<p>Have a good weekend everyone, try to distract yourselves! Good luck! :)</p>
<p>Hi, I am new to the forum and am considering applying for the summer internship. I have a few questions I was hoping someone could answer. About how many applications do they recieve in the summer and how many are accepted? What are the standards as far as leadership and past experiences? I have a leadership position in a student organization and am the manager in a part time job I have, but I don’t know if that is enough, despite my past internships and GPA. Also, what is the consensus on who should write your letters of recommendations? I have heard one former employer, a professor, and a family friend. Thanks in advance and good luck to the spring rounders.</p>
<p>cbcbcb: Since we haven’t heard yet regarding our applications, It’s somewhat difficult to answer some of your questions. From what I’ve read/heard, they receive thousands off applications for approximately 100 spots. That is solely what I’ve read/heard so is NOT in any way factual information. </p>
<p>As far as recommendations go, I personally would focus on choosing people who will best speak for the qualities that will make you an asset to the program. If, for example, you have two professors who know you really well and would write an in-depth recommendation, I wouldn’t worry about not having one from an employer. That’s just my own personal advice, and many people may say otherwise. To me it seems that if there is someone that will write a great recommendation, have them do it. On that note though, I think it would be best not to have all three come from the same background (aka not all three professors, employers, etc). </p>
<p>Hope that helps! Once we begin hearing back we may be a bit more helpful as we’ll have a better idea of what they’re looking for</p>
<p>Any updates yet?</p>
<p>none here, although I was told during my interview not to expect to hear anything until later in the week. This is brutal though, every time I get an email my stomach drops.</p>
<p>I interviewed last week with DPC, and was told it could be a few weeks before we hear anything.</p>
<p>Surprisingly most of the folks who were interviewed on this thread were for the DPC. I wonder why only DPC is interviewing and not many of the other offices? Unless it is coincident that all the folks who are on this thread indicated DPC as their 1st or 2nd choice! I wonder how many positions are available in DPC among the 6-7 offices within DPC.</p>
<p>202-456-5979 is the number for the internship office if anyone needs it =)</p>
<p>I was wondering the same thing. I wonder if they take more interns than the other offices? Has anyone’s references been called? After my interview I was asked for a reference’s phone number, but last I checked she hasn’t been contacted. Thoughts?</p>
<p>My references haven’t been called yet. They should have had the reference phone numbers in the letter you provided. I am not sure where they are in the process of finalizing candidates. It could be taking longer than we are expecting. Although they indicated that they will start notifying candidates on a rolling basis starting yesterday, it is possible that a decision could come anytime between today and day before thanksgiving weekend!</p>
<p>Are they interviewing only undergrad students or grad students as well? For those of you who were interviewed, did you have prior work or intern experience in the government? Are you a grad or undergrad student? I was wondering if a candidate has lot of prior intern experience or work experience, would they interview the candidate?</p>
<p>Hi, </p>
<p>I know one person on here that got an interview was a law student, another was a grad student… I’m not sure of the selection to get an interview beyond that. I feel so in the dark about it all! Hope everyone is holding up ok guys, it’s almost over!</p>
<p>Thanks ShanWH2011. It will be a shame if one gets eliminated without an interview (after sending the writing samples). Lets hope for the best!</p>
<p>I agree. Jonas123, are you a grad student or an undergrad? What were your top options? It think it’s so strange that people on here have only heard from DPC (and maybe one other department), where’s everybody else? Unless it’s a huge coincidence, or like you or EM said, DPC is just taking more interns than everyone else, which may be true considering all of the different teams on DPC.</p>
<p>ShanWH2011- I am a grad student. I had indicated my 1,2,3,4 choices as DPC, NEC, Cabinet Affairs, Health Care. There are 6 offices within DPC. I am not sure as to how many interns are they finally going to select for each of these offices. I think that the OMA office has 5 and the Office of VP has 12 and the DPC has 6. That is a total of 23. The balance of the 77 or so candidates would be placed in the other offices (that’s my guess as I am assuming that they may be selecting around 100 or so interns for this winter session).</p>
<p>Well, best of luck to you, and to everyone on this forum. I know we are all talented and motivated individuals and will remain being so whether we get this particular internship or not. Is anyone applying for any other internships?</p>
<p>Thanks shan, very well put! I have applied to several other internships in DC, although the WH is by far my first choice.</p>
<p>I just had an interview at random for my first two choices. She said we will hear back by the end of this week or beginning of next week. She said she fills out the recommendation and then the internship office will make the final choice.
Good luck everyone! :)</p>
<p>That’s a great sign, congrats! Were those two interviews today? I’m just hoping that we hear before Thanksgiving (although the sooner the better!)</p>
<p>Congrats Caramel08girl, that’s a really good sign for you 
And thanks for the update, I know we all appreciate any info on when we should expect decision time!</p>