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how prestigious does RSI look on college resume?

By Haruko (Haruko) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 03:07 am: Edit

Well, from the hundreds of replies I've noticed RSI-related posts get (and which I have not read) I'd say it was pretty much up there.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 02:18 pm: Edit

Very.
It guarantees MIT admission (with 4 exceptions in the last 4 years).
About 80% Harvard early acceptance rate.
et cetera, &tc.

By Mochika88 (Mochika88) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 04:37 pm: Edit

its not that rsi is so prestigous (its tough to get into) but the fact that they get a lot of ISEF winners, those isef winners fill in EC's criteria

By Aoe2guy (Aoe2guy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 06:22 pm: Edit

The fact that they do well on competitions makes them prestigious. RSI looks very impressive on a resume even when the person doesn't win or advance in a competition - just experiencing the program and working with those professors implies that you have great capabilities. The prestige isnt only from winning competitions, but from recruiting top professors to instruct from schools like Harvard, Cal tech, MIT..it helps ALOT to have gone to the program, but i doubt there are many people (or anyone) who get(s) into the program because it looks good, most people are genuinely interested.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 06:25 pm: Edit

"recruiting top professors to instruct from schools like Harvard, Cal tech, MIT"
-and Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech.
Really. He's insanely cool.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:43 pm: Edit

i got into RSI 2004, and i really (to the power of infinity) want to attend MIT in the Fall 2005!
How else can i improve my chances at being competitive?

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:44 pm: Edit

lol.
Nghi, attending RSI guarantees you admissions to MIT in 2005. You don't understand - don't even worry about MIT anymore, you are *guaranteed* acceptance, so long as you don't:
a) go to jail
b) shoot somebody
c) flee the country, and
d) not apply to MIT.

Don't sweat it - you'll get the talk from Mrs. D. this summer. Just chill until then. Except in rare cases (and by rare, I mean < 0.5% of the population of RSI alums), MIT accepts RSI alumni right off the bat.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:51 pm: Edit

ahh reaaaaally??
you guys are like genius; i'm nothing in relative to the statistic you guys have. You say that there were 4 exceptions in the last 4 years, and in the 20 years, only 1 hadn't been given acceptance, which brings the number to 5.

The guy who didn't get in did something to •••• off the admin, so I'm wondering what the other 4 did to be denied admission?

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:51 pm: Edit

ahh reaaaaally??
you guys are like genius; i'm nothing in relative to the statistic you guys have. You say that there were 4 exceptions in the last 4 years, and in the 20 years, only 1 hadn't been given acceptance, which brings the number to 5.

The guy who didn't get in did something to p1ss off the admin, so I'm wondering what the other 4 did to be denied admission?

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:55 pm: Edit

lol.
Hrm. Thinking about it, I think my figure may be off... ::mental tally::

It may be closer to two or three in the last 20 years, actually.

Ironically, I was one of those who didn't get in this year. Mine... is a long story, involving hospitalisations and a lot of personal problems that became public problems (let's just say that blogs can be tricky things). You seem very dedicated to going to MIT. You won't have a problem. Just play it by the book.

Like I told you, there will be plenty of admissions talk this summer, with people who are very qualified - much more so than people on this board (despite what the "1000 ways you know..." thread would have you believe). Heck, the admissions committee treats the RSI staff and kids to a dinner and talk one night. And personal interviews whenever we want. If you want to talk to me about it when I'm Nobodying this summer, I'd be cool with that, too.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 09:01 pm: Edit

o no, i'm sorry to hear that! But i'm sure you got into some equally great school, like Harvard. =)

By Bubbloy (Bubbloy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 11:39 pm: Edit

you say RSI gives way to ISEF. if you garner awards at ISEF how's this on MIT app compared to RSI admittance.

By Bubbloy (Bubbloy) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 11:40 pm: Edit

I got a lot of awards at the LISEF and the trip to ISEF, how's that?

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 11:43 pm: Edit

Sigh. Let me repeat this: RSI guarantees admission to MIT. Awards at regional fairs are great - I've been going to my regional, the DVSF (largest and oldest regional fair in the country) since I was in 6th grade - and I've been to ISEF a few times, but RSI admissions = MIT admissions. It's that simple.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 12:01 am: Edit

are there anymore science competition i should be aware of for next yr?

so far i got: INTEL STS, ISEF, Siemends, Davidson Fellows, JSHS.

