iDance

Welp, my last chance is done. At least I'll have my doctorate in 2019 instead of 2020? Ugh. And the depression sets in. Good luck semifinalists!!! I am so proud of you all and I hope you guys get it. I am rooting for you!!! ?

Well, I hope neither of those come true lol.

Anyone else feel like Heihei from Moana when he realizes he's on the boat?

Alright, elephant in the room: what happens if they don't pass a budget and the government shuts down tomorrow? When will we find out?! I mean, priorities. I have a weird mix of disappointment and relief that it wasn't today. At least my dream is still alive, but I kind of just want to know already.

If they hold true to last year, today could be the day (it was a Wednesday last year). I think it's wishful thinking to think it'll be today, but still--kind of excited/nervous/nauseated. Good luck all--we've already come so far. Just a little further!

This is true, but the committees decide in late November/early December, according to the timeline on the Fulbright website. Unless they were slowed down doing the emails or something, being closed in January should not affect them too much.

They say that every year. Don't expect mid-Jan necessarily, but just because they say January 30th doesn't mean it's necessarily 30th.

Happy new year all!!! Less than a month!

I vaguely remember it popping up here last year around the time decisions for 1st round went out--maybe a week or 2 before? So we have some time still if I'm remembering correctly. The link from last year's no longer works--I hunted it for awhile back in September and the link was dead, so I can save you guys some looking time there lol.

You too! Fingers crossed!

Submitted. Too tired to feel anything except numbness. Good luck all!!!!!

1 week to go guys! We got this! Also, the Embark seems super disorganized this year. Did anyone else notice that their 1st example for the affiliation things doesn't fit in the box?

@savay Thanks! I've got it down to under the limit without the header, so hopefully it's not going to be an issue. But it's frustrating--I feel like the Fulbright site is a lot more of a pain to navigate this year than it was last year. Reading about everyone having issues uploading isn't making me feel great either, oy. FIngers crossed for everybody. I'm so behind this year--I feel like last year I was way better prepared by this point.

Hey all, Quick formatting question. I know last year they explicitly said the name/title/country cannot go in a header of a document. I do not see that same instruction for this year--has anyone heard anything about using headers on their SOP/PS? Thanks in advance!

I am so sorry--I didn't even realize there were locations next to the avatars. Now that I look at your program, if you're doing social work, you could try to find somewhere in the US that has a large french-speaking population. I'll be honest, though--I'm not sure how many of those are left. You could even spin it as a chance to improve your grammar. If it helps, your posts on here are good. Is there an English department at your university that you could work with to make improvements before you apply? I'm not sure if international applicants are on the same schedule as US ones. Once again, I am so sorry about giving you confusing info.

For a full list of countries, check Fulbright's website. There are some restrictions, but the majority of countries support the program. http://us.fulbrightonline.org/countries/regions Some countries offer awards that vary from the usual general ETA or study/research, so check with ones you're interested in by going to their site (accessible through that link). I believe the national geographic storytelling one is being offered this year, which allows for 3 countries, but you'd have to make sure as I'm only going off what Embark (the online application system) says for that.

It varies. I started about a year and a half before my first application date, and clearly that didn't help lol. I know others who put it together in a few months. According to an ex-FPA, one thing the committee looks for is preparation, though, so classes regarding your country help. So do any extracurriculars that relate. I'd say the sooner you start the better of a chance you have--especially if you don't have a standing affiliation in the country you want to apply to. It took me about 2 months just to get a letter of affiliation because I picked someone very involved in research who also ran a department. It also takes time to edit (unless you're a great and fast editor).

@Adelaide9216 Per Lora Seery: "Once an applicant is offered an award, they must have a doctor certify that their health allows them to travel internationally and participate in the day to day activities required of their grant. If an applicant does[sic] any medical conditions, our concern is that they will be able to get the ongoing treatment/medication given their grant placement." Hope this helps!

Hey all! Another 2nd time applicant. Got rejected first round last time, but I'm making some changes for this cycle and I hope it'll go better this time. I'll be applying for a research grant to New Zealand. I'm pursuing a clinical doctorate in physical therapy (DPT) and I'm still working out whether I'll propose a thesis-only master's or pure research. @Adelaide9216The health clearance is basically just a physical from your physician after you've been accepted as a finalist. I have some health issues and I emailed Fulbright after the first round rejection to see if I should even bother applying again. The rules are nondiscriminatory and they're just making sure you can realistically accomplish what you've set out to, basically. If you'd like, I can post the exact response I got from that email as I didn't specify what my health issues were so it's a very generic response.

It says that it is open on the timeline, but the Embark app has not yet gone live. I can access my app from last year, but I can't make a new one. I'm wondering if they're going to do a big drop then open it.

