NSF Fellowship + getting into Grad School

[lizziek]

Hi everyone!

So, I'm trying to coordinate schools with my boyfriend and it's become quite difficult. I was accepted to UCSF, which I LOVED, but he was rejected from Berkeley. He was accepted to MIT, which he loves, but I was rejected (well, I suppose unofficially, I didn't hear anything from them) from Harvard.

Right now I'm thinking about what could potentially happen if one of us receives the NSF or NDSEG fellowship. Is it possible to reverse rejections with this fellowship?

I'm talking specifically about UC Berkeley's EECS program and Harvard's BBS (biological and biomedical sciences) program. Has anyone heard of people being able to get acceptances to these programs late in the game after receiving external funding?

THANKS

[dendrogirl]

Hi everyone!

So, I'm trying to coordinate schools with my boyfriend and it's become quite difficult. I was accepted to UCSF, which I LOVED, but he was rejected from Berkeley. He was accepted to MIT, which he loves, but I was rejected (well, I suppose unofficially, I didn't hear anything from them) from Harvard.

Right now I'm thinking about what could potentially happen if one of us receives the NSF or NDSEG fellowship. Is it possible to reverse rejections with this fellowship?

I'm talking specifically about UC Berkeley's EECS program and Harvard's BBS (biological and biomedical sciences) program. Has anyone heard of people being able to get acceptances to these programs late in the game after receiving external funding?

THANKS

Those fellowships are pretty prestigious. I'd think they might be a big sway for a decision that hasn't officially been made. But as for reversing a decision, I don't know. Tough situation. Sorry I can't offer any better info.

[sydney146]

A professor I was talking to this past weekend at a visit weekend said that the programs that rejected you will send apologetic letters offering admission if you receive one of those fellowships. Even if they don't, I think it is definitely worth asking if you are awarded a fellowship.

[lizziek]

Thanks Sydney. What field are you in? I know that might be true of some fields like engineering, but what about biomedical science?

[coffeecoffeebuzzbuzz]

It is worth asking but never assume that a rejection will be reversed.

FYI - Both Berkeley and Yale were rigid with their decisions even with a fellowship in hand (mostly due to bureaucracy norm of the department/Grad admission rules rather than the opinion of POI).

[lizziek]

It is worth asking but never assume that a rejection will be reversed.

FYI - Both Berkeley and Yale were rigid with their decisions even with a fellowship in hand (mostly due to bureaucracy norm of the department/Grad admission rules rather than the opinion of POI).

Thanks coffeecoffee... what field are you in? I know that it completely depends on the field. e.g. in biomedical sciences the NSF probably doesn't make much difference, since there's enough $$ to support all PhD students anyways, but in fields like engineering, that are more funding dependent, it might hold more weight.

[starmaker]

Even if there's enough funding for all PhD students, they're still going to like the idea of one that they get for free. A big fellowship guarantees nothing, but it won't hurt you and will often help.

I think it's more a school thing than a field thing. Schools with more rigid bureaucracies are less likely to reverse a rejection or waitlisting.

[purplesmoke]

It is worth asking but never assume that a rejection will be reversed.

FYI - Both Berkeley and Yale were rigid with their decisions even with a fellowship in hand (mostly due to bureaucracy norm of the department/Grad admission rules rather than the opinion of POI).

Why do you say they're so rigid? Personal experience? Is there information readily available on this?

[awvish]

Also, I've heard (but like, fifth-hand) that even if you do get a reversal-acceptance from a school because you got an NSF (or similar), the school won't necessarily promise to fund you to finish your Ph.D after the three externally-funded years are up.

Anyone else heard anything about this phenomenon?