Inyo

On the flip side of this, I spent only three years in undergrad. After graduating I did research full time for six months, but the research wasn't in my immediate field. I've been out for four years, now, with 3.5 of those spent teaching full time. It's been clear that my deviations from the typical path have hurt me in applying to physics programs but helped with education programs. I think the "how long do I spend in undergrad" is a highly discipline specific question IF you intend to pursue graduate study. I strongly encourage you to seak out the advice of professors in both departments to see what they have to say.

I don't fully understand the actual law, but it's my understanding from listening to lots of NPR (I have a long commute...) that the law as written prevents agencies from moving a lot of money around to minimize the effects. That was written into the law to make the cuts as "stupid" as possible so that they'd never happen... but here we are now. I think it's hard to predict exactly how the GRFP will be effected. Even if the NSF wants to protect it, they may not be able to.

Two of my friends were admitted to the Harvard MPH program about two weeks ago, so yes, it seems as though they are in the process.