BioBum

Hi all! My boyfriend is seriously considering FSU for grad school. I'm the overly prepared one of this outfit. Since we plan on getting married in the next couple of years we have agreed to make this decision together and living conditions are pretty high on my list. We would like some information on what neighborhoods are affordable on a grad student salary (he will be a first year PhD student and I'll be finishing up my masters, but can do that remotely from Tallahassee). We do have two dogs that love to run so we'd like a neighborhood with decent size yards. We're looking for a nice family friendly neighborhood with a minimal number of undergraduates. We love nature and would love a park or walking trails within walking distance. Bonus points for a neighborhood with lots of large trees. Where we currently are, students that stay for PhDs end up buying as it is more affordable in the long run. Is Tallahassee the same? We will likely start trying for a family white there as well so information on schools/school districts would also be helpful. Thank you in advance!

Don't expect a good or even mildly helpful review from all/any of your reviewers. I had one reviewer that gave me a glowing review but he/she also seemed to think the sun shone out of my ass (E/E and enthusiastically recommended me for funding) another reviewer gave me G/G and didn't include a single bit of original writing, he/she simply copy and pasted sections of my proposal into their "review". I understand that you cannot appeal appeal reviews to NSF but this seemed a little ridiculous. A third reviewer gave me VG/VG and a helpful review. It's a total crap shoot people. Good luck to everyone!

Finding it really hard to concentrate today ...

I applied for the GRF mainly for the prestige that comes along with being an NSF fellow. Secondarily, I applied for the raise. My boyfriend and I, both grad students, are trying to save for a house. That extra 14k-year would make for a killer down payment!

Anyone else forget about the GRFP recently and then realize that the announcement is still months away *quietly sobbing*.

I would like to chime in about the low GPA issue. I graduated in 2011 with a 2.79 GPA. I received E/E, VG/VG, and G/G. For what it's worth, 2 days after graduating I had a job in my field and have been employed steadily with 4 major research universities in that time. Additionally, I have one publication out and two more in prep. Only the G/G reviewer made any comment at all about the GPA. I suspect that the GPA ruled me out immediately in his/her eyes. I did have extenuating circumstances involved with my low GPA. Family issues, depression, death of a close friend, etc etc. it was one tragic event after another for the first 2.5 years of my college career. Finally, during my last semester and a half I pulled it together and raised my GPA from a 1.8 to a 2.79 at an academically rigorous university. While GPA for that one reviewer may have a been a deal breaker, clearly for the other two my actions since then have proven my abilities as a scientist. The E/E reviewer recommended me for funding. Don't focus too heavily on GPA. If you've got a story to back your low GPA and the science cred along with a kick ass proposal the GPA shouldn't be a huge issue. Anywho, that's my two cents. Good luck to all of those applying next year.

Reviewer 1: VG/VG Positive reviews Reviewer 2: E/E Sung my praises and recommended me for funding Reviewer 3: G/G NO ORIGINAL FEEDBACK - this reviewer literally copy and pasted sections of my proposal and put those in. How is that even considered to be feedback. Did write "Low GPA". I suspect this is what brought me way down in his/her eyes for the IM section. Didn't seem to bother actually reading my application. Oh well. That's not stopping me from applying again next year and the year after that if need be. Congrats to all those that won.

t-minus 2 hours!

I wish I would have had that option. 8 hours of field work today plus an unknown number for tomorrow. Sigh.

Central time here - but I've got to be up early for field work. Probably won't stop me from checking fastlane at 1 am here.

I think that depends on the institution and the field of study. Both my undergraduate and future graduate universities have hired recent grads for postdocs, faculty, and other research positions within the university.

Thank you! And here I thought I was being overly critical.

I don't know about the rest of you all, but my hope is dwindling.

HAHAHA! Thank you for that one. In a day full of paranoia your post actually made me laugh out loud!

