NSF GRFP 2018-2019

[sbs96]

Had a quick question. My undergraduate major was Mathematics. When listing field of study, there is no way to state just "Mathematics". The closest option is "Mathematical Sciences - Applied Mathematics". Should I go with that, or type "Mathematics" into the "Other field of study" textbox?

[loveandcookies]

Hey all,

I noticed that in past years, immunology was lasted as a category in the Life Sciences subfield, but it's not anymore.  I know the NSF doesn't focus on medically-relevant science, but does anyone know how much of a disadvantage this will give me? I put together an immunology-based proposal, but I'm wondering if it's worth it to stay up the next few nights to work on a microbio proposal. Any advice/knowledge would be appreciated! Thank you.

 

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

I just submitted my application. Eek! Now, I am just waiting for two recommenders to submit their letters. Double eek! Good luck everyone!

[Knighner]

I am unable to find any information online for this, so I felt that you all might be able to help me. I am applying for the NSF as a first year grad student. I just started my program ~3 weeks ago (quarter system) and I obviously do not have grades yet (haven't even taken midterms). I am wondering what numerical value to enter on the Fastlane application for my graduate school. It only takes numerical values, "N/A" or some variation does not work. I must put a numerical value under GPA for me to add the institution... While I am confident that I will do well in my classes, I don't want to put a "3.7" or "4.0" or some variation in case that changes.

I'm sure there is a simply fix that others have used in the past, I just can't seem to figure it out.

Good Luck to everyone on this application cycle!!!

[Rc2121]

Question regarding transcripts: 

The program solicitation states for transcript uploading: 

"Baccalaureate institution(s): If you attended more than one institution for your baccalaureate career (e.g., you attended another institution before transferring to your baccalaureate institution), list only the degree-granting institution, provided any transfer credits appear on your baccalaureate institution's transcript." 

I attended community college before transferring to my baccalaureate institution (the uni that granted my degree). The question I have here relates to the last sentence in that statement. My baccalaureate institution lists the amount of units that I transferred from community college to my university, but it DOES NOT list the grades along with them. Would I need to submit a separate transcript for my community college in this case? 

Also my university doesn't factor my community college grades into their GPA, meaning I have a GPA for community college and an entirely separate GPA for my university. When listing my GPA, would I need to factor in both GPA's in order for it to be truly cumulative? 

Thanks to everyone in this forum  I havent posted much but it has been a great resource to follow. 

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

@sbs96 I would take a look at this to determine what fits best for your graduate programs in terms of mathematical sciences: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/programs.jsp?org=DMS

I think this should give you a better idea of what each of the programs mean.

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

@loveandcookies I don't know much about immunology in terms of research. The NSF solicitation states this:

"Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will be enrolled in graduate study focused on clinical practice, counseling, social work, patient-oriented research, epidemiological and medical behavioral studies, outcomes research, and health services research. Ineligible study includes investigations to provide evidence leading to a scientific basis for consideration of a change in health policy or standard of care, and includes pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and behavioral interventions for disease prevention, prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy. Individuals pursuing graduate study focused on community and other population-based medical intervention trials are also ineligible.

Individuals are not eligible to apply if they will conduct biomedical research for which the goals are directly health-related, such as etiology, diagnosis, or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in humans and other animals. Research activities using animal models of disease, for developing or testing of drugs or other procedures for treatment of disease, and statistical modeling for which the purpose is diagnosis or epidemiology also are not eligible for support."

If your research falls under this, then that would be very bad and I would suggest writing something else. If not, you could always choose Life Sciences, other as your field of study and type in immunology.

Good luck!

 

Edited October 18, 2018 by Moods 2.0

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

14 minutes ago, Rc2121 said:

Would I need to submit a separate transcript for my community college in this case?  

Also my university doesn't factor my community college grades into their GPA, meaning I have a GPA for community college and an entirely separate GPA for my university. When listing my GPA, would I need to factor in both GPA's in order for it to be truly cumulative

In my opinion, I think it's okay if the grades for the transfer credits aren't shown on your transcript. I think they just want to see what classes you have taken.

I think you would just list the GPA that you got at the university where you got your degree. I don't think you need to take into account your community college credits. That's what I think, though. You could always email someone at NSF and see what they say.

[Rc2121]

12 minutes ago, Moods said:

In my opinion, I think it's okay if the grades for the transfer credits aren't shown on your transcript. I think they just want to see what classes you have taken.

