Neuronerd Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 If I may make a comment, dysmetria: I've got 2 HMs, no wins. It looks like I am in the pool again, with no reject yet. I can tell you that I have gotten the same result from all my proposals and they have all been as different as can be from one another in terms of time spent (one I wrote in 4 hours flat, another I edited with my advisor for 3 weeks) style, and science. I think that many intangibles go into the process, and to have not won is likely not a reflection on the quality of your work, writing, record. I am sure that perhaps 2 or 3 percent of all proposals are just so amazing that they get picked easily, but the other 7-12% plus the rest that get HM are probably equally meritorious. Don't take it personally. I don't. I just want the $ and I'll get them somehow, because this is my dream.
nsfhopeful Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 ***Please note: Award notifications have been made for the 2009 competition and the list of awardees can be found here. The honorable mention list has not been finalized yet.*** That's posted on http://www.nsfgrfp.org/ Under Current Program News it says NSF has announced 950 Graduate Research Fellowship winners for 2009 here - posted April 10, 2009 Nothing about more awards (only HM).
PSi_light Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 To quote a song, "Why can't we be friends?" I know some really great people who didn't get it and some really great people who did. I'm currently in limbo which I assume/hope means I got HM at least. Of course I'd like the fellowship, but there is no need to start complaining about how they weigh various factors. To those who didn't get it: I'm sorry and I have full belief that you are still good/competitive grads/prospective-grads. I did my undergrad at a no name university with no grad program in the sciences (read not even a masters), and I still got offered admission at top grad schools and first author-ed some papers. I do think that among professors (aka the people reviewing the essays) there is a bias toward bigger/top-name grad schools because when I visited the grad schools I was surprised at how some people were unwilling to look past the fact that they had never heard of my undergrad. It definitely turned me off to a few schools. I think that reviewers (grad admissions and now nsf) are/were skeptical of my high GPA, but when they see that it is matched by a pretty good subject GRE they know that I must know my stuff well enough that I could have been competitive at a "better" school. In fact now that I TA at a "better" school I see that the undergrads get less hands on experience and less opportunity to be tested and expected to actually know stuff. We had to run instruments ourself whereas they turn stuff in and are given the results. We never got multiple choice tests because our profs were willing to make us do long free response problems that require advanced critical thinking (and are harder to grade, but hey in a class of 300 who wouldn't do multiple choice). I'm not saying big universities are bad b/c they definitely give you the chance to have specialized classes taught by people who are leaders in their field, but for learning the basics in undergrad I think going to a smaller university is sometimes underrated. I can imagine that the same can be true for grad school.
egosumliber Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 I'm hoping that is only semantics - 950 awards is less than last year, and with a GRFP budget increase I can't believe there won't be more awards.
blah2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 i already confirmed on the phone today that there will be additional awards. Whats unclear is how many and in what disciplines.
NSFuckinA Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 To quote a song, "Why can't we be friends?" I know some really great people who didn't get it and some really great people who did. I'm currently in limbo which I assume/hope means I got HM at least. Of course I'd like the fellowship, but there is no need to start complaining about how they weigh various factors. To those who didn't get it: I'm sorry and I have full belief that you are still good/competitive grads/prospective-grads. I did my undergrad at a no name university with no grad program in the sciences (read not even a masters), and I still got offered admission at top grad schools and first author-ed some papers. I do think that among professors (aka the people reviewing the essays) there is a bias toward bigger/top-name grad schools because when I visited the grad schools I was surprised at how some people were unwilling to look past the fact that they had never heard of my undergrad. It definitely turned me off to a few schools. I think that reviewers (grad admissions and now nsf) are/were skeptical of my high GPA, but when they see that it is matched by a pretty good subject GRE they know that I must know my stuff well enough that I could have been competitive at a "better" school. In fact now that I TA at a "better" school I see that the undergrads get less hands on experience and less opportunity to be tested and expected to actually know stuff. We had to run instruments ourself whereas they turn stuff in and are given the results. We never got multiple choice tests because our profs were willing to make us do long free response problems that require advanced critical thinking (and are harder to grade, but hey in a class of 300 who wouldn't do multiple choice). I'm not saying big universities are bad b/c they definitely give you the chance to have specialized classes taught by people who are leaders in their field, but for learning the basics in undergrad I think going to a smaller university is sometimes underrated. I can imagine that the same can be true for grad school. Couldn't agree more. Top-tier universities are excellent for grad students, but we really give the shaft to undergrads.
zxcv Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Last night I thought I was in limbo, but I got my rejection this morning at 11:21am PDT. Damn. Next year, I suppose?
singalong Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 If I may make a comment, dysmetria: I've got 2 HMs, no wins. It looks like I am in the pool again, with no reject yet. I can tell you that I have gotten the same result from all my proposals and they have all been as different as can be from one another in terms of time spent (one I wrote in 4 hours flat, another I edited with my advisor for 3 weeks) style, and science. I think that many intangibles go into the process, and to have not won is likely not a reflection on the quality of your work, writing, record. I am sure that perhaps 2 or 3 percent of all proposals are just so amazing that they get picked easily, but the other 7-12% plus the rest that get HM are probably equally meritorious. Don't take it personally. I don't. I just want the $ and I'll get them somehow, because this is my dream. What did your reviewers say you needed to improve on?
science Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Last night I thought I was in limbo, but I got my rejection this morning at 11:21am PDT. Damn. Next year, I suppose? Are people still receiving rejections today? I'm not sure what to think since I haven't heard anything yet!
PSi_light Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Last night I thought I was in limbo, but I got my rejection this morning at 11:21am PDT. Damn. Next year, I suppose? Oy!
