are a junior?</p>

<p>Did you take the AP exams for Bio / Calc? What did you get?</p>

<p>How were you planning to relate atheletics to science in your essays? That sort of sounds iffy, but I dunno…</p>