Laurence898

I'm a first time applicant, so this is just how I interpreted the solicitation. For the research proposal, I mostly wrote about the implications of the project & how the research could benefit science as a whole (ie the intellectual merit of the project). I also briefly mentioned how my specific research background fits into the feasibility of the project. For the personal statement, it was much more a testament to my own research background and skills - I wrote about each lab I worked in, what I got out of it, how it helped me grow etc. and ended by talking about how it fits into my career plans & what I can contribute to science. Again, that's just how I interpreted it! I'm sure there are other successful ways to approach this.

Hey! I just got my bachelor's and am applying to PhDs and the NSF GRFP this fall and was curious about the content of the research essay. As someone who is between schools, I'm likely not going to be returning to my undergraduate research work. Should I still write my research statement as an undergraduate senior would, and write about what I would recommend be done going forward? Also, I worked in two different research labs while in undergrad - the first lab corresponds much better with what I want to do in grad school. Should I write on my original research, which is more relevant, or should I try to twist my recent research project to line up better with my grad school plans?