Doctoral scholarship CRSH/SSHRC 2012

[clinicalpsychphd]

HI y'all.

I've been reading through this thread and am now so confused about my status. I applied independently for a MA SSHRC and never received a letter specifying if I was A/B group, or rejected. Its now May 8th and I've had no news, no letters, nothing and I live in Vancouver. The graduate school on the application is different from the one I decided so they don't know either. SSHRC appears to not be answering the phone. If anyone knows what to make of this let me know! I'm dying in anxiety.

MA SSHRC results haven't been announced yet! There's a separate thread for MA SSHRC . I've been told that the results will be announced sometime in the next few weeks.

[Compoe]

MA SSHRC results haven't been announced yet! There's a separate thread for MA SSHRC . I've been told that the results will be announced sometime in the next few weeks.

And that thread is here:

[CassandraC]

A question to all: What are your departmental policies on holding a SSHRC (or other major award) and TA-ships?

Having secured a CGS, my department wants me to cease TA'ing for the duration of my award. I can understand where they're coming from as funds are limited, but a three year gap on my CV is kind of scary.

Edit: I should add that TAships are awarded through a competitive process, and are not considered a portion of my department's funding package.

Technically speaking we're supposed to stop TA'ing after getting SSHRC - this is, as I understand, partly because of limited departmental funding, and partly because of the limit on the hours we're allowed to work with SSHRC. In my department, the only funding we receive after the first year of PhD is through two TAships per year and an RAship if you can find a prof with research funding. I've TA'd for 6 semesters already and will happily stop now - I've got enough experience to say I did it, but I have no plans to teach so I'd rather not continue.

[Compoe]

Technically speaking we're supposed to stop TA'ing after getting SSHRC - this is, as I understand, partly because of limited departmental funding, and partly because of the limit on the hours we're allowed to work with SSHRC. In my department, the only funding we receive after the first year of PhD is through two TAships per year and an RAship if you can find a prof with research funding. I've TA'd for 6 semesters already and will happily stop now - I've got enough experience to say I did it, but I have no plans to teach so I'd rather not continue.

My department has a similar lack of funding - and we don't really have RAships available, either. So, as I said, I understand why they don't want me to TA if I've secured external funding, since there are people who could really use the funds.

Personally, though, I am (blindly) hoping to continue teaching after my doctorate. As such, even with eight semesters of TA'ing under my belt I still feel like I should get more experience while I can. Beyond that, I really do enjoy teaching in certain subjects and I'd hate to both give that up AND get a three-year gap in my CV. Grumble, grumble.

[rontron]

My department has a similar lack of funding - and we don't really have RAships available, either. So, as I said, I understand why they don't want me to TA if I've secured external funding, since there are people who could really use the funds.

Personally, though, I am (blindly) hoping to continue teaching after my doctorate. As such, even with eight semesters of TA'ing under my belt I still feel like I should get more experience while I can. Beyond that, I really do enjoy teaching in certain subjects and I'd hate to both give that up AND get a three-year gap in my CV. Grumble, grumble.

oh my goodness, folks, if you don't have to teach and TA don't do it!! you are overworked enough already - focus on getting your PhD done and be grateful that you have been granted the opportunity to work on it without the distraction of teaching and TA-ing! I have to teach (fully teach, not TA, and without a TA) two courses per term while taking a full course load in my PhD program - I would kill to have the time to put into writing things for publication, which is what actually matters in this whole game ... sheesh! take the opportunity you've been granted, and research and write. it is a luxury you will likely never have again.

Edited May 9, 2012 by rontron

[checkeredBlanket]

any news in the UK??

[Ziz]

I just got my letter! Successful! In Politics, score 21.7, direct applicant from the UK.

[checkeredBlanket]

Ziz do you mind sharing your application profile?? Thx

[Ziz]

Sure, I'm nothing special though.

Degrees:

BA from Queen's (overall average around 82% maybe; politics average 84%)

MSc from the London School of Economics (distinction)

MSc Oxford (distinction)

DPhil Oxford (currently in 1st year)

Other stuff:

3 years policy experience in the government of Ontario (between the two masters degrees)

No publications

3 conferences (2 grad, 1 'normal')

Convenor of a conference at Oxford

Editor of an Oxford-based student journal

Research assistant for an Oxford prof

handful of college and department scholarships over the years

[checkeredBlanket]

finally here. Successful. 24.3. w00t. Time for a beer! :-)

[Ziz]

Congratulations!

