E/E, E/E, VG/E was awarded honorable mention last year, and this year as a 2nd year grad student (life science type of guy). Got similar reviews last year, both years all praise with nothing really to work on.
I'm a bit jaded about it, but really this is a foreshadow of inevitably what competitive grant writing will be like. Thus, I am gearing/tooling up for a career in regulatory affairs post-phd rather than trying to compete for what little money is available to do science.
For those that care to know, 1 first author pub in jchem ed (low impact factor journal) as an undergrad, 1st author pub in grad school (journal of molecular biology), and just got reviewer comments back on a PNAS submission (I think I can address the comments and have them accept it).
Come from an industry background, 1 patent from a large pharmaceutical company. Did lots of science literacy work through undergrad up until present (reviewers eat science literacy work up at all levels for those that still have opportunities to apply). Also was first generation college student, grew up poor in an atypical family setting, disadvantaged status (financially growing up), but not a minority (disadvantaged status has not really ever helped me win any fellowships...it almost seems like a disclaimer to the funding entity that you are different but not in a good way).
My last few chances are NDSEG and HHMI Gilliam. Wish me luck guys, I certainly am pulling for all of you wherever you land on the list. Good luck, and great science