Here'sHopin'! Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Haha- I will have to hide all of your comments from my husband! He is telling me to chill as well, since there's nothing to do but wait. I don't know how he does it. In fact, I don't know how I managed waiting 9 months to give birth. Interesting how Fulbright takes just as long- ha... Ok, we'll in an effort to relax I will have to make an effort to not post. See you all in January with a recommendation or rejection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Haha- I will have to hide all of your comments from my husband! He is telling me to chill as well, since there's nothing to do but wait. I don't know how he does it. In fact, I don't know how I managed waiting 9 months to give birth. Interesting how Fulbright takes just as long- ha... Ok, we'll in an effort to relax I will have to make an effort to not post. See you all in January with a recommendation or rejection! Wonderful, we look forward to seeing you in January! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelseygwynne Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 QUESTION! So I've been reading a lot of posts from last year and they've all consistently said that the letter of affiliation is the most important aspect of the application for full grants. After spending the last year working on my grant proposal idea to Denmark, I learned that my affiliation, which has already been agreed upon, would not give me a letter of affiliation until I apply to their graduate program, which isn't possible until MARCH 2013. I applied through a university and a professor who agreed to be my advisor. Long story short I FREAKED OUT and thought it was the end of the line. I contacted the Fulbright head of Europe and Eurasia, Rachel, and she gave me the go-ahead as long as I put in my grant proposal that I WILL apply and have the school's support and hers. Obviously I still submitted my app, but I can't help but wonder..will this hurt me anyway, not having a letter despite my explanation and support?? I know it's so important, and I'm scared despite my name-dropping telling of my special circumstance in my application that this could be a MAJOR fault. Anyone have an insights? I'm honestly worried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 QUESTION! So I've been reading a lot of posts from last year and they've all consistently said that the letter of affiliation is the most important aspect of the application for full grants. After spending the last year working on my grant proposal idea to Denmark, I learned that my affiliation, which has already been agreed upon, would not give me a letter of affiliation until I apply to their graduate program, which isn't possible until MARCH 2013. I applied through a university and a professor who agreed to be my advisor. Long story short I FREAKED OUT and thought it was the end of the line. I contacted the Fulbright head of Europe and Eurasia, Rachel, and she gave me the go-ahead as long as I put in my grant proposal that I WILL apply and have the school's support and hers. Obviously I still submitted my app, but I can't help but wonder..will this hurt me anyway, not having a letter despite my explanation and support?? I know it's so important, and I'm scared despite my name-dropping telling of my special circumstance in my application that this could be a MAJOR fault. Anyone have an insights? I'm honestly worried. OMG, Rachel Holskin (rude). I'm not exactly sure if it will hurt you, but the fact that your affiliation letter is missing is a bit risky. Even though you do not have it, I cannot imagine them reading your grant proposal just to find out that you don't have it when clearly you are missing the document. I'm not sure if I trust Rachel's word that much. I am not in the same boat as you, but she told me that it was no problem to write more than 2 pages (2 and 1/4 pages) on my grant proposal (the Spanish version). I will keep that in mind if I am accepted as a national candidate. If I were you, I'd keep that in mind; although there is nothing that can be done at this point. I am glad that your application has been submitted. Rachel cannot promise you that the commission will grant the fact that you do not have the letter of affiliation though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelseygwynne Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 OMG, Rachel Holskin (rude). I'm not exactly sure if it will hurt you, but the fact that your affiliation letter is missing is a bit risky. Even though you do not have it, I cannot imagine them reading your grant proposal just to find out that you don't have it when clearly you are missing the document. I'm not sure if I trust Rachel's word that much. I am not in the same boat as you, but she told me that it was no problem to write more than 2 pages (2 and 1/4 pages) on my grant proposal (the Spanish version). I will keep that in mind if I am accepted as a national candidate. If I were you, I'd keep that in mind; although there is nothing that can be done at this point. I am glad that your application has been submitted. Rachel cannot promise you that the commission will grant the fact that you do not have the letter of affiliation though. Oh SHIT now I am even more nervous. There's nothing that can be done, though, you're right. Let's just hope maybe my proposal was interesting enough to keep them wanting to see more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Oh SHIT now I am even more nervous. There's nothing that can be done, though, you're right. Let's just hope maybe my proposal was interesting enough to keep them wanting to see more.... Don't worry yourself crazy... I made sure I had pretty much everything. Rachel gave me so much attitude and a bit of false information. You'd think if she'd done this Fulbright assistance thing for more than a year then she would know what she's talking about... she didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbui Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 So, I was thinking about Fulbright today (as I do every waking moment), and I realized that I should've included more things in my essays!!! I should've added what I want to learn from Thai culture. I did emphasize that I want to learn Thai, but last year