mrs12

Hey all~ So I was recently chatting to one of my professors and he mentioned that if I wanted to segue into one of the fields I was interested in but hadn't rigorously pursued in undergrad that many students took extra classes after graduation to make themselves more attractive to and/or fit the requirements of other degree programs. So my question to you all is, is that true? Once you've graduated undergrad, can you just take other classes to augment what you've got? And if so, do people ever do summer programs or is it usually community college type stuff? I ask because I'm used to doing intense language programs in the summer and I've seen how much can be done at a program like that. Are there similar sort of "catch-up" programs, for, say, math? Or, I don't know, computer science?

Hey everyone! I know we're all feeling pretty bruised today, but remember that there are people every year who get the Pickering who were not called as finalists for the Rangel. So do not lose hope! (The Payne as well!) If anyone wants to get together to discuss the Pickering, share ideas, or just to have someone to talk to about what you're feeling right now, I will be around. I still remember how hard it was last year when I wasn't asked for the undergraduate Pickering Fellowship to be a finalist, but it's also an opportunity for growth too. We learn a lot through times when we have to second guess ourselves and keep reaching for something.

Hello all, it looks like results are out tonight! It was a no-go for me, this time.

@Olgraves they are supposed to be deciding today by the end of the day. So very slight chance that we know this evening, but most likely tomorrow. Also, everyone will be emailed, whether you were a finalist or not, so there won't be any ambiguity to worry about!

@Bandi, it will be over with soon! I know right now is really tough for all of us, but remember that you are amazing! The very fact that you put in such great effort as to apply to the Rangel, that you've searched your soul and your future and determined that you want the sort of career that the Foreign Service offers, these things guarantee that you are one hard working and fantastic person. Whether or not we get chosen as finalists, or even in the end as recipients, you've marked yourself. Even if we have to go about trying to get into the FS the conventional way, or where ever life leads us, you can always be sure that you reached for your dream and that you are wonderful. <3

Oh my gosh, if you want to talk about GIS let me know! I've done a lot of it and hope to do more. That would be really fascinating as far as a gap year. Would that have any effect on your fellowship though? Do you have a strong relationship with your adviser or someone like that at your school? I think in your case you might get away with using a letter from someone in the community who knows you well (from the Fulbright, maybe, or from the work you did previously, etc.). It can be hard finding people, but even at the worst maybe you can approach a teacher you like the best and feel you have a good relationship with and just talk through your application and see if they would be willing to work with you to write a strong letter of recommendation (and felt that they could do so).

@Olgraves I'm applying to Georgetown, Indiana-Bloomington, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and probably Harvard. I'm going for Central Asian/Eurasian Studies but I want professional based programs which are rather hard to find in my area of focus (The Turkic speaking world). I hope the GRE went well for you today! Let us know! Also, just in case you didn't see, the Pickering Fellowship application is now open!

I'm seriously considering applying for the Boren, but I'm trying to figure out the technicalities of being accepted to a grad program (to be eligible for the Boren) but not starting classes and doing my intended program for a year before actually starting classes at grad school. In my case I really want to do the American Councils program in Kazakhstan so that I could study Kazakh for 9 months. How is the timeline looking for you, Kbui? Would you take a gap year next year? Or do a summer/semester sort of thing?

@nsnotable, I've heard the same thing about timelines. I can't really imagine how difficult it would be having to commit to a school that you really want to go to but not knowing yet if you have the funding. I think, though, from this topic last year, that people often were able to convince schools to give them a little bit more time to hear the results. That being said, I too am really grateful that the Rangel, at least, is now doing things earlier. About the GRE, is quant a large factor for the programs you're looking at? For me the tricky thing will be the writing section because I need an almost perfect score to be competitive. If you do find a way to re-test I've heard that some people who only really need to retest for one section just put all of their effort into that on the test day because you can choose which scores you send to a school. I'm doing better at breathing today, haha. I'm taking this as an exercise in dealing with the unknown and personal expectations. Reframing it like that has helped so far. And I know from last year that the experience teaches you so much, even if you don't get chosen, so I'm trying to focus on what I've learned so far rather than what the future might or might not hold.

Ahhhhhhhhhh. I'm dying, I'm dying. I seriously cannot stop obsessing over the last few days. Someone else please let me know you're also consumed with this agony. I feel like I'm waiting to hear back about my whole life -- even knowing that I'm not and that I have many options if I'm not accepted, it feels like a turning point. Is anyone else struggling with this last week?

@kbui, Hey! Thanks for dropping by again! I think that's really useful advice. I'm worrying, as usual, that I won't give myself enough options. But applying to other programs just to have more options that I'm not likely to take anyway isn't really the best use of my time right now. Thanks for reminding me. Sometimes you just need someone else to point it out! How are you doing, anyway?

How many grad schools are you guys applying to? I'm thinking about 4-5, but I'm not sure if I should force myself to apply to more just to keep my options broader...