By Tenniscraze (Tenniscraze) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 06:08 am: Edit

What is the website of RSI?

By Tenniscraze (Tenniscraze) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 08:16 am: Edit

Is it like too late too apply lol

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 10:37 am: Edit

Static - You sound like you've hit the major ones.
Tenniscraze - for the 20th time (literally ;) ), it's http://www.cee.org/rsi/ , and applications were due February 5th or so.

By Allencheng (Allencheng) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 12:04 am: Edit

I wonder why these people who ask can't just Google for "Research Science Institute" =).

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 12:07 am: Edit

Well, those who know, answer, and those who do not know, ask

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 01:03 am: Edit

hey, ecismyhome, which colleges did you get in?

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 01:14 am: Edit

JHU, Duke, Rice, Yale, Washington U, and Allegheny. Still waiting to hear back from Princeton. Waitlisted at Harvard and Stanford.

By Pharaohl97 (Pharaohl97) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 03:52 pm: Edit

Hi, I keep hearing you say that MIT is a safety school for Rickoids. My SAT scores aren't all that high. They are much lower than usual for an RSI student. Do you think that the safety school thing still applies? I mean, the situation just seems a bit different. Other RSI kids get in to MIT, but their SAT is exceptionally high. I am just curious. I really want in, but if I cant get these scores up I feel that the chances are nominal.

Thanks.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 05:01 pm: Edit

It still applies.
Sigh.
Young Rickoids just don't get this Let me state it as a theorem (with a probabilistic proof):
If you are a Rickoid, you are admitted to MIT.

Don't even worry about your SAT scores. Oh man. If I have to say this any more, I'm going to start worrying about the intelligence of this year's RSI class. Seriously, guys. You are in MIT.

Corollary to RSI theorem: If you do something really, really dumb, you won't get into MIT (due to the MIT staff then knowing the whole story and being forewarned by CEE that you're a jackass).

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 05:05 pm: Edit

but Ecismyhome, aren't you a Rickoid who didn't get into MIT? You are a counterexample who proves that your theorem is false.

edit - ah, you've added a corollary. I'm surprised you are such a persuasive RSI booster if you feel like CEE gave you a negative recommendation for MIT.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 05:32 pm: Edit

No. CEE didn't give me a bad recommendation. As a matter of fact, they gave me excellent letters of recommendation. Don't judge until you know all the facts of my particular incidence. Which, I assume, you do not When I added the corollary, I was discussing other (more common) cases in which CEE gave "bad" Rickoids bad recommendations. I had a different, more unique, occurrence.

By Avatar56 (Avatar56) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 06:06 pm: Edit

I'm tempted to ask "what is RSI?"

Now, seriously, I think you guys (and I as well, to some degree) need to stop worrying about how prestigious RSI is, and whether or not RSI=MIT in every case. SAT scores didn't keep you out of RSI. Just look forward to having a great summer, doing some excellent research, and let the rest fall into place, as I'm sure it will for all of us.

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 06:26 pm: Edit

Ecismyhome - no, I wasn't trying to judge at all. Just extrapolating (how's that for an SAT word?) incorrectly from your prior posts. Sorry if I gave a judgemental impression!

BTW - does anyone know when the assignments to either Caltech or MIT will be made? And is there an email list somewhere for the new RSI people?

By Irishgoldenbird (Irishgoldenbird) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 07:30 pm: Edit

To everyone who applied to RSI - I'm on the east coast and I have a friend who is yet to hear from RSI in either an affirm or a rej. so I was wondering when other people recieved their letters of accep./rej. and if she should be worried about not having recieved anything yet - she thought that they were mailed out on the 1st of April - help??

By Irishgoldenbird (Irishgoldenbird) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 07:31 pm: Edit

Oops - West coast - sorry guys - I need sleep

By Allencheng (Allencheng) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 07:37 pm: Edit

Irishgoldenbird:
I received my letter around March 17th. A previous Rickoid, though, had told me that the acceptance letters go out earlier than the rejection letters, but I'm not sure. Keep up hope!

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 07:47 pm: Edit

wow, if you're not getting your notification letter THIS LATE, then i suggest you email matt paschke and ask him what's up. Acceptance letter were mailed out mid march.

By Irishgoldenbird (Irishgoldenbird) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 07:53 pm: Edit

Wow - thanks, I'll let her know - she's spending the weekend in Seattle and hopes that she'll have a response when she gets home - hmm - mid march? Really?? Why did they send it out earlier than expected?

