<p>Is anyone applying this year? The fact that we get paid $750 really makes me want to apply. Does anyone know the acceptance rate?</p>
<p>Here is the link if anyone is interested:
Clark</a> Scholars Program</p>
<p>I believe the rate last year was around 6.7%.</p>
<p>whats the exact number applied vs accepted?</p>
<p>are the recommendations sent separately from the application or together in a package?</p>
<p>Hi, I’m new here, but I wanted to know: can anyone apply? Or just in state students?</p>
<p>^I believe the program is open to even international students. Hence, any rising senior or college freshman can apply.</p>
<p>Oh, great. Do we need to know what we want to research when we go in? Or do we just pick a field and then they stick us in a lab and we do what the professor tells us to do?</p>
<p>How much does your PSAT scores affect the admission process? I got below a 200 on it, so I’m pretty worried about that :|</p>
<p>Hello, 2010 Clarkie here. So let me try to sum it up without rambling too much. Basically, what separated us from other programs is our small size (being an all-expense-paid program is also pretty nice). Being only the 12 of us, we had a /lot/ of independence to basically do whatever we want. I would wake up every day at around 8:30, get breakfast, and go to the lab. I take a 1-hour lunch break and work until 5. Sometimes, I stay later, and the beauty is that you have total control over how long you work in the lab. So during the last few weeks, I actually went back after dinner and worked until midnight. It was definitely a lot of fun to be able to do research in a relaxed yet focused environment. I meet with my mentor frequently to discuss some things, but I basically had a lot of independence over the projects and experiments. And if you did research in math or science, you are certainly welcome to submit it to competitions (last year, I think everyone who applied got Siemens or Intel semifinalist, or both) This year, we had scholars in biology, physics, chemical engineering, physiology, math, neuroscience, education, and history. (!!!)</p>
<p>For the application, just list all of your extracurriculars – format it however you like. As for test scores… I certainly wasn’t the best. At the time I applied, my PSAT barely hit 200 and my SAT was sub-2300. So definitely don’t think of Clark as a program only for people who get 2350+ SAT (we did have a couple of them last year though). Most of us did pretty well at our school (good grades and good ec’s). Also, don’t forget that this program asks for THREE teacher recommendations. Those are very important as well.</p>
<p>But I think the most important part of the application is the narrative, in which you demonstrate your passions in whatever field you’re interested in. You can honestly choose almost any field to research in (just go to the website to look at the different topics past Clarkies worked on). Discuss your field of interest with both specifics and broader statements (there’s no need to pick a specific professor). Bio is a great major to choose because there are a lot of mentors available. Clark has a group of professors look at all the applications to ultimately cut down the number to 12. In your narrative, just talk about what led you to apply to Clark and how being there will help shape your goals or aspirations.</p>
<p>And one last thing to point out: You DO NOT NEED PREVIOUS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE. Only 3 of us last year had prior experience doing research, so it’s not a big criteria. We all need to start somewhere, right?! And don’t think of the 6.7% admit rate as “there’s no way I could get in”. I wasn’t the most amazing applicant – I was rejected by MathCamp and SSP before I got into Clark, so it was definitely a very nice surprise. Spend a lot of time on your essays – it definitely can make a difference!</p>
<p>Anyways, I hope this info helps. Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>Hi…
Please make sure if international students are eligible, so that I can begin working with my app.</p>
<p>@iceui2 thanks for the info. but do you know if recommendations should be separately mailed or together with the application but in a sealed envelope?</p>
<p>@hanaanhashim91: Post #6 is correct.
