<p>What did you all put for your essay about why the elks should pick you in the top 20? Sent my application for being a national finalist in a week ago so I’m not looking for ideas for mine. Just curious.</p>
<p>Got chosen to go to Chicago c:
So excited, ahhhh</p>
<p>Can’t be so. The email specifically said that the top 20 finalists who get to go to Chicago as well as the other 480 finalists would be notified of their status mid-April. The elks scholars just posted a photo on Instagram saying that the announcement will now be late April. </p>
<p>It is so. I was chosen, too. I don’t think they’ve chosen all the recipients, though. When the representative called me, the first thing she asked was whether I still had enough unmet need left to use the scholarship. Some people receive so much in financial aid packages or outside scholarships that they are no longer eligible for one of the big awards, so an alternate is chosen. That’s probably why they haven’t finalized decisions yet.</p>
<p>Well, I guess that means that I will hope for a call!</p>
<p>Congrats to both of you! Did they give you air fare like already bought?</p>
<p>Yeah, you fill out a form about your travel preferences and then their travel agency hooks you up.</p>
<p>How did they notify you first? By phone or email?</p>
<p>They emailed me, and within that email was a request to set up a phone call.</p>
<p>Well, guess I’ll be hogging my email box then lol. When did you get the email?</p>
<p>6:00 PM on Monday</p>
<p>I’m still not giving up hope. Looks like the odds are against me as I have not received anything. But I’ll keep my hopes up until I get that email telling me my fate.</p>
<p>Anyone else heard anything?</p>
<p>Elks just tweeted that they are sending out leadership weekend decisions tomorrow! Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>Well, I’m not going to Chicago, but the $4000 is still helpful. Congrats to everyone else.</p>
<p>akmom124 . What town in MA are you from? My daughter made it to the MA state level and has not heard from anyone…</p>
If any of you who made it to states and nationals still use College Confidentials, would you mind posting your stats for me to look at? 
I want to see what a previous year’s bunch was like so I have an idea of what my competition from this year will be like. By stats I mean GPA, test scores, leadership roles, work experience, community service, and honors/awards. Thank you