stmwap

Just do your best. You have a small chance of succeeding (many apply; few win), but there is still a chance. I submitted 5 fellowship applications in my first two years of graduate school (including two rounds of NSFGRF) and was awarded one of them (not the NSFGRF).

Neurobiology graduate student here. You don't necessarily need to take any neurobiology classes and for most programs there aren't really any prereqs.

Well you don't want to be in an underfunded lab anyway.

Sigh. VG/VG, VG/VG, VG/E. Nothing. All reviews are glowing with praise. At least there's that! This was my second and last year applying (I'll no longer be eligible). Last year I got VG/G, G/VG, G/G. Look how much I improved! Haha.

Yes, and preparing the application last year was a helpful exercise even though I didn't even get HM. And if I don't get the award again this year (and I probably won't), at least I have some good practice articulating the impacts of my research. No regrets... But it would be nice to get an award.

I'd just like to point out that I personally don't recommend staying up to see the results. I was tired AND unhappy the next day last year.

"Awarded," "Honorable Mention," or "Not Recommended."

The email, whether you receive the award or not, comes from info@nsfgrfp.org. EDIT: And you can actually see your status (and the list of awardees) on the site before you receive the email, but it's hard to get on with all the people trying to log on at once.

FYI, I just logged into FastLane and it made me agree to terms and conditions and change my password.

I know. It was a joke.

Actually, when I log in I do see this... Because it's the demo fellow on the FastLane Demonstration Site.

http://whatshouldwecallgradschool.tumblr.com/post/113363209611/getting-ready-to-hear-back-from-grants

I'm just trying not to get my hopes up, so I won't be as disappointed as I was last year if I don't get it again. I will be fine either way, I will be fine either way, I will be fine either way.

Either way, we're only ~2 weeks away!

Sorry.. meant to upvote, not downvote, and it won't let me change it!

I guess I'm fortunate in that I already have a stipend which is close to the one offered by the GRFP and my PI allows me quite a bit of freedom in my research. I want a GRF mostly for the prestige, I guess. But it would also allow my PI to afford to take on more graduate students, which would be nice!

This is true and there is nothing wrong with being hopeful, so long as nobody gets too disappointed. I was just trying to convey that one shouldn't feel like a failure if one doesn't receive an award. Even if your odds are ~25% like you reasoned, the odds are still technically against you.

Without even seeing your proposal: M. Even if you have an excellent proposal, it depends on so many factors that are out of your control. Don't be too down on yourself if you don't get it. Most people don't.

I was also rejected by OHSU with no interview, but now I'm a grad student in a great program. Like you said, stay positive! It will work out.

It is totally fine to not have a LOR from one of your previous PIs (especially because you have letters from your other PIs). This happens for all sorts of reasons and you can explain the situation, if asked, during interviews. I doubt you will even be asked, though.

Based on your research experience (most important), grades (somewhat important), and GRE scores (least important), you have a good chance of getting into anywhere you apply, as long as your research interests align well with the faculty there.

Create a CV with the "little research" and "nothing worthy" experience you have. If you are interested in the program, apply. You never know; they might be more impressed than you think.

I don't know about that. You can still be qualified and make a careless error. However, I agree with you (and so does NSF). It's only fair to award those who followed the rules.

Bolding important aspects of the proposal isn't everything. I did it (carefully) and I still didn't get anything - and it was obvious that reviewers didn't even read some of the things that were in bold. I have figured out how I'm going to improve my application for next year, though. My comments from reviewers were pretty much all positive even though my scores were mediocre (VG/G, G/G, G/VG), but there were some subtle things they said I can do to better my application (i.e. I have been and am involved with quite a few activities that are good examples of "broader impacts" but I need to do a better job of explaining why they're important).

This is not a low GPA.