Last year’s President’s Scholar Finalists were announced around this time last year. Does anyone know when they will be announced this year? Also, if you are notified that you are a finalist, then feel free to post your stats.
Any new anyone?
I emailed a regional admissions officer, she said all of the finalists have already been notified.
Anyone out there asked to interview? The website says selection is in February.
@brosby90 - How were the finalists notified - phone call, email, snail mail, combination? The deadline to apply to SMU and still be considered for Pres Scholarship was Jan 15. Seems fast processing for SMU to have already decided, but I have no idea.
Has anyone been invited to interview for Presidential yet?
I just checked the PS annual calendar and scholarship interviews are not until March 18th. It has been four years but it seems like the invitations came out about one month prior. http://www.smu.edu/Academics/PS/Calendar
All, for notification as finalist for President’s Scholar, please post and be specific on when and how notified (date, FedEx, email, phone call, other, combination) and basic stats (rank, UW GPA, ACT, SAT).
I assume notifications will go out this coming weekend. The wait is almost unbearable.
Hi guys, just got notified by email that I am a PS finalist. However, the email said that I should also have received a letter (which I haven’t yet…assume it’s in the mail). I was accepted late last week (on Friday the 12th) with the Dean’s scholarship so I thought I was out of the running for PS but apparently not. I applied Regular Decision. Basic stats are 4.0 UW & 35 ACT. My comment on the USC thread includes more info 
Also, not to be a downer, but I think if you didn’t get the email at around 4 PM EST today, I don’t think you’ll get invited, just 'cause it looks like the email was sent to all PS finalists. But hey, don’t lose hope (and don’t quote me haha), I wish all y’all the best!
Congrats on the PS finalist and good luck. Can you please post the contents of your PS finalist email.
Sure thing, I’m just using a snippet here, and this might not be what is said in the mail letter, since this is just a followup email:
"Dear All
I hope by now that you have received your acceptance from SMU, along with the letter from President R. Gerald Turner. That letter indicated that, along with your acceptance to SMU, you are also invited to interview for the President’s Scholarship in March.
The President’s Scholarship is a full tuition and fees (for 8 semesters or up to graduation, whichever comes first) scholarship. As a President’s Scholar, you will also receive the Campus Community Award, which pays for room (double occupancy) and board (specific meal plans), as long as you are living on campus. President’s Scholars have access to important alumni networking, lecture series, employment opportunities, and access to a group of dedicated staff and faculty, who care about your success."
And then some stuff about following a link to register and attachments detailing a schedule and FYI about the weekend.
Just a post that because I wrote this up for a question somewhere else and thought it might be helpful!
First, congratulations on your invitation!
Second, breathe and relax. Know that you are going to a weekend where everyone wants you to succeed and shine. Unlike other scholarship weekends, you will not feel pitted against other attendees for a limited number of money slots. SMU doesn’t have a specific number of scholarships, so you don’t spend the weekend feeling as if you are competing against the the other candidates. Instead, think of the others as possible roommates, classmates, and friends. It will help you determine whether SMU is a good fit for you. SMU knows that you have been accepted at other prestigious schools and they are trying to sell you on the SMU PS experience as much as you are trying to sell yourself as scholarship worthy. They are going to work to tell you the story about what they have to offer in the way of a very personal, supportive environment which will offer you some very unique opportunities to succeed and to go on to great job opportunities OR to save money so that you can go on to fantastic grad/med/law schools. SMU delivers on this, they offer you their best and then you have to choose to make it happen and take advantage of what SMU can bring to you. Many PS grads go on to great schools/jobs and you will meet the seniors on scholarship weekend and hear about their impressive post graduation plans. Your weekend is carefully scripted. My daughter’s table partners were always professors and students from her expressed field of interest. The professor who was the leader on her interview team sought her out at the opening reception and had a casual conversation with her, without her even being aware of his intentionality. He, and then later one of her table partner professors, walked her around and introduced her to other professors and students studying in her field of interest. So, when she walked into her interview, she was pleasantly surprised to see familiar faces sitting across from her. You need to help facilitate this by seeking out information at the meals and the reception. You will have plenty of time to socialize with other candidates at the informational sessions on the second day when it is a room full of primarily candidates and parents.
Fill out your pre- scholarship weekend thoughtfully. Your interview will probably be based upon that form. Do not just put down books that seem to be impressive but put topics and books about which you are confidently knowledgeable and, more importantly, passionate. My daughter, at the last minute, included her International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge Project topic. It was about a performer’s controversial Grammy performance which was filled with religious symbolism and was considered by many to be blasphemous. This turned out to be the main discussion of her interview. She said the interview was tough but invigorating. She had to defend opinions, respond to “devil’s advocate” suppositions, and consider new thoughts and either discard or adjust to these thoughts. She loved the conversation but was exhausted afterwards. They want to see HOW you think. So, choose carefully!
Current PS students will be in attendance at various events during the weekend, including at your interview. Take advantage of their insight and opinions. This weekend will not only be about a scholarship, it will be about whether SMU will be the right place for you. Good luck and PONY UP!
Has anyone received their letter in the mail? I received an email but not the letter from President Turner that was referenced in the email.
Congrats for you. Can you say the date of your email, and time it was created?
February 15 at 2:05.
Yesterday my daughter got the same email quoted above that she was selected to interview for the 2017 President’s Scholarship. Bumping this to see if any others on CC are finalists this year.