Loli Posted April 6, 2011 Posted April 6, 2011 Hm, frustrating (a reoccurring theme of the past few weeks). I just want to be persistent and "keep on him" for a lack of better words...Reading this forum is a blessing and a curse, it makes me anxious, but it also answers a lot of my questions. I hope we find out when they found out the last two years, April 11th - 12th!!!! That would be nice but I doubt we will. This time last year the letters were already being mailed out. Last year by April 1st when finalists contacted him, Jermaine told them the letters would be sent out soon and this year he doesn't seem to have a clue :/ I'm expecting to hear back around the 18th or so.
Kolobok Posted April 6, 2011 Posted April 6, 2011 Letters were allegedly planned to be sent out last week. I'm currently outside the U.S., so I expect a bit of a delay, but if you're in the states, keep a look out, I guess? I already did two weeks ago, but you can try emailing Rachel Holskin. She seemed pretty forthcoming. Finally, another Ukraine finalists! Thanks for the update MSFish. I later heard that letters might be sent out this week or next week, but as of last friday they had not been sent out. I'll let you know if I hear anything -- I should be one of the first people to receive notification since I'm pretty close to the office. As of today (wednesday) I've heard nothing. I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I probably won't hear anything until next week sometime. The wait gets tiring.
readtowin Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Any alternates successful in getting someone to tell you what alternate number you are on the list?
Norway2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Any alternates successful in getting someone to tell you what alternate number you are on the list? Nope, my coordinator emailed me back today after I asked saying they do not rank them that way and that no specific ranking system is used when promoting alternates from alternate to principal and that many factors are considered when they make that decision. So anyone trying to get ranking or idea which "number" they are, will be doing so in vain. Just hang in there!
est Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Hello, I guess I'm the 5th alternate for Norway on this forum?? For only having 10 grants available, they sure have a lot of alternates....
Norway2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Hello, I guess I'm the 5th alternate for Norway on this forum?? For only having 10 grants available, they sure have a lot of alternates.... Yes, I could not agree more, I find it kind of bizarre and cruel and unusual punishment.... The chances of 5 people declining grants are pretty much 0%, so why keep us in limbo? Seems very strange, if you ask me.. Whats your backup plan, are you weighing other options now? BTW-- Statistically speaking.. the fact that out of a max of 20 finalists, that 5 alternates, and one rejected are on this forum.. and only one grantee... that is just weird! You'd think one more of us would have gotten it just by random odds!
est Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Yes, I could not agree more, I find it kind of bizarre and cruel and unusual punishment.... The chances of 5 people declining grants are pretty much 0%, so why keep us in limbo? Seems very strange, if you ask me.. Whats your backup plan, are you weighing other options now? BTW-- Statistically speaking.. the fact that out of a max of 20 finalists, that 5 alternates, and one rejected are on this forum.. and only one grantee... that is just weird! You'd think one more of us would have gotten it just by random odds! I completely agree....it's very weird that 5 of us are alternates and that the decisions were so late this year. My backup plan was grad school at most likely LSE, but that was before I decided it would be better to hold off grad school for a year to save money for it and not take out too many loans. Since I just graduated less than 2 months ago, I'm thinking I should just be glad to have a job and keep working as much as I can. I've even thought about teaching english abroad. But I really really really wanted this Fulbright grant.....I felt so crushed when I got white envelope....
readtowin Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Yes, I could not agree more, I find it kind of bizarre and cruel and unusual punishment.... The chances of 5 people declining grants are pretty much 0%, so why keep us in limbo? Seems very strange, if you ask me.. Whats your backup plan, are you weighing other options now? BTW-- Statistically speaking.. the fact that out of a max of 20 finalists, that 5 alternates, and one rejected are on this forum.. and only one grantee... that is just weird! You'd think one more of us would have gotten it just by random odds! This is exactly what I've been trying to figure out for Indonesia. It makes no sense that all the 1.5 to 2 times extra recommended would all be alternates, but at the same time I've been trying to figure out how many people could be alternates. If it is not a set number, then how do they determine it, and why aren't all of the second half of recommended candidates alternates? Of course, I am also already trying to figure out if I should reapply, and if so, what I should do to strengthen my chance of acceptance next time.
