SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship/CGS Doctoral Scholarship 2013

[chuchumchumchum]

hi there, i've been following this forum for a bit but i've never posted

is anyone here from CarletonU in Ottawa? For those who have received results was it the university that contacted you? I've been checking my email at work every 5 mins and still haven't heard anything and I'm going a little nuts! Can't get to my snail mail box until this evening. Currently living in Barrie

Thanks so much! Best of luck to everyone

Hey I'm at Carleton. I received an email from my department Friday and got a letter yesterday. 

[Alecana]

I got my letter today. Unsuccessful. My score was 15.**/30.

I didn't know that the little arrows were "reputation points"! I thought it was like a thumbs down thing... very sorry!! Can I undo this!?! I meant to give a thumbs down to your news. Very sorry to hear it. 

Edited May 1, 2013 by Alecana

[Numbered]

Hey I'm at Carleton. I received an email from my department Friday and got a letter yesterday. 

Same here...

[Psych2014]

Anyone in psychology heard yet and willing to post stats?

 

Yes. I'm in psychology! I posted my stats...I think they're on page 23!

Edited May 1, 2013 by Psych2014

[Re-patriate]

I heard from the department yesterday and got the mailed confirmation today: 1 year SSHRC Doctoral! Score: 21/30.

Stats:

- 0 peer reviewed journals

- 4 co-authored contributions to edited volumes

- 6 conference presentations

- 3.7/4 GPA BA

- 3.8/4 GPA MA

- 4/4 GPA PhD

- 2 OGS

- 2 strong letters from Full Professors

- 2 RAships

- Countless iterations of my program of study

I want to pass some advice to those who weren't successful this year: keep hustling. I made it to nationals for Vanier in 1st year and was unsuccessful. I made it to nationals for SSHRC last year and was unsuccessful (score: 15/30). I had pretty much given up on ever getting SSHRC, but I'm happy I still invested the effort this time around. Granted, the financial reward is much less at this stage of my program - but the validation feels great.

Also, for those who interested in envelope thickness: the successful envelope definitely felt/looked thicker than last year's rejection envelope.

[Re-patriate]

Many congrats!

Although the news from posters about the more arbitrary aspects of the process makes me uneasy as I thought I had a pretty strong application...

Still no mail in Hamllton

[psychgirl77]

Yes. I'm in psychology! I posted my stats...I think they're on page 23!

Cool, thanks!  Didn't see your stats earlier somehow.  Congrats on the award!

[inmouchar]

I got my letter today. Unsuccessful. My score was 15.**/30.

 

Sorry to hear that.  I say go for it again in November!

 

Are you in Vancouver (or Burnaby)? You mentioned you are a student at SFU. I'm in Vancouver (also SFU) but haven't received the letter yet... And grad studies has an "embargo" on results, so no email either.

[poseidon2012]

 

 

Congratulations! Excellent news and excellent advice. Love your thickness remark. I'll keep it in mind tomorrow when my letter should arrive. And thanks for all the detail: helpful to me; helpful to all of us.

[poseidon2012]

The donkey cart arrived with bad news. 

 

Second time applying, second time shortlisted, second time without an award. Here are my stats at time of application. 

 

1 peer-reviewed publication

2 invited/in-progress articles

1 conference

2 grad conferences

3.95 GPA (my undergrad was very bad, but my MA was much better)

Multiple TAships

I am fairly positive my reference letters were excellent. I did not read these but I did read others that they wrote for different things. 

I do not know my rank in the department or university.

Conference organizer

Editor-in-Chief of the department's peer-reviewed journal

My score this year is 14.5/30. Last year it was 15.something/30. This year's application was refined and clear and I had multiple readers and editors. Funny it scored less. 

My project is not an area that anyone knows about. I am the only one doing it in North American, and there are only a few scholars in the world that even know my area. Although the SSHRC people don't know it, I am actually one of the experts in this extremely small, obscure, specialty.

Anyway, I will try again. Since the original application I was offered a teaching position next year, invited to write another article for a peer-reviewed journal (a special edition on my area of expertise), and am presenting at two major peer-reviewed conferences in my field. So, at least, it wouldn't be lack of experience. 

