ford foundation fellowships

[Guest alex]

I just got my letter, I'm in the Bay Area.

I got nothing, not even an honorable mention.

I'm very very disappointed. But that's life. I shouldn't have expected to win one.

I'll just try again next year.

Here are my stats (I thought I'd do better):

I'm doing sociology in grad school, at Princeton, studying immigration.

Stanford B.A. in Human Biology, Stanford M.A. in Sociology

3.45 UG GPA, 3.85 Master's GPA.

GRE: 1520 (800Q/720V)

NSF Honorable Mention

I'm Mexican-American, my parents are immigrants.

This fall I was admitted to 6 of the 7 programs I applied to, all 6 schools in the top 10 in sociology. (including all top 3)

I can't complain, really, Princeton is hooking me up with an amazing package. (25K/yr for 4 years, I'll have to figure out years 5 and 6 on my own)

I WILL be a stronger candidate next year, damnit. I will not let this discourage me.

To those of you who haven't heard yet, good luck! And to those who got a fellowship, congrats!

-alex

[Guest guest]

i'm in the bay area, too. no news yet. i wonder what this means, if anything.

you've got some awesome qualifications, alex. way to represent for la gente. =)

[Guest guest]

Do you think there was any logic to the order in which these things were sent out? I thought that acceptances would have been sent out first, but I've yet to hear of anybody receiving the award. Of course, this is a very small sample (this board and the LJ board)...

[Guest alex]

Do you think there was any logic to the order in which these things were sent out? I thought that acceptances would have been sent out first, but I've yet to hear of anybody receiving the award. Of course, this is a very small sample (this board and the LJ board)...

if it's anything like grad admissions, I bet the winners got phone calls 2 weeks ago.

[Guest guest]

if it's anything like grad admissions, I bet the winners got phone calls 2 weeks ago.

ha!

[Guest a guest]

My stats don't seem as good as the one above, but I got honorable mention.

I think it was my essays.

I'm doing Applied Math PHD @ Univ. Arizona

Black College B.S. in Math minor Comp. Science

3.86 UG GPA, 3.0 Master's GPA

GRE: 1350 (800Q/550V)

NOT NSF Honorable Mention

I'm African-American

I applied to one program and got accepted.

[Guest guest]

My stats don't seem as good as the one above, but I got honorable mention.

I think it was my essays.

I'm doing Applied Math PHD @ Univ. Arizona

Black College B.S. in Math minor Comp. Science

3.86 UG GPA, 3.0 Master's GPA

GRE: 1350 (800Q/550V)

NOT NSF Honorable Mention

I'm African-American

I applied to one program and got accepted.

whereabouts in the country are you now? i'm in california and still haven't gotten my letter!

(and i think you have good stats, especially that great UG gpa!)

[Guest guest]

My stats don't seem as good as the one above, but I got honorable mention.

I think it was my essays.

I'm doing Applied Math PHD @ Univ. Arizona

Black College B.S. in Math minor Comp. Science

3.86 UG GPA, 3.0 Master's GPA

GRE: 1350 (800Q/550V)

NOT NSF Honorable Mention

I'm African-American

I applied to one program and got accepted.

Was your proposed grad plan an actual NSF-esque proposal, or was it more of an essay? Did you present a study you'd carry out? Do you have a lot of previous research experience?

[Guest guest]

Alex,

What is the postmark date on your letter?

[Guest alex]

Alex,

What is the postmark date on your letter?

April 11th.

[Guest guest]

April 11th.

how odd, then! i live near you and i still haven't received my letter!

[Guest guest]

april 11th was the last day they mailed notifications...

[Guest guest]

I just got my letter, I'm in the Bay Area.

I can't complain, really, Princeton is hooking me up with an amazing package. (25K/yr for 4 years, I'll have to figure out years 5 and 6 on my own)

-alex

Why are you even applying for this particular fellowship? Your deal is really sweet. Many of us actually are only getting stipends in the range of 11K-13K for areas like San Francisco and even New York.

Consider yourself extremely fortunate... You worked hard for it, it seems, but still be grateful because lots of us also worked hard but still don't have funding offers such as yours.