Norway2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 I completely agree....it's very weird that 5 of us are alternates and that the decisions were so late this year. My backup plan was grad school at most likely LSE, but that was before I decided it would be better to hold off grad school for a year to save money for it and not take out too many loans. Since I just graduated less than 2 months ago, I'm thinking I should just be glad to have a job and keep working as much as I can. I've even thought about teaching english abroad. But I really really really wanted this Fulbright grant.....I felt so crushed when I got white envelope.... There is definitely something going on here.. I feel as though they have even less than 10 grants and are holding with all the alternates to see if more funding comes through.. I mean 5 alternates for 10 grants is VERY odd and seems unfair since keeping people in limbo of "alternate" status is really unfair if there is NO chance they will be taken off the list.. hmm hmmm hmmmm My backup plan was LSE, as well, but I don't want to take out more loans, I took out $50,000 for undergrad as it stands now.. YIKES.
readtowin Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 There is definitely something going on here.. I feel as though they have even less than 10 grants and are holding with all the alternates to see if more funding comes through.. I mean 5 alternates for 10 grants is VERY odd and seems unfair since keeping people in limbo of "alternate" status is really unfair if there is NO chance they will be taken off the list.. hmm hmmm hmmmm My backup plan was LSE, as well, but I don't want to take out more loans, I took out $50,000 for undergrad as it stands now.. YIKES. Do we even know if the information on the website about number of grants available for each country for this year is accurate? Are those numbers just their estimate of how many awards they could potentially offer? I looked at Norway and it says 12 grants, so where did you all get 10 grants from?
Norway2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 (edited) Do we even know if the information on the website about number of grants available for each country for this year is accurate? Are those numbers just their estimate of how many awards they could potentially offer? I looked at Norway and it says 12 grants, so where did you all get 10 grants from? On the link I posted yesterday... 12 was for 2010/2011, 10 is for 2011/2012. https://us.fulbright...try_europe.html EDIT: Weird, now all the sudden it says there was 10 for 2010/2011 as well, I could have sworn it said 12 before.. weird! Now I am just really baffled.. WHY so many alternates? Edited April 7, 2011 by Norway2011
mj190 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Just received notification of my alternate status. Don't know what that means for Central America/Caribbean applicants (whether they rank according to region/country).... Hopefully other applicants will have better luck! BIG NEWS! I received an email from Cara Wolinsky saying they sent out letters to CENTRAL AMERICA / CARIBBEAN on Monday , so we should be hearing back soon!!! Back to checking the mail one million times a day! So excited.
readtowin Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 On the link I posted yesterday... 12 was for 2010/2011, 10 is for 2011/2012. https://us.fulbright...try_europe.html EDIT: Weird, now all the sudden it says there was 10 for 2010/2011 as well, I could have sworn it said 12 before.. weird! Now I am just really baffled.. WHY so many alternates? It says 12 on the country summary page.
Norway2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 It says 12 on the country summary page. Hmm, weird, well in any case its 10 this year apparently. But just don't understand this very high # of alternates, oh well! Good luck to you getting off the alternate list for Indonesia, I hope you get good news soon!
est Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 There is definitely something going on here.. I feel as though they have even less than 10 grants and are holding with all the alternates to see if more funding comes through.. I mean 5 alternates for 10 grants is VERY odd and seems unfair since keeping people in limbo of "alternate" status is really unfair if there is NO chance they will be taken off the list.. hmm hmmm hmmmm My backup plan was LSE, as well, but I don't want to take out more loans, I took out $50,000 for undergrad as it stands now.. YIKES. Ouch! $50,000.... I think what we need is to find more Norway applicants who have received acceptance letters. There can't just be that one. Your theory about having less than 10 grants could be true, except isn't the grant being partially funded by Norway? Last time I checked, Norway's economy didn't take too much of a hit, and they've seemed to have bounced back. Moreover, I was under the impression that the estimate of 10 grants was because they had knew they had funding for at least the 10. If there were funding cuts, it would impact the additional funding they might get, rather than what they've already projected. ......this is all very confusing. I'm not sure how to feel about there being a known 5 alternates....except I do still feel some relief it wasn't a rejection letter and that there is some hope.
readtowin Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Hmm, weird, well in any case its 10 this year apparently. But just don't understand this very high # of alternates, oh well! Good luck to you getting off the alternate list for Indonesia, I hope you get good news soon! This is so confusing. Thanks. Good luck to you too!