@nsnotable Ahh, you sound so awesome! Haha. It would be perfect for both of us to end up with a Fellowship and at Georgetown. I think that the MSFS is really popular with the Rangel and Pickering students. You're also applying to the Pickering right, if this doesn't work out? I know from last year that often people who weren't picked for the Rangel were selected for the Pickering, etc. The one really good thing about the Rangel this year is that you know if you're selected before grad school applications and since schools really want fellows if your GRE is even remotely close to the target I'd think you'd be fine. That said I'm worried about the GRE too, I still need to take it! It's just been super busy for me the last few weeks. Man, I had the most hilarious dream last night about this whole thing. We were all in the finals, and they took us outside to this parking lot all secretively, and handed us fake weapons, and were like, "Okay, whoever wins gets to join the Foreign Service." And I remember thinking to myself, why would a diplomat need to know how to fight? But the whole dream was super silly. For the interview portion no one knew what time they had and we had to guess and run around trying to figure it out so we weren't late. My subconscious is certainly obsessed with this right now.

Hey, just so you know there's another topic on this from earlier that's pretty popular: But as for you coming from a different background, I wouldn't say that's true! Most fellows have worked for one or two or more years before being accepted, and they've worked in various different fields or places. I would think that you would have just as much of a chance as anyone else, and probably more because of your experience in the professional realm which will really help with the interview stage!

@Bandi Yes, I applied last year! However, last year I was only eligible for the Pickering, since they have a very small undergraduate fellowship which is exactly like the graduate fellowship for the Rangel/Pickering normally. So I don't have any advice about the Rangel really, as this is my first year applying. Last year I was not selected as a finalist for the Pickering, but I feel like I got a lot of experience and good advice out of the attempt so hopefully this year will be better. :3 @nsnotable I primarily study Turkish Studies and other random things. My senior research is a computational text analysis of Turkish language newspaper articles before and after the recent coup attempt. I'm mostly focusing on narratives of nationalism. I want to do a grad program in Eurasian/Central Asian Studies. (My area of interest is the Turkic speaking world.) My number one choice in Georgetown's MAERES, and all my other options fall way below that. I really want to find a program where I can keep studying languages but also take more professional skills based courses like I've done in undergrad. Was your Fulbright an ETA or research? How did you like it? Did you have a past history with Indonesia before you went?

I'm trying to just focus on school right now, and get started on all my grad school applications... It's a little difficult because everything is going off in opposite directions. My senior research is very different from the sorts of things I'm writing about in potential grad school SOP's and I can't help but worry over the fellowships this year. Are either of you undergrads still, or did you already graduate?

@nsnotable Would you mind me asking what the email was listed under? They seem to have several email accounts and I want to make sure I'm looking in the right place before I panic about said emails absence. :3 Also! Last year there were several of us who kept up a pretty rapid commentary, so if you guys want to do so it can be really helpful. Just sort of posting concerns, new information you found, exciting things that happened to you, or thoughts as we wait this out and imagine our futures. I like to obsess so I recently made an online countdown to the day when the finalist results should be out if anyone else wants to watch the seconds tick down...: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/to?iso=20161026T00&p0=179&msg=Rangel+Fellowship+Finals&ud=1&font=cursive&csz=1

I actually asked them and they said they imagined 400 or so would apply. Which... is the same number as last year as far as I remember, so that might have just been an automatic answer? Honestly I'm kind of hoping less people realized because it was so much earlier than normal! (Though I admit that's rather petty.) I wonder though if it would be a bad thing to email them just to clarify that they received my application? I wish they had at least sent out some sort of notification, even if the website itself didn't. Otherwise I'll just fret endlessly about technical complications!

I really don't like that there's no way to tell if your application went through for the Rangel... I've known enough websites to have issues that this is kind of unnerving.

Hey! So, for people who've applied to the Rangel before, with the financial need essay, did you end up discussing more than one graduate school or just your top choice when it came to how you'd pay for it?

Too true. :3 I'm actually on the Central(eur)asia side of "Russian Studies", but honestly, there's so many names and distinctions and no set rules. As for professional programs, there are two things I'm majorly looking for. I want a program that allows you to do more than just area studies courses. I primarily like statistics, but there are ways of mixing language and culture with "skill" based courses. And secondly, I'm looking for programs that have a good alumni/job network in my areas of interest. That might seem like it's not too stringent, but so far I'm still having trouble finding many programs that pass.

Hi! I'm also applying this round to several Russian Studies programs. (Russian Studies and Slavic tend to be lumped together depending on who you ask, but if you intended this to just be Slavic then let me know!) I'm looking at a lot of different programs, but I'm aiming more for a professional focus rather than academic so that's been a bit more difficult to suss out. My primary list right now is: Georgetown MAERES Wisconsin-Madison CREECA Harvard REECA Indiana Bloomington CEUS

Thanks, @kbui! That was exactly what I was wondering about.

Hi, So, here's my problem. I've been constructing lists of grad schools for a while now, but my interests have gotten narrower and narrower and as I go to really finalize these lists I've found myself only 100% happy with one school. You clearly shouldn't just apply to one school, but I'm curious how people generally weed out and or select schools that aren't necessarily the exact thing they're looking for after they found that "perfect" fit. Many schools on my list offer interesting choices or things that could be useful, they just don't hit all the boxes I'd like them to. So how did/are you creating your final lists of schools if you have a top choice already?

Hi @rising_star, I've looked at almost all of these forums and unfortunately none of them seemed to answer my question. Or maybe I missed it! I'll take another look, though, thanks! It's led me to wonder if most people only apply to the Boren if they're already in Grad School...