I think you would just list the GPA that you got at the university where you got your degree. I don't think you need to take into account your community college credits. That's what I think, though. You could always email someone at NSF and see what they say.

I have emailed and called the NSF contacts and I get very vague answers that do not tell me either way. My university transcript only lists the total units transferred from community college and not the classes themselves. I can easily access a PDF copy of my community college transcripts, so I am wondering if I should upload those as a precaution. Also worried, that might get me auto DQ though. 

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

14 hours ago, Rc2121 said:

can easily access a PDF copy of my community college transcripts, so I am wondering if I should upload those as a precaution.

I found this answer on the NSF website under the FAQs:

"I have attended several schools. Do I need to list all of them and upload all of the transcripts?

You should list all institutions from which you received a bachelor's degree or higher-level degree, and you should upload transcripts from all institutions listed in your application. If you attended more than one baccalaureate institution before receiving your first baccalaureate degree, it is up to you as to whether you list the ones you attended before you earned that degree. However, you must list and include transcripts from all graduate study done after you obtained your first baccalaureate degree."

So, if makes you feel more comfortable to do so, then I would upload your community college transcript. I don't think it's required, but it would at least show them what classes you took and the grades you got for them.

I hope that helps! Godspeed!

[jmillar]

16 hours ago, Rc2121 said:

I have emailed and called the NSF contacts and I get very vague answers that do not tell me either way. My university transcript only lists the total units transferred from community college and not the classes themselves. I can easily access a PDF copy of my community college transcripts, so I am wondering if I should upload those as a precaution. Also worried, that might get me auto DQ though. 

I uploaded my community college transcripts and was not disqualified.

[Rc2121]

On 10/18/2018 at 9:46 AM, Moods said:

I found this answer on the NSF website under the FAQs:

"I have attended several schools. Do I need to list all of them and upload all of the transcripts?

You should list all institutions from which you received a bachelor's degree or higher-level degree, and you should upload transcripts from all institutions listed in your application. If you attended more than one baccalaureate institution before receiving your first baccalaureate degree, it is up to you as to whether you list the ones you attended before you earned that degree. However, you must list and include transcripts from all graduate study done after you obtained your first baccalaureate degree."

So, if makes you feel more comfortable to do so, then I would upload your community college transcript. I don't think it's required, but it would at least show them what classes you took and the grades you got for them.

I hope that helps! Godspeed!

Thank you so much for taking the time to find this! It definitely puts me at ease. Appreciate you and everyone else on this board for the constant advice everyone provides! 

[jmlinds]

Looking for advice on the Fastlane section on academic honors, fellowships, scholarships, publications and presentations... Is it appropriate to put in citations or links for popular science articles that featured my previous research? I just interviewed for the articles and didn't write them myself. I know that sort of thing doesn't usually go on an academic CV so maybe it doesn't belong here either, but I wondered if it might be good to have given NSF's focus on Broader Impacts and communicating science to the general public. I do talk about these in my personal statement.

On a related note, should I list presentations for which I did not actually present but was a co-author?

[juilletmercredi]

That kind of stuff can indeed go on your CV, often as 'press coverage' or 'media coverage'. I would include them, because as you say, they can go to count towards communicating science to the public.

And yes, you should still list presentations on which you are an author but did not present yourself. It's generally understood that only the first author of presentations presents at a conference unless otherwise noted.

[powerhouse]

Hi all,

How important is the online application? I submitted my application today, but realized only after submitting that the descriptions of my teaching/work experiences were not descriptive; one even missed the word "lab", and I am concerned reviewers may have issues correlating it the lab I talked about in my personal statement. It was definitely silly of me to make these errors on the online application and submit when I was still under the influence of NyQuil. Thanks in advance for the advice! 

[jmlinds]

Field of study question... my proposal falls into the Life Sciences - Ecology field of study, so that is what I will put on the Proposed Field of Study page. On the Education and Work Experience page, we also have to enter field of study for each university we've attended (for me this is undergrad, and grad which is in progress). For this section, should I also put Life Sciences - Ecology to match, or should I put the actual name of my degree program as it appears on my transcript? For example, Life Sciences (other) - Wildlife Biology and Life Sciences (other) - Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. Confused about this!

[zlee406]

On 10/17/2018 at 1:28 AM, Knighner said:

I am unable to find any information online for this, so I felt that you all might be able to help me. I am applying for the NSF as a first year grad student. I just started my program ~3 weeks ago (quarter system) and I obviously do not have grades yet (haven't even taken midterms). I am wondering what numerical value to enter on the Fastlane application for my graduate school. It only takes numerical values, "N/A" or some variation does not work. I must put a numerical value under GPA for me to add the institution... While I am confident that I will do well in my classes, I don't want to put a "3.7" or "4.0" or some variation in case that changes.

