D received letter of candidacy for a 1600 (For SAT qualification, I think it’s based on the CR+M score only). In my opinion, it’s unlikely to affect the college app process since it’s simply a reflection of your high SAT or ACT score, which the colleges already know, but I suppose it can’t hurt to tell your schools. My D was already accepted EA to her first choice, so it’s moot for her. I think she’ll still go through the application even though it is a total long shot ~140 Scholars out of ~4300 candidates and involves no money. That’s a long application for no money and much longer odds than getting a National Merit Scholarship.
I go to a poor city school and my counselor came in this morning really excited and saying I have to apply, even though I know I have no chance haha
Well there’s no harm in applying but I don’t think people should put too much into these things…
has anyone started working on their application? There seem to be a lot of essays with 2000-word limits, do they really expect us to write that much for every single question?
I would also like to know if taking the tests multiple times matters.
This is probably a stupid question, but do you have to have actually won the Young Arts competition to get nominated that way. If they only had a few entries from some state, would they nominate those people to make sure there are nominees for that state.
@sillyface You shouldn’t fill it with fluff if you don’t have anything to say, but the general guideline for application essays is if they give you 2000 words you should try to take advantage of it to make your case.
just submitted my application. does anyone know what they base semifinalists on?
@sillyface @prairiejane
If I’m not mistaken, I believe it is 2000 characters, not words.
Does anyone know if you call the PS help number can they tell you if they have received parts of the application? My DD checked with her guidance counselor on Friday who told her that she mailed the transcripts and school report. I don’t know if she just sent it regular mail. I am going to have DD ask her tomorrow. If she says regular mail, I may have to ask the counselor to reprint those and give in an envelope to me so I can overnight. A week should be plenty of time for regular mail but I don’t want to take the chance.
I’m filling out the downloaded pdf application form (the one that you download from online to fill out and mail in if you want to type/handwrite). For essays, they only specify font size - not type, margins, or word count/number. It gives you just a set space to put in a textbox and fill the space, like a normal piece of actual paper. Does anyone know if I should do the limits that are on the online form of around 2000 characters? Because I think on the online form they are just trying to make it so it’s the equivalent of about a 1/4 of a page, while on the downloaded one it is already a 1/4 of a page space to fill.
@molly723. If you were you to do the online application, you would have between 1900-2100 characters, including spaces, for the four short essays and the teacher recommendation. For the photo/thing/person essay, you would have 5000 characters. But I wouldn’t obsess about it. If you can fit it in the space using the specified font, you will be fine.
@senior4031 you’re right 2000 characters my bad!!
Frantically trying to finish the app now, my short answers/essays sound so choppy but it’s fine…
My school overnighted the transcripts/test scores/recommendation on Tuesday, and according to UPS it arrived Wednesday. However, on my online page, the status of every form says “finished”, because I already submitted my application online, but the recommender form status says “not started”. Can anyone explain this? I’m starting to worry that they haven’t received what I mailed…
I called a couple of times to see if they had received my daughter’s transcripts and both times they said they had piles of mail and were still entering into their system. If it says it was delivered then you are good.
I’m a junior, and I was wondering if, to become a nominee, you have to fill out an application or if you just get chose.
Quick question: People are nominated for this in senior year right? Do they only look at the best score? I have taken the SAT for national merit and didn’t get near perfect and I’m not taking it again. If I do happen to get a 35 or 36 on the ACT by senior year would I still be able to get into this?
Anyone who know when the semifinals come out?
Last year they published the list on April 21 so I guess any day now. I don’t know if they published the list before, after or simultaneous to notifying the candidates. Is notification via snail mail?
The semifinalist list was just published on their website.
Here is the link to the semi finalist list
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/psp/2016/semifinalists.pdf