<p>Alright, thank you everyone!</p>
<p>I hope I won’t be at a disadvantage applying during my junior year, as it would probably be the only time I could do the program. It’s really interesting, and I’m sort of frustrated that I didn’t discover it earlier!</p>
<p>I was going to apply for summer 2010, but I realized my proficiency in Chinese or Russian would be terribly low, and I wouldn’t get much out of it. Two of my friends applied and are accepted - one in Egypt, one in China. I’m now set on a gap year before college for a year abroad in Russia (I hope!) for the 2011-2012 school year… I cannot wait to apply. I hope I am accepted. I’m crazy about this opportunity!</p>
<p>I was wondering…
Do you have to have demonstrated interest internationally prior to your application? I have never had a chance to go abroad before or engage in any programs/camps that would relate to international matters or foreign language because of financial status. Does it seem like they judge you more on your enthusiasm for language, or your previous involvement overseas? Can one stand a chance on acceptance by being solely and genuinely excited and eager to participate in NSLI-Y?</p>
<p>Yes! I’m on the program right now in Russia, and most of the kids here have not been out of the country, well maybe like half, and most of the others have not been to many countries. Only one person in our group has traveled extensively. So, that being said, I definitely think it’s way more based on enthusiasm, than prior abroad experience. You should definitely apply!</p>
<p>@mojeniebo I’m applying for the 2011-2012 gap year too. My first choice is Chinese, second Korean, and third is Russian, but I may switch Korea and Russia.</p>
<p>@Somestudent2 I’m pretty sure that being a junior is a disadvantage, it’s prob. more of an advantage since your one of the older applicants which means your prob. more mature and maturity is one of the big factors in getting accepted. And your junior year isnt the only time u can go abroad… I’m going to be a senior in the fall so I’m applying to all my colleges and taking the SAT’s etc. as well as applying to NSLI-Y, and in the spring when i find decide where i want to go to college i’m going to defer for a year and (hopefully) go abroad for my gap year. Most colleges don’t mind deferment and a lot of the top universities like Harvard and Princeton actually prefer it. If you don’t get in for ur junior year think about going abroad for a gap year, and u should try a gap year abroad even if you do go abroad during your junior year.</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Taking Time Off](<a href=“http://admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/time_off/index.html]Harvard”>http://admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/time_off/index.html)
[Benefits</a> of Studying Abroad](<a href=“http://www.northeastern.edu/oisp/step1/benefits_studying/]Benefits”>http://www.northeastern.edu/oisp/step1/benefits_studying/)</p>
<p>@Somestudent2 I meant being a junior ISN’T a disadvantage</p>
<p>Does anyone know approximately how many people get admitted into each of the summer programs every year? I heard that Chinese was about 100, anyone know for the other ones like Araric or Russian?</p>
<p>Who’s applying this year to NSLIY?</p>
<p>KaChow–Last year, I believe there were also about 100 scholarships for Russian (it was like 110 for Chinese, and 105 for Russian). But there were slightly less for Arabic (maybe 85, 95?). That’s just from what I remember. Are you going to apply for those three this year?</p>
<p>I’m going for Russian and Persian. It was a hard debate between Turkey and Tajikistan…friends on both countries, what would I choose? Turkey would utilize a similar English alphabet but I’m pretty familiar with the Cyrillic too…</p>
<p>My 9th grade son just submitted his app for Arabic, Chinese or “any” summer. 11th grade daughter will apply for Chinese, Korean or “any” summer. Wish she could apply for a year since she’ll be too old next year but she just returned from spending a year in S. America with Rotary so she can’t take off another year before college.</p>
<p>i should probably get on my app haha</p>
<p>Hi I’m new 
I am considering applying, and I was wondering if there was anything special I should now.
On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it to get in?
What excetly does the scholarship cover and what do you have to pay for? How much does that cost?</p>
<p>I applied for Rotary but did not get in. We had 6 people apply for our district though(and I know I didn’t do as good as I could at the interview, but I didn’t know there would be one 
they said it was just an informational meeting and we had a panel of 10 people) so I’m not that worried about interviews if I expect it. And how do colleges view it? I know they like exchanges, but those are usually to Europe. Would this be more favorable? I know this is long, but thanks!</p>
<p>What excetly does the scholarship cover and what do you have to pay for? How much does that cost?</p>
<p>Pays for airfare to your orientation, airfare to your country, visa fees, etc.
You’ll need to pay for food if you eat out, souvenirs, mostly material things for you.</p>
<p>If you’re doing it for college, don’t do it. It’s a waste of a spot that could go to someone who is more passionate about languages and culture… to put it in perspective, I think last year 1 in 3 people received the scholarship.</p>
<p>I urge anyone with questions to look at:
[Frequently</a> Asked Questions](<a href=“http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/nsli/faqs.html]Frequently”>http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/nsli/faqs.html)
connect.state.gov -> under the NSLI-Y group</p>
<p>How are you all doing the letter to the family? Are you addressing it to the family? Also, are you finding it hard to write much except for what the guiding questions demand?</p>
<p>i found it hard to control myself. i wanted to write way too much for the letter…</p>
<p>I accidentally deleted the application. Oh well, it shouldn’t take too long to fill out again. I just wish there were a way to recover it. (I may be incredibly paranoid [I am], but I’m afraid they’ll see me starting the application on October 29th as procrastination, even though I’d been finished save for a few things)</p>
<p>Good luck! I don’t think the start date would affect you negatively! I hope this program application works out for the both of us; just waiting on teacher and parent recs on my half.</p>
<p>Haha, you’re right! I’m just a little schizophrenic about things I’m passionate about. I have a friend perusing my last essay, but then it’s just recommendations! </p>
<p>I’m still conflicted about my religious identity. Although my family is predominantly Roman Catholic, I haven’t been baptized. So while I don’t think it would be technically misleading to identify as Roman Catholic, it would feel like lying to me, as one who is nonreligious (but not quite agnostic). I feel like I could choose either and still indicate that I have been raised with that identity. </p>
<p>However, I feel as if the former would be a better identification for some of my choices. While I am sure that the NSLI-Y program chooses families that are very tolerant, I wouldn’t be surprised if a family in, say, Morocco would be more comfortable housing an exchange student with some kind of religious identity.</p>
<p>But I digress!</p>
<p>I’m still incredibly indecisive about my language choices – and with 6 days left. I’ve narrowed my choices down to Turkish, Arabic, Russian, and Farsi. Unfortunately, I can only pick 3. Did any of you give extensions to your choices in the explanation beneath? I figure that if one doesn’t get any of the first 3, he or she doesn’t get any at all. But I could be wrong. I’m leaning toward Arabic > Russian > Turkish, but I’m far from decided.</p>
<p>So I just found out about this program today so I"m trying to pull together my application in 6 days, eek. It sounds absolutely amazing!</p>
<p>hey soresubject, i am gonna finish up my applications by tomorrow. my top 3 choices are Turkish, Arabic and Russian. Have you done NSLI-y in previous years? if so, what country did you travel to?</p>