Fulbright 2012-2013

[jahanzlik]

It shouldnt say what alternate number you are. I tried asking so that you have an idea if you have a chance. They wouldnt tell me. Im pretty sure they dont release that information.

[Biz]

Did anyone's ALT letter say you are 2nd alternate? Is there any known order? Mine didn't specify, just said I was the alternate.

From the previous application cycle threads, they don't share the alternate rankings with the alternates. I don't think any alternate knows what number they have in the line.

[dcminot]

Does anyone know if alternates are promoted beginning as soon as someone declines their offer, or does the whole process wait at least 1 month to allow for those 4 weeks of people either rejecting or accepting the offers?

[Biz]

Just an update/FYI:

I don't know if anyone noticed but there was another Alternate promoted to Accepted today (Sheelal90, Sri Lanka). I'm a little thrown off by the dates... I think Sri Lanka actually heard on 3/25/2012. So that puts the time from first notification to promotion at just over two weeks. And LLJKedge (who was promoted for Germany) heard just over three weeks after he got his alternate notification.

It's very promising to see people being promoted to accepted. And it seems that it's happening relatively quickly. Good luck to all alternates!

Does anyone know if alternates are promoted beginning as soon as someone declines their offer, or does the whole process wait at least 1 month to allow for those 4 weeks of people either rejecting or accepting the offers?

The two alternates who have been promoted that have shared it with the spreadsheet were promoted before the four weeks, at just over 2 and 3 weeks (see quoted post) from the original notification.

So I don't believe they are waiting. Since the alternates are apparently ranked, it doesn't make sense that they'd need to wait after an acceptance is declined to notify the first alternate in line.

[mrog1016]

so who is ready for another week of email checking angst?

[boxoatoc]

so who is ready for another week of email checking angst?

I am! I have a Thursday deadline for another award so I'll be obsessively refreshing until then.

I feel like all my sentences have been beginning with, "If I get the Fulbright, then ..." -- or ending with "inshallah."

I'm also trying to decide on whether to apply again for the next round if I am not awarded a grant this time. I recently realized I began working on this application in March 2011, so it's been over a year of work and waiting. Wow!

Edited April 23, 2012 by boxoatoc

[bdoll]

Sure thing.

Do you have any information on why the continent of Africa is being held up by " Why is Africa waiting for this when other continents have heard back?

Well, there are only two fulbright commissions in all of africa (there's jordan and israel in the MENA region, then there's egypt and morocco under the MENA umbrella as well). There are no fulbright commissions in all of subsaharan africa. This makes the approval of fulbrights a much more regional and collaborative process then in other parts of the world, and seems quite similar to central asia, which you will also see from the map has largely remained unnotified. That is probably what Jermaine is talking about when he mentions final budget approval, the budget approval by various countries in africa as to which countries get how many grants and what amount of money, etc.

Honestly, that seems symptomatic of the general western approach towards "AFRICA" as a continent and not a set of highly diverse countries. This kind of regional approach over almost 50 countries is not seen anywhere else on the globe (38 countries in the african continent without commissions), and probably results in budgets that end up stretched far too thinly.

Edited April 23, 2012 by bdoll

[kay12]

This song came on my ipod on Friday when I was grumpy that I still didn't hear anything. I feel it's appropriate right now.

[FullTimeAnxious]

This week is going to be torture...

[ChinaHalfBright]

For all the China Fulbrighters still waiting (which is all of the China Fulbrighters), I received this today from the folks in Beijing:

Unfortunately we still don’t know when notifications will go out. Understand that it is difficult to wait, but appreciate your patience.

Edited April 23, 2012 by ChinaHalfBright

[Kerly_Cue]

Honestly, that seems symptomatic of the general western approach towards "AFRICA" as a continent and not a set of highly diverse countries. This kind of regional approach over almost 50 countries is not seen anywhere else on the globe (38 countries in the african continent without commissions), and probably results in budgets that end up stretched far too thinly.

^^^ THIS.

Such diverse cultures & countries with completely different histories, languages (South Africa has about 11 official languges since its population is so incredibly diverse and consists of multiple major ethnic groups ... Xhosa, Khoisan, Zulu, etc) and cultural values are just grouped together as one monolithic group. Can you imagine just lumping western Europe -- Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium etc -- together? For one, the Germans would throw a fit if the fate of any of their programs was tied to France.

For all the China Fulbrighters still waiting (which is all of the China Fulbrighters), I received this today from the folks in Beijing:

Unfortunately we still don’t know when notifications will go out. Understand that it is difficult to wait, but appreciate your patience.

Damn. That sucks.

[boxoatoc]

Central Asia-ites!

I caved and called Pam Jennings (needed to know if I should request an extension from some other thing that I need to decide on).