By Peregrine (Peregrine) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:11 pm: Edit

oooo. rsi. this is fancy stuff. btw, there's also a nebulous category called "Alternate," but only a few extrasuperspecial people get that: ie, you don't actually find out till mid-May.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:29 pm: Edit

Ironically, the girl I'm taking to prom is an RSI alt. There are usually 1-5, out of 1000-2000 applicants (i.e., it's harder to be an RSI alternate than a rickoid...)

Shel - Your friend should email CEE at once; All of RSI's rejections, as well as acceptances, were mailed out concurrently in early March. She should know by now.

By Peregrine (Peregrine) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:31 pm: Edit

i already said they were extrasuperspecial.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:33 pm: Edit

In that 'not quite a Rickoid' extra-super-special way ;)

By Peregrine (Peregrine) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:37 pm: Edit

with effort, i believe the term could be "honorary."

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:38 pm: Edit

Oh, now, come on. That's just stretching the truth.

By Peregrine (Peregrine) on Saturday, April 03, 2004 - 09:41 pm: Edit

depends.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 05:52 am: Edit

all the RSI alt are..."special" =)

By Chatterjoy87 (Chatterjoy87) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 11:19 pm: Edit

Really? only 5 alternates? That's neat... I thought that it was sort of a consolation category, like Harvard's waiting list, where you have pretty much no chance of getting in, but can feel good about not getting rejected. I mean, who would pass up RSI!?

By Manyhats (Manyhats) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 11:35 pm: Edit

Texas-are you still interested in talking to fellow RSI students (March post)?
What is your AIM?

By Ali_Liu (Ali_Liu) on Sunday, April 04, 2004 - 11:51 pm: Edit

For RSI, do you have to take the SAT/PSAT?=)

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:03 am: Edit

yea you do. PSAT, but then again, score doesn't matter. It's about potential.


hey i'm wondering if most colleges recognized the selectivity and prestigious of RSI when you put it on your resume.

By Mstee (Mstee) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:10 am: Edit

What would you suggest to current freshman to improve chances of getting into RSI?

By Ali_Liu (Ali_Liu) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:28 am: Edit

How do they tell/ measure potential?

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:48 am: Edit

where do you live?

if you live near a university or a research center, try getting an internship. After the summer internship, keep working there during the school year to show that you're dedicated and passionate about research.

Don't do all of these stuff just to get into RSI, because RSI is the mecca for the hard-cored researchers. Do it because you want to. Don't force yourself in a lab or participate in a project just to get into college.

The artificial effort will emerge in your essay, so do it because you love research, do it because you love the experiment, do it because you enjoy the drive and excitement of putting your conclusion together and presenting it to the public, because that is why i did it.

Good luck!

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:51 am: Edit

they measure potential and capability, in my opinion, through the breadth and depth of your research and how much effort you put into getting where you are.

For me, I've earned everything I got. It wasn't handed to me on a silver plate, all wrapped up in a ribbon. I'm not from a science magnent school or a governor school. My "Horatio Alger" story impressed them.

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:57 am: Edit

Manyhats - my son is accepted. Neither one of us have any particular question, but if there was an email list I figured I'd tell him so he could join and start getting to know people (so far he's been spared my addiction to CC).

By Over30 (Over30) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 01:31 am: Edit

Texas137 - I would like to discuss something with you. My email is in profile. Congratulations to your son on RSI.

By Chatterjoy87 (Chatterjoy87) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 06:01 am: Edit

does anyone have the stats on alternates getting in before? since you seem to know how many there usually are

By Manyhats (Manyhats) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 10:54 am: Edit

Hi Texas137 - No one, to my knowledge, has made an e-mail list. I don't really want my son to give out that info. But many of the RSI students have traded AIMs (AOL Instant Messenger). Through AIMs, my son has been getting to know these students prior to going to RSI. He's actully made two good frinds already. I thought our sons might hit it off both being CS/math. My son is going to research CS/AI. My son's AIM is in his proile. -ManyhatsMom

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 12:16 pm: Edit

Manyhats' Mom - Ahh, I see. I thought maybe there was a CEE sanctioned list through Yahoo Groups or something. My son is on email lists from a couple of activities he has been involved in previously. I'll ask him about posting his AIM (or watching for your son's AIM? Does that work?). He's been a bit resistant to connecting with anyone through CC, because I spend so much time here (the kiss of death). He is doing CS/algorithms or complexity theory. Has your son been involved in math or CS competitions? They may already know each other, at least by name.

