RSI Explained: What is the Research Science Institute?
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a prestigious and highly competitive summer program that offers an unparalleled experience for exceptional high school students passionate about science, mathematics, and research. Hosted by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE), RSI provides participants with an intensive six-week immersion into the world of cutting-edge scientific exploration.
Held at MIT, RSI gathers some of the brightest young minds from around the globe and exposes them to a rigorous curriculum of advanced STEM subjects, hands-on research projects, and engaging lectures by leading experts in various fields. This unique program not only fosters academic growth but also encourages collaboration, innovation, and a deep appreciation for the scientific process. RSI alumni often go on to achieve remarkable success in their academic and professional pursuits, contributing significantly to the scientific community and beyond.
Eligibility to Join RSI
Students who want to apply to RSI must be US Citizens / international students, entering their senior year, and have top PSAT and ACT scores. Students should also have fantastic grades, good teacher recommendation, and a fiery passion for STEM. International students have a different selection process and should contact the office of admissions for more detail.
RSI Application Components
The application for RSI consists of…
Student information
Essay
Teacher Recommendation
Transcript
Test Scores (SAT, PSAT, ACT)
How To Standout in the Application Process
PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN RESEARCH
While this is a great opportunity for building one’s own research project, more students are likely to get accepted if they have some prior experience in research. One organization that you can contact to strengthen your background is Inspirit AI. Inspirit AI offers an AI + X Mentorship 1-on-1 mentorship program where students get to work with professionals from Stanford, MIT, and the Ivy league alumnus to build a project using Artificial Intelligence that satisfies their curiosity.
COMPETE
Organizations like RSI want to see you pursuing your interest in STEM aside from research. One way to show this in an impressive light is to compete in STEM competitions in areas that you are good at. For example, if you are very interested in coding, you can try competing in USACO to show your interest in coding and computer science and make you standout.
GRADES AND TEST SCORES
Before anything, you should build up a stellar transcript through taking challenging AP classes and scoring very high in them. Some classes you should consider taking are AP Calculus BC, AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C, Ap Chemistry, etc. You should also prepare to take the PSAT, SAT, and ACT and score high on this before applying.
TEACHER RECOMMENDATION
Last but not least, teacher recommendations can really help distinguish a person from others. You should build a good relationship with your math and science teachers and let them get to know you. You should also ask for a teacher recommendation around 4 weeks early since it can give them ample time to get it done.
ESSAY
The essay is what shows the readers who you are. At the end of the day, more than a 1000 kids are going to be applying to this program and most of them have perfect grades, stellar test scores and teacher recommendations, and good research background and achievements. Your essay seals the deal. This is what shows you why you would make a good fit for the RSI program. This is where you go into depth about your experiences that have made you fall in love with STEM and your personality characteristics that ensure that you will remain committed to the program.
Overall, the RSI program is a phenomenal opportunity that everyone should apply for to network with others and gain good research skills.
About Inspirit AI
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.