@momo899: It is recommended that they are together, but it is not a requirement.</p>
<p>Can we send in any supplement materials?</p>
<p>Hey, all! I think I’m interested in applying to be a Clark Scholar, but is it a problem if I don’t have a specific research idea yet? I know what general fields I’m interested in, but not much beyond that.</p>
<p>Are standardized tests required? Has anyone gotten in without having done standardized tests (I am in grade 11 and I spent about 2 months trying to find a school that would let me write the PSAT on their premises without any success)</p>
<p>If you have a very specific topic in mind, would you be able to research exactly what you want to do? Or are you assigned a topic relating to your general desired field? </p>
<p>Also, based on the website/mentors listed, it seems like there haven’t been any projects in my area of interest (materials engineering/electrochemistry). are there other mentors besides those listed on the website that participate in the program?</p>
<p>Oh wow!</p>
<p>Hey guys-- I was one of the 2010 Clark Scholars, so if you have any questions or need any advice about your applications, please let me know. I love to help :D</p>
<p>I’m sure the other Clark kids will pop in here too 
We were meaning to start a board, but I guess we all got so swamped we kinda forgot…</p>
<p>… Oh well, here now, at your service!</p>
<p>EDIT: Oh, I didn’t see that another Clarkie has already posted. Oh well, we’re both here for you!</p>
<p>And to answer some questions that have already come up–</p>
<p>@fudginess: I actually do not know, but if you have questions about that sort of thing, I would definitely email Ms. Lynda Durham-- she does a lot of work with putting together the pieces of the application and would be able to give you a definitive answer. (My guess is that it depends on the type of the supplementary material/why you want to send it.)</p>
<p>@jordijay23: I was in a similar boat. I was juggling between education, theater, chemistry, actually. I wrote one essay about education, the other about chemistry, and I think a third one about theater just for kicks. As long as they’re all subjects you are passionate about-- I don’t see why you can’t indicate interests! I ended up doing education because they had a very good mentor available for that.</p>
<p>Which brings me to the other part of your question. You do not need to have a specific research project/idea in mind. If you are accepted into the program, Ms. Durham will put you in contact with your mentor and you can figure out the details there. Maybe your mentor has a project they want you to tag along on, or maybe you have an idea, or maybe you can meet halfway. The lovely thing about Clark is that it is what you make it.</p>
<p>@MathRules: Another great question for Ms. Durham, but I am going to take a stab out there and say that if it’s possible to send scores. Now you said you haven’t taken the PSAT because schools won’t let you take it, but since you’re in Grade 11, it might be time to take the ACT and/or SAT? </p>
<p>That being said, none of us really got in on test scores alone-- but also none of us got in without test scores either.</p>
<p>I’d ask Ms. Durham on that one too.</p>
<p>^ Thanks for the text, gregariously. Merry Christmas to you too!</p>
<p>Anyways, back on topic. @ichimatsu: I actually worked in materials engineering, while another Clarkie did a project in electrochemistry (both fall in the general field of Chemical Engineering). On my application, I put biological science as my number one choice. But I ended up working in biochemical/materials engineering, and I probably couldn’t have asked for a better project.</p>
<p>Also, a lot of the professors actually read your application. So you definitely want to be pretty specific in your research topics. If you have only have a general field of interest in your mind, just imagine yourself doing research in a specific area and expand on that.</p>
<p>And if you haven’t taken the SAT yet, you should just do it in January or February. You don’t want to be put at a disadvantage if you don’t have a test score. Like I said before, you don’t need an amazing score to get in. But you do have to present your best self in the application.</p>
<p>@gregariously
Awesome, thank you for the help! I’ll try to come up with a few specific topics in each field that interest me.
That said, I’m completing the application online, and I believe on top of the space they give us to complete the narrative it says, “please limit your statement to this page,” implying that they’re only asking for one narrative. Is this different than it has been in previous years?</p>
<p>@jordijay23
Oops! I should’ve been more clear. Let me try again:</p>
<p>I wrote three short paragraphs for my “academic interests” portion of my application (Part B, I believe?) For the narrative (Part C?), I wrote one essay that-- upon reflection-- really did not speak much about my academic interests at all, as much as it was an introduction to me as a person. </p>
<p>FOR THE RECORD I am not recommending this route (nor am I discouraging it). I’m sure past Clarkies can chime in here and say how your narrative should reflect your academic interests and yada-yada-- All I’m saying is that this worked for me.</p>