SSHRC

[plisar]

Most of these government sponsored fellowships allow this Amanda.

[dramanda]

Most of these government sponsored fellowships allow this Amanda.

That doesn't answer the "why" bit

[jackassjim]

Because those of us who will study abroad have been paying taxes since we are 16 and working part-time, and because our parents have been paying taxes for much longer.

Because SSHRC funding for students who go abroad is not that costly when you really think about it (vs federal science budget).

Because a significant portion of us will eventually come back to the Canada, bringing with us some of the most cutting-edge skill-set that can be thought to anyone.

Because only subsidizing students who study here would lead to the same type of incestuous atmosphere that prevails in departments that hire their own graduates, only at a national level.

Because it still costs the government less to finance us than those who study domestically (public university system, etc.).

Because we are ambassadors of Canadian universities. We are living examples that our education system produces capable individuals, and we show the stars in our respective fields that we are intellectual peers (Canada's prestige).

Because some of us (not me unfortunately!) are brilliant students who NEED the resources available abroad to fully actualize their research potential. It would be a shame to penalize those who simply cannot get what they need from the Canadian system.

I might be able to go on...

[Snasser]

That doesn't answer the "why" bit

It's supporting Canadians researching, not researchers in Canada. This is also why foreign students studying in Canada cannot apply for SSHRC.

[dramanda]

Thanks jackassjim and Snasser!

[canadiangirl78]

One more day goes by and nothing.. I heard from our department assistant and she said that grad studies had emailed her saying they have not received anything from SSHRC yet.. sigh..

[jasper.milvain]

How about a game to pass the time?

Would you rather...

1 ) Find out right now whether you were successful or not

or

2 ) Wait two more months for news on the condition that *if* you were successful, you would automatically get a CGS?

[ogopogo]

I'd go with option #2. Big Money, Big Money...

My sanity is going to die in grad school anyway, so no great loss if it's a little early.

[sshrchopeful]

I vote for option 2 as well..... The wait has been so long that the possibility of extra money is more important.

By the way, has anyone considered the possibility that SSHRC is SAYING results won't be mailed until May because they want us to stop calling them in the meantime?

[walkerton]

I vote for option 2 as well..... The wait has been so long that the possibility of extra money is more important.

By the way, has anyone considered the possibility that SSHRC is SAYING results won't be mailed until May because they want us to stop calling them in the meantime?

Gah!! I had just resigned myself to the fact that it would be at least another week. Now I'm all twitter-pated again, thinking it will be tomorrow!

[virdisun]

Gah!! I had just resigned myself to the fact that it would be at least another week. Now I'm all twitter-pated again, thinking it will be tomorrow!

I'm beginning to wonder whether it will happen only after I hand in this overdue paper... I wonder if they're in the mail right now, at Canada Post sitting there, taunting us in memory - that they are all ready, fresh and sealed just sitting patiently waiting for some fat lazy government worker to get to it. And the SSHRC letters sit there thinking...."oohhh, we can't WAIT to give these poor grad students the news they have been waiting months for! Oh please Canada Post employee, do recognize us sitting and waiting for you to process us...wait - what? You're... huh? No, Uh... NO! You can't talk to your manager asking to leave early cause you're not feeling well!!! We just , uh, SAW YOU scratch your ass and sneeze.... you, uh.. no... uhh... NO!!!!! Now we have to sit here in the dark until monday" (tear rolls down SSHRC letters cheek).... til Monday.

[canadiangirl78]

Gah!! I had just resigned myself to the fact that it would be at least another week. Now I'm all twitter-pated again, thinking it will be tomorrow!

[none]

re: game

option 2: would we find out that we won't hear for another two months (and thus calm down a bit) and would we get the assurance that the new number of CGS's is equal to the old number of CGS's _PLUS_ the old number of fellowships? and if so, wouldn't a third and better option be to convert the new number of CGS's into fellowships (the new number of CGS's would yield more fellowships) so that everyone who has been A-listed will get an award? wouldn't you rather take less money but be sure you were getting it?