Totally bummed. I do have internal funding for another 2 years. Not much, but it'll do. 

Good luck everyone!

 

 

 

That's frustrating. Your CV looks good. I'm in the same boat with respect to a field that is little known. Keep at it. Here's a couple of pieces of advice. Get some fresh eyes to look at the research statement. That's really helped me. Even outside your university.

 

You've mentioned good reference letters, but from whom? I've been in a lot of SSHRC workshops as a research administrator and an applicant (I got the MA SSHRC) and I know they value the letters from department heads and full professors. Also note that the research statement does not bind you to what you have to do. I.e. angle it or tilt it to something more accessible and it may go through. That's not being mercenary; it's just being practical.

 

As for the lower score, I know the entire membership of certain juries in the past and there are going to be inevitable biases, though I believe committee members usually try to be objective.

 

Once again, don't lose the faith. Some of us have been there before; some of us will be there again!

[poseidon2012]

THE LETTER FINALLY CAME!

 

I was already informed by Graduate Studies from my university (Concordia) so I knew I got it but the letter makes it all official. I am only funded 40K because I have two year left. My score is 22.5/30

This is my third time applying for SSHRC. My grades were too low in undergrad to apply to OGS and/or SSHRC for my MA.

 

Stats when applied

• 2.7/4 GPA for BA
• 4.17/4.3 MA GPA
• 4.2/4.3 PhD GPA 
• 2 very strong letters — from supervisor (University Chair) and from a Canada Research Chair
• 1 peer reviewed publication forthcoming (sole author)
• 1 review in peer reviewed publication 
• 1 encyclopedia entry (1st author)
• 6 non peer reviewed publications (sole author)
• 2 peer reviewed conferences 
• 4 conferences 
• 4 invited talks
• 9 adjudicated group exhibitions
• 6 RAs & GAs
• 2 TAs
• 1 studio instructor position
• OGS for PhD (declined because went to Quebec)
• 3 year entrance fellowship for PhD at Concordia
• Concordia Merit Scholarship
• Several travel funds from Concordia and York
• Several fieldwork & research bursaries from York for my MA thesis

• Canadian Media Research Consortium Small Research Grant

not sure what else I put on for research contributions.

 

I also used the special section to explain my low undergrad GPA.

 

First time I applied for SSHRC PhD, I was forwarded by York, and got an atrocious low score of something like less than 10. 2nd time I was not even forwarded from Concordia (my PhD school).

 

I'd like to say that I completely changed my Application Statement less than 2 weeks before the deadline. I am still working within the broader category of my field, but after I finished my doctoral exam I had a crazy epiphany and decided to write something new from scratch. Some thought I was insane, but my supervisor told me to go for it. I was very lucky to have a team of people help me get my initial idea/draft into a cogent articulate application. So, sometimes having an intuition and inspiration is worth pursuing. My previous app was worked on for since the previous year, but I couldn't do that to myself when I had such an intense feeling to change it. This was also 7 days before FQRSC was due (and I received that also).

 

So, despite the amazing prize to help pay off my student loans, I am so thrilled that my intuition and energy paid off and that I should always follow my gut. *excuse the cheeziness but ho-lee I am beyond excited since I was sure I was a lost cause* 

 

 

Not cheesy in the least. News is awesome. Congratulations. Really helpful to hear your story. Low GPAs in undergrad can be a killer (I know), so good of you to share your story in-depth. Really glad to hear it!

[DTrain]

Hi all, I've been a long time lurker on this forum but I'm posting here for the first time, mostly out of frustration at the absolute arbitrariness of the entire SSHRC award process.  

 

I've been applying to SSHRC for four years in a row and have finally received good news this year, scoring a 26/30 and getting a one-year scholarship (I'm entering my Phd IV). 

I say I am frustrated and find this process arbitrary because I've been applying with a relatively identical application for 4 years, and yet I was rejected twice (as in, I didn't even make it past my own department) and waitlisted the other time (with no luck), until I finally received it this year. 

