We appreciate your application to Union Summer. Your interest in this unique and rewarding program shows that you care about what's happening with working families in this country.

We'd like to share with you some information about our application and placement process, with the hope that you will be FLEXIBLE and PATIENT as we move you through the process. Keep in mind that we receive more than 300 applications for 50 slots, so the competition is keen and the logistics of keeping up with so many applications is sometimes daunting. We will do our best to keep you abreast of your status by:

1. PRE-SCREENING: We do an initial review of all applications. If your application is chosen, the process continues as indicated below. If it is not chosen, you will receive notification in the mail.

2. SCHEDULING PHONE INTERVIEWS. If your application is chosen, we will schedule your phone interview within two to three weeks. Sometimes this will take longer because of the volume of applications we have to process. Please BE PATIENT AND FLEXIBLE!

3. INFORMING YOU OF YOUR STATUS BY MAIL. Once your interview has taken place, we will advise you by mail whether or not you have been accepted. Again, the length of time this takes will depend on the volume of applications we need to process.

4. CONSULTING WITH ACCEPTED CANDIDATES ABOUT SITE PLACEMENT. The final step in this process is to place you at a site if you have been accepted. While we try to get sites confirmed as quickly as possible, site development depends on many factors, some of which are hard to predict in advance. Union organizing campaigns are difficult to predict. Also, because campaigns involve sensitive strategies that can't or shouldn't be revealed too early, many unions do not publicize what is going to happen.

We know that you want to make your summer plans as soon as possible, and we will try to help accommodate you as much as we possibly can. Thank you again for your interest in Union Summer.