[dramanda]

....so that everyone who has been A-listed will get an award? wouldn't you rather take less money but be sure you were getting it?

Yes! But then again, I can't accept a CGS anyway....

[pnj]

It's nice to know these senseless delays are not exclusive to Canadian bureaucracies. The "Waiting to hear from NSF" forum (http://forum.thegradcafe.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=14349&start=2505) is up to 169 pages now. They announced some of the winners, some of the losers, and left about 2000 people in a "you might get an honorable mention or you might still be a winner" category. It's been weeks, and no indication of when they will notify people...

[dramanda]

It's nice to know these senseless delays are not exclusive to Canadian bureaucracies. The "Waiting to hear from NSF" forum (http://forum.thegradcafe.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=14349&start=2505) is up to 169 pages now. They announced some of the winners, some of the losers, and left about 2000 people in a "you might get an honorable mention or you might still be a winner" category. It's been weeks, and no indication of when they will notify people...

But at least their delay is based on the idea that they might be awarding more fellowships this year.

[Snasser]

How about a game to pass the time?

Would you rather...

1 ) Find out right now whether you were successful or not

or

2 ) Wait two more months for news on the condition that *if* you were successful, you would automatically get a CGS?

Ohhh. That is an evil question. It's a bit like the Lady or the Tiger, isn't it? I suppose I would choose option one and find out right now. Even with a CGS in two month's time I would be forced to spend most of it on therapy!

[Snasser]

By the way, has anyone considered the possibility that SSHRC is SAYING results won't be mailed until May because they want us to stop calling them in the meantime?

That is exactly what I wonder. Perhaps it is false hope, though.

[jasper.milvain]

Ok, how bout this.

Would you rather:

1) Realize upon re-reading your proposal that you accidentally wrote down a movie quote you were thinking about while writing

2) Have this happen in one of your letters of recommendation.

[Snasser]

Ok, how bout this.

Would you rather:

1) Realize upon re-reading your proposal that you accidentally wrote down a movie quote you were thinking about while writing

2) Have this happen in one of your letters of recommendation.

Definitely in a letter.

[canadiangirl78]

I guess it's not happening today either.. Mailman just delivered love letters from Visa and Mastercard but nothing from SSHRC.. sigh

[mt1]

Nothing in my mailbox either. Great - another weekend trying not to think about SSHRC. I better make a trip to the LCBO - oh wait, I don't have any SSHRC money yet.

You would think that SSHRC would post an announcement on their webpage explaining what is happening, and thanking us for our patience. At least lie to us or something.

[Zhivago]

Nothing arriving for me yet either.

Does anyone know if our departments will know before us about the Sshrc or if they will mail it straight to us?

Thanks for posting folks, it makes the waiting less argdammitshiteifonlythey'd%$@grr...if you know what i mean...

[stepha]

hi all, I just joined this forum

I suspect we'll be waiting a bit yet... possibly next week.

Currently, I hold a SSHRC-CGS MA Fellowship; when I applied last year we were informed that results would be announced mid March --- my letter was dated April 15th, & arrived April 23rd. This year, the website proclaims "April;" sooo....

[btw, for those with lingering doubts, changing schools does not negatively impact your award: I changed my institution & everything was fine. I've since even received another SSHRC (the Foreign Study Supplement); thus, a change of plans will not affect your record with SSHRC. ...& don't bother checking the website, either: they don't post results until all the awards have been accepted/declined (i.e., early summer).]

I will be glad to see someone here announce receipt of their MA SSHRC: they are typically mailed prior to the PhD ones (which is what I'm awaiting at the moment).

[stepha]

hi Zhivago - yes, the schools are notified before the recipients --- oh! & not only your current institution, but universities across the country (grad departments take this into consideration when making offers to candidates). I forgot to mention in my post, a few days before receiving my letter last year, one of the schools I had applied to called me, offering congrats & making me an offer of admission --- they misjudged the mail & jumped the gun (odd way to find out... I've since learned that this is fairly common (I've met a few other people who learned about their SSHRC in a similar fashion)