<p>Don’t be discouraged if you don’t think you have “really good” math or science extracurriculars or awards when you apply to RSI. I certainly didn’t – I had never taken an Olympiad test, I had never set foot in a laboratory, and I had taken exactly one science AP class/test when I applied. It’s true that a lot of Rickoids have done crazily impressive things, but there are also plenty of Rickoids who have had no research or Olympiad experience at all.</p>
<p>And although it’s true that you should have good test scores and grades to maximize your chances of admission to RSI, applicants with less-than-perfect scores or grades shouldn’t be discouraged either. Plenty of Rickoids had scores or grades that were not perfect or close to perfect.</p>