 

Now, granted, my application has improved a bit this time around, as I now also had an OGS under my belt, but I have had zero progress in terms of publications, conference presentations, or the quality of my references - and I can honestly say that my while I tweaked my research statement a bit each year, the changes were hardly fundamental enough to warrant a hike in my score from a 16/30 to a 26/30.

 

I think my experience has really proven to me that while as applicants we of course try our hardest to prove we are 'worthy' scholars (by obsessively editing our statements, attending conferences, attempting to get published, etc.), so much of the process behind getting awards like SSHRC is in fact little more than luck of the draw and depends on a whole range of factors beyond our control (our departmental committees, the strength of our colleagues' applications, SSHRC adjudicators of a given year, etc.). So, for ex, while I find the stats that people have been posting on this forum to be useful in gauging how awards are distributed, I think they can also be rather misleading and create an unnecessary sense of panic among those who have, say, no publications, presentations, RAships, etc.

 

Of course, I don't mean to understate the amount of work that successful recipients have put into their applications or to question the true worth of their work, but if my experience is any indication, the 'worthiness' of that effort is judged in really inconsistent and unpredictable ways and is by no means an objective measure. If we're lucky enough to receive an award, I think it's really important to recognize the arbitrariness of this privilege - and if we don't receive it, to realize that this is by no means a reflection of the strength of our work and that better luck may be around the corner in future years to come...  

 

I'm sorry if this post seems really negative and cynical, but somehow after finally getting this scholarship I feel a whole lot more rage than a sense of relief! 

[poseidon2012]

Hi all, I've been a long time lurker on this forum but I'm posting here for the first time, mostly out of frustration at the absolute arbitrariness of the entire SSHRC award process.  

 

I've been applying to SSHRC for four years in a row and have finally received good news this year, scoring a 26/30 and getting a one-year scholarship (I'm entering my Phd IV). 

I say I am frustrated and find this process arbitrary because I've been applying with a relatively identical application for 4 years, and yet I was rejected twice (as in, I didn't even make it past my own department) and waitlisted the other time (with no luck), until I finally received it this year. 

 

Now, granted, my application has improved a bit this time around, as I now also had an OGS under my belt, but I have had zero progress in terms of publications, conference presentations, or the quality of my references - and I can honestly say that my while I tweaked my research statement a bit each year, the changes were hardly fundamental enough to warrant a hike in my score from a 16/30 to a 26/30.

 

I think my experience has really proven to me that while as applicants we of course try our hardest to prove we are 'worthy' scholars (by obsessively editing our statements, attending conferences, attempting to get published, etc.), so much of the process behind getting awards like SSHRC is in fact little more than luck of the draw and depends on a whole range of factors beyond our control (our departmental committees, the strength of our colleagues' applications, SSHRC adjudicators of a given year, etc.). So, for ex, while I find the stats that people have been posting on this forum to be useful in gauging how awards are distributed, I think they can also be rather misleading and create an unnecessary sense of panic among those who have, say, no publications, presentations, RAships, etc.

 

Of course, I don't mean to understate the amount of work that successful recipients have put into their applications or to question the true worth of their work, but if my experience is any indication, the 'worthiness' of that effort is judged in really inconsistent and unpredictable ways and is by no means an objective measure. If we're lucky enough to receive an award, I think it's really important to recognize the arbitrariness of this privilege - and if we don't receive it, to realize that this is by no means a reflection of the strength of our work and that better luck may be around the corner in future years to come...  

 

I'm sorry if this post seems really negative and cynical, but somehow after finally getting this scholarship I feel a whole lot more rage than a sense of relief! 

 

 

First, congratulations. I've been there: not out of the dept. etc. I hear where you're coming from. Juries can be fickle, it's true. On the other hand, there are several posters from last year who struck out 4/4. 

 

As for publications, don't despair! I'd try every avenue, including collaborative approaches. I was in academic publishing for a long time, so I know that trying a variety of outlets can work out in the end. Good luck!

