SSHRC

[sshrchopeful]

ugh... now I am anxious too.

Playing the Beatles' "Mailman..... Bring me no more blues"

[suhayla]

I have been present in a departmental review of sshrc apps, and basically the people who are going to make the decisions go through each of the files, then meet to rank the applications. The research proposal is one of the most important considerations, but academic history (as determined by transcripts and the GPA calculation that the administrator makes for each file) is also important. Adjudicators may also speculate as to who they think will be more likely to be successful in the other competitions (ie. I prefer this app, but don't think she'll be as successful as the other app). The files are ranked (1,2,3,4,5) and submitted to Grad Studies for another review. The process is not "scientific" and any numbers associated with ranking are relative.

When my Masters application was forwarded on to the national competition I asked people (that is, university admins) what the stats were, they said that once an app is forwarded to the national competition the chances are about 50/50. I still have my fingers crossed but the good thing is that UofT has a pretty good track record... but knowing that people are already receiving notifications is making me a little jittery...

[jferreir]

I have been present in a departmental review of sshrc apps, and basically the people who are going to make the decisions go through each of the files, then meet to rank the applications. The research proposal is one of the most important considerations, but academic history (as determined by transcripts and the GPA calculation that the administrator makes for each file) is also important. Adjudicators may also speculate as to who they think will be more likely to be successful in the other competitions (ie. I prefer this app, but don't think she'll be as successful as the other app). The files are ranked (1,2,3,4,5) and submitted to Grad Studies for another review. The process is not "scientific" and any numbers associated with ranking are relative.

When my Masters application was forwarded on to the national competition I asked people (that is, university admins) what the stats were, they said that once an app is forwarded to the national competition the chances are about 50/50. I still have my fingers crossed but the good thing is that UofT has a pretty good track record... but knowing that people are already receiving notifications is making me a little jittery...

Hmm, that's interesting. I also heard (anecdotally) that the success rate is about 50% once you're forwarded to the national competition. However, many people on this forum seem to believe that the success rate is almost 100% in the Masters stream. While I'm not an expert on the matter, I do know that SSHRC instructs each school to nominate X amount of applicants, and Y amount of alternates for the national competition. Now, if the success rate after the nomination is about 50%, then that would suggest that SSHRC's "quota" is disproportionate to the number of available scholarships. Perhaps there are two explanations for this:

(1) SSHRC is not confident in the evaluation process of most universities, and thus provides overestimates for their own evaluative process. I find this highly questionable.

(2) Someone is mistakenly calculating the 50% success rate by looking at all applications received by SSHRC (not simply those forwarded by the universities). Last year, SSHRC received 2,686 applications for 1,300 scholarships (Masters). If you calculate the success rate based solely on those numbers - irrespective of which applicants were nominated by universities - then the success rate is about 48%. Naturally, since "independent applicants" are not subject to evaluation prior to SSHRC's internal review, it's reasonable to assume that their success rate is considerably lower than those applicants who were nominated by universities.

That being said, I *think* SSHRC has an internal allotment for "independent students", so for a university-nominated 100% success rate, SSHRC would need a considerable amount of unsuccessful independent applications (based on last years numbers). So, while I'm completely unaware of how this process actually works, I have psychologically settled on a success rate of between 80% - 90% for university nominated applicants. Does this make sense? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong; I'm completely baffled by this process!

[paige]

That being said, I *think* SSHRC has an internal allotment for "independent students"

Yes, they go through their own internal ranking. I know this is at least true for the doctoral competition.

[jasper.milvain]

When my Masters application was forwarded on to the national competition I asked people (that is, university admins) what the stats were, they said that once an app is forwarded to the national competition the chances are about 50/50. I still have my fingers crossed but the good thing is that UofT has a pretty good track record... but knowing that people are already receiving notifications is making me a little jittery...

This is totally, completely, absolutely incorrect. If you go look at the stats that everyone keeps linking to, you'll see that the MA success rates are in the 90s. It's PhD rates that are 50/50.

[suhayla]

(2) Someone is mistakenly calculating the 50% success rate by looking at all applications received by SSHRC (not simply those forwarded by the universities). Last year, SSHRC received 2,686 applications for 1,300 scholarships (Masters). If you calculate the success rate based solely on those numbers - irrespective of which applicants were nominated by universities - then the success rate is about 48%. Naturally, since "independent applicants" are not subject to evaluation prior to SSHRC's internal review, it's reasonable to assume that their success rate is considerably lower than those applicants who were nominated by universities.

That being said, I *think* SSHRC has an internal allotment for "independent students", so for a university-nominated 100% success rate, SSHRC would need a considerable amount of unsuccessful independent applications (based on last years numbers). So, while I'm completely unaware of how this process actually works, I have psychologically settled on a success rate of between 80% - 90% for university nominated applicants. Does this make sense? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong; I'm completely baffled by this process!

Well, I think I'll sleep better with this info... the whole thing is confusing and the stats make my head swim - I totally understand what you're saying and it makes much more sense. It's likely that they're looking at overall numbers and not just the forwarded apps...

[ashleyv]

So, just for clarification...

Who has heard from SSHRC for CGS (Masters)? When did you hear? Did you apply internally or directly to SSHRC?

