Does the parent recommendation count that much? my parents don’t know English that well so the recommendation is going to be pretty bad…
Hi StressedandDepressed, I wrote my daughters recommendation and spent time figuring out how much it weighed into their selection. What they need to know from your parents is that you have their support applying to the program. There are always going to be kids who don’t tell their parents or guardians that they are applying and you need their signatures to attend. Don’t fret this part of the application, it will not count against you unless they are not supportive. To the extent that they can say why this program is good for you and your goals that would strengthen your application. What I’m trying to say is that their letter can only help you. My daughter edited my parent letter… She did not change anything said but because she is a grammar fanatic she made corrections so that it flowed better. You can help your parents get their point across. My daughter was in China last summer, it is a fabulous program.
@gmwilson
Hi! I applied last year for Russian Summer as well. I got into the Semi-Finalist stage, but no farther than that. I don’t think you should worry too much about not becoming a semi-finalist. I mean think about the sheer number of people that apply to these programs, plus that number goes up each year, so I’m sure they have to turn away some highly qualified people. Don’t get down in the dumps about what happened last year, it can only go up from here :). Just spend some extra time with your application this year making sure it fully emphasizes who you are as a person, and why the NSLI-Y Russian program will be helpful to your future plans.
@StressedandDepressed It seems that the parent recommendation is not the make it or break it part for your application. The biggest parts are definitely the essays and interview. So do not worry about your Parents English language skills!
Which of the three essays (including the letter) do you guys think is the most important, or are they all about equal?
Hello! I’m Lara and I’m a freshman applying for Korean Summer and Chinese Summer! I mainly just want to get into the Korean program, so Chinese is just a backup I’m also interested in. Some things I worry about is the fact that because I’m a freshman, I would have a lesser chance of getting chosen in comparison to the older applicants and that my essays won’t truly reflect and capture the amount of passion I have for learning Korean 
Does anyone have any experience as a freshman in NSLI-Y? And what are some tips to make a great essay?
Hi everyone! I’m a senior (lol wish I had found out about NSLI-Y earlier) applying for Chinese and Korean Summer. In the essay where you have to talk about why you chose these languages, it says to focus on your first preference (mine’s Chinese). Should I still mention why I’m interested in studying Korean?
Also any essay tips would be appreciated. Are essays generally supposed to be narrative-like or straightforward?
Thank you and good luck to everyone else applying!
PS Anyone see the webinar for crafting a successful application? I missed them, can anyone give me a rundown on what their advice was?
I have a few screenshots from the first webinar, I can send them to you if you’d like @DueTomorrow
@northeastgirl24 That’ll be awesome, thank you so much!
@northeastgirl24 Can you please send me them too? I don’t get out of school until 4:10 central time and couldn’t get to a computer in time to catch any of the webinars.
@northeastgirl24
Haha ditto to what everyone else said, would you be able to send them to me?
Hey guys! I’m a senior applying for Chinese and Korean summer program. Does anyone know more about what the process is like/how selective it is?
Also is it okay if you don’t have experience with the language? Where I’m from there is no opportunity to learn Chinese.
It’s definitely okay if you don’t have experience with the language. Most schools (at least where I’m from) don’t offer any of the NSLI-Y languages. I’d say it helps to have language experience of some kind, but it’s not required. I’ve heard the acceptance rate into the program is about 15%-18%. Someone else can check me on that. I’m in the same situation as you. I’m a senior applying for Chinese summer as my first preference and Korean summer as my second choice. Good luck to everyone!
Good luck to you @saxophonewizard ! I really hope I get it because this is my last chance 
I have a lot of experience with Spanish but it wasn’t offered…
Anyone else notice that the student app is due 10.27 and the parent recommendation is due 11.10 so should I, the parent, rush it and get my part in by 10.27? DH18 is applying for Chinese
@pineapple86
You and I literally have the same story! I’m in Spanish 6. I hope we both get in. It would be really cool to meet you!
@3scoutsmom
As the parent, since your recommendation isn’t due until Nov. 10th, you don’t have to rush to make the student application deadline. In my opinion, it would be better to take your time and write a really thoughtful recommendation. Best of luck!
@3scoutsmom, have a look through the entire parent section before you start writing. Before I got the email with the link to the parent info section, I wrote a beautiful, thoughtful essay. Once I saw the very specific issues that they ask the parents to address, I had to scrap most of my work and start over.
No, you don’t have to rush the parent recommendation! The student application is due on October 27 but the parent and teacher recommendation is due on November 10th, so it can be sent after the application is submitted.