By Manyhats (Manyhats) on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 06:57 pm: Edit

Texas137-I doubt they know each other. We're in CA. My son has only done the Putnam Exam.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 09:58 pm: Edit

anyone received anything from RSI since the acceptance packet?

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 10:03 pm: Edit

no.

I called yesterday to ask when the campus assignments would be made and they said a couple of weeks. They have to get the acceptances and then match everyone to the mentors they have before they can tell everyone where they are going.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 - 10:09 pm: Edit

Hey everybody,
Don't be overly concerned about meeting other RSI'ers before the summer - You will have more than plenty of time to get acquainted during the first week(s) of camp, before the research really becomes hectic. Texas and Manyhats, please let your children develop their own relationships, because a lot of what RSI is about is developing the group of excellent young scholars - Not only as academics, but also in a social sense. I didn't make contact with anyone (well, one person, but that's only b/c I knew her through regional science fair) before the summer, and I left knowing everyone thoroughly well. Don't worry about going and not knowing anybody - that's part of the fun of it.

"I called yesterday to ask when the campus assignments would be made and they said a couple of weeks. They have to get the acceptances and then match everyone to the mentors they have before they can tell everyone where they are going."
-Don't worry; CEE has everything under control. Once you're accepted, it's very difficult to get un-accepted from RSI - in fact, I don't think you can be. They'll handle it, and eventually send you a packet with more information about dates, times, and regulations, along with info about your mentor (depending on the availability) and the like. Don't be surprised if your mentor emails you to tell you to read up on something or just to get in contact with you - Mine did last year, and some others' did as well.
The point is, there's no reason to stress out.

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 12:49 am: Edit

I'm sure CEE does have everything under control. Getting "unaccepted" or slipping through the cracks never occured to us. But we're trying to make other summer plans that depend on what the RSI dates are. Some of those plans involve deadlines that are coming up fast. We actually don't care when we find out anything about the mentor or what to pack or who is going to be where (my son is sure to know a few people at either location). We only care about knowing the dates; and mentor-matching was the reason they said it would take another 2 weeks. Even though it's only a week's difference, planning summers at our house is a bit like launching an invasion of a small country, and we frequently have to slice it down to individual days.

By Manyhats (Manyhats) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 12:53 pm: Edit

Un-accepted? What do you mean?

By Mindyzhang (Mindyzhang) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 04:56 pm: Edit

isn`t MIT`s campus a really cold, ugly, unwelcoming place to live?

By Texas137 (Texas137) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 06:02 pm: Edit

> "Un-accepted? What do you mean?"

It doesn't mean anything. Ecismyhome was assuming some anxiety about that from accepted RSI people (plus me) and was reassuring them it doesn't happen. I repeated it only to say that I had no anxiety on that point. All is well with RSI. (although if I don't get dates soon it won't be well elsewhere).

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 06:57 pm: Edit

ahhh i can't wait for RSI 2004

By Manyhats (Manyhats) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 06:58 pm: Edit

I too, am trying to schedule this hectic summer. I know what you mean.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Wednesday, April 07, 2004 - 07:30 pm: Edit

"isn`t MIT`s campus a really cold, ugly, unwelcoming place to live?"
-Only when viewed through the lens of bitterness and rejection ;)

The architecture is kind-of off-putting at first, but it grows on you, and I love it. Miss it, in fact, and am planning to spend a good chunk of the summer there.

By Mindyzhang (Mindyzhang) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 12:37 pm: Edit

well, i`m only 14 so it`s gonna be a while `till i go to college. my parents told me stories about MIT kids who committed suicide because of pressure and lack of emotional support.. scared me a little.

By Ecismyhome (Ecismyhome) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 01:46 pm: Edit

My parents told me stories about knights, astronauts, and dinosaurs.

Your parents sound scary.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 08:41 pm: Edit

HAHAHAHA you're too funny ecismyhome!!

By Perale (Perale) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 10:39 pm: Edit

RSI admits

Were you at the Delaware Valley Science Fair today ?

By Mindyzhang (Mindyzhang) on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 11:42 am: Edit

lol not scary. just asian.
i swear, they know too many HYPMS kids.

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Monday, August 16, 2004 - 10:43 pm: Edit

yes...RSi is prestigious