Thanks so much everyone for the support and optimism! It seems like this group is much more vibrant than past year's activity, and there's a lot I've learned from reading.
It's been rough to wait for hearing about Japan research, and receive either rejections from all of the East Asian studies programs at US grad schools I applied to or offers to programs with no funding, which are essentially impossible for me to attend. Fulbright is the last chance out of my 7 applications for the upcoming academic year. It's increasingly frustrating the extent to which funding matters when poorer students try to advance their careers academically right after graduating with a bachelors degree.
BTW, my FPA said quite a lot of the FPAs are coordinating the results and data of their students in a similar fashion to how this spreadsheet is working - it's helpful to have their support and know they're excited and waiting just as much and long as we all are for positive results!