sgaw10

Is there any chance I could get by in St. Louis without a car? Coming from Chicago, I prefer not to own a car. But I realize public transit down there isn't so great.

Me: I need to go to sleep
Also me: Maybe I should reread my statement of purpose and research proposal

Good luck to everyone! I was super impatient to hear back (hence making that whole chart thing) and was planning on staying up until GRFP results were posted, but we had to go to the vet to put my family's 14 year-old chocolate lab down this morning and I'm pretty emotionally/physically exhausted (she lived a long, full, happy life and we knew it was going to happen soon-ish). Here's to hoping the results come out super early and the universe decides to give me some good news tonight...

*heavy breathing for the next 24 hours*

I mean, I'm sure they just compare you somewhere in the middle. Is it fair to compare students at prestigious institutions with those at schools with less resources? Not really, but metrics for scholarship judgement are never perfect. 

Also worried about receiving honorable mention (or nothing at all) because my undergraduate GPA was trash (at a tough institution, to be fair) and will likely yield negative comments. Also no pubs, but I'm not sure how much of a red flag this is as a first year. Hoping my letters of rec and research proposal gave me a fair chance... 
In general, I think it's a good idea to have your letter writers write about different aspects of you/your application. While that advice applies to many awards, I feel it's especially true since NSF makes very clear which categories they evaluate.

While waiting for my code to run for the paper I'm working on, I looked at the NSF threads from the past couple years and found for each year when maintenance was announced (or at least when someone posted on gradcafe that it was announced), what the announced timeframe for maintenance was, and when results were actually posted. Based on the pattern, I doubt the maintenance on 3/20 was related to us (this happened in prior years). I know last year was delayed due to the government shutdown and who knows what's going to happen with COVID this year, but I hope it'll come out this Friday or next Tuesday? No reason to actually expect that, but I can dream...
 

It's my first time logging back on here in awhile, but I am anxiously awaiting this result now like many of you. I'm a first year graduate student, and while I have a spot in my desired lab, earning this would be huge for me.
Is it true that fewer fellowships are being awarded this year? It's been a wacky couple of years as it is, between last year's government shutdown and now the pandemic...

Good luck! My math camp starts tomorrow. Also excited.

Yep. I'm moving from a city with one of if not THE best public transit systems in the country, and it's saddening.

I'm moving in less than a month now to start graduate school. As excited as I am, I'm also experiencing some relocation depression. The neighborhood and city as a whole from my undergrad mean the world to me, and it's so painful to let it go. It's the first place I've ever felt at home. And it feels strange moving from a huge city to a smaller one.

Finished my last ever assignment of undergrad. Feels strange. 

Finished my last ever assignment of undergrad. Feels strange. 

I am so sorry about your parents, especially your mother, for not understanding. I hope one day they do!

That must be so liberating

Yeah, frustrating to say the least. I replied that she clearly does not understand after I told her repeatedly how she doesn't need to worry about me financially, and I have nothing to pay the university.
I'm only viewed as a potential dent to my family's wallet. I'm so excited to be completely financially independent.

I graduated from undergrad today!!!!

I think I can pass my thesis.

I am thrilled for you. I hope we are both incredibly productive on our BME PhD endeavors

I am thrilled for you. I hope we are both incredibly productive on our BME PhD endeavors

I gave one of my letter writers his gift today and received such a kind response. I'm so emo :') 

I gave one of my letter writers his gift today and received such a kind response. I'm so emo :') 

I understand why you're frustrated, but as others have said, your situation is certainly not hopeless!
Something to consider is that you're probably "intimidating" to men because you're not just smart, but mature. It's normal for men to act like teenagers well into their 20s and 30s, regardless of education level. You sound like you're very independent and self-motivated, and those traits will seem off-putting to immature 25 year olds. But as you get older, men will catch up to you mentally, and matches will be easier to come by.
I know that involves some waiting, but in some ways you're lucky. Most people's lives go downhill after college, but you're climbing higher with age.

Yes, it's been a long 4 months of waiting and even longer of test and application prep. Time to relax before moving and the real stress begins. Congrats!