crimsonengineer87

I applied to Germany for the full research grant, but haven't heard from them. What's the "PAD supplemental application"? Is that for ETA's?

If you want to think ahead to when you will receive the final notification, here is the spreadsheet that last year's Fulbrighters put together of when they received notifications and their countries, etc. https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=taWW8xiKve1Tm6Ow6bHdhYA#gid=0 (click on the Notification tab at the bottom)

hee hee! ARGHHH I HATE WAITING. I'm also waiting on another travel grant I applied for that was supposed to announce results "by December 1st". I thought I didn't get it then their website says by "mid-January". I'm pretty sure mid-January is coming up like in two days. Haha.

Oh no! Sorry! But at least you found out you made it past the first round?!?

For everyone else, Jan 31st is the first stage. The final stage is around March-April. There's a spreadsheet from last year's Fulbrighters who received the first official letters for the final stage from Germany in early March. http://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview_timeline.html

I had these feelings back in October as I was applying for other fellowships ... it's kind of like the feeling during undergraduate years when you study abroad, but you don't want to leave b/c you've started building this foundation for yourself. I still have this kind of feeling mainly because I think I was nudged towards applying for the FB b/c I was a "good candidate". However, I've applied for the NSF GRF, EPA STAR, NDSEG, and DAAD Grant Fellowships as well for funding. So I don't know if it's good that I've applied to so many, or bad. My advisor keeps asking what will I do if I get them all, and I have no idea - all I know is that it will kind of be a big mess b/c they all different rules and such ... money is great ... but not if I have to choose! It's so difficult. But Rachael, I agree. Things are starting to become settled here and if I get one of the other fellowships, why should I go to Germany? BUT I think in the long run, the FB is something worthwhile. I think my family wouldn't want me to go, but I will do it anyways, even it's against my gut feelings, but also in my gut, I know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and will basically set us apart from the rest went applying for jobs. My final thought: What's one year out of 3-5 years of your dissertation, when it will only enhance it? Hmm ... I sound like my German professor.

Could they wait until the 31st, which is a Monday? I haven't been thinking about this notification until now realizing how close it's getting!! ARGH!

I'm usually impatient about these things, but since I've applied to almost all the major fellowships, I've basically blocked them out of my mind. My advisor keeps asking 'what if you get all of them?'. And I'm like, can we talk about my research instead? Haha. I'm just surprised It's been a month since submission, although we still have a few more months of waiting ... ergh...

http://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview_timeline.html?page=us/overview_timeline The Fulbright website has a good timeline of exactly what happens. But I'll summarize (hopefully to the best of my knowledge). There are two rounds: one in January and then the next one is March - June-ish. In the first round, the US Fulbright commission looks at our apps during November and December and then makes recommendations for applicants to send to the host country. They send about twice as many available grants. This means that if you make it past the first round, you have around a 50% shot at getting the Fulbright. The second round is based on each country's Fulbright commission looking at our apps. So you can hear if you are actually a Fulbright recipient as early as March, or as late as June or even later. It just depends on that country. In addition, there are some people to don't take the offer and it goes to people on a waiting list of some sort ... but I don't know how that works. They talked about this in the Fulbright thread last year.

Yeah, if you look at last year's thread and the spreadsheet with who applied where and when they received notice (I think a previous post of mine has the link) Germany was pretty much one of the first countries to notify whether you made IT in mid-March or so. Some people didn't hear anything UNTIL June or later. So it really depends. But Germany is pretty much on top of it. I also applied for Germany for a research project and am banking on that early notification so I can plan my life out! This wait is sooooo difficult! Good luck everyone!

I also agree. If anything, it is how you portray yourself in your personal statement. Sure you may have a low GPA, but if your PS shows a rigorous coursework in the sciences or engineering, commitment to coursework outside your major field of study, tons of extracurricular activities, research experience, jobs/internships, and whatever else, a low GPA will be shadowed by these other much more relevant experiences, especially if your research project/ETA relates to whatever you have done during your undergrad. In essence, I think the Fulbright commission will look at your application holistically and determine who you are as a whole, and not just based on a few numbers, albeit the higher the GPA, the less they will wonder, why?

