NDSEG 2019-2020

[SFS]

Thread for this year’s NDSEG application (a bit early)!

[Sepens]

Seems like the application is getting administered by another company...again?

[mwallace]

indeed - with luck, the good Systems Plus Inc. will have slightly better procedures and processes than SCI-TEC - but who knows?

[Sepens]

New website:

 

http://ndseg.sysplus.com/

[fishandfreckles]

Hello!

Can someone help me with finding the BAAs? I am interested in the ONR specifically.

I see this link provided on the application: 

 https://www.onr.navy.mil/work-with-us/funding-opportunities/announcements

but there are multiple PDFs that do not have specific titles for research. If for example, I think my research pertains to the Navy and specifically Code 34 within the navy, where do I find that BAA and the title relating to Code 34?

 

In the "expired" BAA tab section, they have BAA N00014-18-S-B001 which has a section labeled Code 34, however can I use this BAA or is it expired now? 

 

I see the links provided on the website but I don't understand where to find the information relating to specific codes/divisions.

Thank you for your help!!

[Junin]

@fishandfreckles it seems that in any of those BAAs, Section II offers the most detailed description of relevant research proposals. Perhaps they are intentionally more vague than other BAAs? Nevertheless, Section II was the only section I saw (following a brief scan) that had relevant research areas. Hope this helps. 

[Sepens]

Does anyone know the page requirements for the research statement for this application? I can't seem to find anything on the website.

[SFS]

https://ndseg.sysplus.com/NDSEG/Applicants/Application-Evaluation-Award

 

It is 3 pages with 1 page max for cited work.

[8008jsmith]

Is anyone else having issues with content being deleted from their application?

[drrice]

Are we restricted to the BAAs that they explicitly link on their webpage here?

http://ndseg.sysplus.com/NDSEG/About/DoD-Agencies

Or are we permitted to write to any open DoD (Army, Navy, Air Force) BAA?

[katz465]

Is the only place to include previous research experience in this 500 word personal statement? Did any of you find examples of previous essays that won?

[einalemjs]

Does anybody want to chime in about going over the word limit for the personal essay?

I simply have a lot to say. I'm about 100 words over right now and everything seems too important, either for literally answering the questions in the prompt or for providing important narrative structure.

Like is that an automatic rejection? Or should I just leave it at ~600 words?

Also, solidarity to all of you for the research proposal. I'm writing a systems/civil engineering proposal and a part of me straight balked at those military docus.

[einalemjs]

On 11/20/2019 at 9:10 PM, katz465 said:

Is the only place to include previous research experience in this 500 word personal statement? Did any of you find examples of previous essays that won?

I think you could put previous research experience in the "Other Info" tab under "Relevant Experience." Just include your title as URA/RA/etc.

[einalemjs]

On 11/19/2019 at 5:28 PM, drrice said:

Are we restricted to the BAAs that they explicitly link on their webpage here?

http://ndseg.sysplus.com/NDSEG/About/DoD-Agencies

Or are we permitted to write to any open DoD (Army, Navy, Air Force) BAA?

I believe we are restricted to those BAAs; I think I remember reading something that the criteria is specifically for those BAAs. But perhaps the administrators would be able to answer that better by directing you to someone who would know better--I emailed them about what discipline I should be applying under because it wasn't directly listed and they replied pretty readily ( ndseg.pmo@sysplus.com).

Edited November 30, 2019 by mjsharif

[physmatician]

comment to follow this thread.  Will be applying next year.  Applied to NSF GRFP this year. 

[scavanaugh]

Just hit submit on mine, says it went through! Good luck everyone!

[SFS]

Just to double check the app is due 11:59 pm TOMORROW night (Dec 6) not tonight (Dec 5)- right? 

[mwallace]

For all y'all that have already had letter writers submit letters; I've heard that the NDSEG people have messed up.  While they have the rec letters, they've apparently lost the answers to the screening questionnaire.  It might be a good idea to reach out to your writers and double-check that they got the email to redo the questionnaire.

[richierich]

Just submitted a few hours ago. Writing all this was exhausting. Definitely spent a long time on the proposal and minimal time on the personal statement. Anyone else glad its over?

[einalemjs]

3 hours ago, richierich said:

Just submitted a few hours ago. Writing all this was exhausting. Definitely spent a long time on the proposal and minimal time on the personal statement. Anyone else glad its over?

At least yours is over. I have a recommender who still hasn't submitted, and it's partially my fault for not sending the request early enough. I'm going to be woke about this until midnight tonight. I have her cell phone number, and I just texted her pretty much begging to send it. Grad school apps are so dignifying.

This week I'll be sending out every single possible recommender request I can for all of my other apps.

Best of luck to all of you and good work if you've finished it!!

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by mjsharif

[richierich]

21 hours ago, mjsharif said:

At least yours is over. I have a recommender who still hasn't submitted, and it's partially my fault for not sending the request early enough. I'm going to be woke about this until midnight tonight. I have her cell phone number, and I just texted her pretty much begging to send it. Grad school apps are so dignifying.

This week I'll be sending out every single possible recommender request I can for all of my other apps.

Best of luck to all of you and good work if you've finished it!!

 

Uuuuuf bro that's stressful.

Btw I didn't know that this fellowship was more prestigious than the nsf. I spent a solid week working on the application.

My phd advisor advisor encouraged me to fill out the application. I got all letter writers to submit within a week. I got really lucky. Still it was a lot of work especially the proposal. 

How did your proposal writing go? I didn't spend enough time on the personal statement. Whoops! 

 

[einalemjs]

On 12/7/2019 at 4:16 PM, richierich said:

Uuuuuf bro that's stressful.

Btw I didn't know that this fellowship was more prestigious than the nsf. I spent a solid week working on the application.

My phd advisor advisor encouraged me to fill out the application. I got all letter writers to submit within a week. I got really lucky. Still it was a lot of work especially the proposal. 

How did your proposal writing go? I didn't spend enough time on the personal statement. Whoops! 

 

The recommender came through, amazingly.

My proposal writing was really interesting, I got the chance to go back to the literature after being away from it from some time, and the position I'm applying from meant that I got to be a bit creative with it. It was about cognitive modeling.

I think that the RP might be more important that the PS on this one, because of application advisors specifically discussing relevant research interests in the review process! I'm sure it was fine.

[richierich]

I just got an email last night that they have everything and my application is eligible to continue. 

[scavanaugh]

4 hours ago, richierich said:

I just got an email last night that they have everything and my application is eligible to continue. 

Same, came through this morning saying that its eligible to continue through the eval process. 

[einalemjs]

On 12/16/2019 at 7:26 PM, scavanaugh said:

Same, came through this morning saying that its eligible to continue through the eval process. 

Did you receive an initial email when you submitted, and then this email on top of that?

I only received one email. I'm worried now that my app wasn't sent thru the eval process, but on the website portal it reads "under evaluation." I'm going to email admin after the holiday.

Edited December 24, 2019 by mjsharif