<p>Semi Finalist from Mississippi!!! Congratulations to everyone! How are y’all answering the essay question about the Top 10 list?</p>
<p>ok just my opinions about the top 10 list. i think they wanna see each of our creative/expressive/true minds/thoughts by asking us a open ended top 10 quesiton. i think we can choose ANYTHING WE WANT. some might do like top 10 volunteering activities done, someone might do top 10 celebrities, etc and then we describe the number 4 (they picked a randomn one that is not named 1,2,3) to show our thoughtprocesses about that top 10 list and describe the 4th choice…im guessing that this is a REALLY smart question from their behalf. imma have some fun wiht this quesiton even if it is confusing and all…</p>
<p>Why do they make us write about the first one? It only makes sense to write about the top choice. Idk. I’m kinda confused. How do they expect us to show leadership and academic stuff when writing about celebrities or athletes, if anyone is?</p>
<p>@jattkc the questions that we will never know the answers to 
haha
u got any prelim ideas for it? im actually stumped as well even though i have good news. I got my outside recommendation already in and im getting my school one and the counselor secondary school report next week so im good on teh logistics in terms of getting it to them in time as long as i can write some good essays by around Dec 20th… anyone send everything yet? if not, when are u guys thinking of sending it?</p>
<p>@matrixsurgeon check your pm</p>
<p>if you win is it 20000 per year? or total?</p>
<p>@erin33333 its 20,000 total if you are one of the 150 winners, (5 per year) and if you are one of the 10 that is selected OUT OF THE 150, u get an additional 10k to make it 30k total…i believe they changed it up to this^^ this year</p>
<p>Do you know if the recommendation letters have to be in a separate sealed envelope?</p>
<p>@leiamc : the forms do not state that they just me, as other scholarship forms have. I am assuming no because if they wanted them sealed the directions would state so. Also, the recommendations are only comprised of a small sheet and a letter, not a questionnaire or scale to measure anything; that’s usually what is confidential, where letters aren’t as secretive. That is just my speculation! :)</p>
<p>For mine, I briefly described my each of my top ten bucket list things. On number 4, I evaluated like double the size of the next biggest number on the list. Is that OK?</p>
<p>Do we have to list our service activities in the order most important to us? It would be such a hassle to move them around.</p>
<p>I am sending in my envelope wiht everything today, I really hope it reaches atlanta in time. how about yall?</p>
<p>We sent it overnight shipping so it gets there tomorrow. allow three days</p>
<p>Priority mail said it would reach Atlanta in two days on Thursday, but the post office said it would probably be there on Friday because of the holidays :\ I hope it makes it.</p>
<p>@detpeace
same with me! priority mail says thursday but the guy at the office told it would be Friday probably…Just holdin on to my tracker number till then!! hope it makes it too! im just impressed by how they are supposed to read through 2000+ indepth applications with recs and everything in a mere 15-20 days and choose whatever number they will choose for finalists who will then have to do “regional” interviews or whatever…</p>
<p>@matrixsurgeon the first round was a number game. Now that they have students who are involved in numerous activities with countless service hours and high GPA, they are looking for evidence: what our recommenders say about us, how our academics rank, how well we write and how meaningful our essays are. I think anyone can be involved just to look good on paper, but having the character to back it up is what it’s all about. I think reading through the apps will be easy for them and they’ll choose the ones that speak to them.</p>
<p>out of the 2000 semifinalists, they pick 250 finalists. out of the 250 finalists, who all get interviewed, they then pick 150 Scholars. last year, all 250 finalists were also scholars and got at least $10,000, but they changed it up this year</p>
<p>@detpeace
i disagree actually… if the 2000 numbers picked applicant all had not lied about the stuff they put on their online application, i think it would be a hard choice as they all have the min necessary…and counting out 250 out of 2000 applicants is NOT easy at all…no matter how many of those applicants are glowing and ones that “stand out”…and even with that im just saying that them doing that in 15-20 days is amazing…</p>
<p>@shannon123
where did you hear about the 250 number for finalists this year? (i know tht it used to be 250 winners and then 50 additional 10k, and now it is only 150 winners but with more money)…did you call them/email them and request that info? Albeit,it does sound accurate and makes sense…</p>
<p>IF everyone gets their apps in on time, that’s roughly 150 a day with a few days to finalize the decisions (if they do it that way). Sure, choosing the finalists will be hard, but I don’t find checking the apps too “amazing”. I’m sure they have a diligent and hardworking team looking over them already.</p>
<p>after finding out the changes to this year’s application, i emailed them about it, and they told me they select 250 finalists who they will interview, and then 150 scholars who get at least $20,000 this time. as for how they pick finalists in such a short amount of time, they must’ve already started reading applications as they come in. although they may not yet have decided the finalists, they’re probably getting to know the applicant pool through the applications already in their hands.</p>