<p>I am extremely NERVOUS! I read all of the nsli-y threads on CC and I’m always checking all of the Facebook groups! I will be really devastated if I don’t get accepted. I’m hoping for that semi-finalist notification so I can really show my personality through an interview. When the notifications come out, please post your country choices, grade, and what region/state you are in that way we can get more stats! I think it is really helpful if we do it this way. If you want to add in more info please feel free to do so :-)</p>
<p>I really hope you all get in! We are all very eager to be accepted and that means something! </p>
<p>I have a question for all of you: on your app, did you post that you started learning the language/have already studied the language? If you do have previous experience in the language you applied for, can you elaborate? How did you learn/learning? How long? Etc</p>
<p>ALSO: has anyone done any STARTALK programs? </p>
<p>Good luck everyone! Waiting is the hardest part! </p>
<p>Yeah, I’m applying for a Korean summer and I did mention that I have studied Korean. I know basic vocab like Hello, Sorry, food, animals, Where is the bathroom, okay, the alphabet and simple a is b sentences. I can introduce myself with my name, age, and my ability to speak Korean. ( Other stuff too ) I talked about not having any formal classes but that I learned with a textbook and a site known as TalkToMeInKorean. I’ve known word for two years now but I never really sat down and studied till this year. I don’t have many materials like a teacher who can correct me… all I have is a Korean neighbor who is quite awkward with me XD lol </p>
<p>Hey guys! Have any of you done the year program yet? I applied for the Arabic year-long program as my 1st choice, and the Arabic Summer program as my 2nd choice</p>
<p>Hello! Nope, I haven’t ever done a year program, but I am hoping to in the near future!</p>
<p>@girlintheworld </p>
<p>I know, I cannot wait until after Thanksgiving! At least that day will hopefully go by quick, with NSLI-Y only being on my mind 11/12 of the time… I have literally been telling everyone I meet about this! And then going on and on and on about Russia… </p>
<p>The most popular countries according to space are: China, Arabic, Russia, and Korea. at first, I could not find many China blogs but after some more searching, I found many! Also, if you want to find more blogs, you can check NSLIY interactive for stories and the Facebook groups have documents for blogs :-))</p>
<p>@fromUSA2Russia what grade and age are you again? You’re a freshman right? You’re super enthusiastic and I hope you get a semi notification so during the interview they can see how happy and excited you are! </p>
<p>I’m a sophomore and I’m 15 but I’m nervous about being one of the younger people applying! That’s why I’m hoping for a semi notification so then I can show my enthusiasm during the interview! </p>
<p>@llortizhunt what grade are you in? And I know this is this youtuber who did the NSLIY Arabic summer program in Oman and then I believe they spent a year in morocco if you do some searching I’m sure you can find her! I believe her name is Valentina and she can give you some more insight about the program </p>
<p>I am a freshman and I am 14. Yes I am also worried about being really young so I am definitely hoping for an interview to show them how passionate I am about Russia and the Russian culture! Otherwise, there is always next year! </p>
<p>@fromUSA2Russia I’m so excited guys! I’m on break now, so I think about NSLI-Y all the time. I’m nervous about my language preferences on my app. The Russian programs were held in Russia and Ukraine in previous years, so i wrote about my love of Russia and Ukraine… I wonder if they’ll deduct points for that. X_X AHHHHH!</p>
<p>I know, right! I talked about going to Russia, so I hope that it doesn’t hurt my chances… I would also love to go to Moldova or Estonia! Sadly I didn’t put that in my application… Humph…</p>
<p>@Schnuff3 At this point, it’s after the fact, but writing about your love for Ukraine, which will not be hosting any NSLI-Y students this year, will certainly not help your application. I can’t even imagine how you could have put a positive spin on a nation in crisis.</p>
<p>@fromUSA2Russia @Schnuff3 Don’t worry about which countries you talked about! It’s too late to change anything, and your well-intended enthusiasm will shine through regardless. I think y’all have a great chance because of your enthusiasm and passion for the language and the program :)</p>
<p>Hoping notifications will start Monday or Tuesday I’m so excited guys. Does anyone know what percentage of applicants become semis? I thought I heard 40%ish but I’m not sure…Maybe a little more</p>
<p>I saw that there were around 1,300 semi-finalists two years ago; out of about 3,000… I got the information from a site that was asking for people to volunteer as interviewers. But I have also heard that there are more and more people sending in applications every year… </p>
<p>I keep on trying remember that everything is in, so I shouldn’t worry about the past! Thanks for the encouragement! (Hint the word trying…) :P</p>
<p>I hope that you are accepted! I can tell that you have a real passion! :)</p>
<p>@fromUSA2Russia @Schnuff3 Although you did not talk about Moldova and Estonia, I think you are still okay! You talked about your love of Russia and that’s all that matters! You have great energy and you Russian applicants are very eager to learn! And that is what NSLIY is all about! On the Facebook group, someone posted a link that has how many people get accepted per program that you should check out! </p>
<p>@evan241 When it comes to acceptances, I read EVERY single NSLIY blog on CC and what I gathered is this:
About less than half of applicants become semis, then less than half of those become finalists!