Thanks

[tinyspark]

Good luck to all of you who are still in the waiting game. It's a doozy.

[jferreir]

Have the SSHRC Masters results actually been released? Someone posted that they received official notification last Thursday (not yesterday), but I'm still in the dark. I've checked the mailbox compulsively since last Friday and all I have to show for my efforts are a few pizza pizza coupons. What gives?

[ashleyv]

Have the SSHRC Masters results actually been released? Someone posted that they received official notification last Thursday (not yesterday), but I'm still in the dark. I've checked the mailbox compulsively since last Friday and all I have to show for my efforts are a few pizza pizza coupons. What gives?

Same. I have been checking my mailbox religiously and nothing but pizza flyers for me either.

I am under the impression that they haven't been released yet. Usually the results are announced in mid- to late April I thought.

[jferreir]

I am under the impression that they haven't been released yet. Usually the results are announced in mid- to late April I thought.

I heard the same, which is why I was taken by surprise when people started posting their results. If I remember correctly, the results from last year were released around late April. I can't imagine application numbers declining since then...

Christ, I'm just so tired of waiting. I'm on the waiting list for my two top choices, I'm waiting on SSHRC results, and until I hear back on both of those fronts, I can't take a contractual job that was just offered to me. My future literally depends on the 3/4 answers that I'm due to receive this coming week. WTF! I hate this process - I hate not being in control!

[ogopogo]

From the SSHRC site, regarding their policy on notification of competition results for CGS Master

[canadiangirl]

Canadian Girl, did you apply directly or through your school?

I've been out of school for a couple years, so I applied directly.

[thepoorstockinger]

I've been out of school for a couple years, so I applied directly.

Okay, that makes sense.

My partner and I applied through our schools (different schools) for the MA awards and were forwarded to SSHRC... no word yet but we freak out every time mail comes through the mail slot.

[sshrchopeful]

Should we really be looking in the mail? Do you think that, for those of us who applied through our departments, that we'd hear it from them via email or word-of-mouth before getting a snail-mail letter?

[jackassjim]

Should we really be looking in the mail? Do you think that, for those of us who applied through our departments, that we'd hear it from them via email or word-of-mouth before getting a snail-mail letter?

Yes we should. I'm waiting for the PhD one right now, but when I got my MA SSHRC, the letter was the place I learned about it. People from my department only started congratulating me when they saw my name on the big list of names/research projects that is published every year.

[jasper.milvain]

I'll second that. I found out by letter for my MA SSHRC. Sometimes grad chairs know early and leak the news, but they're not supposed to. My grad chair told me "not to worry" about SSHRC, and I'm going crazy wondering if that was the *wink wink nudge nudge* kind of 'don't worry' or the 'I'm a nice person' kind of 'don't worry'.

We'll know so soon, though! Only a week or two. Or three. Or four. I mean, it IS the government.

[jackassjim]

My grad chair told me "not to worry" about SSHRC, and I'm going crazy wondering if that was the *wink wink nudge nudge* kind of 'don't worry' or the 'I'm a nice person' kind of 'don't worry'.

Interestingly, I was told something VERY similar by someone from my department. It was a while ago though, so I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with the actual result of the competition. I'm pretty sure they have to do some internal ranking and recommendations for the bigger awards. Even if we did not get asked to apply for those (separate application I believe), it might be that we were nominated or something. That might be good for the regular competition.

[sshrchopeful]

Thanks everyone.... Guess I'll get back to checking the mailbox twice a day.....

[suhayla]

I work in a grad department (not my own, of course) as an admin, and the grad admin told me that every year the schools find out after the students - and that we've been advised that SSHRC will be notifying the grad schools on (or around) the 15th of April - so, any day now is the word... (can't wait to get home to check the mailbox and disappointingly find only coupons for burger king and safeway flyers)

[jasper.milvain]

I'm finding the "countdown to April 15th" thread in 'Waiting it Out' works very well as a SSHRC countdown.

[ogopogo]

The worst part is, like in the counting down thread, we know that the waiting probably won't actually be over on the 15th. I've been counting down to 'mid-April', but am also counting on being disappointed on the 15th when I (expectantly) go check the mailbox. Beyond which, even if they did send the letters on the 15th, the 15th is a Wednesday, so for those of us in western Canada, there would most likely be a loooooong weekend to get through following news from our more easterly counterparts. So I'm trying to set my sights on the 21st-ish. Actually, I've changed my mind, the worst part is that we're all waiting and waiting for what could be really bad news. sigh.

[dramanda]

Judging from the NSF thread, this might not be worthwhile in any way....but has anyone tried calling SSHRC to see if they have a more firm date for the release of results at this point? Since we're getting close, they might have a better sense? I might try myself tomorrow, but am wondering if anyone's taken the initiative to do so already...

[jackassjim]

Judging from the NSF thread, this might not be worthwhile in any way....but has anyone tried calling SSHRC to see if they have a more firm date for the release of results at this point? Since we're getting close, they might have a better sense? I might try myself tomorrow, but am wondering if anyone's taken the initiative to do so already...

Friend of mine called, and the only thing they would say was "later in April"

[jasper.milvain]

The post-doc results are out, so MAs should be next up. (I think.)