Luck?

In order to ease my pain throughout this whole process, I've tracked down and joined a couple ATC oriented message boards. So I'm able to see when people are getting contacted during the various steps along the process, and actually talk and get to know some of my future co-workers (provided all goes according to plan that is...).

Checking out the message board today, it appears I have dodged a bullet. There's been a lot of people that have been rejected for the ATC gig who have made it to the same step in the process as me. Lots of people that applied during PUBNAT 5, which is what I did, have received notice that they have not been accepted. Again, there is not a whole lot of rhyme or reason to any of this process, and why some get selected and others don't, so I'm just feeling a bit better about the whole situation today. Though I would still like to receive my interview e-mail this week.

For those of you that aren't sure what an air traffic controller does, or what the exact function of an air traffic controller is, I refer you to the ever hand Wikipedia. They can describe it much better than I can.

Air Traffic Control

and what "subcategory" within the whole ATC umbrella that I will specifically be doing

Area Control Center / Center