VANIER 2020-2021

[TheCivLad]

It's that time of the year again, any news on when is the announcement? 

[Jtl]

Nope. I came wondering the same

[PhDImmuno]

Should this week be the week for answers? 

[TheCivLad]

Yeah Looks like it! Can y'all just post here once any of you hear something? 

[PhDImmuno]

Yes, I will make sure to do so. I believe last year was April 6th (based on me stocking twitter), but I'm not sure if it is usually early. Although the website says Early April!

[TheCivLad]

yeah last year it was April 6th. The year before it it was the 1st of April. And even earlier the year before that! 

[PhDImmuno]

Oh, ok! I guess my stress level will start to increase tonight then haha!

[lolplsfundme]

Do we know approx. time of day? It's April 6th and every email I get makes my heart skip a beat :') 

[PhDImmuno]

I have no idea! But I'm the same, mini heart attack for each email I get 

[TheCivLad]

Do you think it will change how they evaluate the applications? Or favor applications related to COVID-19? 

[PhDImmuno]

I feel like they are always looking mostly at leadership. I doubt that would change... but who knows. But I also doubt that the covid projects would weight much higher than others, again, I think they are mostly looking for the "leader" student. But I also could be wrong

 

[TheCivLad]

The scoring system has equal weights to the 3 aspects they're evaluating (Leadership/Academics/Research). The overall score upon which they order the candidates doesn't put more weight on a certain aspect. However, the applications are evaluated holistically, according to them, so they're evaluated in relation to each other. 
So my question was would they give more score, in the research score, to research related to COVID-19 over other things?

[PhDImmuno]

Completely agree with you! And I couldn't really answer your question. At least from the website, there is nothing saying that covid related projects would weight more. I doubt that that would be the case too, since there are way too many students that don't study COVID that would be great candidates. But again, this is my personal option! 

[lolplsfundme]

My project is related to COVID-19 and when I wrote my proposal, the advice I got was that I need to make it more than "just another COVID-19 study". This is assuming that lots of proposals are COVID-related this year. What I took from this is that if you're submitting a COVID study make sure it's high-impact and novel. 

My personal opinion is that what matters more is the "whole package" of the candidate, COVID study or not. 

[Proteinsci]

4 hours ago, lolplsfundme said:

Do we know approx. time of day? It's April 6th and every email I get makes my heart skip a beat :') 

got mine at 12:30 last year   good luck to you all!

[lolplsfundme]

I just got my results! No Vanier for me, wishing the rest of you the best of luck

[TheCivLad]

32 minutes ago, lolplsfundme said:

I just got my results! No Vanier for me, wishing the rest of you the best of luck

I’m so sorry to hear that! ?
 

did they send out the results? Or did you get it through ResearchNet? Also can you share your scores if you don’t mind? 

Edited April 6, 2021 by TheCivLad

[ERW]

I just got the results as well, and they gave me an award.

That was shocking enough, but the decision document also said my application was ranked 1/195. I didn't come here to gloat or make anyone that didn't receive an award feel bad though. I wanted to encourage anyone who is still eligible next year to apply again. Last year I applied and was pretty far back in the pack (150/200 or something) and so I polished up the same application and didn't expect a different result this year. After not receiving the award last year I was pretty distraught, but I just wanted to tell you guys that it'll work out - reapply to the Vanier, and even if it's not the Vanier keep going and your ship will come in!

[MarleyBarley]

17 minutes ago, ERW said:

I just got the results as well, and they gave me an award.

That was shocking enough, but the decision document also said my application was ranked 1/195. I didn't come here to gloat or make anyone that didn't receive an award feel bad though. I wanted to encourage anyone who is still eligible next year to apply again. Last year I applied and was pretty far back in the pack (150/200 or something) and so I polished up the same application and didn't expect a different result this year. After not receiving the award last year I was pretty distraught, but I just wanted to tell you guys that it'll work out - reapply to the Vanier, and even if it's not the Vanier keep going and your ship will come in!

congrats, thats amazing!! Do you mind me asking how many publications you have and in terms of volunteer experience what is your profile like? I am asking as I intend to apply for it next year. Thank you! 

 

[lolplsfundme]

@TheCivLad

I got an email this morning at 7am saying that my results were available - I applied to Vanier SSHRC. There were 2 documents when I entered my ResearchNet: 1 that told me the decision, and 1 that told me the decision and my scores.

Academic Excellence: 3.50 - cGPA 89% which is understandably low in comparison to others applying to this scholarship. My program, unfortunately, doesn't like to give grades over 90% in our classes (clinical psych). Otherwise, I have another Master's in Neuroscience (94% GPA).

Research Potential: 2.50 - 3 publications, 9 conference posters, 2 talks. COVID-related research proposal which I thought may hinder me... it seems it may have, but I also felt that my methodology wasn't completely sound when I submitted and so that may also have been where this score came from. 

Leadership: 5.50 - I've been an NCCP certified coach for the past 8 years (both volunteer and paid), was a competitive athlete in that sport before then, cancer center volunteer (5 years), student representative on various committees, mentor, tutor, vice president of an organization on campus during my undergrad. 

Application was ranked 159/195, which stings a bit, but it just goes to show how competitive this scholarship is! So happy for you @ERW - that is simply amazing!

 

Wishing the rest of you all the luck. Keeping my fingers crossed for OGS or SSHRC CGS/PGS-D

 

[ERW]

36 minutes ago, MarleyBarley said:

congrats, thats amazing!! Do you mind me asking how many publications you have and in terms of volunteer experience what is your profile like? I am asking as I intend to apply for it next year. Thank you! 

 

I only had three publications at the time of application (I have six now, but presumably they couldn't have known about the newest three). I'm in the humanities student and my impression is that it's less expected that SSHRC students have as many publications since it's relatively rare to be published in those fields before getting your PhD.

I've volunteered in a lot of roles since highschool, mostly with government or human rights organizations. Municipal and provincial advisory committees, food banks, student unions, human rights NGOs, that sort of thing. I don't know if that's helpful, but there you go!

[Jtl]

I received my results this morning and was lucky enough to be wait listed for the award. 
 

Does anyone have any insight into the likelihood of a waitlister being offered an award? I feel like nobody is likely to decline

[Zarah_B]

Has anyone not received their results yet?

[ERW]

Do any previous Vanier scholars know when funding is typically dispersed, or how the funding schedule works? All the documents I've seen say it starts on May 1st, but nothing has come through yet, and nobody really explains the disbursement process. Maybe it's taking longer this year because of Covid-related logistics.

[waterstudent]

On 5/18/2021 at 9:58 AM, ERW said:

Do any previous Vanier scholars know when funding is typically dispersed, or how the funding schedule works? All the documents I've seen say it starts on May 1st, but nothing has come through yet, and nobody really explains the disbursement process. Maybe it's taking longer this year because of Covid-related logistics.

It depends on your school! I believe the money is placed in an account by VCGS that your graduate studies office can access and the disbursement is then arranged by them. According to my school's grad office, the funds weren't in the account by May 1 because it was so close to the announcement, but they got them about a week ago now.