purple pentapus

Hey everyone! Long time reader, first time posting. I'm a 2nd-year grad student who switched labs right when the school year started, so I had very little hope of receiving an award because I wrote a proposal after joining a new research field approx. two months prior to the due date. However, with lots of support from my new advisor (and others) plus a heap of luck, I got it! Third time's the charm, lol. One comment I got all three years--and I got an honorable mention last year--was along the line of "applicant has less competitive (undergrad) GPA." From the reviewer comments I got this year, I conclude that how you present yourself in your personal statement can trump even a low GPA. Only one reviewer mentioned my GPA, and as an afterthought. I'll definitely keep commenting in the future to help people out. Congrats to those who received an award. And for those who haven't gotten one yet and are still eligible to apply next year, keep trying! =) VG/E, E/E, VG/E