Boren Scholarship & Fellowship, 2016-17

[kbui]

I'm currently in the drafting phase of my Boren Fellowship application and wanted to start a thread so that I have pressure to be accountable to myself, haha. In the recent years it doesn't seem like there were a lot of activity for the Boren--so let's bring it back! I'm most likely applying to study Arabic in Jordan or Thai. I'm still debating. What about other people?

[mrs12]

I'm seriously considering applying for the Boren, but I'm trying to figure out the technicalities of being accepted to a grad program (to be eligible for the Boren) but not starting classes and doing my intended program for a year before actually starting classes at grad school. In my case I really want to do the American Councils program in Kazakhstan so that I could study Kazakh for 9 months. 

How is the timeline looking for you, Kbui? Would you take a gap year next year? Or do a summer/semester sort of thing?

 

Edited October 20, 2016 by mrs12

[kbui]

I will most likely take a gap year to do an intensive language study abroad with some research component. At the moment I'm thinking about doing a project on geo-spatial analysis using ArcGIS and research data. One of the most difficult things I'm facing at the moment is recommendation letters from my current university since we just started and so the professors haven't gotten to know me well enough yet for a recommendation letter.

I would apply for the Boren anyways and choose a program that best fits into your language study goals. If I was applying before matriculating and if I picked Thai, I would make a case for why Thai and then I would propose to go to Johns Hopkins because they have a strong Southeast Asian program vs. MIT where they don't have an Asian specific program (that I know of). You're not obligated to go to that school, just make sure you have a plan of action that makes logical sense how all the pieces connect together.

[mrs12]

Oh my gosh, if you want to talk about GIS let me know! I've done a lot of it and hope to do more. That would be really fascinating as far as a gap year. Would that have any effect on your fellowship though? Do you have a strong relationship with your adviser or someone like that at your school? I think in your case you might get away with using a letter from someone in the community who knows you well (from the Fulbright, maybe, or from the work you did previously, etc.). It can be hard finding people, but even at the worst maybe you can approach a teacher you like the best and feel you have a good relationship with and just talk through your application and see if they would be willing to work with you to write a strong letter of recommendation (and felt that they could do so).

[kbui]

Seems like people are quite quiet about the Boren this year. Where are people now in their application process? I just asked a recommendation writer and he agreed. Now I'm just trying to finish up my essays before school starts again.