Boren 2012-2013

[peridot]

Someone posted on Boren's facebook wall that she called in and talked to a person who told her results emails will be out next week. So good luck everyone.

I read one post that said it will be next week (beginning of May... no news there) OR that they could have results the last week of April, AKA this week, AKA now I'm freaking out.

[kbui]

I'm so nervous, I might have a cardiac arrest. Lol...

[peridot]

My strategy was to focus on other things and keep myself busy studying for finals. I have been studying for my final exam in Chinese/Japanese history... all day... and after I finish that exam tomorrow, I have my Mandarin final on Tuesday.

Guess where I want to go if I get the Boren scholarship? And guess who hasn't been able to stop thinking about it? Me.

[fadedsunrise]

Give me my rejection letter already. They knew since not sending me that budget email that I wouldn't be getting it, why they make me wait till now I cannot fathom...

[stokedchicken]

Thanks for reply/info (re: email verdict).

Agh! The suspense is killllling me. Definitely we will hear in the next 7 days, right?!

It would be easier I think if I hadn't read that bit about the budget email and how that increases your odds. That kind of made me obsess even more, and if I end up being the anomaly reject I'll be even more disappointed!

Everyone, please post here as soon as you receive the email and let me know what happens! I feel for all of you, and yet I'm so glad I'm not alone in this.

[snowblossom2]

I wonder what day the notices will be going out...Monday? Or too good to be true? Tuesday since it's the 1st?

[stokedchicken]

I was thinking Monday is wishful thinking and Tuesday would be nice...

[kbui]

Last year people heard on May 4th, a Wednesday, and the third business day of the week. I would assume it will be either Tuesday, or Wednesday.

[stokedchicken]

Has anyone bothered to calculate the odds of budget-email-recipients being accepted based on prev. year's data?

[snowblossom2]

All budget email recipients were either accepted or alternates last year

[fso2k11]

Not true. All the people who put themselves on last years spreadsheet and got the budget email got alternate or awardee status. Keep in mind that was about 20 people from a sample of over 1000. So who knows. This years data might confirm that trend, we will know in a matter of days. I say Wednesday.

[snowblossom2]

That's what I meant. From the data we have - the spreadsheet - all those who received it got alternate or awardee status. As to whether or not its representative? No idea, probably not (I've said this at least one other time in this thread). But that's all the data we have to go by. I also would think that although there's a chance people who received budget emails won't receive either status, I also don't think they would send out emails to people who were not in the running.

[fso2k11]

Hi everyone,

I have updated the spreadsheet for folks to submit FINAL RESULTS! As soon as your results come in, fill out the form again at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDU0Y2R1Z191S2NKQ1JEV2kwQk5OS2c6MA

Then, look at the results here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Asi20Z5Kk3M8dDU0Y2R1Z191S2NKQ1JEV2kwQk5OS2c#gid=0

Good luck!

[fso2k11]

Someone named Jill just filled out the form. Jill, did you already hear your results? You said that no, you did not receive the award. Did you get a rejection, or are you just saying "haven't heard back yet"?

On another note, I'm fascinated that you picked Afghanistan as one of your countries. I didn't know that was possible. Can you talk a bit about your application? I guess it is good news to me that no Tajikistan fellowship applicants have so far posted that they received a budget email.

[wannabeanexpat]

fso2k11 - check out line 33.. someone from Tajikistan said they got the budget email.. sorry, just thought I'd point it out... I keep waiting for someone to put up they got one for Russia but it hasn't happened yet.. but that may not mean anything since 6/90+ applicants can't be representative.. ugh, just a few more days!

[fso2k11]

fso2k11 - check out line 33.. someone from Tajikistan said they got the budget email.. sorry, just thought I'd point it out... I keep waiting for someone to put up they got one for Russia but it hasn't happened yet.. but that may not mean anything since 6/90+ applicants can't be representative.. ugh, just a few more days!

Yeah I saw that...holding out hope because that was a scholarship app. and I'm a fellowship applicant. We'll see...

[Monica Bowcut MacDonald]

Well Monday is over and no rejection letter yet. Because I'm not expecting it, I once every couple of days remember I'm waiting for it. I just looked to see if anyone heard anything, and I guess we're hearing this week? Ya...that's going to be a fun email.

[peridot]

The spreadsheet shows two people have gotten "NO" answers... can somebody confirm that rejection emails are being sent out?

[fso2k11]

I think those people are not getting the point of that question on the survey....I bet that someone is forwarding around the link to folks who aren't reading the grad cafe thread as rabidly as we do. I'll try to fix it up later tonight to make the question optional until results come out. I've got my money on us hearing back Wednesday.

[ebuckner]

I'm hoping for tomorrow! May 1st is the start of a new month, it just seems like a great time to send out notifications about the future....

[stokedchicken]

It certainly does. This wait is miserable! I was wondering about the likelihood of getting accepted versus alternate assuming the budget email is only sent to people in either of these categories. I guess there really isn't enough data to make any kind of useful guess though. It just seems like getting alternate would be a let down too, because who would go through all of the work to apply for this and then decide not to go? That probably doesn't happen very often.

Interestingly, there doesn't really seem to be any trend between research proposal or subject study or internship and getting the budget email. What do you all think? Seems like having a research proposal or internship would increase your odds, but maybe demonstrated commitment to the region and language outweighs this?

Edited May 1, 2012 by stokedchicken

[znkb]

Boren wrote "We ask for budget updates on a case-by-case basis. We will let you know if we have questions." on their facebook page a wile back, so I'm still hoping that me along with people who didn't get a budget e-mail still have a chance at getting the reward >>

Edited May 1, 2012 by znkb

[fso2k11]

It certainly does. This wait is miserable! I was wondering about the likelihood of getting accepted versus alternate assuming the budget email is only sent to people in either of these categories. I guess there really isn't enough data to make any kind of useful guess though. It just seems like getting alternate would be a let down too, because who would go through all of the work to apply for this and then decide not to go? That probably doesn't happen very often.

Actually, for some reason a handful of Univ. of Maryland grad students at the Persian language flagship have declined their Boren fellowship awards in past years. I only know this because U Maryland publicized them as award recipients anyways with the line "declined a Boren Fellowship to study the Persian language in Tajikistan."

[Water28]

I am glad there are others agonizing about this as much as me!

stokedchicken - based on advice I got from a professor that used to be on a Boren selection committee, the exact combination of components you have in your proposal is not the most important thing (other than needing to have significant language study of course). She said it's more about whether what you are proposing makes sense as a whole package, particularly in the context of your educational and career plans. Also what you are planning needs to be feasible given the amount of time you propose and you should explain how this is true. I am really hoping her advice was enough to help me get a fellowship! We will know soon enough!!

Good luck to everyone!! I am anxious to hear all of the results!

Edited May 1, 2012 by Water28

[stokedchicken]

I wonder if somewhere there is a conference room full of committee members deciding our fates right now...