Took a nap to try and take my mind off of the GRFP - woke up in the middle of a nightmare - I got an email from NSF saying that I would have won a fellowship spot but instead I'm being disqualified because my margins were off by .0001 inches. Anyone else having crazy GRFP induced nightmares?

So if you call the fastlane availability phone number (1-800-437-7408) it gives today's date and says the site is operating normally today and if you experience technical difficulties to call technical support. Sigh. Here's to hoping it is tomorrow.

I think people enjoy watching others freak out. It did drum up some excitement on this page.

Sorry guys! Thanks jmu for fixing it. Certainly didn't want to be responsible for a meltdown on here.

I doubt it, it would be very out of the ordinary for NSF to notify this way. All past sources indicate that the first thing that happens is that the fastlane site goes down for "maintenance". When the site goes live again, the results are posted here https://www.fastlane...loadAwardeeList. Usually the website goes down at some awful hour in the morning, I've seen 2 - 5 AM EST as favorites. The other option is to wait until NSF emails the decision later that day. It would be very unorthodox for notifications to be sent out this way. Just my two cents.

That's seriously impressive. He must have been an incredibly qualified applicant, far superior than any other GRFP applicant. Not going to lie, I still checked fastlane. Hangs head in shame.

It seems to me from the very brief search I did, that both the GRFP and the Hertz fellowship offer the same award in terms of stipend and CoE. Am I mistaken? In which case, I don't understand why you would want to take one award for the stipend and the other for tuition.

Are you kidding me right now? "I haven't looked much into the fellowship stuff." Seriously?!! What you are suggesting, in my opinion, should not be allowed. You would take a fellowship spot from someone that actually needs it? Some applicants were not as lucky to receive funding to cover their living costs. But, because you want to cover your tuition cost - which IS ALREADY BEING COVERED, you would take a fellowship spot that you don't need... Edit: I meant to imply that this person 'Clandry' is trying to use two fellowships concurrently and that shouldn't be/ins't allowed. Not to imply that if he/she were to win both that they don't deserve both. I am aware that these fellowships are merit based and not need based.

I moved this past Saturday and COMPLETELY forgot about the GRFP, until just now, that is. I still don't know how it's possible that I forgot, but I did. Amazing, I know! And now I can't stop thinking about it. I know it's very unlikely but I want the announcements to come this weekend. Hurry up NSF, end my misery!

I have to vent my frustrations here. I was talking to some people today about how they are raising the stipend in lieu of upping the number of awards. I expected the conversation to go the way it has been on this forum. I was dumbfounded when I heard a current fellow say that he IS GLAD that the number of awards isn't going up because his title as an NSF fellow will remain prestigious. My jaw hit the floor. The number of people applying to the GRFP increases every year - it's about time that the number of awards increased as well. Prestige is not an issue - just because the number of awards are increasing doesn't mean that NSF would suddenly start funding, as he called it "crap science". He seemed to think that with the extra 700 awards possibly being given out this year, NSF would be scraping the bottom of the barrel to fill those spots. After all of this - and the look of shock on my face - he asked if I knew if his award would increase because "it's only right". WHAT?!? I don't know about you all - but I do what I do for the love of it. Money is necessary to live and be able to do what I love to do but I am certainly not in science for the money. GRRRRRRRRRRR.

I don't know anyone that wouldn't get at least a little emotional upon seeing that they received an award. This is the first year that I am applying and I am a pre-grad applicant. If I were to get the award there would certainly be tears of complete and absolute joy. One - All the effort I put in last fall would have paid off in a HUGE way. Two- I wouldn't have to go through the GRFP process a second time! When all is said and done, I still think applying for the GRFP was an amazing learning experience. I have published manuscripts both as a primary author and as an et al. Until the GRFP I had not written a research proposal. This process also helped me refine my personal statement which I ultimately modified to use for my application to grad school and I got in! At the very least, the GRFP got me accepted to grad school. Even if I get terrible reviews on my application, I am still going to grad school in the fall and I get to do science!