Fulbright 2011-2012

[spotter77]

I called the IIE offices today and they said that as of today there have been no letters mailed for Mexico. Also, they said that when they mail them there will be no phone call or email to tell us they have been mailed. Just keep waiting is all we can do :-(

This. is. KILLING me! My own advisor is calling me in a panic every week or so just to vent: "Have you heard about the Fulbright? I know you haven't heard; it's not posted on the website, why haven't you heard?" (Also: would a three-word email kill them? Dear X: Yes/No. It would take 0.5 seconds.)

Sigh. The situation clearly requires more yoga and less coffee. I'm running on negative Zen fumes. Meanwhile, suerte a todos and hang in there.

[berlino]

Just wanted to let the MENAers know about Jermaine's update on Egypt: this year's FB'ers have resumed their grant, systems are for next year, and he hopes to get the final responses within the month but they might not come in until May.

Way better news than I had hoped! I was afraid maybe we wouldn't know until after the elections in September. I don't think the other Egypt applicants are around the board anymore but thought this might give hope to the others, especially since places like Morocco for instance have been much more stable, so I don't think we need to worry about waiting into the summer to find out. At least, I hope not.

Fingers crossed for everyone...

Appreciate the update! With the timing, was he specifically referring to Egypt, or to all MENA countries? I don't really mind waiting, especially since hearing in May is much better than simply being denied due to security...my largest concern is I simply need to make a graduate school decision by the end of April...no idea how to handle that, if a Fulbright comes through afterwards.

[Special K]

So I was thinking...dangerous I know.

I think that the IIE should hire these passionate driven individuals to make the Fulbright acceptance process more fluid and transparent. But then I started to think, maybe they do this on purpose. No one will complain about the amount of time notification takes because the award is so prestigious. Regardless, I think that the Fulbright Commission should look into hiring some of us to facilitate transparency. Thoughts? Of course it is contingent on the fact our government is still working and paying employees.

I vote Crimsonengineer87 as the first hire!

Edited April 13, 2011 by Special K

[Dare]

No. I supposed we could email Rachel, but I hate to bother her, as I am sure she gets a million emails a day. Last year the Baltic States got notification on April 20th, so we may have a week yet before we hear anything.

Which Baltic country are you applying to? I heard from Rachel last week that they hope to mail Estonia letters by the end of this week.

I'm not on the spreadsheet, but I had to de-lurk at the news that others are waiting on Baltic countries as well! Good luck!

[tweety11226]

@ Readtown

I applied to TFA and Henry Luce and was NOT accepted. If you're not over 30 years old why don't you look at the Henry Luce Scholarship (hluce.org) and see if your school is a nominating institution.

I applied to TFA, Luce, Fulbright and the Critical Language and I didn't have any back-up plans. I got rejected from TFA and Luce after I made it to the final round. But I was bless to get Fulbright and Critical Language Scholarship since both were a long shot. Now I am trying to prepare myself for a bigger scholarship now!!

Also I wanted Phi Beta Kappa sooooo bad and was not nominated nor picked. I have higher credentials then all of the girls who were chosen but they failed to pick me. Was I disappointed? Yes. I thought that I was not competitive enough and I was missing something. But guess what? I was not missing anything they are actually missing a stellar person! It's their loss and not mine

[Ahab]

I have 0 Mandarin background. I speak moderate German but I have been out of school for two years. I am finishing up my two year commitment with Teach For America here in Phoenix (If anybody has any questions about that on the forum please let me know. I saw some people struggling with decisions on whether they should do one or the other).

I did apply for the CLEP program in Taiwan. I wonder how many ETAs they will take. It seems like it is geared more towards Full Fulbright participants.

What about other Taiwan applicants? What are your language backgrounds?

-Special K

Last year, everyone in Taiwan that received a CLEA was an ETA. There were only three awards given out and everyone else that applied for the CLEA was given "alternate status." My impression is that there is almost 0 chance that you'll receive a CLEA without prior Mandarin language experience.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Ahab

[Ahab]

I'm in North Carolina, so I'll probably hear fairly early too.

As for my Mandarin, I took a beginning class at my University and then an intensive course when i studied abroad for a semester in Beijing. But Chinese is a tough language, so I'd still consider myself a beginner. I did apply for the critical language enhancement award. Does anyone know if the notification for that program gets sent out with award notifications?

I'm pretty sure CLEA notifications come out with the main packer but that feels like a long time ago, so I might be wrong.

[trollc3]

Which Baltic country are you applying to? I heard from Rachel last week that they hope to mail Estonia letters by the end of this week.