[cathaea]

Some news for those on the waitlist. I called SSHRC and talked to a snarly woman who told me that everyone on the waitlist would be combined into a master list sorted by discipline before any SDF offers would be extended. Before that, they're going to go through each sub-committee and try to fill out the CGS awards from those who declined. That process hasn't happened yet so they can't/won't give specific information about your placement on the waitlist. For English, she said the lowest cut-off on any of the sub-committees was 18.7 and the highest was 19.5. That's all I could get out of her but at least it's something!

[checkeredBlanket]

does anyone know when SSHRC releseas the list of all those who got awards...usually there is a long list of names, universities, project titles, etc. :-)

[Compoe]

does anyone know when SSHRC releseas the list of all those who got awards...usually there is a long list of names, universities, project titles, etc. :-)

In the past, that's happened some time in July or early August.

[rontron]

Some news for those on the waitlist. I called SSHRC and talked to a snarly woman who told me that everyone on the waitlist would be combined into a master list sorted by discipline before any SDF offers would be extended. Before that, they're going to go through each sub-committee and try to fill out the CGS awards from those who declined. That process hasn't happened yet so they can't/won't give specific information about your placement on the waitlist. For English, she said the lowest cut-off on any of the sub-committees was 18.7 and the highest was 19.5. That's all I could get out of her but at least it's something!

hey - thanks for this! what number did you call? I would love to know the high and low waitlist scores for my group ... I've tried one number but it goes straight to an answering machine ...

[poseidon2012]

Thanks, Cathaea. That's super-helpful and in line with info from previous forums.

I'm not in English, but when 18.7 is the cutoff and 16.2 (or lower?) is on the waitlist, I'm wondering if everyone gets waitlisted at 15.0 or higher.

[cathaea]

hey - thanks for this! what number did you call? I would love to know the high and low waitlist scores for my group ... I've tried one number but it goes straight to an answering machine ...

I just called the number for the fellowships office and left a message and someone called me back. They were pretty prompt.

And re: the waitlist, I have no idea. There were a ton of people who were rejected with higher scores than 15.0. There's no rhyme or reason to SSHRC. I'm going to guess that if you're around 18/19 and were waitlisted that you have a good chance; probably not so good of a chance if you're significantly lower than that (like me!).

[Psych Guy]

Has anyone heard any new updates on the waitlist process?

[lewin]

I haven't read through most of this thread but the scores are standardized. (I don't know whether they're normally or uniformly distributed.) So 30 means you were better than everybody, 15 means exactly average. So the cutoff probably changes from year to year: They start at the highest score and work their way down until they run out of money.

[rontron]

Has anyone heard any new updates on the waitlist process?

no news. sshrc didn't return my call either :/

waiting more = not so fun, eh?

[winklet]

Hi everyone,

I just now stumbled across this forum and wanted to thank everyone for all the helpful info that's been posted so far.

I've been waitlisted by SSHRC and my score is 17.2/30. I'm finishing my second year of a PhD in human geography.

It's nice to know I'm not alone in wondering if/when waitlisted applicants could get some news... I'll be sure to post if I hear anything for better or worse. Hang in there, fellow wait-listers!

[Psych Guy]

Thanks for the posts on the waitlist. I also find it comforting to know others are waiting in anxious anticipation to hear about funds. I gave up a SSHRC four year fellowship five years ago so I am hoping for some Karma back my way!

[poseidon2012]

Just a note for those waiting,

I've found reading the post-award portions of previous SSHRC year threads helpful. For those new to this thread, I posted a response this month that someone received a few years back from SSHRC which seemed the clearest description of what is an opaque process. What I find interesting is that there are even a few examples on those previous threads of people being given awards the following February after they'd submitted for the next year's competition. But there are few of those examples.

[Ludwig von Dracula]

Any idea when SSHRC cheques will be mailed? The letter implied that the award would begin in late May...is it stupid to hope that they have already processed them if I sent in my paperwork a few weeks ago?

[DMMS18]

For those of you on the FQRSC waitlist.... I have a question for you.

I went to look at my personal "lettre d'annonce" this AM and it won't load for some reason.. but it worked a couple of days ago.

Do you see the same thing?

I am hoping this is because they are going to release the second round of today... but maybe it is just me having this issue!

Let me know