Robertson Scholarship UNC/Duke 2023 Thread

@potatoepotatoe My son told me that in previous years Duke and UNC sleeted 120 semifinalist each, then they narrow it down to 40 for each school to go to the weekend event.

I only did the app for Duke and am RD for those wondering.

Does anyone know if being a semifinalist means that you have been accepted to the university?

Has anyone else received word from Robertson scholars?

Congrats all semifinalists. Mine is also semifinalist, don’t know for which school. Accepted EA at UNC. RG for Duke, pref Duke. Anybody with more official numbers of semi finalists and finalists?

The numbers regarding semi-finalists per school are not accurate. Those numbers are not published and vary widely from year to year. Being selected as a semi-finalist is NOT an indication that you have been admitted to either UNC or Duke if you are a regular decision candidate. The Robertson selection team deliberately does not narrow down the pool per school at this stage to provide them with more flexibility with regards to who is brought in for Finalist Weekend. The Finalist Weekend is the only portion of the process that is entirely school specific.

anyone hear about robertson since the first day?

@Carymom “Being selected as a semi-finalist is NOT an indication that you have been admitted to either UNC or Duke”

My understanding is consistent with the above description with one exception. A certain number of students are advanced directly from Duke and UNC admissions as semifinalists, having previously not applied for the Robertson. They are pulled from the schools applicant pool and sent a letter describing the Robertson, their selection as semi finalists, and encouraging them to quickly submit Robertson applications in advance of an interview.

While nothing is guaranteed these candidates are relatively safe to assume they will be accepted by the school that placed them in the Robertson pool. In my son’s case he received a likely letter from Duke in short order confirming that interpretation.

Congratulations @Nocreativity1 !!

^Thank you and this was last year for class of 2022. Sorry if I created confusion.

Good luck to everyone!

Has anyone had their semifinalist interview yet? How was it? Had mine yesterday - wasn’t expecting it to be basically all about my ECs!!

Anybody know when semifinalists hear back from Robertson?

@Lovebug339 Website says “March – Finalist notification”

@Nocreativity1: Thank you for your sharing. Did your son receive the Likely Letter before the finalist announcement last year? Thank you!

^After by about a week. We felt pretty good however about his chances in that Duke admissions had advanced him into Robertson. Didn’t think they would do that unless he was likely to get in.

It was dated March 19th from Christoph Guttentag likely letter

“The admissions committee has reviewed your application and I am delighted to tell you…”

Then a week later from an Academic Dean offer for a variety of priority placements

“I am thrilled to learn you may be joining us this fall. You are among the strongest applicants to Duke and as such…”

Good luck and feel free to PM me with any questions. Happy to help. For disclosure my son ultimately choose another school but my wife and I visited Duke twice and loved everything about it. Unfortunately we weren’t the ones choosing.

@Nocreativity1: Thank you very much for the information! Do you think the semifinalist and the finalist have the same chance to get the likely letter? Thank you!

^Your guess as good as mine. I honestly have no idea. As mentioned the fact that Duke admissions nominated him as a semi finalist was what we took comfort in. Honestly good luck I wish I could ease your nervousness. It will work out!!

Letters are out.

@juststaycool Finalist status letters?

Yes, emails for finalist decisions.