I'm not on the spreadsheet, but I had to de-lurk at the news that others are waiting on Baltic countries as well! Good luck!

I applied for Estonia as well. Good luck! Do we not, first, receive an email?

[peteoburito]

I'm up in Connecticut... I feel like I'll be among the first to hear and send out word to the rest of us waiting to hear on Taiwan...

On another note, what're y'all's language backgrounds like? Did y'all apply for the language enhancement award?

Here's to more waiting...

I'm in Wisconsin... so I guess I'll be a little later than some of you too in hearing.

I ended up double majoring in biochem and Chinese---it's funny though because all of the last few classes of the Chinese major are taught largely in English, so I haven't a real "Chinese" class since summer of sophomore year. I'm sure you're all well aware languages disappear rather quickly with disuse!

Anyway, good luck to all of you. Hoping to hear back soon...

[nescafe]

@ Readtown

I applied to TFA and Henry Luce and was NOT accepted. If you're not over 30 years old why don't you look at the Henry Luce Scholarship (hluce.org) and see if your school is a nominating institution.

I applied to TFA, Luce, Fulbright and the Critical Language and I didn't have any back-up plans. I got rejected from TFA and Luce after I made it to the final round. But I was bless to get Fulbright and Critical Language Scholarship since both were a long shot. Now I am trying to prepare myself for a bigger scholarship now!!

Also I wanted Phi Beta Kappa sooooo bad and was not nominated nor picked. I have higher credentials then all of the girls who were chosen but they failed to pick me. Was I disappointed? Yes. I thought that I was not competitive enough and I was missing something. But guess what? I was not missing anything they are actually missing a stellar person! It's their loss and not mine

agreed. i've been in grad school for and applying for fellowships yearly for four years now. the one thing i can tell you is that rejection is a big part of the process. it's crazy-making how much rejection one has to deal with when applying for multiple grants, scholarships, and admittance to programs. my advice? celebrate even the smallest victories, and let defeats roll off your back. don't EVER tell youself that if you do not win a grant, it's because of some sort of personal failing. It never is---- seriously.

I have a pretty decent track record with grant-writing... but I still get rejections from probably 3/4 of the grants and applications i write. even the most successful applicants i've seen don't break the 50/50 margin. so don't beat yourself up.... being named an alternate for a Fulbright says that you are the model applicant, that your proposal was exactly what the Commission was looking for, and that they want to send you.

[readtowin]

I wouldn't go and get another degree for the sole objective of getting into one of these types of programs. Their acceptance process is hit or miss. There's no strict formula that will guarantee someone's acceptance, no matter how much crap they may have on their resume.

A degree requires a lot of time and money. Imagine you did all that and the person who reviews your next application doesn't even notice, or care, or if they do care imagine they think you're overqualified. I would not recommend you go get another degree just because you "might" increase your chances of getting accepted next time. That's a good way to guarantee some form of depression, haha. Unless you wanted to get into a specific field and study something practical that will definitely lead to a job (i.e. engineering), it's not worth it. What about Peace Corps?

EDIT: By the way, if you can afford another degree, why can't you afford to go abroad yourself and "do something amazing" ? I know a lot of people who have done that with no assistance from a program and they're doing great.

If I went to get another degree, I wouldn't do it unless I received funding. That's what happened the for the graduate degree I already have. It isn't even about the name "Fulbright," but more about the security of being abroad in a program where I can receive language training and have assistance from someone affiliated with a legitimate program if need be. In other words, I'm looking for a program where I'm not dropped in the middle of nowhere without some kind of assistance and no way to communicate with the locals. Going to Europe would be easy because you can almost certainly find someone who speaks your language if you happen to need help (for instance, you get sick and need a doctor). That's the whole point of getting some kind of language training and also knowing someone (in this case, the Fulbright people at the individual countries' Fulbright offices who do the ETA in country orientations). I looked at Peace Corps and decided it isn't as safe sounding to me. That's just my opinion.

Edited April 13, 2011 by readtowin

[Skyfire]

DAH DAH DAH!!! We've reached 100 pages! And its not even may XD

[readtowin]

agreed. i've been in grad school for and applying for fellowships yearly for four years now. the one thing i can tell you is that rejection is a big part of the process. it's crazy-making how much rejection one has to deal with when applying for multiple grants, scholarships, and admittance to programs. my advice? celebrate even the smallest victories, and let defeats roll off your back. don't EVER tell youself that if you do not win a grant, it's because of some sort of personal failing. It never is---- seriously.