PSi_light Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Are people still receiving rejections today? I'm not sure what to think since I haven't heard anything yet! I just saw someone say they got a rejection letter like right about now (on an earlier post) so I guess so.
freshprince Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Sounds like, by my gut instinct, that there rest of us in limbo will be getting HMs... Sucks.
blah2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Again not true. Certainly the majority, but not 99% of us.
OchemE Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 What's up with the statement on GRFP homepage? "Due to the complexity of the current budget situation, the 2009 GRFP awards will be announced in installments based on fields of study and other factors. The first installment is now available on FastLane. Awardees, as well as Applicants not recommended for funding, have been notified by email. Recipients of Honorable Mention and any additional Fellowship award offers will be forthcoming. Applicant ratings sheets will be available after all award announcements have been made. We thank you for your patience." Does this mean there is a third pool of applicants out there that has not recieved a rejection yet? Has anyone here not heard from NSF yet or got an email saying they are being considered for HM or an award? I got NDSEG and DHS but am still trying to figure out where I stand on NSF.
egosumliber Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 What's up with the statement on GRFP homepage? "Due to the complexity of the current budget situation, the 2009 GRFP awards will be announced in installments based on fields of study and other factors. The first installment is now available on FastLane. Awardees, as well as Applicants not recommended for funding, have been notified by email. Recipients of Honorable Mention and any additional Fellowship award offers will be forthcoming. Applicant ratings sheets will be available after all award announcements have been made. We thank you for your patience." Does this mean there is a third pool of applicants out there that has not recieved a rejection yet? Has anyone here not heard from NSF yet or got an email saying they are being considered for HM or an award? I got NDSEG and DHS but am still trying to figure out where I stand on NSF. If you read through the last couple pages, some people got rejections, others got awards, and the ones who haven't heard a thing are in limbo and may get an award or HM.
macgrs Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 I just saw someone say they got a rejection letter like right about now (on an earlier post) so I guess so. Yeah that was me, at about 2:00 pm. And the woman I talked to on the phone before I got that email made it sound like there are more rejections coming. Sorry to burst your bubble, I hope she was wrong for everyone else still in limbo.
pom Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 What's up with the statement on GRFP homepage? Does this mean there is a third pool of applicants out there that has not recieved a rejection yet? Has anyone here not heard from NSF yet or got an email saying they are being considered for HM or an award? I got NDSEG and DHS but am still trying to figure out where I stand on NSF. I called earlier today, and they said my application was still under review. Though the man I spoke to did not say so outright, he implied that rejections had already been sent out, and that I was being considered for an HM or an award. I don't think that those currently in limbo just haven't received their rejection yet. If you are anxious, I suggest you call, and they will probably tell you what they told me. What it means, then, is that we just have to wait. Who knows what criteria they are using to select the few remaining awards; it is likely that only some of us in limbo are being considered at all. But, the list of HMs just won't be released until they finalize the list of awardees. As for me, I'm assuming I got an HM, and will be using my scoring sheets to retool my application for next year (and for other fellowships to which I will apply). Unlike others on this board, I do really need the money, so i will take this lesson and try again. If I end up getting an award, that would be great, but I'm done being anxious about it. Especially since the man I spoke to would not give me a timeline for the coming decisions-- it could be next week, it could be May. I don't presume to tell anyone what to do or how to feel, but for your own sakes, I suggest to fellow limbo dwellers that you do the same.
freshprince Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 That's what we've been discussing for the last 10 pages.... I have gotten NO emails whatsoever regarding the NSF
OchemE Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Yeah I just got an email- Your application for the 2009 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has been evaluated. We regret to inform you that you were not selected to receive a fellowship in this year's competition. Now my question is, if I have not been selected for a fellowship, is it possible I could get HM? On the homepage they say applicants who had not been selected for funding had been notified. Well, HM includes not being selected for funding. I emailed the Q&A address to find out if the people that got reject letters are still in the running for HM. I spent weeks agonizing over my proposal, plus I got the NDSEG and about half of the people that get the NDSEG either win the NSF or get HM at least in my field, the last three years. If I don't get it, I certainly have plenty to be thankful for.
sonymenu2 Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Whoa you got that email just now? Gahh I was looking forward to at least enjoying the weekend being in limbo, but i guess rejections are still rolling out? Sorry to hear that, OchemE. Maybe they've already been making decisions today?
OchemE Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 I think the email may have just taken awhile to get through my work email account. That happens sometimes.
blah2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Hey Ochem, can you post the full text? Is it the same as the initial batch of rejection emails? It definitely might mean you are still in contention for an honorable mention.
meowser Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 I got an honorable mention last year and the email was completely different for me than for anyone who was rejected. I think it's three very separate categories. Sorry :cry: .
OchemE Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 @blah Here is my full letter "April 10, 2009 Dear___: Your application for the 2009 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has been evaluated. We regret to inform you that you were not selected to receive a fellowship in this year's competition. Access to your rating sheets will be available in the next several weeks. You will receive an e-mail with login information as soon as the rating sheets are available. If you have questions concerning this notification, please send an e-mail to info@nsfgrfp.org. Thank you for your interest in the Graduate Research Fellowship Program. We wish you well in your future studies. Sincerely, Carol Van Hartesveldt, Ph.D. Acting Division Director Division of Graduate Education" So I am wondering what the hell, if I have not been picked for a fellowship, does that mean I might get HM?
blah2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Posted April 10, 2009 Given that the Honorable mention people have not been contacted, I think you might be in the running for that. Did you call NSF today to ask if you were in limbo?
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