Dibenzofulvene

I haven't heard anything yet, but my application status changed from "under review" to "being reviewed". Based on previous years, I think this means I'll find out soon...? 

Let's bring this thread back to life… 
Anyone else applying to Scripps for Fall 2017?

In my bias opinion, when a PI is working on research topics aren't "hot", nor requires external funding to sustain productivity, then the PI is probably "old" -- not a good sign at all.
You will meet people during your grad school career anyway (under normal circumstances), so "possible loneliness" should be a very small factor in the big picture. Some labs may have difficulty to secure extra funding, but that shouldn't stop you from applying funding for your own (i.e. predoctoral fellowship(s)). Also, co-PI is a possible solution should funding truly becomes your concern, which, in my opinion, should actually be your PI / your program / admin's concern but not yours (assuming they all want you to stay, of course).
If you think that it is too risky to go to this school (as you said there are basically no other options/backups in this school), then you should reevaluate your current options and worst case scenarios. Do you want to TA throughout your PhD? Is it a deal breaker?
The truth is, "old" isn't a description of a PI's age but the productivity of a lab. I wanted to work for this particular PI for my postdoc, who is now in his mid-70s. None of the other things matter as long as his lab is still active, I will for sure apply to his lab for my postdoctoral training.

I'm also probably committing to MIT, in the biological division--It seemed like there were labs that weren't so great but the majority of people I talked to were pretty happy in their labs (Buchwald, Jamison, Pentelute, Shoulders). I think it really is lab-dependent, and as long as you find a good group you should be ok.
I was not expecting to like it because of quality-of-life reasons, but I definitely was pleasantly surprised after the visit weekend.

I had the same thing with two great reviewers, and one who just didn't support my project.
Sadly, this is my last year of eligibility.
Congrats to everyone who received it, and good luck to those applying next year!

Yeah, that's true. Perhaps this is a (or likely the final) pre-announcement maintenance. 
Could make sense, as the others may not have been specifically for the GRFP site. (I don't remember seeing site-specific announcements over the past couple of weeks.)

AH!!!

Also, a separate one on the GRFP page.

Emphasis is mine. If threnagyn is right about the maintenance posts coming the day before, we can't rule out a Tuesday (ie, tonight) release.
Also check this out: Fastlane overnight maintenance happened on March 18th this year. Maybe the results were uploaded then and are just being hidden for now (would explain why the Award List page has had a 2016 header for at least a few days now -- the natural follow-up is whether that header appeared March 19th).
I don't know what went down in 2008, but I assume hacking of the fellow list means that results were online prior to official release. In-person hacking of the list is funnier to imagine, though.  

As exciting as this would be, I'm skeptical. No harm in hoping though ?

I compiled the last decade of result days for GRFP, and for fun, compared them to Easter dates (sadly, no useful correlations).
 
           Results                                                                         Easter                          Timing of results with Easter weekend:
2016: ????                                                                   27 March                       ????                          2015: Tuesday, 31 March                                             5 April                           Tuesday before 2014: Tuesday, 1 April                                                  20 April                         Way before 2013: Friday, 29 March                                               31 March                       Friday before 2012: Friday, 30 March                                                8 April                           Full week before 2011: Tuesday, 5 April                                                 24 April                          Way before 2010: Tuesday, 6 April                                                 4 April                           Tuesday after 2009: Friday, 10 April                                                   12 April                          Friday before 2008: Tuesday, 1 April/Monday, 31 March*                 23 March                        Full week after 2007: Thursday 22 March/Friday, 23 March**              8 April                           Way before 2006: Monday, April 17th                                            16 April                           Day after * 2008, the fellow list was released/hacked before emailing applicants
** 2007, they updated Fastlane before emailing, so awardees saw links like "view print fellow award letter" the day before.
Some insight: There doesn't seem to be any correlation between number of applicants and the date the results are released. Applications (and awards) have been steadily rising over time, but the release dates are kind of all over. I heard last year, NSF asked for more funding for more fellows, but was denied so there were only 2000 as with previous years. Was there any request for something similar this year? We likely will see just as many or more applications, but will number of rewards increase as well?
There is no correlation between the application due date (almost always first weeks of Nov except this year) and results date.
The results have been on Tuesdays/Fridays (2006 was likely late Monday night/early Tuesday morning like the rest). There really isn't a pattern on which day it's released in what year. You could say it alternated until 2011, where a double pattern began. That would put the release date for this year on Friday.
It seems they just release it when they have all their ducks in row. They always have the aim for 'early April' each year. Sometimes everything happens quicker, sometimes later. It's impossible to know why.
It is coming soon. When you go to the 'search awardees' page, the site has been updated with "2016 Offered Award List: This list of Awardees and Honorable Mention recipients for the year you have selected is not yet available."
There will likely be a maintenance break around that time. None has been announced yet, but it still could be posted tomorrow for a Tuesday release.

Wow. Congrats!  

But what if we all had that attitude, and finally sometime in May someone realizes that no one was actually checking?!
I kid. But I do have the same attitude. I don't even remember my login.

Haha you're right. I'm probably going to be said nerd at this rate ?

The first time I read it (just a glance) I thought it said that you could only apply once, and that you must be a graduate student... I'm so stupid
Also, reading that link that @Micecroscopy posted is so depressing... I feel like my chances would've been much higher if I could've said then that I was going to Cornell

Yeah, if anything I'd say that's a plus, that your PI has credibility with the NSF. I don't see how it would hurt you in any way.

I now check this page more often than I check my email...

Whoever is the first one to notice the expected FastLane "down for maintenance until 3AM message" had better post in this forum STAT!

I'm okay being ambitious.  I'm a chronic optimist.

I'm just trying to be as sad as possible this week and next. I figure if I set the bar low enough, a rejection can't make things any worse!

Lets dream big... if you get both, which will you take?

excited for this. i will also def be drinking a bit... 
we should start an IRC chat or something -- would anyone else be down?

I had a dream last night/this morning that NSF was updating fastlane with hashtags leading up to the reveal. Very strange. 
Can't wait to stayup with you all on reveal night!

I think that's exactly one of the reasons that they don't release the decisions earlier.