i'm rsi 24! ama! :)

I will not answer anything about stats and ecs. i can't chance you based on stats or ecs because i have no authority to do so

i just wanted to make this post to encourage anyone that might be on the fence about applying to rsi to DO IT ANYWAYS.

I nearly didn't apply––I genuinely thought I had no shot whatsoever, I thought applying was going to result in inevitable disappointment. But I got in!! And I never thought I would! Genuinely thought my stats weren't good enough (i'm wet lab bio, and at the time of applying i had never been to isef/never even heard of usabo or participated/won any national/international awards whatsoever lol)

rsi was an unbelievable experience. i can't tell you how grateful and honored i am to have had the privilege to do research amongst some of the most genuinely talented and intelligent people on the planet. the support for students and alumni is INSANE and again, a thousand times, i am so unbelievably grateful to be a part of this network.

APPLY GUYS. ITS WORTH IT. even if you don't make it, TRUST ME when i say that the application materials you make for it (which are hefty i know lol) will serve you SO MUCH for other programs you might be applying to + its amazing for self-reflection which sounds dumb but its true and so helpful

tips:

  1. be earnest in your essays! looking back, i dont even think my essays were that great, but they were very sincere lol and i think maybe that helped me? but again i really dont know
  2. DO NOT JOIN THE RSI HOPEFULS SERVER. don't doomscroll on college confidential or whatever. don't post your stats on chanceme. it will not make you feel good. it will not help at all lol
  3. a frequent question that's come up is about psat/sat scores––you can just submit whichever's higher! (if it helps, i submitted only my sat because i didn't do as well on the psat). afaik the math section is pretty impt and from what ik people usually have perfect or nearly perfect math scores on the psat/sat. but take that with a grain of salt, i have no idea for sure!
  4. a general essay structure that helped me was illustrating how my experiences cultivated my interest in x and y area and what i did to act on that interest, if that makes sense! like a basic structure of exigence of interest --> what i did with that interest --> how it's shaped my future plans

again, please do not ask me about my stats or ecs. i can't chance you on your stats or ecs because i have no authority to do so. just wanted to encourage you all to apply as i truly had the time of my life :)). i wouldnt have applied if someone didnt push me to do it so this is that for you if you need it