jrdnmadrid

Sending positive vibes to everyone for the Pickering Scholarship.

@kbuido you mind creating the hangout link? Looking forward to chatting with folks tomorrow!!!

@kbui @awayfromhere @ZebraFinch I can do 11am CST (That's 9am PST for me) this Sunday. Any other takers?

Hey team. I am also a pickering finalist. Really looking forward to meeting some of you in DC. Would also love to do a Skype session if people have time. I wish everyone the best of luck.

AHHH!!! I am rooting for you @kbui! Please do keep us updated with the results. On pins and needles as well for Pickering:) Sorry I couldn't join the Google chat, I have been really busy with work.

Great job everyone!

Its a good question @kbui on the switching. I actually don't know about that. I spoke about wanting to become an FSO in general with the Payne application, which I probably should have tailored more to a specialty. Hindsight is 20-20. If I don't get Pickering, I'll defer until next year and try again. In the meantime, I hope to continue improving my skillz. With a z because I am cool like that.

Hi Team, Update from me. Rejected for Payne/Rangel but I did get into two of the colleges I applied for out of four. Not bad:) @kbui Good luck with Payne. I am sure you are already aware but the USAID foreign Service is different than State. There are not five cones but several different career tracks (http://www.paynefellows.org/?areaid=2&contentid=970&mcontent=y&typeid=PAYNE62548). I didn't realize this when I first started looking at the scholarships and thought FSOs were all the same! Now I sit and wait for Pickering.

@mrs12 I think the most effective way is to see if he has time to chat over the phone. You should ask him about his experiences related to his career. What cones did he serve in? Where has he served? Favorite thing(s) about FS? Least favorite thing(s)? Tell me about a time when [insert specific question]...?Those types of open-ended questions are good for getting an understanding of the career you will be going into. He's right, there really is not a lot you can do besides get an internship/gain experience. However, you can dive into the cultural aspects of State to understand what you are getting into. @kbui Sure, LinkedIn is here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-madrid-7a970725 I grew up in Portland, Oregon and have been interested in becoming an FSO since I was 18 and met an ambassador. I like both the service and traveling aspects of the job. I went to Gonzaga University and studied business; was in Japan for a year. If I don't get these scholarships I'll move to California to be with my girlfriend and look for a job. I'll probably reapply next year just to see what happens, especially if I get into grad school and am able to defer. If I don't get it next year, I'll just keep taking the FSOT test accordingly while I continue getting experience in the marketing field. How about yourself?

@kbui I know I did:) Might as well, right? Good luck!

I think @kbui is checking on that, I don't believe they had a concrete date set.

Alas, it was not to be, I too was rejected from Rangel:) @awayfromhere Congratulations! Do you have a LinkedIn? I want to subconsciously compare myself against you. Just kidding:) I am really happy you got the Rangel finalist email with such tough competition! Best of luck, you now have a 50% chance of making it, those are pretty damn good odds. @kbui Everyone's right, you are competing against some fantastically amazing people. Also, both evaluation committees are different so you still have a chance. The other issue is, we don't know how we rank and will never find out. So both you and I could have been #41 and #42 on the Rangel list, right at the cusp, and we wouldn't have known it:) I kind of wish they gave us a percentile range, like "you made it to the top 10% of people, so try again next year!" I could see how that could be bad though;) Additionally, unless you are aiming for the tippy top, graduate school is easier to get in than getting Pickering/Rangel. Even Harvard, one of the most sought after colleges, has a higher acceptance rate than Pickering (This year Pickering is 4.5% vs. Harvard's 5.9% for undergrad respectively). I think you'll be fine for graduate school. If I don't get the Pickering/Payne this year, which is highly likely given the odds, I'll probably defer grad school and you'll see me on this thread next year! In the mean time, going to see about getting a job working at Disney.... Now, the waiting begins...

Hi @mrs12 and @kbui. I asked a couple additional questions, passing along some information that i hope you find helpful (or maybe you already knew). Looks like this year Pickering Grad program got 440 applicants! Good luck. Questions 1) Generally, how many people apply for the Pickering Scholarship? 2) I really hope I am selected as a finalist but if not will I be able to get feedback on my application for next year? 3) I also applied for the Rangel Fellowship. Are both committees in touch with each other on finalist selection since the Rangel Fellowship prgram decides earlier? 4) The graduate school selection deadline is mid-April. Do you know if past finalists were able to defer their college selection until after hearing about if they were accepted as a Pickering Fellow? Answers 1) Typically, about 350-400 eligible applications are received. We're looking at about 440 eligible applications this year. 2) Unfortunately, because of the volume of applications and the fact that it is the Selection Panel who makes the final determination of who goes on to the next round, we will not be offering feedback on applications. 3) Yes, we do keep in touch with the Rangel Fellowship; those who choose to become Rangel Fellows are withdrawn from our applicant pool after their selection process concludes. 4) This question is unique and I'm not sure what the answer is there as we do not speak directly with universities in relation to applicants (once selected as Fellows, that's when our interaction with the universities really begins); I imagine, in the past, that Pickering applicants have spoken directly to universities about that. At the very least, they will know if they have a 50/50 shot (as notification of an invitation to Selection in DC will have gone out by that time in April).

Hi All, Just wanted to let you know I also applied to the graduate program for Pickering/Rangel. This forum has been REALLY helpful. I didn't participate in the webinars, kbui, but wish I would have. kbui, fingers crossed I get to meet you in DC. Best of luck to both of you. Cheers, Jordan