riverguide

My advisor proofread my essays and helped me with logistics. She has been very supportive. She also screened me initially with an interview. I had to start preparing my application in August 2010 because of my year abroad. She is an English Phd and teaches classes and also oversees all of the other scholarships too. I've heard some schools have interview committees. My university study abroad office is great too. Its been tough getting it completed though from the Middle East. I'm still concerned that my destination, Syria, might kill my chances in light of the deteriorating political and civil conditions. The Boren people related that Syria wasn''t off the table yet but that was before this most recent travel warning. For many of us, our destinations may be our downfall. Given the number of applicants to Egypt and Syria from last year, I assume there's a similar number this year; all of the applications were submitted before those countries crossed the Rubicon, so most of the Arabic applicants are in the same boat...I'm hoping that they keep the proportionate slots for arabic and let some of us defer (if we get chosen) or select another Middle Eastern country or both. Syria appears to be getting worse and Egypt isn't getting better. Worrying about it is like paying interest on a debt you don't owe. Let's all hope for the best.

@Runner: Over the course of two years in the '70s my Dad rebuilt schools with the PC in the cockpit of Jamaica and he wanted me to pass on to you that it was the best training he ever had in becoming a trial lawyer. He sent me an email about this (after reading your comments) and wanted me to pass on to you and others that it teaches you to be a problem solver in struggles where the challenges are constantly changing and it teaches you to fashion solutions with scant resources. It teaches you to focus on improving people's lives in tough environments and he wanted me to pass on that your experiences will provide a foundation in your development as a lawyer that you'll never get from clerkships, moot court, law review or mock trial teams. He says you have learned to be a creative problem solver and you didn't do it for the money. He says so many in the practice of law are drawn to the profession by the promise of money and not by the opportunity to change and improve the world around you. Bean counters rarely are successful in the practice but problem solvers who focus on bettering the lives of their clients are ultimately more successful than they would ever dream possible. I hope I got that right but he wanted me to tell you that he really admired your work and your attitude and that you will be a gift to your clients and to the practice of law. BTW my father has been a very successful lawyer (when it comes to winning tough cases) and he's never done it for the money...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/education/edlife/edl-17abroad-t.html

FYI: the Boren has accepted students who listed the PC as the federal job they wanted to do.

I was extracted from the Middlebury program last spring and am at AUB in Beirut right now. I am slated for the CET program in Syria next year and they are considering relocating it now. I want to focus on my Levantine Arabic. I am in contact with the Middlebury people and applied for the Jordan program after things started going south in Syria and I don't believe the Middlebury in Alexandria program is going to happen. I am wait listed for Jordan and am exploring other programs. They haven't made a decision yet about the fall and if you read the travel warning it hasn't gotten any better. I was going to go there for spring break but the security is very questionable to say it politely. All of my clothes and suitcase are still at the University of Alexandria; although I understand much of it has been stolen and may never be recovered. In my opinion Middlebury in Alexandria is the best. Were you accepted there? There's really no comparison between the quality of the Middlebury program and AUC if you are making the choice. Middlebury is much harder to get into and the program is an immersion program and they are serious as a heart attack about the language pledge. Its really the best way to learn a language. Have you enrolled in any of the Middlebury summer language programs? AUC is better for beginning and intermediate arabic students and is a good program also. I was accepted there but chose to go to the AMIDEAST in Cairo program instead because I wanted to live in downtown Cairo and not outside of town. AUC is about an hour from Cairo.

Knew it (I reviewed the surveillance tapes). Very impressive. I agree with elementwil again about the job description. I know successful candidates who listed intelligence or NGO development or simply State Department and broadly defined how national security would be served within the overall area. And Steph, I just checked up on the Gilman too and I wouldn't judge your success or chances here by the Gilman. Apples and oranges and you don't know the stats either.

Steph: If you're going to speak languages, you have to believe in yourself because you're putting it all out there. When it comes to speaking and learning another language, a great professor once said, "if you've got it, flaunt it." You've made it to the finals. You've overcome hurdles that a lot of us didn't have. You need to believe in yourself and have a backup plan. We all get knocked down; but the ones that get up and keep going are the long distance runners. Keep the faith.

My Dad is a lawyer and he says that, after becoming a lawyer, nothing offends him anymore.

Are you applying for a fellowship or a scholarship?

The summer cost, with everything included, is about 1/5 the cost of going to Middlebury for the year. Thay have lots of financial aid and its just not for Middlebury full time students. I'm glad you're checking it out! One last thing about Middlebury: it's a great networking device. Not only do you meet fellow students who you will continue to see throughout your studies and careers in other programs and other countries but you will encounter government agencies running employment presentations that you've never seen anywhere else...

