<p>Agreed. If you let the cat-out-of-the-bag, don’t try to put it back in – you’re likely to get scratched!</p>
<p>It’s one thing to want to get your PR dollars worth by releasing your winners a specific day and time, but the tacky “fingers crossed” email is unforgivable, and the rejection email should have been sent some time ago - when decision were made, or at the very least the day BEFORE the winners were posted. It was as if they wanted to put salt on the wound. Gee, I didn’t make it? You think? Maybe I didn’t cross my fingers hard enough! </p>
<p>They definitely need to “Do Something” about their procedure.</p>
<p>The email in all honesty doesn’t seem to suggest anything. It’s generic and seems very legal. Reading the instructions, it specifically said that only semifinalists would get interviews. And that only winners would have to submit ID information. On these grounds, keeping hopes is a tad unrealistic. Also, this was the first time doing this scholarship program, so having issues is almost a given.</p>
<p>On a positive note, Best of luck to all of you. You seem like amazing people, and I hope the best for you all in your future. A scholarship doesn’t define you. Only you define yourself. :)</p>
<p>“The email in all honesty doesn’t seem to suggest anything”
A $20,000 SCHOLARSHIP COULD BE YOURS! Fingers crossed!</p>
<p>I think that speaks for itself.</p>
<p>“keeping hopes is a tad unrealistic”</p>
<p>Precisely – why send the email then? Why not a simple click here to see the winners instead of telling 10,000 applicants to keep their fingers crossed? My hopes were realistic – as soon as the “I got called”, a “friend got called” posts popped up, I moved on, and then the email came and I could not help but feel offended.</p>
<p>Have to agree with @aya on this one. Couldn’t believe the “fingers crossed” line, as my D knew someone who had been interviewed 2 months earlier. Hopefully, Footlocker will do better next year.</p>
<p>There is an article in a local paper today regarding one of the 20 award winners. His credentials are listed as:</p>
<p>-U.S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team (one of 10 members)
-National Merit Finalist
-Special Olympics coach (for over 5 years)
-Area All-State Orchestra
-Co-Producer of annual benefit that helps make figure skating accessible to underprivileged children
-U Penn Book Award
-Bausch & Lomb Award (excellence in science)
-Co-Founder of group that collects used instruments for donation to schools
-Lead role in school play</p>
<p>The article likely doesn’t list everything, but I post this in the event it helps future applicants.</p>
<p>I sent an email soon after I made the post and received and email back saying to stay tuned because finalists will be announced soon -_____- I guess they didn’t understand that I was asking about if we are going to hear back at all =/ Because they were supposed to contact people for the Skype Interviews in January…but I’ve heard absolutely nothing =/</p>
<p>Hey party people! So I sent footlocker the following email:</p>
<p>“Hi, I applied to the 2013 Footlocker scholarship but I was not contacted in January about an interview. In fact I have received no notification about my status so far. Does this mean I did not advance in the competition?”</p>
<p>and they responded with this extremely helpful and insightful response…</p>
<p>“We’ll be notifying all applicants in mid-March with the results. Hold tight till then! Thanks, Ellie”</p>
<p>That really cleared the waters! I don’t know why they aren’t being very forthcoming about the whole procedure, but since I wasn’t contacted for an interview already I think it’s safe to assume I didn’t advance.</p>
<p>If we haven’t been contacted for an interview, should we just assume we aren’t finalist. I feel that the scholarship should have notified candidates if they didn’t move on.</p>
<p>They didn’t notify the kids who didn’t make it until mid April last year. If you are not contacted by now that means you are not among the semifinalist or finalist.</p>