radiomars

Here are my two cents:
 
1. If your program doesn't do interviews, you should still definitely go out there and meet them. I did that for three of my schools, worked really well in my favor. Contact your POI after application deadlines have passed (ie, January, February) and say you're really interested in seeing the campus and meeting them, and can they possibly schedule you in. Trust me, this is very important.
 
2. Avoid the "kisses of death" in your personal statement. (Click here for more info on those). Your personal statement should only include things that are relevant to you as a future researcher. Mine outlined a distinct project I wanted to pursue, complete with citations.
 
3. Do NOT accept an unfunded PhD.

4. Here are the important factors of a program, in order of importance: 
Research fit Relationship with advisor Funding "Ranking" of the school Location  
Best of luck!

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

I've felt that in general, the sentiment among graduate students is one of stress and negativity. While obviously our career track is not an easy one, I just wanted to share the fact that I am really, really enjoying graduate school. This isn't to diminish anyone's frustration or pain or anything, but merely to add another perspective, especially for those who are still unsure of applying. I did lots of research beforehand to make sure I wanted to go down this path and carefully considered my options, and I think that led me to making a great decision. I get along extremely well with my advisor, genuinely love my program and my school, and am having a great time (and I'm now halfway through my third year, so this isn't still that first-year optimism). Grad school has felt like an academic playground where I get to test really interesting questions and work with really smart people. Like seriously, I love my job. 

Here are my two cents:
 
1. If your program doesn't do interviews, you should still definitely go out there and meet them. I did that for three of my schools, worked really well in my favor. Contact your POI after application deadlines have passed (ie, January, February) and say you're really interested in seeing the campus and meeting them, and can they possibly schedule you in. Trust me, this is very important.
 
2. Avoid the "kisses of death" in your personal statement. (Click here for more info on those). Your personal statement should only include things that are relevant to you as a future researcher. Mine outlined a distinct project I wanted to pursue, complete with citations.
 
3. Do NOT accept an unfunded PhD.

4. Here are the important factors of a program, in order of importance: 
Research fit Relationship with advisor Funding "Ranking" of the school Location  
Best of luck!

If you're "downvoting" me, you are no fun 

A wild Fastlane Message appeared.
 
Grad Cafe used Anxiety.
 
Fastlane Message ran away.

NSF GRFP Web admin be like...

Composure and dignity are obviously ideas of the past.

Time to get drunk anyway!!

You're on a forum of people who are obsessing over this fellowship. You're not going to be able to fool anyone here with your lies. I think there are literally zero people on here that believe you.
 
And what, you think the NSF is really worried about how many of "the really good applicants" they "retain"? Please. 

Who else won or think they won?

OP sounds like an ass and I am a Type A Harvard-bound PhD student.

I must admit to serious bias.

You're in an organizational learning and leadership program.

So be a leader.

Don't fall for laissez faire propaganda. Soft skills are just as important as the hard skills you're getting from your program. You're not in a vo-tech; you're in grad school. Stepping up and leading doesn't mean babysitting these people; but it does mean that instead of turning down study groups because you don't see value in studying with people who haven't read the material, go to the study groups and ask them questions you've prepared in advance. Not because you should teach them, but rather because teaching is one of the most effective ways of learning. It also motivates others to think

I'm not advocating that you take responsibility for their education, or for motivating them, or for any part of their trip through a grad program. I am advocating that you find ways to turn this situation to your advantage. The nice thing about doing so is that it also helps you cohort to a minor extent. You can't do it for them, but you can show them the way. That's what leadership is about, right?

Seconded.

Seconded.

Here are my two cents:
 
1. If your program doesn't do interviews, you should still definitely go out there and meet them. I did that for three of my schools, worked really well in my favor. Contact your POI after application deadlines have passed (ie, January, February) and say you're really interested in seeing the campus and meeting them, and can they possibly schedule you in. Trust me, this is very important.
 
2. Avoid the "kisses of death" in your personal statement. (Click here for more info on those). Your personal statement should only include things that are relevant to you as a future researcher. Mine outlined a distinct project I wanted to pursue, complete with citations.
 
3. Do NOT accept an unfunded PhD.

4. Here are the important factors of a program, in order of importance: 
Research fit Relationship with advisor Funding "Ranking" of the school Location  
Best of luck!

Seconded.

Seconded.

I always skip articles like these for one reason: the attempt to generalize a process that is for the most part largely dependent on your program (and hell even the department itself).  Not everyone has a "lab" they need to report to, or is jockeying for bunsen burners or saddled with 200 essays on 1850's British Literature to read.  Equivalently, not everyone has flexibility in schedules or a hands-off-when-not-needed relationship with advisors.