[wrenochka]

I finally received a letter today informing me that my application was rejected (successful applicants in my department heard by email on Monday, so I just assumed). I'm finishing my MA right now - I had been planning to start my PhD in September.

 

I've been putting off posting this because I'm so depressed about it, and embarrassed about my score (15.7/30).  I know there have been a lot of posts about the seemingly arbitrary nature of the adjudication (thanks for your post especially, DTrain), but it's still very painful.  I'm sure there are a lot of people who've been rejected who prefer not to post their profile for this reason. Here's my profile - I hope it's some consolation for others in my position, if only to let you know you aren't alone:

 

- 3.94 master's GPA

- MA SSHRC + several major awards, including an entrance fellowship, an internal award, a national prize for grad students in my discipline, and an undergraduate researcher award

- 3 peer-reviewed conferences (1 international, 2 national), 2 non-peer reviewed student conferences, 1 invited guest lecture

- 0 publications

- 4 RAships, including two overseas project positions

- 2 TAships

- high ranking by my department, forwarded by my university

- strong letters from two well-known scholars in my field, my supervisor and the research chair who I've RA'd for, both of whom enthusiastic about my proposal

- solid proposal, multiple drafts, reviewed and edited with supportive feedback from my referees & other professors in my discipline who have a great record of supporting successful applicants

 

To be honest, the score feels like more of a rejection than not receiving funding, because it's clear that I wasn't even close to receiving funds and I know I did the best that I could. I really need funding to pursue my PhD, so I'm anxious about whether I should defer a year and work instead. I am first on the waiting list for our provincial awards, but to judge from others' experiences last year, I likely won't hear for a while, and possibly not until the end of the summer.

 

My supervisor is as baffled as I am about the score. I applied knowing I had only a 50%-60% chance, so I didn't assume I would be funded - but I thought I was more competitive than a 15.7. It feels like such a personal rejection to receive a score that low after receiving such positive feedback from my mentors, and knowing that others in my discipline were funded with similar profiles. It's especially demoralizing not knowing how I could have improved my application. I guess it has to be the proposal, in spite of my referees' feedback - I really don't think having no publications would result in a score that low, especially for an applicant heading into year 1 of the PhD, but who knows. In any case, I don't have time to prepare a publication before the next application round, which makes me feel even more hopeless.

 

I think it's time to retire for the night with a glass of whiskey and some brainless tv. Hopefully after a good night's sleep I'll feel a little more resilient.

[Confused applicant]

I didn't know that the little arrows were "reputation points"! I thought it was like a thumbs down thing... very sorry!! Can I undo this!?! I meant to give a thumbs down to your news. Very sorry to hear it.

I don't know how to undo it but maybe you could give me a thumbs up arrow next time. ;D haha. It's fine. And thanks for the kind words! I am trying to stay positive. It was a well written application but fairly easily written too. And I am just going in to a Phd program this fall, so still have more opportunities to re-apply...

[Confused applicant]

Sorry to hear that. I say go for it again in November!

Are you in Vancouver (or Burnaby)? You mentioned you are a student at SFU. I'm in Vancouver (also SFU) but haven't received the letter yet... And grad studies has an "embargo" on results, so no email either.

I live in Burnaby. You will probably get it tomorrow. I still don't understand the point of having an embargo!

[Alecana]

I don't know how to undo it but maybe you could give me a thumbs up arrow next time. ;D haha. It's fine. And thanks for the kind words! I am trying to stay positive. It was a well written application but fairly easily written too. And I am just going in to a Phd program this fall, so still have more opportunities to re-apply...

I tried!! That was the first thing I tried, I promise! :-( Oh well, my apologies again!

 

I remember that the feelings of rejection that I experienced from just being waitlisted for my MA SSHRC had me hurtin' for like two or three days--it was like a flu. But you're right, with the PhD being a longer program we can take at least two or three more runs at it! I haven't gotten any news yet, but I'm so prepared for rejection at this point that I actually opened my proposal today and started thinking about how to re-work it just to get a jump on next year's competition, haha:)

 

Anyways, best of luck to you in the future! Wrenochka's whisky & tv plan sounds like a good one.... I'll be doing that for SURE, regardless of whether or not the SSHRC gods are kind this year:)

[poseidon2012]

I finally received a letter today informing me that my application was rejected (successful applicants in my department heard by email on Monday, so I just assumed). I'm finishing my MA right now - I had been planning to start my PhD in September.

