Maybe so, or maybe they just needed to clarify something in their application. My friend was a finalist, and when she found out she was selected, she had no prior indication of being selected (like calling recommenders or having an interview of any kind).
Did the recommender share the nature of their call with your friend? Was it more of an interview or was it to clarify information? @Camerafan
@amylen143 are you talking about a friend who was a finalist last year?
Donāt know;Iād have to ask. And I wonder how much a recommender would share with a student.
Would your finalist friend know if her recommender was called or interviewed?
I can ask!! @Camerafan
It would also be interesting to know if your finalist friend was called (notifying of finalist status) or emailed (notifying of senator) first, since all finalists must come from the senator pool.
She didnāt know if her recommenders had been contacted; if they were, they didnāt tell her. She did say that she got the call saying she was a finalist before any information about the senators summit! @Camerafan
Ha! I guess we shouldnāt want to get an email from Coolidge Foundation!
Agreed haha!
anyone heard anything?
nah
Still nothing. Iāll post immediately if I hear something, though.
Same here. Good luck to all on AP exams though!
Forgot to ask: did the finalist call precede the senator notification by many days, even weeks? It is possible that finalists have been contacted while the rest of us wait anxiously till June 1 for the announcement of winners, finalists, and senators .
I donāt think so, looking at last yearās thread it seems like there was only a day or two separating the finalist calls and the senator notifications which were in mid April. My guess is that COVID has changed everything, since the finalist weekend most likely canāt be held in May anymore this year. Itāll also be challenging to get a group of 100 senators together for a summit in DC over the summer; they definitely have a lot to plan around.
Yes, youāre right; covid changes everything and itās hard to deduce much from the past. I figured the foundation will have to notify finalists well in advance for travel planning in this time. Or perhaps itās been hard for juries to meet and discuss candidates. Wonder if June 1st date will notify finalists and senators only, with winners on hold till a finalist weekend in June.
That is what Iām thinking; the finalist weekend may even be pushed out until July or August with lots of stay-at home orders still in place.
Could they do the finalist weekend virtually?
@Howiephipps Probably technically, but my guess is that they really donāt want to, as it would likely limit what they can accomplish during it.
Honestly, yāall, Iām 90% sure I didnāt even make senatorā¦ I just want to know for sure as soon as possible. The uncertainty is maddening.
Yeah, I doubt theyād hold a virtual finalist weekend since having an in person event for speeches and interviews is so important. Itād be so hard to get a good feel of the candidates from behind a screen.