[Guest Math guest]

I'm the Applied Math person from above. I'm in North Texas. The research proposal was more of an essay, because I didn't have keywords or a timeline, like I did for the NSF. I gave three different aspects of the intended research and one of the aspects was the analytical approach using fluid dynamics. It wasn't research that I carried out, it was just something I thought would be interesting to carry out. My research experience consists of only a summer REU and an Honors Thesis, but I am currently working as an engr, which is where I got the idea for my research. I can't find the envelope to get the postmark but I got it yesterday(April 15th).

[Guest guest]

I'm the Applied Math person from above. I'm in North Texas. The research proposal was more of an essay, because I didn't have keywords or a timeline, like I did for the NSF. I gave three different aspects of the intended research and one of the aspects was the analytical approach using fluid dynamics. It wasn't research that I carried out, it was just something I thought would be interesting to carry out. My research experience consists of only a summer REU and an Honors Thesis, but I am currently working as an engr, which is where I got the idea for my research. I can't find the envelope to get the postmark but I got it yesterday(April 15th).

ah...i hope i didn't screw myself by sticking with the NSF format for this application!

[Guest Math Guest]

Nope hold on I just re-read my proposal. I did have an essay form but at the bottom, I had a methodology, key elements, and Timetable and Milestones. and in the essay I had how the particular institution I applied to factors into the research.

[Guest alex]

Why are you even applying for this particular fellowship? Your deal is really sweet. Many of us actually are only getting stipends in the range of 11K-13K for areas like San Francisco and even New York.

Consider yourself extremely fortunate... You worked hard for it, it seems, but still be grateful because lots of us also worked hard but still don't have funding offers such as yours.

I applied at the same time i applied to grad school, before I knew I would be actuallu going to grad school, much less going to Pton with that offer.

[Guest guest]

Nope hold on I just re-read my proposal. I did have an essay form but at the bottom, I had a methodology, key elements, and Timetable and Milestones. and in the essay I had how the particular institution I applied to factors into the research.

[Guest guest]

I applied at the same time i applied to grad school, before I knew I would be actuallu going to grad school, much less going to Pton with that offer.

...but you're still going to apply again, right?

[Guest alex]

...but you're still going to apply again, right?

yeah, for a fifth year of funding. I only get 4 years, but i get a ford or an NSF, 2 years of my princeton money is replaced by those 3 ford/nsf years, and i'll have a total of 5 years of funding. i'll probably take me six years, so even if i do manage to get a fellowship, i'll still have to look for 6th year money.

[Guest guest]

yeah, for a fifth year of funding. I only get 4 years, but i get a ford or an NSF, 2 years of my princeton money is replaced by those 3 ford/nsf years, and i'll have a total of 5 years of funding. i'll probably take me six years, so even if i do manage to get a fellowship, i'll still have to look for 6th year money.

that's reasonable. sounds like you know what you need and know what you need to do to get it.

[Guest alex]

that's reasonable. sounds like you know what you need and know what you need to do to get it.

yeah, i'm worried about years 5 and 6.

[Guest guest]

my funding is far from adequate. i have a fellowship (i started my program this fall), but it's only for my first two years, and only pays 12.5K/yr, in san francisco of all places. if i get this award, i'll lose my second year of my fellowship, and will try to finish my phd in four years, total.

it'll be hard...but i think i can do it.

[Guest alex]

my funding is far from adequate. i have a fellowship (i started my program this fall), but it's only for my first two years, and only pays 12.5K/yr, in san francisco of all places. if i get this award, i'll lose my second year of my fellowship, and will try to finish my phd in four years, total.

it'll be hard...but i think i can do it.

why are they taking your second year if you get a ford? that seems unfair, penalizing you for success.

[Guest guest]

i guess b/c it's a recruitment fellowship, it isn't eligible for deferral. my program is incredibly underfunded. it's a shame one can't defer the ford in the first year.

i was already somewhat penalized, anyway. coming in, i was offered two years of fees paid. when i got the fellowship from the university, the department rescinded the offer to pay my fees. so, once my fellowship runs out, i'll be on my own when it comes to fees, too.