 

I've been putting off posting this because I'm so depressed about it, and embarrassed about my score (15.7/30).  I know there have been a lot of posts about the seemingly arbitrary nature of the adjudication (thanks for your post especially, DTrain), but it's still very painful.  I'm sure there are a lot of people who've been rejected who prefer not to post their profile for this reason. Here's my profile - I hope it's some consolation for others in my position, if only to let you know you aren't alone:

 

- 3.94 master's GPA

- MA SSHRC + several major awards, including an entrance fellowship, an internal award, a national prize for grad students in my discipline, and an undergraduate researcher award

- 3 peer-reviewed conferences (1 international, 2 national), 2 non-peer reviewed student conferences, 1 invited guest lecture

- 0 publications

- 4 RAships, including two overseas project positions

- 2 TAships

- high ranking by my department, forwarded by my university

- strong letters from two well-known scholars in my field, my supervisor and the research chair who I've RA'd for, both of whom enthusiastic about my proposal

- solid proposal, multiple drafts, reviewed and edited with supportive feedback from my referees & other professors in my discipline who have a great record of supporting successful applicants

 

To be honest, the score feels like more of a rejection than not receiving funding, because it's clear that I wasn't even close to receiving funds and I know I did the best that I could. I really need funding to pursue my PhD, so I'm anxious about whether I should defer a year and work instead. I am first on the waiting list for our provincial awards, but to judge from others' experiences last year, I likely won't hear for a while, and possibly not until the end of the summer.

 

My supervisor is as baffled as I am about the score. I applied knowing I had only a 50%-60% chance, so I didn't assume I would be funded - but I thought I was more competitive than a 15.7. It feels like such a personal rejection to receive a score that low after receiving such positive feedback from my mentors, and knowing that others in my discipline were funded with similar profiles. It's especially demoralizing not knowing how I could have improved my application. I guess it has to be the proposal, in spite of my referees' feedback - I really don't think having no publications would result in a score that low, especially for an applicant heading into year 1 of the PhD, but who knows. In any case, I don't have time to prepare a publication before the next application round, which makes me feel even more hopeless.

 

I think it's time to retire for the night with a glass of whiskey and some brainless tv. Hopefully after a good night's sleep I'll feel a little more resilient.

 

Thanks for postiing this, Wrenochka. I was pretty demoralized myself when I was rejected my first year. Let me say three initial remarks: 1) I know that your CV is stronger than people who have won the CGS;  2) if you look at the SSHRC juries (they are published sometime after the awards are released) you'll get a flavour for who was judging; it's pretty revealing. Each jury is very different, from different regions, different research inclinations; 3) you did the best you could.

 

In greater depth, I'd look at a few things. First, if your supervisor is baffled, I'd get further feedback from others. My application was shredded by a SSHRC workshop three years ago; it was shredded again in the States two years ago; and last year it was completely revised and ruthlessly edited by a team of new researchers. I've tried to always get further input. This strategy might fail. Maybe it will fail. But I've at least sought out other feedback. And this I can truly say: if DTrain has qualms about juries, which I partially share, nevertheless juries are populated with (some of) the people you may eventually be working with in whatever field you've chosen. They will be on the editorial boards, hiring committees and writing reader reports for articles and book-length proposals. I'd hear what they have to say (something we're not afforded by SSHRC). Some of the feedback may be useless, but some of it may make you rethink your strategy. Good luck in the future. You've already accomplished a lot. Whisky sounds good. And then back to the drawing board!

