mrs12

@Africanagyal As far as I know, this is an individual school thing. Because even after receiving word from the government the FLAS centers have to run through their own internal calculations. I would ask your FLAS center if they have any information available on the probable timeline.

@Dan_H On the contrary, I think you sound like an amazing applicant and that your age only makes you stand out more rather than detract. Honestly, I believe that starting college later in life is a boon in a lot of ways. I started at 20, and just those few extra years really made a difference in my academic path and the things I was able to do. And: Sciences Po and the Gilman? Those are all really impressive experiences! (Especially if you swung going to France for the Gilman, they tend to be chary about more "typical" study abroad locations.) I would be really pleased if we got to meet up over this process! Are you headed to the Georgetown SFS Open House? If so, I'm also going to be in D.C. at that time, to interview for the FAIT Fellowship.

@Doge You never know their timelines! Seems to me like they'd be lucky to have you.

@ayasofaya, @Micr: I have no freaking clue, honestly. Ayasofaya is right, I didn't apply to the Pickering last year, just the Rangel. But I did apply to the Pickering the year before, as a Junior in college and received a rejection. So, thus far, I've been rejected from the Rangel twice and the Pickering once and then just now made it to the finalist stage. My applications have all basically been the same from year to year barring my essay which I always completely redo. I'm a good student, but I don't have that many extracurricular or tie-ins and my GRE scores are average (my math score is horrible, actually). So, really, I'm as flummoxed as everyone else. This year, after two years of rejection from various fellowships, I decided to just shuck the traditional essay style and write my own thing. I figured it couldn't be worse than what I'd always been writing and gotten rejected on. So, in the past I tried to write persuasively about my passion for public service and background, and the year before that I wrote primarily on the thirteen dimensions and my experiences at my internship with State and my desire to be a part of that community. These were all really polished essays and I felt strongly about them. This time around I threw all that out the window, and tried to write about everything else. I trusted that my resume and letters of recommendation would speak to those traits and experiences, and instead wrote a more personal narrative that highlighted my rural background and my desire to represent a multifaceted America. I gambled and figured either they'd throw it out as absurd or it'd catch someone's eye -- because clearly my past attempts hadn't. So, if I had to guess... Maybe this time around it was more sincere? Or different enough that it caught people's attentions? Or perhaps it was just less staid. I've always been a good writer, but I wasn't trying so hard to have the perfect essay this year. I wanted to share my story, and write what felt natural. Maybe that was the difference? But I've heard from past finalists and everyone has a different essay, some more personal, some more formal, some directly addressing the 13 dimensions, some never even touching on them. All I can speak to is my progression to this point, and I think the big difference was writing to my strengths. That is, writing the type of essay that I tend to write best. So whichever sort of narrative lets your writing voice shine best, maybe that's something to consider. So... yeah? I hope that's helpful, even though I'm afraid it's not a very obvious answer. Thanks for the well-wishes and support! Sorry it took me so long to respond, I kind of got the news and freaked out and retreated for a while. @Dan_H Hey, there! Congratulations! I applied for the 17th testing date. So if that goes through, maybe we will see each other! Good luck with the preparation! Remember that you're awesome, so try not to panic too much at this point. (If you can avoid it.) I think even though nothing is determined this will just be an interesting and fun experience!

@Doge I hate to say this, but I'm secretly glad you didn't get funding from Georgetown, either, in a horrible way. Because you're amazing, and I was starting to psyche myself out over the funding scenario there, and that it was some sign about my capabilities. This argument is rendered inert after hearing from you though, so, thanks? (and sorry!) Seriously, though, Yale? You'll do great there! And I'd assume that amount of funding means they really really want you, so that's a good thing to know/have in your pocket if you ever get worried. Enjoy your conference, and I hope I do get to see you at Georgetown!

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god....... I'm a Pickering Finalist... I don't believe it. Seriously. I think this is a mistake. I've tried so many times now, is this even possible??? @ayasofaya I'm so sorry! I was hoping to get to meet you at the interview day, somehow. You have to keep trying. Seriously. I hope the Fulbright ETA comes through for you, but even so, congratulations on your grad school results, you're doing amazing. I know just how this moment feels, after waiting so long, and having so much pinned on it, and I want you to know that you're awesome and all of your hard work will pay off somehow/somewhere.

You're welcome, @KitKat99! I really like your avatar, by the way. Pusheen is the cutest!

Last year was March 29th, the year before that March 27th. So I'd assume we're not looking at this week. :3

@DogeWeirdly enough, my answer would normally be no because of distance, but I'm actually in DC that day doing an interview as a finalist for my fellowship... so if I somehow have time, I'd love to. I doubt I have time though, because it's an all day interview process. XPP Congratulations on Columbia and UIUC! I told you you were going to smash it! <3 What are you thinking about/leaning towards? Do you have all your financial aid packages yet? One of my concerns is that Georgetown probably gives out financial aid packages in their official letter off the site, and the fact that they don't mention funding at all in mine probably means I didn't get any funding. Otherwise they at least would have mentioned that they were sending them out later, you'd think... Or I think... Ahhhhh.

Oh my gosh! Congratulations everyone! You're all so amazing. I just heard from Georgetown, today, too. I'm in! But no word on financial aid, so it might not matter. XPPP I'm in a potential dilemma, as I'm also a finalist for an IT fellowship, which would necessitate me going somewhere other than the Georgetown program. But I decided early on to go where the money is, so if I get funded I'll be thankful and go wherever I have to go. I hope that means the Georgetown MAERES program, but we'll see. It's so cool hearing about all of your options and the things you've all been doing. Congratulations on all these opportunities and I hope we all get lots of funding offers!

From what I know, summer FLAS are sometimes available to outside-students in places where the host school doesn't have enough applicants of their own. And this, usually, only for the most understudied languages under the FLAS umbrella. I've never heard of it being offered for an academic year FLAS, and honestly I've only seen the summer FLAS given to students studying at FLAS-sites who themselves come from a university without FLAS. But that's just my experience!

@ayasofaya My gosh, that took forever to find. It got lost in a random folder somewhere on my gmail, which isn't usually my main email. Thanks! Also, I have good news!!! The results went out today for the Foreign Affairs IT Fellowship Finalists, and I'm one of them! I'll be going to DC in April for the interviews/written test! The odds are still pretty slim, only 5 people will be selected in the end (out of 10 finalists). But I'm trying to let myself be excited today before I devolve into worrying. Somehow I thought it'd take longer for the results to come out, so now my patience is shot and I want to hear back from the Pickering already...

@ayasofaya Wait! When did you get that, Friday? What email did it come under? I haven't received anything other than the first alert that the application was submitted... Gosh, I hate wait like this. XP

@Doge, Congratulations!!! That's so great! You'll have tons of options now! Here's hoping to some fantastic aid packages. @lawine Congratulations on Wisconsin! I really love Wisconsin-Madison and the program there is really snazzy. <3 February does seem slowww, though I'm really waiting until the middle of March for most of my information. Ughhh. Why do I do this to myself?

Georgetown doesn't officially say anything during the process, as far as I've been told. So the only thing you can do is check the online portal to see if they received everything. Other than that, it's a long wait to late February or early March. I don't know how many applicants they typically get, but @Doge is correct, the incoming class is something between 12-30 students at most. Also! Congratulations, Doge! One acceptance down, and plenty more to come!