for my Vietnam ETA application I said I wanted to learn a musical instrument and an old writing system in Vietnam. In addition, my letters of recommendation last year included a recommendation straight from a person who I worked with when I was teaching in Thailand, this year I have two professors and a scholarship adviser. AHHHHH! Books2readme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 So, I was thinking about Fulbright today (as I do every waking moment), and I realized that I should've included more things in my essays!!! I should've added what I want to learn from Thai culture. I did emphasize that I want to learn Thai, but last year for my Vietnam ETA application I said I wanted to learn a musical instrument and an old writing system in Vietnam. In addition, my letters of recommendation last year included a recommendation straight from a person who I worked with when I was teaching in Thailand, this year I have two professors and a scholarship adviser. AHHHHH! A cry of distress! Don't kill yourself over it. Some parts of your application will outweigh the others, and if the letters are STRONG LETTERS (no matter who they are coming from), you will survive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbui Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 A cry of distress! Don't kill yourself over it. Some parts of your application will outweigh the others, and if the letters are STRONG LETTERS (no matter who they are coming from), you will survive I really hope so. I spent so much time and work on my application, so I hope the commission can see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I really hope so. I spent so much time and work on my application, so I hope the commission can see that. If they can extract a sense of identity from your essays, then you will truly stand out. Missing a few points really doesn't matter because they will already know your intentions through what you have put forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahanzlik Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Don't worry yourself crazy... I made sure I had pretty much everything. Rachel gave me so much attitude and a bit of false information. You'd think if she'd done this Fulbright assistance thing for more than a year then she would know what she's talking about... she didn't. I wouldnt worry that much, the essays speak more about you. The affiliation aspect was out of your hands. Dont stress more. I was an alternate last year and now trying again. Once I put in the application last year, I completely stopped thinking about it until I found out I was a finalist. This year, I am spending time trying to find other ways to get to the Netherlands. At this point, worrying about that letter wont help. The whole point of Fulbright is to look at you as a person so I am sure you will be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahanzlik Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 That sounds about right. No matter what country, they usually give finalist status to about 2 times the awards. So if a country is giving out 10 awards, they will pass on possibly 20 finalist to that specific country. The Fellowships director at my school says that finalists have a 50-66% chance of getting the award once they are a finalist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 No matter what country, they usually give finalist status to about 2 times the awards. So if a country is giving out 10 awards, they will pass on possibly 20 finalist to that specific country. The Fellowships director at my school says that finalists have a 50-66% chance of getting the award once they are a finalist. Wonderful insight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahanzlik Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Those are some wonderful accomplishments both nationally and in your community. There are also a few things that set me apart from other applicants that I would like to mention: 1) I am the co-author of 4 publications in chemistry research (as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th author) 2) Although I not had the opportunity to travel to abroad, my written and spoken Spanish is advanced: I am able to fully articulate my personality and research goals through Spanish language. 3) My project consist of biological research in which I have acquired many skills and technique through my research experiences as an immunology, inorganic and polymer chemistry research. So, ultimately, I have 3.5 years of research experience that will directly play a role in accomplishing my goals in Spain. That's all I can think of now... I would like to conduct research in Barcelona to immerse myself in Spanish culture for the first time and to further improve my understanding of Spanish language. Kbui, I am very impressed with the credentials you have noted. You were awarded a Boren Scholarship, why not apply for a Full Grant? Are you interested in research? I appreciate that, thank you! I'm not ready for a full grant yet since I haven't developed a research plan yet, and I'm not fully sure of what I would research. I know I want to do something in public health in developing regions in China and Southeast Asia, but I need to do more background research before I apply for a full grant. In addition, if you get an ETA, you can still apply for a research grant later so you can get (hopefully) TWO Fulbrights to do what you love! Your credentials are also very good. Science research is very intense, and since you've already published it shows that you're very capable to carry out your research plans in Spain. Keep us all updated in January when the finals come around! Both of you have great credentials, it seems like Fulbright is also looking for a personal connection to the country. A reason why the grant will is a necessary experience in your life. If you dont mind me asking, personally and professionally how will the fulbright help you? I spent the last few months really thinking about that and am very interested in what others are thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahanzlik Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Wonderful insight. Last thing to remember, the US government gets the final say. Its their funding, so they get the final "yes" or "no." I think this is why it takes so long for responses. I always wondered what it is like for the review committee. Ten people in a room, reviewing so many applications, it must be hard to keep all of them straight. Of course we have no idea how many people review the essays, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Last thing to remember, the US government gets the final say. Its their funding, so they get the final "yes" or "no." I think this is why it takes so long for responses. I always wondered what it is like for the review committee. Ten people in a room, reviewing so many applications, it must be hard to keep all of them straight. Of course we have no idea how many people review the essays, etc. Wow, the applications are filtered 3 times?! Gosh: US ---> Host country ---> US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 No matter what country, they usually give finalist status to about 2 times the awards. So if a country is giving out 10 awards, they will pass on possibly 20 finalist to that specific country. The Fellowships director at my school says that finalists have a 50-66% chance of getting the award once they are a finalist. Was the rejection letter personalized in any way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Both of you have great credentials, it seems like Fulbright is also looking for a personal connection to the country. A reason why the grant will is a necessary experience in your life. If you dont mind me asking, personally and professionally how will the fulbright help you? I spent the last few months really thinking about that and am very interested in what others are thinking. For me, the Fulbright will be my first opportunity to be immersed in Hispanic culture. I am thrilled to think of my Fulbright endeavor as a learning experience: catching a bus, speaking to shopkeepers, communicating with my research faculty and communicating in day-to-day will give me such a deep connection with Spain's society. I see this as a journey to push myself to great bounds and to completely share MY cultural and scientific background... I noted this as "strengthening our transatlantic brotherhood" in my essay. I do think I could have been a touch more "passionate" about my cultural desires for the city of Barcelona, but I ultimately have no regrets. I'm happy I applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbui Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) Both of you have great credentials, it seems like Fulbright is also looking for a personal connection to the country. A reason why the grant will is a necessary experience in your life. If you dont mind me asking, personally and professionally how will the fulbright help you? I spent the last few months really thinking about that and am very interested in what others are thinking. Personally: I fell in love with the country after studying a semester in Bangkok in 2010 and traveling around the north, northeast, central and south of Thailand. Wherever we went we were greeted with smiles that welcomed us there, and when we left there were smiles that invited us back. The food was amazingly spicy, and the country is so filled with natural beauty with misty mountains in the north, raw beauty in the northeast, crystal beaches in the south, and metropolitan Bangkok. I taught English in Chiang Mai for 8 weeks and it was one of the best moments of my life. Not only did I get to teach English, I also got a chance to spend Christmas working to spread God's love through telling Bible stories about hope throughout the northwestern region of Thailand. Professionally: Thailand is a key nation to maintain regional peace and stability through working with USAID to prevent and control human trafficking and emerging diseases. After Fulbright, I want to get involved with USAID to create health and education initiatives targeting underrepresented yet critical regions to secure stability and growth. With native fluency in Vietnamese, proficiency in Mandarin, and (hopefully) acquired fluency in Thai, I will be able to fully communicate with regional population and mediate the relationship between the U.S. and Southeast Asia/China. I hope this was clear in my personal statement and statement of grant purpose, I feel like there's so much more I should've added to the application. Edited November 2, 2012 by kbui Books2readme 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 That's a very picturesque vocabulary. It gives me an articulate, vivid description of your desire to travel and impact the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbui Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Was the rejection letter personalized in any way? When I got a rejection letter in March-April it wasn't personalized. But they were very polite and encouraging though, so that's why I'm applying again this year. I hope you get the award, it seems like you're really passionate about this experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 When I got a rejection letter in March-April it wasn't personalized. But they were very polite and encouraging though, so that's why I'm applying again this year. I hope you get the award, it seems like you're really passionate about this experience. - immensely passionate! I'm excited about applying as well. It's wonderful that you are applying again... there's really nothing more reassuring than confidence in yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithfullywaiting Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 For those of you who have applied for the full/research grant--Do you already have you project design completed or are you in the process of designing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Books2readme Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 It's already designed... It has to be very feasible and concise: it's required for the 2-page grant proposal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbui Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) I think I'm going to stop worrying about Fulbright for a while now. I'll see everybody back in January! Have a great winter everyone. Edited November 3, 2012 by kbui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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