NSF GRFP

[superchuchubu]

Who did you talk with? Was it a guy or a lady?

It was a guy.

[redeye]

And here is the 1000th post!

I'm going to go outside for a bit....

what is this "outside" that you speak of?

[clementines]

I just called fastlane and was told that, though they can only be certain that the results will be posted by april 15, they are hopeful to have them up by the end of the week. The respondent knew nothing about plans to post today...

[cyclopeaneye]

what is this "outside" that you speak of?

Its that big, drafty place with intermittent lighting issues where there is nowhere to plug in your laptop.

[t_ruth]

Its that big, drafty place with intermittent lighting issues where there is nowhere to plug in your laptop.

honest to goodness chuckle at that.

[mtlve]

I just called fastlane and was told that, though they can only be certain that the results will be posted by april 15, they are hopeful to have them up by the end of the week. The respondent knew nothing about plans to post today...

Thanks for calling. At least they keep telling us we will know by the 15th. If this is really true, we have a maximum of a week left of waiting. Hopefully we learn something this week! I cant go on like this for much longer (esp after last night horrible game)!

[superchuchubu]

I just called fastlane and was told that, though they can only be certain that the results will be posted by april 15, they are hopeful to have them up by the end of the week. The respondent knew nothing about plans to post today...

Did you speak with a man or a woman?

[clementines]

Did you speak with a man or a woman?

woman

[zarniwoop3]

Thanks for calling. At least they keep telling us we will know by the 15th. If this is really true, we have a maximum of a week left of waiting. Hopefully we learn something this week! I cant go on like this for much longer (esp after last night horrible game)!

No, no, no, no, NO! Quit calling these people! Calling won't make them post it any faster! What did you learn from your phone call? A) results are not ready/posted yet. they will "hopefully" be posted before april 15th, and C) they will be posted as soon as they are available... possibly before the 15th. The only thing you learned from you phone call that can't be deduced from the announcement posted on the Fastlane website, is that THE RESULTS WILL NOT BE POSTED TODAY. Is that tidbit of uninformative information really going to help you in some way? Think of this as a birthday present... and get excited for the surprise. It'll be posted when they have it done, and that's all there is to it. Don't let your neuroticism bog down the staff who are trying to get this mess sorted out.

[tensor]

Im supposed to be writing up my paper about the project that I applied for NSF with, but I just cant concentrate on anything except checking this forum and nsf website 50 times a day... :|

[Friar.Tuck]

Hope has come to America!

Forsooth! Thy foolish hope doth display thy ignorance of fact in like manner to which the flag of Prince John doth display his cunning and wycked nature! There be not hope, for the hour doth draw late. The end is nigh! Repent! Repent!

[Sam-at-Tech]

Forsooth! Thy foolish hope doth display thy ignorance of fact in like manner to which the flag of Prince John doth display his cunning and wycked nature! There be not hope, for the hour doth draw late. The end is nigh! Repent! Repent!

There were many people posting that they missed your comments. I don't know if they know you're back, as I haven't been paying attention to this much for the past 24 hours. But :-D.

[rising_star]

Moderator, could you separate all off-topic posts into a new thread and move it to the lobby?

No. Not unless you are willing to send me a PM with a link to every single one of the posts, organized by how off-topic it is. Look, we know you all are anxious to hear from NSF and annoyed that they seem to be taking longer each year. But just try to keep the posts NSF related and, if they aren't, post them under The Lobby.

Thanks! And good luck to you all!

[cogdiss]

A recipient from a year ago made a good point above that he was ecstatic when he got the fellowship, but soon realized it didn't make much of a difference.

Except for one thing..."he" is a "she."

[vice]

I could see how she wouldn't think it was much while she was still in graduate school.

Wait till she is applying for grants and jobs.

[cyclopeaneye]

I could see how she wouldn't think it was much while she was still in graduate school.

Wait till she is applying for grants and jobs.

Which, at this rate, will be right around the same time that they announce the winners for this year.

[cogdiss]

I could see how she wouldn't think it was much while she was still in graduate school.

Wait till she is applying for grants and jobs.

Believe me, I'm not trying to hate on the GRF. Like I said in my post, I remain extremely grateful. I just don't think that it effortlessly opens every career door. For example: I have friends on the market this year with GRFs and tons of pubs who still didn't get jobs due to the total shit storm that is the economy (hiring freezes galore). I was just trying to reassure people that their life (and research) won't stop if they get a HM or a "no." I was so obsessed with waiting to hear about the award that I didn't think realistically about what would happen after the award. Either way, life goes on.

[hopingforfunding]

Believe me, I'm not trying to hate on the GRF. Like I said in my post, I remain extremely grateful. I just don't think that it effortlessly opens every career door. For example: I have friends on the market this year with GRFs and tons of pubs who still didn't get jobs due to the total shit storm that is the economy (hiring freezes galore). I was just trying to reassure people that their life (and research) won't stop if they get a HM or a "no." I was so obsessed with waiting to hear about the award that I didn't think realistically about what would happen after the award. Either way, life goes on.

