NSF GRFP 2009-2010

[UnlikelyGrad]

If you have time to kill, here is the best source I have found for hard data on how the GRFP is awarded. Section II beginning on page 8 is probably the most interesting to applicants.

http://www.nber.org/...Proceedings.pdf

Wow. That's quite a paper. I feel better about my chances now!

[swisnieski]

Yes, you can put up to two years on "reserve" while you do other things. Found that info here: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/NSFHelp/flashhelp/fastlane/FastLane_Help/fastlane_help.htm#fastlane_faqs_introduction.htm;jsessionid=3a302438931129054891102?areaIndex=3

According to this document (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/grfpfellow.pdf), reserve status is available only for full-time enrolled grad students. :-\

[Steven]

According to this document (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/grfpfellow.pdf), reserve status is available only for full-time enrolled grad students. :-\

Sorry, I must have missed that part. Still, winning the GRFP but not getting into grad school seems like a very unlikely scenario to me.

[swisnieski]

Sorry, I must have missed that part. Still, winning the GRFP but not getting into grad school seems like a very unlikely scenario to me.

It may just be for me. Although I'm a solid student (probably good enough for a GRF), I've been looking over my SOPs lately and I'm convinced I screwed the pooch on the fit section.

[zxcv]

According to this document (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/grfpfellow.pdf), reserve status is available only for full-time enrolled grad students. :-\

This is a change from last year. I have a friend who deferred his first year of grad school (and the NSF) last year to travel.

[punkybugsy]

Quick question.. I was under the impression that the NSF gets our GRE scores based on the registration number we provide them. I foolishly just rechecked my application status after not looking since all of my recommenders had submitted and I saw my GREs were not received. Albeit, they aren't stellar, they are pretty good and I wanted to submit them (V:680 Q:700 AW:5.5). So, was I supposed to put down a code for the NSF to have scores sent when I took the GRE, or were they supposed to get them? Either way, I'm going to call them this week and hopefully clear it up before it is too late in the review process.

[swisnieski]

Quick question.. I was under the impression that the NSF gets our GRE scores based on the registration number we provide them. I foolishly just rechecked my application status after not looking since all of my recommenders had submitted and I saw my GREs were not received. Albeit, they aren't stellar, they are pretty good and I wanted to submit them (V:680 Q:700 AW:5.5). So, was I supposed to put down a code for the NSF to have scores sent when I took the GRE, or were they supposed to get them? Either way, I'm going to call them this week and hopefully clear it up before it is too late in the review process.

All you needed to do was put the test registration number in the application and signify that you agree to release your scores to them. They arrange to have ETS send the scores to them, and they pay the fee for doing so.

[UnlikelyGrad]

Quick question.. I was under the impression that the NSF gets our GRE scores based on the registration number we provide them. I foolishly just rechecked my application status after not looking since all of my recommenders had submitted and I saw my GREs were not received. ... Either way, I'm going to call them this week and hopefully clear it up before it is too late in the review process.

Mine took 3-4 weeks to arrive after I submitted my application. Still, I think it would be good to call them just in case.

[punkybugsy]

Great, thanks for the info, I was 90% sure that was the case, but I was a basket case from gre prep, application writing, ect.... so who knows what I overlooked. I didn't want to call without being entirely sure that I had done my part of getting the scores submitted.

[swisnieski]

FWIW to anyone interested, I e-mailed the NSF GRF operations center and asking about what would happen if an applicant were awarded a fellowship but denied admissions everywhere. Their response:

To the best of our knowledge, it is extremely uncommon for an applicant to receive an award and not be admitted to any graduate program. If you did receive an award and had not been accepted into any graduate programs, we would suggest contacting the program office to discuss options at that time. While the fellowship is normally put on reserve to allow the fellow to accept another funding source, the program office may be able to accommodate extraordinary circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

[zilch]

I get the feeling that it might not be as uncommon this year as it has been in previous years. There's most likely going to be a decline in graduate acceptances especially at state universities with the economy the way it is.

UIUC (where I am) has just announced furloughs for all staff and faculty because the state has given the University less than 1/5 of what was budgeted. A lot of current grad students had funding requests straight-up ignored which leads me to believe that admissions may be down a little bit next year. Although Illinois as a state is second only to California in terms of how bad the state's credit rating is, a lot of other states are also facing similar difficulties.

[swisnieski]

I get the feeling that it might not be as uncommon this year as it has been in previous years. There's most likely going to be a decline in graduate acceptances especially at state universities with the economy the way it is.

Not only will enrollments decline, but the number of awards is also going up! So competition for awards is decreasing even as competition for available grad school slots is increasing. Possibly many people will wind up in this situation.

Edited January 19, 2010 by swisnieski

[punkybugsy]

I'm curious (I think I found the answer.. but I'm not positive) can this award be used for students who want to enroll abroad? I didn't apply abroad because those schools required much earlier applications to be considered for funding, but I imagine some of those programs would accept last minutes students who come with three years of funding from the NSF. Has anybody whose been awarded the NSF entered a program outside the US? I thought I read that this was acceptable.. but I couldn't find it in the FAQ sections.

