NSF GRFP

[timuralp]

Hey guys,

Well, I'm sure people are working on that GRFP application. I'm reapplying this year and was wondering what other reapplying people are doing. Are you recycling the older stuff with some polish? Starting completely from scratch? My personal dilemma is that the critique I got from NSF can be boiled down to "this project is awesome!", which of course does not explain why I didn't get the fellowship. So I was thinking of expanding my project, including more references, new research work, etc. Any advice on that?

Side note, how important are the subject test GREs and should one submit a somewhat low score (750 - yea, cs theory killed me on it) or not submit them altogether?

[BioC]

Hi! I am applying for the first time, but what I was told is that GRE scores are important as well as the subject test. I read somewhere in this forum the scores of some successful applicants and their GRE scores were something like 780 in each section, so 1560 total. Why don't you try the GRE again? Maybe you'll perform better. Good luck!

[timuralp]

Well, after doing some digging around it seems they actually don't matter as much. Here is some stuff I managed to dig up http://jxyzabc.blogspot.com/2008/08/cs- ... ships.html. Also, I suppose it's a moot point now anyway since I'm not paying $120 for the stupid test, seeing how I'm on some sort of a fellowship already. This just would be a nice resume boost

[BioC]

Hi again. I was mistaken about the website. On this website http://community.livejournal.com/applyingtograd/3055644.html you can see some of the GRE scores of successful applicants.

[timuralp]

Hey, thanks for the link! I figure my verbal score won't be too important, which may or may not be true. I wish the comments I got actually explained why I got the Honorable Mention and not the fellowship. I need to get going on my future research statement... By the way, if anyone cares to see my last year's application which apparently was good enough for honorable mention, it's here: www.eecs.umich.edu/~timuralp

Anyway, good luck with the applying!

[Nardo]

Somewhat off topic, do you guys think it's OK to have left/right margins of 1 instead of the word default of 1.25 inches for the essays? What about using the footer for references?

[even_it_up]

The program guidelines call for 1 inch margins, so I think it would be better to use those instead of the Word default of 1.25. Clever idea putting the references in the footer, I hadn't thought of that!

[Nardo]

yeah, my sense is that the 1 inch margins all around will be fine, thanks for the reply

[timuralp]

By the way, if you guys are using latex (probably not many), use the savetrees package. It's great for packing everything in 2 pages. I found that my research statement was getting a bit too big otherwise.

[ampersand]

Perhaps I just haven't looked at the guidelines close enough, but are there page limits for the essays? I assumed one page each for the personal and previous research statements and two pages for the research proposal.

[timuralp]

Each essay is to be no more than 2 pages, 12pt font, 1 inch margins all around. References, figures, etc, count toward the length of the essay.

[Nardo]

my sense reading the format section was that the left/right margins aren't clearly defined, but because the top/bottom is specified to be 1 inch, one wouldn't get into trouble making that standard all around. There's no reference to headers or footers, so that's unless you really need them, stay away. at least that's my take.

[BioC]

I am submitting my proposal in the life sciences. What about you guys?

[timuralp]

computer science, not that PhD in CS has given it away or anything

[spanglish]

All of the rules seem to be written here:

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08593/nsf08593.htm

And they have a phone line with real people on it at 1-866-673-4737.

[t_ruth]

Does anyone know if there is any leeway with the 5pm time deadline?

[snowcapk]

Hi Timur, thanks for posting your NSF applications! The LaTeX is a nice touch, very classy. (BTW, you could get rid of the numbers in section headings by putting an asterisk after the word section ("\section*{}" instead of "\section{}") if you wanted, but I like it - it makes it more obvious that you wrote everything in LaTeX :wink:) I am really impressed by the improvement, esp. considering that your app was already very good. One thing stands out though - how did you address Broader Impacts? That's where I got reamed last year so I've been fishing for tips.

[math123]

dude, snowcapk, you have an NDSEG already, why not give other people a chance?

[timuralp]

About the deadline: I have no idea, but I'd imagine there may be some - I wonder how quickly they correlate submission time with which time zone you're in?

About broader impacts: these are mostly addressed in the proposed research and somewhat in the past research. I obviously don't do this as well in the personal statement. In the research proposal I describe a project that could allow for easily installable wireless infrastructure. In the introduction I point out that it may be necessary/useful in underdeveloped countries (Ghana, Uganda). It also is applicable in certain parts of the US. So I'm trying to describe how it can make the world a better place, etc. I suppose you're right that I could elaborate on the benefits of having Internet connectivity rather than just stating it. Hope it helps.

P.S. thanks for the compliments. I thought section numbers actually made it look better, but who knows

[t_ruth]

don't think it merits a new thread given the slowness of the board, but what kind of cognitive/behavioral sciences can get an NDSEG?

[snowcapk]

T_ruth, maybe the NDSEG would fund a project on PTSD therapies? I heard of one DoD project where they give veterans a drug and then ask them to play a war-like video game: the drug is supposed to fry all the memories the game evokes, or something like that. (Just crazy enough to work!)

Math123, my department is making all of the US citizens apply for the NSF. Can't blame them, I guess, since they're the ones that profit from it. Also am concerned that other students who win this year will have priority in the popular labs I'm rotating in. Bio profs don't trust the NDSEG to cherry-pick the best students, like they trust the NSF, because the app doesn't require a proposal and because the awards have a reputation for being more random.

Say, back in March I read this blurb saying there might be a lot more awards in 2009, maybe 700 more than usual. Does anyone know if this will go through? Could be budget changes now, what with the bailout.

[math123]

Yeah, I wish, but somehow I feel things will be different now since the economy sucks. Notwithstanding the bailout, the NSF has always seemed to put out liberal estimates on the number of awards to be given. Last year it was 1,100--and the end result was 913 awards. That's a 17 percent markdown. This year the estimate is 900-1600 (per the announcement). I hope, as I'm sure you do, that it is closer to the latter than the former number. However, looking at the current budget request, it seems to remain unchanged at 125 million (30 percent increase, according to them from the previous year) for mid-year adjustments. Whether you use the 30 percent figure or the 125 million one, I don't see how they could have foreseen 1600 awards. Using the former: 913*1.30 =1187 awards. Given the 125 million take away the previous two years of 913+920 = 1833 awards @ 40,500 a piece is about enough for 1253 awards this year. So, let's split it even and say 1,220 awards at best, with something like 1,015 more likely.

But let's hope I'm wrong and there are 1600 awards ;-)

[math123]

btw, I got my numbers from http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/

anyway, having re-read that blurb, the numbers there don't even make sense. they said they requested a modest 32 percent budget increase (didn't seem to fly) which the author said could lead to 700 new awards. Just ask yourself, how can you effectively double the number of awards on 30 percent more money while not affecting the total value of the award? I suppose the NSF could have cut other programs, etc, but I don't know. Seems fishy.

[rising_star]

don't think it merits a new thread given the slowness of the board, but what kind of cognitive/behavioral sciences can get an NDSEG?

I don't know for sure but I'd think neuroscience, neuropsychology, maybe some other subfields of psychology. Possibly even artificial intelligence stuff?

[t_ruth]

thanks guys. I did some further research and it looks like a lot more of the 'softer' science psychology stuff qualifies as well, so that is v. cool!