I have to say I applied last year and did not get it, even though I had excellent on all reviews (too low grades though!). I re-applied this year now that I started grad school and have a project (will again one last time next year too!). I know that the GRF might not be the most life changing experience ever, but if it allows me to not have to spend 20+ hours away from research and my own classes doing TA work than that alone would be a huge help. I agree with Cogdiss that it is not just going to open magic doors for anyone who has it- you still have to do amazing research and make connections with people or no one will notice. But if someone reviewing my NSF Career award in a few years takes 2 minutes extra to look at my app Ill take it!

[vice]

Actually, I seem to need to correct myself.

While, anecdotally I have seen people get attention and opportunities for the GRFP.

However, a study done in 1994 found the only really effect of the GRFP was a 7% higher chance of completing the PhD program. It didn't see any differences in Grants or Faculty placements.

(CHAPMAN 1994) Early career achievements of National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate applicants: looking for Pygmalion and Galatea effetcs on NSF Winners

I would like to see some more recent numbers though...

[cyclopeaneye]

A study done in 1994 found the only really effect of the GRFP was a 7% higher chance of completing the PhD program.

You make it sound as though the GRFP somehow increased the odds that people would complete their program. It seems more likely that it just so happens that the folks that get a NSF-GRF also happen to be the well motivated types who are more likely to complete their PhD program. Correlation != Causation.

Although I'm sure you could pretty easily tell a story about how decreasing funding woes and TA/RA workload might have improved their chances of completing, I'm more inclined to think that NSF awardees are just more motivated than non-awardees (not that there is anything wrong with non-awardees of course!).

[vice]

Yes yes, but at the end of the day you can see someone with the GRFP and say "that person has a 7% more change to finish their PhD." Regardless of if it was caused by the programs funding etc.

Of course, my theory would say that the self efficacy helps people continue their PhD career. I think most PhD students are highly motivated, and generally, good students.

Although, funding alone might be a huge issue, I know it is hard for me to resist the invitations to do Google internships over the summer (my current fellowship prohibits any external revenue [when I win awards at conferences for best paper or student research competitions, my fellowship will acually doc me pay, so I net 0 ].)

[blargh]

i keep distracting myself, hoping that the nsf will magically have posted results. but i guess today is not the day.

i might actually have to do my classwork (*gasp*, i know) ...

[cyclopeaneye]

Yes yes, but at the end of the day you can see someone with the GRFP and say "that person has a 7% more change to finish their PhD." Regardless of if it was caused by the programs funding etc.

Of course, my theory would say that the self efficacy helps people continue their PhD career. I think most PhD students are highly motivated, and generally, good students.

Point taken, I just wanted to make sure we were clear on what the study implies.

Although, funding alone might be a huge issue, I know it is hard for me to resist the invitations to do Google internships over the summer (my current fellowship prohibits any external revenue [when I win awards at conferences for best paper or student research competitions, my fellowship will actually doc me pay, so I net 0 ].)

Dude... That's pretty weak. I'm sure it works out for you, but it seems pretty unfortunate that you are forced to pass up neat-o opportunities (i.e. Google internships) in order to comply with the terms of your fellowship. The pay docking for conference awards also seems pretty absurd as well. What sort of fellowship is that?

Also, nice use of nested parentheticals!

[cogdiss]

Dude... That's pretty weak. I'm sure it works out for you, but it seems pretty unfortunate that you are forced to pass up neat-o opportunities (i.e. Google internships) in order to comply with the terms of your fellowship. The pay docking for conference awards also seems pretty absurd as well. What sort of fellowship is that?

Unfortunately, the GRF is that short of fellowship, because the terms stipulate that you can't have outside jobs or internships (even if they're unpaid!) because they supposedly take attention away from your research. I think they more or less see the 30k/year as the purchase price of your brain, which they then own, and can direct towards research. I'm (partly) kidding...

With the GRF you can apply for short-term work exceptions (such as summer teaching), and usually get them. Also, they let me finish out the contract of a consulting job that ran a few months into my fellowship tenure. But I doubt they'd approve a full-time summer internship, unless you could make the case that it would directly stimulate your research. Also, they don't dock my pay if I win other awards, so that's one upside.

[cyclopeaneye]

Unfortunately, the GRF is that short of fellowship, because the terms stipulate that you can't have outside jobs or internships (even if they're unpaid!) because they supposedly take attention away from your research.

Well, I suppose that means if I get this award I'll have to stop picking up shifts at the restaurant I worked at in college whenever I go back to visit my family. Oh well, I think that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

I think they more or less see the 30k/year as the purchase price of your brain.

Sounds about right. They probably could have gotten it for less if they'd been willing to haggle. I'm currently renting out my pineal gland to Cartesian dualists for 15$/hr.