Not 100% sure how qualified I am to give advice on this because I'm currently experiencing it hardcore, but I'll give it a shot. First off, like @GameOfLoans suggested, if you grew up with pets or like them at all, get one. My gecko is my only solace sometimes. She's a little easier to manage than a fluffy animal while in grad school ( a few of my friends have cats or dogs and they're stretched more thin), but she's also a 25-30yr commitment. So do your research and find out what works best for you. Getting a pet was an amazing antidepressant. Find friends outside school, especially if your grad associates are into a lot of "toxic" releases. My classmates, for example, seem to pick "borderline alcoholism" as theirs. I love a good drink, but 2-3 drinks a week is good for me. They go hard 3-5 nights a week (5+ drinks each night). Some of them still get better grades than me, which is honestly just annoying. It also makes me feel kind of left out, because all they want to do is party and drink and no one really wants to just hang out. I don't really partake (because it's not fun to be around them if you're sober--I've tried), so they've stopped inviting me. It kind of sucks sometimes. My school is in a small town, so it's hard to find people outside, but you learn to make the most of a weekend day and take day trips to go on adventures. Find a place to study that works for you and makes you feel good. I go to a coffeeshop to study and totally suggest it if you like a busier study environment--I meet professors from different departments and other regulars, and it's great to get off campus. It's also just busy enough where I can be distracted when I need to be to get refreshed, but I never have any trouble focusing when I need to. It can totally refresh you. And, if you have good baristas, it can be a positive and supporting way to start (or end) the day. Make time for exercise, too. Even if it's just dancing around your apartment like a crazy person, get up and do it. It's easy to talk yourself into sitting to study for 10 and 12 hours at a time when you can see how it applies to your future, but moving is so important for your posture, sleep, and mental health. Sitting at a desk looking at books, a phone, or a laptop all day is the worst for posture. I hate what I view as menial exercise (treadmills are my enemies), so I took up dance again after giving it up in undergrad. Exercise also helps you sleep better because it tires you out physically to even out the mental exhaustion from school. It also releases endorphins, which can completely change your outlook on the day. Past those, I just echo what everyone else has said. Hope this helps!

Hey! First off, CONGRATULATIONS. I know being an alternate can seem disheartening, but from a not rec first round for the same country I am still happy for you and rooting for you to get it! Would you mind if I DM'd you to talk about the process?

YAS CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! @maelia8 YOU TOO!!!!!!

Just wanted to pop in to say CONGRATULATIONS to all who have heard and GOOD LUCK to everyone still waiting! It's been so exciting/stressful to check up on you guys--I really hope all of you get it. Even if you weren't selected or are an alternate you have gotten SO FAR and you should be so proud of yourself!!!!!!!! I'm proud of you and I don't even know you. I keep running out of up arrows lol. Seeing how intense it's gotten after the first round has inspired me, though. I've decided to take up boxing or something before I reapply so I have an outlet for stress. PS I see there's another NZ applicant who's popped up on the sheet--I don't know who you are but I am rooting for you so hard!!!!!!!

Not gonna lie, this got way too tl;dr for most of the pages. I feel for the OP because it's true that many campuses are not friendly to people with disabilities (overall). One of the activities for the PT students at my undergrad was to go around and point out all the ADA barely-compliant things on-campus. It was so bad, and we had people with disabilities on-campus regularly for research. This is a relevant discussion that should happen for all-level students and all disabilities--it shouldn't be where does have it, but why doesn't everyone have an option? (PS: please don't focus on this sentence. This was a rhetorical question. I really don't want to get into this, and I probably won't check any notifications if this is quoted after I've said my next little bit.) Now for the PT part (and this one's for everybody)--being active has been linked to better brain function (and then sometimes it hasn't been, yes, but the better studies seem to present decent correlations right now). I'm not saying lose weight--honestly, you do you. From a clinical standpoint I wouldn't say that, but this isn't the clinic and no one here asked for that advice (unless they did on the 4-or-so pages I didn't read). Finding a way to get active that you like will help your studying and your performance scholastically. Personally, I'd rather remove my own toenail with a spoon than run, especially on a treadmill. So I dance, do yoga, and, occasionally, when I feel like it, I lift. I enjoy doing those things and they're great ways for me to get a break when I feel like my brain is fried. Find something you like to do that will give your mind a break and allow you to get refreshed--Tai Chi is an awesome way for people of many activity levels to get out there, and you can even find youtube videos if you don't want to go to or can't get to a gym that provides it. Don't worry about doing it "right" unless you're planning to educate others or you want to for yourself. Getting up and moving is great in any form. Can't stay on your feet for whatever reason? Try chair yoga! That one's even good at your desk during breaks. Find something that works for you and work it into your routine--your brain will thank you.