Science on IMMORTAL

So I am playing as venice the other day (Immortal,Epic,8 civ 23 city states).This was my first immortal game by the way. Now in around entering renaissance era I have 230~240 Beakers of science.
Breakup is like 100 something from cities
30 something from rationalism opener and trade routes
another 100 something from scholasticism. (Venice )

No other civ is even allied to more than 2 city states(I made sure of that)
Then how in the name of all that is holy and pious can I be 3rd in LITERACY. (I was not beelining anything pretty symmetric)
Now I know that AI receives decent advantages in immortal but this looked like insurmountable while playing as other civs whose pockets are not deep enough to buy all city states.

So is this normal (because I found overall play much easier had around 100 hammers till renaissance era)?
And could any one be quantitative about "science" advantages for AI on IMMORTAL.


Thanks in Advance

I play marathon only, but from what ive read and watched on Immortal+ you basically have to get your NC up fast, get to Education and staff your University. Plant any GS you get, and make sure to lock down a citizen on them. Do this in all your cities asap. Doing that should start to get you caught up in science.

Keep in mind your defense, like you might want to get CB's before NC if you have nasty neighbors.

Its normal on Immortal to be 10-15% behind tell the above starts to kick in.

Don't forget to grow your pop. Some people say not to staff your universities tell your city pop is at least 10.

You have to send food back to you puppets then they will work scientists in the buildings you bought them.

3rd in science entering renaissance is fine, you won't take the tech lead until industrial on Immortal when playing an SV, and it will be closer to early modern/late industrial with Venice.

Keep in mind also that until you clean up the lower tech tree on your run to plastics you will show lower in the ranking than you really are.