Danforth Scholarship

<p>How does the process work? I have been nominated by my guidance counselor. What happens next? How many semifinalists are chosen? finalists? Do the semifinalists get any benefits? Thanks</p>

<p>im wondering the same things, my guidance counselor nominated me, then I think they send you an app where you write an essay about leadership stuff… idk though</p>

<p>I don’t remember what numbers are like or where the cutoff for “benefits” would be, but if I remember right there’ll be an application involving 3-4 short essays and other normal application stuff. If you make it beyond that, you go to an on-campus interview with other Danforth applicants. I believe they end up choosing about 4 students who receive full tuition, and 4 students who receive half tuition (for all four years), although I’m not quite sure those numbers are right. I’m thinking it’s between 8 and 16 people who get money in total, though, probably eight. it’s a pretty competitive scholarship.</p>

<p>best of luck!</p>

<p>Don_Quixote - Almost what it is like. The nomination is followed by an application requesting more details. Semi-finalists are notified early next year and invited to Scholars interview weekend (usually the end of March). WashU picks up all expenses for the weekend. Scholars weekend usually also includes Rodriguez and Ervin semi-finalists. Finalists are notified shortly after that. There are usually between 12 to 20 Danforth finalists (depending on the year). Scholarships can be either full or half tuition. Candidates for the Danforth might also want to consider other scholarships (especially the Rodriguez and Ervin - since a larger number of these are offered every year). Info for these and other scholarships is available on the WashU site.</p>

<p>thanks. how many semifinalists are there? and do they get any benefits?</p>

<p>How do you get nominated? Should my S let his GC know of his interest in WashU?</p>

<p>I read somewhere that around 40 students are invited to the interview weekend, and that all of them will be considered Danforth Scholars. The amounts awarded vary, apparently based on the weekend interviews and such. The Danforths live in their own dorm, and it sounds like there are lots of activities for them, whether they get the full tuition award or not.</p>

<p>lima - The nomination comes from the college counseling staff, I think, so your son should definitely express interest. My D’s counselor said she would nominate her. I’m not sure if each school is allowed only one nominee, or if the counselor’s nomination is all that’s needed.</p>

<p>I belive there are 27ish Danforth scholars in the Freshman class this year. It is not a matter of selecting who out of the 40 will be a scholar, but rather who decides to come to WashU out of the 40 finalists.</p>

<p>FauxNom- I do not believe the Danforth scholars live in their own dorm. </p>

<p>There is a dorm named Danforth, but it is unrelated.</p>

<p>I believe that for their freshman year, all the Danforths live in Danforth</p>

<p>I could’ve sworn I knew a Danforth who didn’t.
I could easily be wrong though.</p>

<p>All the Danforths do live in the Danforth dorm their freshman year. Was that person a freshman?</p>

<p>I’m pretty sure a lot of the merit scholarship students end up in their own dorm (the Danforth dorm), including Danforth scholars, Compton, etc. There could very well be Danforth scholars who don’t though, as I doubt WashU would force you if you wanted to save some money on your housing…</p>

<p>All Danforth Scholars live in the Danforth dorm their freshman year. After that they are free to choose where they live.</p>

<p>I will confirm that they all live in Danforth, because I live in Danforth and my roommate is a Danforth scholar. However, it’s not “their own dorm” obviously, Danforth houses like 200 frosh, so they make up a sizable population but there are other people here :)</p>

<p>princessbell - that is a very accurate description.</p>

<p>Each school has a certain number of possible Danforth nominations. My school had one (and I was the only one who wanted it), but I heard from another Danforth that her school had 4 nominations, so it varies. Later (after you are nominated) you will receive the application: 3 essays and some extra info. That is due in early January.</p>

<p>Calls go out around February to notify the semi-finalists for Scholarship weekend in late March. There were almost 40 of us there, and WashU has lots of activities planned where you get to know the other candidates and of course, interviews.</p>

<p>There are, I believe, 24 Danforth freshmen attending WashU this year. We all live in Danforth our first year, all dispersed amongst many other freshmen, and are free to live where we choose thereafter (if you have trouble paying for modern dorms, I’m sure they’ll help you out).</p>

<p>PM me if you have any other specific questions, and good luck with all your apps!.. but come to WashU! I love it here and make sure you visit because that is what makes many students decide that *this *is where they want to be for college :)</p>

<p>The second floor of Danforth is sub-free. Can freshman Danforth Scholars live there?</p>

<p>Yes; they can and do. make sure to request it on your housing selection form. if you don’t get placed on it, but are really intent on living there, call the residential life office and let them know. Keep in mind though that even if you intend on being sub-free, it could (and almost certainly will be) a positive experience to live with others who won’t necessarily make that same choice.</p>