I gathered that the acceptance rate is somewhere between 15-18%. I’m not sure how accurate this is. </p>
<p>I know that each year NSLIY is growing and plus there are people who reapply for the year program after they do a summer program (I know I plan to do so in the future if I get accepted).</p>
<p>So that being said, the first cut is the hardest. The second and final cut is easier. There are also alternates, and not all alternates make it but I seen cases in other NSLIY threads on CC where people had to reject the scholarship due to many complications.
Hopefully we all make it the first try though! </p>
<p>@fromUSA2Russia I have a real passion <3 This is my dream that I’ve had on hold for several years and I hope it comes true because I want this so badly, and I’ve been on exchange and know how challenging it is and especially how challenging it is to RETURN after exchange, but I know that I would learn so, so, so, so much and that it is so worth it and amazing and mind-opening…Ahh I want this so badly guys. The idea of a year in Turkey, going to Turkish school, making Turkish friends, studying Turkish, being seventeen years old and trilingual…This is such an amazing opportunity and I’m happy just to have the opportunity to apply and hope that I can make it. I will give it my 100% if I get an interview and just cross my fingers. <3</p>
<p>@lovinglife01 I’ve heard about the same acceptance rate!! Yeah, maybe 40% of applicants become semis, and 40% of semis become finalists, approximately? That would be 16%. Still, the second cut is harder 'cause the competition is tougher. But being an alternate is good too, because people get other opportunities and scholarships and end up dropping out. Especially for the year program - I know of people who turned down NSLI-Y for YES and such, sometimes people get multiple scholarships and alternates get spots.</p>
<p>I just re-read my essays, and I’m pretty proud of my host family letter, why Turkish essay, and 3 reasons essay. My essay for the second prompt isn’t AS strong, because was really really hard to write about what I wanted to write about in 250 words, but I think it’s okay. How much time did y’all spend on your essays? </p>
<p>I spent practically one day on my application, so it definitely is NOT a good representation of me and my passion for Russia… I learned about NSLI-Y one day before the application was due, so it was pretty much written in the night time by a tired but overly excited freshie. Oh well, I am still holding onto the chance that the essays were still good enough. :-SS Trying to stay positive here… </p>
<p>I HOPE THAT WE ALL BECOME SEMI-FINALISTS!!! I would be SUPER excited! :)</p>
<p>@evan241 I spent some time on my essays! I wish I spent more time on them and had someone review them before I submitted it! I am not that great of a writer and especially with those word limits! I had to cut out ALOT of what I wanted to say just to fit the word limit! I had a friend who is an amazing writer review my essays and she gave positive feedback but also she told me what I could improve in and I am a perfectionist and I wish I could have gone back and fixed those things! I could not revise my essays because my friend was only able to review it after the deadline, sadly! And I think you have a great chance! Turkey is not a very popular program, especially what is going on right now. And not only do I think you have a great chance because it is not popular, I think that you are very excited and you have great passion for Turkey and the Turkish language so that is why I see great things in the future for you! Plus, I think I saw you on one or two other NSLIY threads! </p>
<p>Where have you gone to for exchange and for how long? What languages do you speak? And are you a junior or senior? </p>
<p>@fromUSA2Russia Even if they weren’t the best essays you could write, I bet your excitement stood out </p>
<p>@lovinglife01 I spent some time on them too I got some feedback from someone who’d been accepted for NSLI-Y and gave me some amazing feedback, and I revised them probably five times. I sure hope my passion shines through <3 I just hope to get the chance to have an interview and really show my passion. I went to General Roca, Argentina (an amazing modern, Patagonian industrial city - my favorite place in the world definitely) for a year, so I speak English and Spanish! I’m a junior, but I’m on the younger side - I’d be seventeen my entire exchange.</p>
<p>Obviously it’s too late to edit our essays, but if anyone’s interested in swapping essays via PM, we could give each other some feedback and maybe reassure each other haha </p>
I have literally been telling everyone I meet about this! And then going on and on and on about Russia… 
</p>
at first, I could not find many China blogs but after some more searching, I found many! Also, if you want to find more blogs, you can check NSLIY interactive for stories and the Facebook groups have documents for blogs :-))</p>
Humph…</p>
I learned about NSLI-Y one day before the application was due, so it was pretty much written in the night time by a tired but overly excited freshie. Oh well, I am still holding onto the chance that the essays were still good enough. :-SS Trying to stay positive here…