[Krypton]

43. I am preparing my application for the GRFP. Can the Fellowship be used in a foreign university?

Yes. If you are going to study in a foreign institution, you will be called a Fellow Abroad, and NSF will administer your award directly (as opposed to administering it through your institution).

Edited January 23, 2010 by Krypton

[total bummer]

Well I got the fellowship last year and so far have been flat-out rejected from two schools and not invited for interviews at two others. I have two left to hear from I'm still hoping that they've just skipped inviting me altogether and will just admit me but I doubt that's the case!

[sundevil2013]

Does anyone have experience applying from an interdisciplinary program? My research is a cross between mathematics and education (specifically quantitative assessment instruments in calculus classrooms) and it was hard to find a category to apply in. I ended up applying in Mathematics - Other, as psychology did not really cover it. I have what I think is a strong application, GRE 1600, GPA 4.0, research experience on three projects in undergrad and grad (I am in my 1st year), presentations at a few national conferences, but no full publications (some have since been submitted).

I am concerned I will get rejected because some might not consider my proposal fully "mathematical" as it is focused in part on education. If anyone has any thoughts or experience with this, that would be great.

Hope NSF sticks to their deadlines, or this is going to be a long two months!

[biosci3c]

If you look at the 2008 thread, results came out end of March/Early April (someone edited the fastlane forum with the web developer bar in FF to get a sneak peak at the results a bit early).

I applied to the Life sciences branch of the NSF back in November (was insane, because I had just finished my Hertz app the previous week, turned down for that one really fast).

[zxcv]

sundevil2013 -- my understanding is that the main reason why listing the category you are applying under matters is that it determines the committee which reads your application. Since you applied in Mathematics, your application will be read by mathematicians (and probably only those in specific subfields). I suspect (but do not really know) that the question for you is more if mathematicians would appreciate your research than find it mathematical (a subtle distinction). The category you pick also matters because awards are also awarded by category.

[sundevil2013]

sundevil2013 -- my understanding is that the main reason why listing the category you are applying under matters is that it determines the committee which reads your application. Since you applied in Mathematics, your application will be read by mathematicians (and probably only those in specific subfields). I suspect (but do not really know) that the question for you is more if mathematicians would appreciate your research than find it mathematical (a subtle distinction). The category you pick also matters because awards are also awarded by category.

Thanks zxcv - I just checked into it with NSF, and they said in fact if you are in mathematics education, physics education, etc, you actually MUST apply to the mathematics or physics subfield, respectively. Glad I picked the right one! Now, for it being interesting to them... I guess we will wait and see. My undergrad was in algebraic topology, and about half the research experience I have is in pure mathematics. I got three letters of rec from my graduate school advisor and professors, and two from my undergraduate. I tried to show I was mathematically talented, but interested in education, rather than taking the education route because I couldn't do mathematics. Hopefully my stats back me up on that.

[bolani]

Well I got the fellowship last year and so far have been flat-out rejected from two schools and not invited for interviews at two others. I have two left to hear from I'm still hoping that they've just skipped inviting me altogether and will just admit me but I doubt that's the case!

How did you delay using the fellowship for a year?

Btw...did you tell them you have your own $$$? That should make a huge difference.

[bolani]

So, everyone check their status for the NSF application. Make sure they have received EVERYTHING....I found out last week that they didn't get my GRE scores(I guess they didn't request them)? So I emailed them and they THEN did it. Woooo.

Also, the date of receipt for my transcripts is really later than the deadline, even though I called them the day before the deadline to make sure they had it. Hope that doesn't make a difference. :-)

Who here thinks they have a GOOD chance, a BAD chance and WHY?

[sundevil2013]

Difficult to say good or bad chances... 4.0, 1600 GRE, 8 national conference presentations, good deal of research experience... but those are just stats. I really don't know how much stats buy you. I tried my best to address broader impacts, and I feel I justified why my research is important. The good news for everyone is they are making 1650 or so awards this year, though that also probably generated more applicants.

[sundevil2013]

So, everyone check their status for the NSF application. Make sure they have received EVERYTHING....I found out last week that they didn't get my GRE scores(I guess they didn't request them)? So I emailed them and they THEN did it. Woooo.

Also, the date of receipt for my transcripts is really later than the deadline, even though I called them the day before the deadline to make sure they had it. Hope that doesn't make a difference. :-)

Who here thinks they have a GOOD chance, a BAD chance and WHY?

I posted what I thought below. What do you think about your chances?

Edited February 10, 2010 by sundevil2013

[Steven]

I posted what I thought below. What do you think about your chances?

I estimate my chances at 50/50. I have excellent GRE, GPA and research experience. My biggest detractor is that my school is not well respected. I plan to make up for the lack of pedigree with solid research, but I think it will hurt me a lot in getting grants. I also have a pretty complicated interdisciplinary research proposal (math/computer science/biology), which may also hurt me depending on who reviews it.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Steven

[zilch]

hmm, I'd like to think that my chances are at least ok.

good gre scores, lowish gpa from the number 2 institution in the field, research experience with publications, a long list of extra-curricular activities. I managed an honorable mention last year and my reviewers seemed to really like my broader impacts. Oddly enough, my ratings in intellectual merit were higher than in broader impacts even though my gpa was pretty low.