Fulbright has received all the final permissions etc. and they're finalizing the budget. As a result we can expect to hear in the next couple of days.

Whew. It's a scary prospect. I'd almost rather stay in this liminal space wherein I have many alternate futures looming ahead of me rather than having to choose one -- but not really!

[Heartbri]

Turkey people..... I just talked to Rachel. She said it could be another month before we know anything, and its more likely going to be later then sooner....

ah

welp I can stop refreshing my email now ...

[timberwolf11214]

Ditto for Greece ETA folks, although it seems like I'm the only one who applied for such a thing (I need to know if there is anyone else out there left who is suffering from Greece-itis).

She said:

"The Fulbright Commission is trying to solidify funding and identify a placement for an ETA candidate. I would like to say that we expect a decision within the coming two weeks, but it may be a bit longer than that as well. I apologize for not being able to be more specific."

Stupid budget issues.

[boxoatoc]

Turkey people..... I just talked to Rachel. She said it could be another month before we know anything, and its more likely going to be later than sooner....

ah

welp I can stop refreshing my email now ...

I'm sorry to hear that, Turkey candidates. I hoped y'all would hear sooner this year.

Edit to add: sorry for you, too, Greece candidates.

Edited April 23, 2012 by boxoatoc

[djb1599]

Fifteen minutes until the end of the workday here on the east coast and still no news....ugh. Sorry to hear the bad news about the long wait for Turkey and Greece.

[oa0176]

Turkey people..... I just talked to Rachel. She said it could be another month before we know anything, and its more likely going to be later then sooner....

ah

welp I can stop refreshing my email now ...

ugh... thanks for the update though

[ALSimon]

I was venting to my sister about how frustrating it is to not know what the next year will look like and how, at this point, even a rejection would at least give me some sort of guidance. She, being the darling sibling that she is, said, "Wouldn't it be funny if you didn't even get recommended, it was just a glitch in the system that sent you that email and you've just been waiting and waiting for no reason?"

.....

............um, no.

That would be the opposite of funny. That would be like telling a pregnant woman on the day before her due date that she never really had a baby, and that she was just a part of a psych study or test trial for a weight gaining pill.

Thanks though, sis, for giving me another thing to worry about.

Note to self: This Mother's Day, send Mom an invoice for therapy needed for all the years of psychological torture her other daughter has put me through.

[boxoatoc]

That would be like telling a pregnant woman on the day before her due date that she never really had a baby, and that she was just a part of a psych study or test trial for a weight gaining pill.

Have you seen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERw6aGDTyw? I feel convinced that somebody waiting anxiously for a Fulbright came up with scenarios like yours and then made a YouTube video out of one of them.

Edited April 23, 2012 by boxoatoc

[CairoKid]

Turkey people..... I just talked to Rachel. She said it could be another month before we know anything, and its more likely going to be later then sooner....

ah

welp I can stop refreshing my email now ...

I thought a current ETA grant just said a few pages back that our applications have been sent onto the final round early last week or so. How could it possibly take another month? This is unfair. We've been waiting for more than 6 months!

[ALSimon]

Have you seen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERw6aGDTyw? I feel convinced that somebody waiting anxiously for a Fulbright came up with scenarios like yours and then made a YouTube video out of one of them.

I hadn't seen that. It's brilliant. Hilarious! Thank you for the (actually) humorous reprieve. This is waaaay better than what my sister and best friend have been come up with in their failed attempts at comedy.

Here's to another week of "Reeee-fresh!"

[Heartbri]

I thought a current ETA grant just said a few pages back that our applications have been sent onto the final round early last week or so. How could it possibly take another month? This is unfair. We've been waiting for more than 6 months!

Welcome to Turkish time... Its very slow.

[couscous90]

I just have a sinking feeling this week won't be it for MENA... I don't know why I feel this way, but maybe after weeks of refreshing I have lost allll hopppeee...

[FullTimeAnxious]

I just have a sinking feeling this week won't be it for MENA... I don't know why I feel this way, but maybe after weeks of refreshing I have lost allll hopppeee...

I feel the same way about SSA. I've thought it was coming too many times now to get my hopes up about this week. I've been prepping myself for finding out next week.

Edited April 24, 2012 by FullTimeAnxious

[euphoria*]

I feel the same way about SSA. I've thought it was coming too many times now to get my hopes up about this week. I've been prepping myself for finding out next week.

It can be the case that we won't hear back this week, however, MENA people are sent to DC for orientation. Therefore, I'm thinking that they'll have to spend at least a few weeks organizing travel and hotel arrangements, which means that they should get back to us relatively soon. I am being hopeful here and perhaps looking way too much into this.