NSF GRFP

[math123]

Math123:

I'm a very sorry you didn't get the award but please dont stay on the forum and tell other people still waiting that they're not going to get it either- believe me I'm aware of how slim the chances are... I don't need you to remind me. I know there are people who only applied for the prestige but for me this award will be the difference between staying in a lab and fufilling a lifelong dream vs. going into whatever lab has money to take me. So again, I'm sorry you didn't get the award but there's no need fo you to come in here and remind the rest of us how little chance we have of getting it becasue I gaurantee you, not one of us is sitting here thinking "oh, it's in the bag. Limbo = victory"

sorry to be mean... but this is a very stressful time for me. I just think there'll be plenty of time to deal with rejection once the letter comes, I'm not in any hurry to be crushed.

With all due respect, my saying whatever won't change reality. This is a public forum. If you can't deal with the stress of hearing what you don't want to hear, go crawl underneath a rock for the next week until all this is (hopefully) settled.

[egosumliber]

Although the GRFP website has 14% success rate for Aerospace/Aeronautical out of 328 (about 46), so I'm not really sure.

[gb6]

crawling under a rock sounds mighty nice about now.

for all the other rejects out there who want some extra $$$, anyone want to write a review paper for me? 10-12k words and due 2 months ago...

[SirJeffrey]

Finally broke down to post...been lurking since P. 8, though I can't claim to have read nearly every page. Until now.

I'm in limbo, but I'm thinking no chance at award. My field is archaeology - looks like 11 have been given this year vs. 6-8 on average.

Fingers still crossed for an honorable mention!

[egosumliber]

I'm also bothered to see that my school isn't represented at all (in baccaleaureate or graduate institutions) on the current offered list. Last year there were 10ish people, this year none? I'm hoping to be one that is on the list, but I'm still a little curious about it (especially compared to the "big-name" schools that may be bigger but not necessarily better).

[BioMedSciMed]

With all due respect, my saying whatever won't change reality. This is a public forum. If you can't deal with the stress of hearing what you don't want to hear, go crawl underneath a rock for the next week until all this is (hopefully) settled.

I agree with the last poster- crawling under a rock sounds peaceful. And I do know that I have to deal with the reality that there truly may not be a chance in hell but for now I'm just going to give myself a few days to be happy that I at least know I managed to put out a respectable proposal and even if it's not HM or money, I'm proud of myself for that. That's all any of us limbo people need to think about right now.

[xanax.tonight]

So uh... nobody wants to call some Congresspeople? Beg for increased funding in the final budget.. tell them about all our problems and how getting the award will provide a job for another American worker... boost the economy and such?

[BioMedSciMed]

So uh... nobody wants to call some Congresspeople? Beg for increased funding in the final budget.. tell them about all our problems and how getting the award will provide a job for another American worker... boost the economy and such?

haha, sounds like you've already got your speech worked out. Thanks buddy! can't wait to hear how it went!

[math123]

I'm also bothered to see that my school isn't represented at all (in baccaleaureate or graduate institutions) on the current offered list. Last year there were 10ish people, this year none? I'm hoping to be one that is on the list, but I'm still a little curious about it (especially compared to the "big-name" schools that may be bigger but not necessarily better).

the NSF does do geographical fudging on a good portion of the awards. is your school frequently populated by those who stay close to home? I know it's common for non-big-name universities.

[egosumliber]

No, my school is not a local-type one, people from all over the country - it's just a little strange to me that my school went from 10ish to none in the current offer list.

[kdilks]

So if my friend that I went to high school with already got an NSF fellowship in my field, I'm pretty boned?

[math123]

again, I don't want it to appear as if i'm whining, but to say stuff like that is just utterly disrespectful. you are suggesting that people who were rejected wrote crap proposals. Firstly, you are only as strong as your competition. My proposal wasn't compared to yours, so you can't say yours was better than mine or the next bloke that got rejected. Since two people essentially determine your fate, you should be arguing you got lucky with your "respectable proposal" more than anything.

[blah2009]

hm...flame war is about to start.

[math123]

hm...flame war is about to start.

record will show that he started it. ;-)

[Neurone]

Some people who didn't get in probably did write crap proposals. I'm sure it's not the case for each comparison but I'd be surprised if most of the applications of those people in limbo are not better than most of those applications that were rejected. There is some luck component to the game, but it's not completely random.

[BioMedSciMed]

Math123:

I agree with the last poster- crawling under a rock sounds peaceful. And I do know that I have to deal with the reality that there truly may not be a chance in hell but for now I'm just going to give myself a few days to be happy that I at least know I managed to put out a respectable proposal and even if it's not HM or money, I'm proud of myself for that. That's all any of us limbo people need to think about right now.

[BioMedSciMed]

and I'm a "she" not a "he" and I probably did start it.

[math123]

Anyway- this conversation isn't benefitting anyone else at this point so let's just call it a truce.

agreed. I do wish you the best of luck, but I had to stand up for some of the rejectees.

Sorry, "she".

[dysmetria]

I worked very, very hard on my proposal. My professors also reviewed it multiple times. I shared it with half a dozen colleagues as well as writing instructors. I received four letters of recommendation and am at a top 5 political science program. I worked as hard on this proposal as anything I have ever done.

There are 4 accepted proposals in political science. Four. I received a flat-out rejection.

I would like to think that I put together a "respectable proposal" and I find your comments highly insulting.

[blah2009]

Everyone needs to chill out. Real life is a lot more harsh than some of the comments in this thread.

[singalong]

I don't understand the logic people are using when they say that NSF biases awards to top schools. Let's assume NSF gives awards to the most qualified students. Let's also assume that top schools have a greater density of qualified students than lower ranking schools. Wouldn't you expect top schools to have more students who win NSF awards? How is that biased?

[blah2009]

In addition to more reputable professors being at top schools too.

[singalong]

I worked very, very hard on my proposal. My professors also reviewed it multiple times. I shared it with half a dozen colleagues as well as writing instructors. I received four letters of recommendation and am at a top 5 political science program. I worked as hard on this proposal as anything I have ever done.

There are 4 accepted proposals in political science. Four. I received a flat-out rejection.

I would like to think that I put together a "respectable proposal" and I find your comments highly insulting.

What about broader impacts? The proposal is just one part of the application.

[gb6]

Duke BME is ranked #4 and we account for ~1.5% (2/150ish) of the awards the last 2 years. Not all the top programs are being funded like crazy.

[BioMedSciMed]

I worked very, very hard on my proposal. My professors also reviewed it multiple times. I shared it with half a dozen colleagues as well as writing instructors. I received four letters of recommendation and am at a top 5 political science program. I worked as hard on this proposal as anything I have ever done.

There are 4 accepted proposals in political science. Four. I received a flat-out rejection.

I would like to think that I put together a "respectable proposal" and I find your comments highly insulting.

Again, I'm sorry. I should have read my post critically before I submitted it becasue the way it reads is not at all what I meant. I believe you submitted a fantastic proposal. I was comparing myself to myself- what I thought would be with what is.

here's a comparison; if we all ran an obstacle course and I looked at it and thought "wow... I'm probably going to break my neck doing this" and then we come out at the other side and I say "gee... I'm glad I didn't faceplant" that doesn't mean that any of the rest of you did, it just means that I'm glad that I didn't.

Of course I'm also aware that I could still trip walking away from the obstacle course and break my leg (IE the possibility if immenent rejection) - but for the time being, all I'm saying is that I'm glad I didn't faceplant.

I'm pretty sure there's no way to further explain myself without angering even more people so I'll just have to hope that this can suffice. And I'm sure your proposal was fantastic and I'm sorry if I made things any worse for you.