<p>So, any other CCers applying to the Clark Scholars program for summer 2015?</p>
<p>No you’re the only one applying </p>
<p>Wow lemon. I thought we were friends </p>
<p>Fine I’ll apply with you</p>
<p>Hi, everyone! I am a Clark Scholars from last summer (2014). 
It was definitely the best summer I’ve EVER had so I would really recommend anyone interested in great research, great food, great friends, and lots of fun to apply! You not only get to earn a $750 stipend for doing research on any topics ranging from Microbiology to Literature/History, but also a $600 credit for amazing food on campus and a suite-style dorm living experience with 11 other awesome peers from all over the nation (and even the world!). I will probably get busy in the next few weeks over college applications, but feel free to tag me on this post and ask me any questions you might have! 
</p>
<p>I’m applying!</p>
<p>@fairyfantasy congratulations on getting in last year! I have a question for the application. When it says to “describe your primary interest, being very specific,” does that mean we have to write about a specific area we want to research? Like do we have to go in with an idea of what research project we’re going to be doing? For example, I’m potentially interested in doing polisci or human development and family studies, but I’m not entirely sure what research project I’d like to do. Is that going to be a problem and should I think of some topic? Or would it be okay if I just said “I would like to do political science because…”
Also, I’m just curious, what do you think was the part of you app that got you in? As I understand, the acceptance rate is very low, and I’m sure you’re incredibly qualified, so it would be nice to get a little bit of insight into what kind of people they like to accept :)</p>
<p>Thank you very much and good luck on college apps!</p>
<p>@itflew </p>
<p>Your research fields sound really interesting. You should try to think of something a little more specific within your field to write about for your essay, though. For example, I chose Psychology for the field and Alzheimer’s disease for the topic. I didn’t really have to write any specifics about Alzheimer’s disease, just how I was inspired to find out more about it because of my grandpa’s loss of memory and motor controls. (Don’t think of this as the “success” template, though. Not everyone wrote their essays the same way and got in, I am sure.)</p>
<p>I am honestly still in shock over the fact that I got accepted, lol. The application process is pretty holistic and they look at all aspects: Scores, Transcript, EC, Essay, and Recommendations. I’ll say if I have to pinpoint what made me stand out a little then it might have been my strong transcript (nearly all A+s, 7 AP classes at the time, and AP Cal BC in junior year), my kind of poetic personal essay (I realized later on that I totally screwed up the punctuation part by adding in some random commas in the middle of the sentence, though…guess they ignored that part lol), and my English teacher’s recommendation for me (talked about standing up to her and questioning her answer key’s subjectivity, etc. )</p>
<p>You’re welcome and thanks for the luck on college apps. Totally need it with the crapshot college application process is nowadays. </p>
<p>@fairyfantasy
Hi so I was wondering something for the application. It tells you to describe the school and community activities that you participated in. Should I include any awards I’ve received? I was wondering because taking tests don’t really seem like activities to me. If so, what do I put for hours of involvement and dates of involvement?
Thanks :)</p>
<p>@Literallydone
I did include some of the awards I received in the activity form. For example, I put “Cardboard Boat Regatta - 2nd Place” under Activity, “10th grade” for Dates of Involvement, and I left it blank under Hours.
Hope this helps
Btw, I really like your name “Literallydone”. Totally describes how I feel about college essays right now. -.-</p>
<p>@fairyfantasy </p>
<p>Similar to an earlier question, about the research topic, does it have to be a problem? i.e I am going to research how to cure cancer (obviously not that drastic) or can it be something more general like: I am curious about treasury bonds in the financial market?</p>
<p>@Woandering </p>
<p>Nope, it doesn’t have to be a drastic health problem. One of the Clark Scholars from this summer did his research on tweets’ impact on firm performances. </p>
<p>@fairyfantasy </p>
<p>Also for the huge essay about goals, does it have to be unselfish, life goals (I’m gonna help so and so because blah blah) or can it be selfish career goals (im gonna be king of the world)?</p>
<p>@Woandering </p>
<p>._. Hmm. I think it can be anything you want and anything that describes your current state. The goal I conveyed in my essay is pretty much Clark Scholars will help me explore/combine interests (because I have too many). </p>
<p>@fairyfantasy </p>
<p>So I’m planning an essay for another summer program that has a pretty similar question, about my goals. It’s rather career oriented, like what I want to do after college, including what I want to do during high school and college in preparation of my huge goal. Do you think that could work?</p>
<p>On second thought, do you think they’d prefer something more research-oriented? </p>
<p>@Woandering </p>
<p>Well…since I didn’t read all the essays and make the decisions, I wouldn’t know what they “prefer”. I think you should write about the goal you are most passionate about, though, since that will probably turn out a better essay than something you have more trouble writing about</p>
Also a ex-Clark Scholars person here 
whaddup, fairyfantasy.
From what I got from talking to SF and other people who read our apps, their first qualifier/bar was scores & GPA. Then recommendations played a large role in narrowing down the field. When SF called me, he said he was still looking for a mentor actually, so don’t stress about getting ‘the right’ topic to research.
TL, DR: It’s a cool program. Go apply.
Does anyone one if I can still send standardized test scores to the program after the application deadline? I’m taking the January sat and we don’t get our scores back until Feb 12, which is 3 days after the deadline
@hk9928
I sent Dr.SF a screenshot of my Jan scores, so you should be fine. I would ask him, though, in case things changed this year.
Does anyone know whether the program enforces the age requirement strictly? My son is a rising senior. He will be few months short of 17 years (Applicants must be 17 by June 22, 2015)?
Hi @f2000sa
I would recommend you to email Dr. San Francisco, the director of the program, about this question. 
His email: michael.sanfrancisco@ttu.edu