DONE DONE DONE!

So if my country is Germany, but German language is not required for my project, should I still fill out 5 and 6? I filled out 4 with the course I've taken for my minor ...

5 sounds more like the language is RARELY or NOT taught at all in the US, such as Farsi or like Sanskritt (sp?), whereas 6 sounds like the language is widely available through coursework and such and is asking how you are getting yourself up to a level of proficiency (like 5, but 6 involves languages commonly taught in the US). Since I'm applying to Germany, I left both blank ... which I hope is right ... Does that help?

At our school, they pretty much let anyone who can apply, apply and this campus committee basically evaluates the project, which becomes part of the application. I know on other campuses, they decide who to let go on. I find this process more constructive ... since they're helping you and giving advice, rather than YES or NO.

Oh man! I'm still decompressing from it ... I think because *most* of my application was solid, they asked me really difficult questions. In particular, they said the science was down, but I needed to basically just say "I am the ideal candidate because ...", which I have done now. And I really do say things in a roundabout way. So that was their main advice. So basically just moving my conclusion to my intro, since it's the strongest paragraph! But I thought the whole process was intense. I felt I wasn't as prepared as I should be going into the interview ... but I got great advice! I'm also ready to submit it all ... probably next week! Thanks for asking Rachael (and for helping me w/ the statement, I took your advice and definitely cut down on that background ...) Jules

I told my mom about it and she freaked out. That was two months ago ... When I went to Germany for 3 month internship, I didn't tell her until after I bought the plane ticket 4 months before I was going to leave. So you're not alone!

AHHH! Interview today and totally unprepared! I'm dressed up and all, but it's been so long since I've looked over my stuff! Ahh!

We should remember and make one for this year. It's been in the back of mind for a while ...

I had this problem, as well as my advisor when she tried submitting my letter! She got through and so did I. She just kept at it. I refreshed. I think it'd be better to do edits at strange times, ie midnight or early morning. I was working on it at 5 am PST, since I'm an early riser and had no problems. That's what I'd suggest! Especially if you're uploading things. Hope that helps! Good luck everyone!

To past applicants or anyone who knows, does anyone have some sort of statistics or the competitiveness of each of the different FONs? http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2011/2011_star_gradfellow.html (i.e. Global Change vs. Terrestrial Ecosystems) Thanks!

That IS exciting! I need to actually go through the online app and completely finish everything. I'm being lazy and waiting for the campus committee to give me last minute edits on my statements. Probably bad .. but it's okay. We've been working on this since May/June! Ugh, now the hard part: WAITING.

Glad you found our amazing thread! So I assume you've been working with Sarah Ann on getting your statements and letters of rec out. If you need any advice or need people to proofread, any of us will be happy to do so! And ... Go Cougs!

Books are always a good gift, especially if they relate to something in your field, or just a fun gift. Does she live in Vietnam? If so, maybe a trinket from your hometown/state would be nice showing that your appreciate their work. For instance, when I went to Germany for a three-month internship, I brought back a myriad of different gifts to my German professor who helped me get the position. I brought her back chocolates from Belgium (they were all melted by the time I got back to the states - she said something about freezing the chocolate and cutting them up into blocks again? I'm not sure - it was in German!), a musical cow from Switzerland, some mini-stein thing from Austria, and something from Berlin, I can't remember. But something that either relates you to her (your fields of study) or something Vietnamese from here (US) would be nice. Maybe a book and something quirky (or classic) from a gift shop would be nice ... Hmm I hope that helped ... I tend to muddy the waters more ...

I think universities do different things for the campus part of the Fulbright. My campus adviser simply wanted me to send her my statement of grant purpose, personal statement, and scanned copy of my transcript. I asked if she wanted letters of affiliation or recommendation, but the the campus committee will just evaluate projects based on those three documents and an interview. So I think it'd be best to ask to make sure. Don't assume! You know what that makes you and me! Good luck everyone!