frenchpress

I'm still waiting to hear anything. I wonder if there's a method to their madness because it seems like they're doing this very piecemeal.

Did they include the peer review stuff? If so, how did the comments compare in helpfulness to the GRFP? Keeping an eye out for my rejection notice..

Anyone hear anything new? Radio silence over here.

Thought of more: If your budget allows for it, buy non-perishables in high quantities when they go on sale. For example, there was a 50% sale on cat litter and litter liners back in March. I have 3 cats, so I go through the stuff quickly. I stocked up on it, which required a significant expenditure at the time, but a more significant savings in the long run since I'm still working through my stock. Also, I agree about buying generics when practicable. Shampoo/conditioner/bras are the obvious exceptions for most of us ladies. A tip for other girls: men's stuff is SO much cheaper! Seriously, whether it's disposable razors, soaps/deodorants (and yes, you can find non-guy smelling scents...most of that is just marketing anyhow), or even workout clothes. I went to buy a set of warm ups the other day at Target and the women's pants alone were over $20. I went to the young men's section and got the whole outfit for $15. I wouldn't buy "real" clothes from the men's section, but for stuff like wind pants...I figure I'm going to look like an amorphous blob anyhow so why not save money!

To reinforce what some others have said: Learn to cook. Not just "prepare" or heat up pre-packaged foods; that's just as expensive as dining out. Take something like Mac and Cheese for example. One box costs between $1-$4 depending on brand. You can go to Target or Costco and buy 2 pounds of noodles and cheese for that much and feed yourself for a long time. Keep a bunch of spices on hand to season things. Buy beans in bulk. Buy frozen veggies in bulk, esp. when on sale. And actually prepare the food. It takes more time, but it's MUCH cheaper and healthier. Make your own coffee. Cook in bulk and freeze meals so you're not tempted to eat out for convenience. I also canceled DVR/Cable in favor of the basic network plans, though I might cancel that as well since most of my shows are available online anyhow. I reduced my Netflix to the 1 a month plan. Examine your cell phone plan. See if there's a better one for your uses. If I think of more I'll post. But the biggest thing is cooking.

That sounds likely. I called earlier this week and they are either very disorganized or being mum. They said that rejections were going out "soon," probably starting April 15. They demurred when I mentioned that other people seem to have received offers already, but they did say it could be as late as May 30 to find out if you've won. From what we know here, they seem to be making offers in rounds, calling people on Mondays.

Darnit! Another weekend of uncertainty! I am 99 percent sure I'm getting a rejection on this, but I'd rather have the dim light of hope extinguished than deal with more uncertainty. Blah.

Tuesday April 13, 1:47PM!

Unlikely grad. what FON did you apply under? I'm under the Surface Water Quality: Hydrogeology one. Maybe they're issuing awards by FON or something and they just haven't gotten to ours yet?

Yeah, I'd say you scored on that, botanista! That's fantastic news: congrats!

To those who applied for the EPA STAR fellowship: Have you heard anything yet? I know of one poster on the board who was notified of their acceptance already. I haven't heard anything yet. Not sure if that's good or bad or neutral.

Wow, congrats on the EPA STAR! That is fantastic news. I didn't expect the results to be out until next month. I wonder if it's good/bad/neutral that I haven't heard anything..

Thanks for the insight Chessmaster and Zonko. I still think I'm going to be rejected. Anyone here apply to the EPA STAR fellowship? I don't see a thread for it.

Does anyone know how many applicants there are typically for the NDSEG? From the website, they only award 200 fellowships each year so I am assuming that no matter what it is exceptionally competitive. Makes me think those of us that got rejected from NSF are definitely going to be dealt another rejection tomorrow.

Wow, that is profoundly unhelpful! Reviewer #1 says your academic prep is "less competitive," but #2 says your academic prep is good? That's ridiculous! Reviewer #1 has very strange standards..