fryguy Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 That would be nice but I doubt we will. This time last year the letters were already being mailed out. Last year by April 1st when finalists contacted him, Jermaine told them the letters would be sent out soon and this year he doesn't seem to have a clue :/ I'm expecting to hear back around the 18th or so. Debbie downer! You're quite the realist, let's hope that you're right (no "or so")
onthewindowsill Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Germany ETA's: Just spoke to Cara on the phone because the wait finally got to me (to be fair, first time I'd ever actually contacted her... shocked I made it this long). Apparently letters were sent out on a rolling basis, so some are still going out this week. She said something about how they got sent out depending on when they heard back from Germany/when they got the final American clearance. Not quite sure what this means as far as THE answer goes, but I've decided to resign myself to a rejection until I hear otherwise. Also, she said she did indeed email out if things were missing from your application, so at least that's a relief. Damn, does that mean we could win/not win the Fulbright based solely on when we mailed our application to Germany? If so, that's a bit unsettling. I mailed mine a week before the postmark deadline. It would suck if it's as arbitrary as that!
c_davis27 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Germany ETA letter finally received... alternate. Here's hoping to change my status quickly! Good luck everyone else!
c_davis27 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Same here. Germany ETA alternate received 4/5/11. Fingers crossed.
msafiri Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Just received notification of my alternate status. Don't know what that means for Central America/Caribbean applicants (whether they rank according to region/country).... Hopefully other applicants will have better luck! mj109, which country? What was your project about?
KarlJohan Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Ouch! $50,000.... I think what we need is to find more Norway applicants who have received acceptance letters. There can't just be that one. Your theory about having less than 10 grants could be true, except isn't the grant being partially funded by Norway? Last time I checked, Norway's economy didn't take too much of a hit, and they've seemed to have bounced back. Moreover, I was under the impression that the estimate of 10 grants was because they had knew they had funding for at least the 10. If there were funding cuts, it would impact the additional funding they might get, rather than what they've already projected. ......this is all very confusing. I'm not sure how to feel about there being a known 5 alternates....except I do still feel some relief it wasn't a rejection letter and that there is some hope. Ok, so I realize that we are all probably overanalyzing this, but if you look on the Norwegian Fulbright website http://www.fulbright.no/Current_Grantees/2010-11+U.S.+Fulbright+Grantees+to+Norway.9UFRrO5W.ips they have *15* graduate students listed as full grant recipients for last year. Weird. I don't know what that means or why the main Fulbright website only lists 10. I guess we will all be left to our theories and unanswered questions for awhile.
Elizabeth89 Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Ha I did the same thing too! Knowing me, I would have waited even later, but the deadline was the day before my thesis was due. Coincidentally, get my thesis comments back tomorrow... WHY does Fulbright have to work with my department to make my life so freaking stressful?!? I agree on the unsettling bit, but my bet is they at least save some spots for exceptional people who turn their applications in exceptionally close to the deadline. Or, MA postal service blows. Let's hope for the latter. Damn, does that mean we could win/not win the Fulbright based solely on when we mailed our application to Germany? If so, that's a bit unsettling. I mailed mine a week before the postmark deadline. It would suck if it's as arbitrary as that!
est Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Ok, so I realize that we are all probably overanalyzing this, but if you look on the Norwegian Fulbright website http://www.fulbright...ay.9UFRrO5W.ips they have *15* graduate students listed as full grant recipients for last year. Weird. I don't know what that means or why the main Fulbright website only lists 10. I guess we will all be left to our theories and unanswered questions for awhile. I noticed that too....but I just thought I had my years mixed up...
onthewindowsill Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 Ha I did the same thing too! Knowing me, I would have waited even later, but the deadline was the day before my thesis was due. Coincidentally, get my thesis comments back tomorrow... WHY does Fulbright have to work with my department to make my life so freaking stressful?!? I agree on the unsettling bit, but my bet is they at least save some spots for exceptional people who turn their applications in exceptionally close to the deadline. Or, MA postal service blows. Let's hope for the latter. Well, someone on the spreadsheet from LA got their letter, so I think we're just not in the first round...or MA postal service REALLY blows. Some people got alternates too already though, so it's just weird. How do they make decisions without doing them all at once? Also, I think someone messed with the spreadsheet because I know some people heard Monday and such, but it's saying 4/5 is the only date people got letters. Not to mention I have no idea what order it's in at any given time, and it only lets me scroll by dragging, not hitting the down button, but maybe my computer is just a mess...? Anyway, let's hope we find out soon! I'm going to die from anxiety if we don't! Did she infer if there were several days this week they were going out, or could it be anytime?
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