I'm sure there is a simply fix that others have used in the past, I just can't seem to figure it out.

Good Luck to everyone on this application cycle!!!

I am also having this issue. Would love to see what everyone else put for their grad GPA as a first year grad student.

[I_mix]

Just submitted!! Best of luck and see you all in Spring.

[PRvvm]

Hi everyone,

I submitted by application yesterday, but I noticed today that the references for my Graduate Research Proposal were in Calibri font. Everything else is in Times New Roman in the correct font size, but I'm not sure if having the references in Calibri will automatically disqualify me. Have any of you heard of a similar case and know what might be the outcome?

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

17 hours ago, jmlinds said:

Field of study question... my proposal falls into the Life Sciences - Ecology field of study, so that is what I will put on the Proposed Field of Study page. On the Education and Work Experience page, we also have to enter field of study for each university we've attended (for me this is undergrad, and grad which is in progress). For this section, should I also put Life Sciences - Ecology to match, or should I put the actual name of my degree program as it appears on my transcript? For example, Life Sciences (other) - Wildlife Biology and Life Sciences (other) - Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. Confused about this!

You want to put the actual name of your degree program as it appears on your transcript, especially for your undergrad. I am not sure about grad because I figured your proposal field of study for graduate school would be the same as your proposal, unless you are currently getting a Masters and are planning on getting a PhD with this fellowship, if that makes sense. Either way, you want to put down what you are getting your degree in for the Education and Work Experience.

Edited October 22, 2018 by Moods 2.0

[powerhouse]

5 hours ago, PRvvm said:

Hi everyone,

I submitted by application yesterday, but I noticed today that the references for my Graduate Research Proposal were in Calibri font. Everything else is in Times New Roman in the correct font size, but I'm not sure if having the references in Calibri will automatically disqualify me. Have any of you heard of a similar case and know what might be the outcome?

If you want to correct your application and your deadline hasn't passed yet,  it is possible to withdraw your current one and resubmit a new one before your deadline. This is what the NSF told me: 

 "Once an application has been submitted, it is not possible to edit any of the content, other than your contact information.

    If your field of study deadline has not passed, one possibility is to withdraw your submitted application and submit a new one by the appropriate deadline. You can withdraw your application by logging into your GRFP account on FastLane and selecting the "withdraw application" option. You will then need to create a new application account and re-enter all your information. All reference letters and transcripts must be resubmitted by the field of study deadline: application components cannot be moved from one application to another.

    Applicants are limited to one submitted application in the 2019 GRFP. If you plan to start a second application, YOU MUST WITHDRAW THE OLD APPLICATION by your field of study deadline. Applicants who have more than one submitted 2019 GRFP application by the deadline will have all submitted applications for this year's competition returned without review.

    Please be aware that starting a new application in order to make corrections to a previously submitted application does not afford an applicant any special extenuating circumstances. Applicants who are considering withdrawing a submitted application and submitting a new one are advised to carefully consider factors such as the amount of time before the deadline, whether they can successfully re-enter all necessary information before the deadline, whether any references with submitted letters will be able to resubmit their reference letters for a new application prior to the November 2rd deadline, etc."

[laveritecestla]

Submitted last night for engineering! Fingers crossed that the second time is the charm.   Good luck to everyone who's submitting this week! 

[Nafiseh]

On 9/24/2018 at 1:56 PM, Eillac said:

Nafiseh, did that work?

NSF GRFP Reviews 2018.pdf

Nsf Personal Statement 2017.pdf

Eillac, sorry for the late response but for some reason it does not allow me to see the document. Never mind! I found other examples online. Thank you so much!

[pgt2018]

hey all, are any of you adding the grants that you've applied to your CV? i am applying to grad school this cycle and wondering if i should add this to my CV, i won't find out before grad school decisions. i would talk about it in my SOP but i dont know if i have space to...

[jmillar]

12 hours ago, constructivistbrain said:

hey all, are any of you adding the grants that you've applied to your CV? i am applying to grad school this cycle and wondering if i should add this to my CV, i won't find out before grad school decisions. i would talk about it in my SOP but i dont know if i have space to...

I haven't really seen that. I've seen people putting down grants that they won but then had to decline. I think grants you are applying to would fit best in your SOP.