I have a pretty decent track record with grant-writing... but I still get rejections from probably 3/4 of the grants and applications i write. even the most successful applicants i've seen don't break the 50/50 margin. so don't beat yourself up.... being named an alternate for a Fulbright says that you are the model applicant, that your proposal was exactly what the Commission was looking for, and that they want to send you.

Okay, then I'm wondering if you can give some ideas on how someone can improve their application. Would you rewrite essays entirely?

[brady]

For all you Morocco applicants out there, I received the following email from Jermaine Jones when I asked him if it would be a problem if I'm abroad mid-May-mid-June in regards to receiving my grant notification:

I really hope that I’ll have the results for Morocco finalized such that you receive your notification letter well in advance of your departure for Germany, thus rendering this concern moot.

I'm taking that as a good sign that we'll be finding out sooner than that.

[Lustforlife]

Did anybody ever get in contact with Jonathan?

Has he gotten back to any of you?

[aPPiah]

So I just discovered this site and forum yesterday and in my obsessive nature looked through all 100 posting in search of anyone who might have heard back for Sri Lanka. I know theres not many of us but I am so annoyed with this waiting process.

[rosegirl64]

So I just discovered this site and forum yesterday and in my obsessive nature looked through all 100 posting in search of anyone who might have heard back for Sri Lanka. I know theres not many of us but I am so annoyed with this waiting process.

I am anxiously awaiting to hear about Sri Lanka too. Did you apply for Full or ETA? I applied for ETA...

[bodgeapp11]

Ahhh. If they are even later this year I don't want to find out mid-May the day before I defend my thesis. But, yes can't rush Cambodia.

Toast,

Saw on the spreadsheet that you had an interview for the Cambodia Fulbright. Was that an on-campus interview, or a phone/skype interview with the Fulbright peeps in Cambodia?

[blahblahblahh]

Rosegirl and Appiah,

So good to hear from other people waiting on Sri Lanka!!! I applied for an ETA and I have been dying waiting.......Have either of you contacted Cara and asked about when we might be hearing? I already have emailed her a couple times concerning adding a TESOL certification to my application so I don't want to bother her, but I have another job that I will have to give an answer to by the end of April.

Also, do you guys have any experience with the language?

[aPPiah]

Rosegirl and Appiah,

So good to hear from other people waiting on Sri Lanka!!! I applied for an ETA and I have been dying waiting.......Have either of you contacted Cara and asked about when we might be hearing? I already have emailed her a couple times concerning adding a TESOL certification to my application so I don't want to bother her, but I have another job that I will have to give an answer to by the end of April.

Also, do you guys have any experience with the language?

I also applied for ETA. I have no familiarity with the language but am conversational in Japanese. And no I didnt think about contacting Cara lol (who is Cara??)

[LittleBird]

Thanks for letting us know. Did you get a CLEA? Do you have any idea about how much mandarin experience the people who received the award had?

I'm pretty sure CLEA notifications come out with the main packer but that feels like a long time ago, so I might be wrong.

[LittleBird]

Also, just so all you other Taiwan kids know, I heard back from Jonathan Akeley but he wasn't particularly informative. He gave me the standard line:

"It's not possible to predict exactly when the final results will become available, but in the past notification letters for Taiwan have usually gone out in mid to late April."

So I guess what we can take from that is that they haven't been sent out yet. So we have at least a few more days before we receive anything.

[minny208]

Has anyone on the west coast heard back from Russia yet?? I'm in Los Angeles and haven't heard anything!

[rosegirl64]

I also applied for ETA. I have no familiarity with the language but am conversational in Japanese. And no I didnt think about contacting Cara lol (who is Cara??)

No, I haven't contacted Cara (Cara Doble is the contact for Central/South Asia). I was going to wait until the end of the week since last year's candidates did not find out until April 15th. I will let you know after I contact her whether I heard back from her. If either of you want to contact her before then, let me know if you hear anything.

I am not familiar with the language. I had the opportunity to go to Sri Lanka a few years ago and picked up a Sinhala phrase book, but I can't say that has been helping me a great deal....

[Special K]

Also, just so all you other Taiwan kids know, I heard back from Jonathan Akeley but he wasn't particularly informative. He gave me the standard line:

"It's not possible to predict exactly when the final results will become available, but in the past notification letters for Taiwan have usually gone out in mid to late April."

So I guess what we can take from that is that they haven't been sent out yet. So we have at least a few more days before we receive anything.

That freakin stinks...I was convinced that they were coming this week. Last year they found out 04/16 so I guess we are going to be later this year. womp womp