Steph: I would look at the Middlebury summer language schools in Vermont and at Mills in Califiornia for "plan b.". They are intense immersion programs that are recognized as the best. I hope I'm not insulting anyone but I come from a family where everyone has foreign language degrees and my mother teaches French, Spanish and German and Middlebury, by far, has the best reputation in the states. There are financial aid packages available and the programs require placement tests at the beginning. They sometimes are taken over the internet (my sister is attending the Vermont French program and took hers over the internet). It is clearly recognized by all of the Ivy Leagues and many of the IR grad schools as the best summer immersion program. You speak the chosen language 24/7 both in and out of class. Your dorm mates will all speak the same and except for a few calls home you never speak english for the duration. Meals, TV and afterclass activities are all in the chosen language. If you choose the summer length program you can receive up to two years of language studies. I received 16 hours of credit for intermediate arabic and it gave me a self confidence and a fluency that moved me and everyone else I know who has attended to the top of the class in abilities thereafter. I've studied arabic with students that have taken it longer and they still didn't compare to the fluency and confidence the school gave me. You might want to make this your back-up plan and I believe that Middlebury is still accepting Russian students for this summer. http://www.middlebury.edu/ls/russian

The Boren is very prestigious. It will help with grad school and future employment but the fact that you taught yourself Russian Steph and that you've come this far in the competition means that there's not anything you can't accomplish...

Well, the odds are substantially different for the Boren scholarships. There are 138 being chosen from 944 or about 1/7. There are unequal numbers though drawn for each language. For Arabic, there were 42 chosen from 239 applicants so that makes your odds approximately 1/6. For Mandarin, there were 31 chosen from 190 applicants; again about 1/6. Here's where it gets tricky: for Russian, there were 118 applicants for 15 slots or about 1/8. For Japanese, its about 1/10. Of course, those are gross numbers before they were filtered by the regional board...so who knows.

From the 2010 Orientation Program Handbook: Deferrals Boren awards for semester or year study can be deferred to another academic year only under extraordinary circumstances, and only with the written approval of IIE. Requests for deferral must be submitted to IIE in writing. Students requesting deferral must demonstrate that they will not graduate prior to the time that they will return from the deferred study abroad program. Scholarships for summer-only study cannot be deferred.

Thanks. After Egypt last winter its nice to have some good news for a change.

The Boren folks contacted me sometime back and recommended writing my program to tell them that I was awaiting acceptance and to request an extension to pay the deposit. Then I received an email from my program indicating that the slots were overbooked and I needed to confirm with a deposit, which wasn't cheap: $500. Because I believe in the philosophy, "Just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean they're not out to get you..." I choked and went ahead and sent the $500 to ensure a slot.

By the time I'm done I might be running for the state line...lol.

I'm in a good mood today. The weather in Beirut is wonderful and I just received and accepted a Senate internship offer for US Senator Jay Rockefeller on the Intelligence Oversight Committee for June.

Not unless you plan to speak Russian in Africa, Stephanie...

Welcome aboard!

I concur with ELEMENTWIL, Steph. If you'll review the stats from last year it appears that your school and location has not been represented before and you've obviously gone above and beyond without the benefit of an advisor so I agree that you're looking good!

Justin: I assume you are a fellowship applicant. Nothing's certain until the fat lady (or fat man) sings. Elementwil is correct about the anecdotal stories of emails indicating that you've passed the regionals but your application may have been more comprehensive than others and it may not have been necessary; although, some fellowship applicants received multiple emails and as I understand it some did not. The scholarship applicants only received one email in late March.So keep your fingers crossed. You're obviously a player or you wouldn't be on here. It sounds like you have a great proposal so I hope you get it! We have to have thick skins in the application process because everyone on here is bright, competitive, and hardworking. I feel lucky and honored to be among you. Josh

Thanks for setting up the spreadsheet. Please post my stats and thanks in advance: Riverguide, Country: Syria, Type: Scholarship, Email update request: yes, Languages; MSA Arabic, Levantine Arabic, Major: International Relations/French, Arabic L&L, Islamic Studies, Might I suggest another category for the spread sheet? "Years studying the language?" If so, mine would be: 3 1/2 Arabic. Another suggestion: Prior study abroad in same language? Mine would be: yes Just a thought for future applicants.

I applied and spoke to Middlebury this afternoon and I am wait listed for the Jordan program. Because I'm a Middlebury vet I didn't have to obtain the LORs or write the essays. They waitlisted me immediately and said that they are way overbooked. They have still not made a decision about Egypt in the fall so that may be something those going to Egypt may want to consider. I urge all of you who may be going to a country undergoing political turmoil at the moment to develop a back up plan -and quickly. I really appreciated the insight posted by elementwil about the national nominating tier. It means that we've all passed the screenings that are based on merit and we are now left to the winds of demographics, diversity and destination. I hope we all make it. Everyone on this board is obviously bright, hardworking, committed and tenacious and I am proud to be among you. Good luck to all. I hope we get a chance to meet in DC on the 19th.