 

I was in the same boat two years ago with publications: it seemed hopeless to re-do a proposal when one couldn't improve one's publishing record in time for the next round but, as I've stated before, I've known several people who've gotten the CGS without publishing anything. That said, after last year I managed to get a publishing contract. So think of it as a long obstacle course. You may not have something ready for next year's application, but you'll be planting the seeds for the following year's application. And you never know: those fickle juries may just wind up favouring you next year!

[Confused applicant]

I finally received a letter today informing me that my application was rejected (successful applicants in my department heard by email on Monday, so I just assumed). I'm finishing my MA right now - I had been planning to start my PhD in September.

 

I've been putting off posting this because I'm so depressed about it, and embarrassed about my score (15.7/30).  I know there have been a lot of posts about the seemingly arbitrary nature of the adjudication (thanks for your post especially, DTrain), but it's still very painful.  I'm sure there are a lot of people who've been rejected who prefer not to post their profile for this reason. Here's my profile - I hope it's some consolation for others in my position, if only to let you know you aren't alone:

 

- 3.94 master's GPA

- MA SSHRC + several major awards, including an entrance fellowship, an internal award, a national prize for grad students in my discipline, and an undergraduate researcher award

- 3 peer-reviewed conferences (1 international, 2 national), 2 non-peer reviewed student conferences, 1 invited guest lecture

- 0 publications

- 4 RAships, including two overseas project positions

- 2 TAships

- high ranking by my department, forwarded by my university

- strong letters from two well-known scholars in my field, my supervisor and the research chair who I've RA'd for, both of whom enthusiastic about my proposal

- solid proposal, multiple drafts, reviewed and edited with supportive feedback from my referees & other professors in my discipline who have a great record of supporting successful applicants

 

To be honest, the score feels like more of a rejection than not receiving funding, because it's clear that I wasn't even close to receiving funds and I know I did the best that I could. I really need funding to pursue my PhD, so I'm anxious about whether I should defer a year and work instead. I am first on the waiting list for our provincial awards, but to judge from others' experiences last year, I likely won't hear for a while, and possibly not until the end of the summer.

 

My supervisor is as baffled as I am about the score. I applied knowing I had only a 50%-60% chance, so I didn't assume I would be funded - but I thought I was more competitive than a 15.7. It feels like such a personal rejection to receive a score that low after receiving such positive feedback from my mentors, and knowing that others in my discipline were funded with similar profiles. It's especially demoralizing not knowing how I could have improved my application. I guess it has to be the proposal, in spite of my referees' feedback - I really don't think having no publications would result in a score that low, especially for an applicant heading into year 1 of the PhD, but who knows. In any case, I don't have time to prepare a publication before the next application round, which makes me feel even more hopeless.

 

I think it's time to retire for the night with a glass of whiskey and some brainless tv. Hopefully after a good night's sleep I'll feel a little more resilient.

 

I am a bit baffled too! I know that my application consistently ranked high in the internal selection process. Although in my case, my undergraduate gpa was so low, that I was unable to even apply for a MA SSHRC. My application was written quickly and only with a few revisions (and I knew I had a typo... gosh), but still was considered as strong as the current PhD students in my department. I think next time around I might send the draft around to people with different disciplinary backgrounds, and more explicitly explain why it is an "important" work. That's probably the only improvement I could make in such a short time... 

 

To share my qualifications

 

4.0 MA gpa, 3.33 undergrad gpa

4 RAships

4 TAships

5 non peer reviewed publications

1 peer reviewed publication

0 conference

fellowships/awards but nothing that is extremely prestigious

very very strong letters, probably almost as strong as they could be

strong application with a typo, but I think people from other departments might have a hard time understanding why it is an important project although they get what I am proposing

Edited May 2, 2013 by Confused applicant

[Confused applicant]

Thanks for postiing this, Wrenochka. I was pretty demoralized myself when I was rejected my first year. Let me say three initial remarks: 1) I know that your CV is stronger than people who have won the CGS;  2) if you look at the SSHRC juries (they are published sometime after the awards are released) you'll get a flavour for who was judging; it's pretty revealing. Each jury is very different, from different regions, different research inclinations; 3) you did the best you could.

 

In greater depth, I'd look at a few things. First, if your supervisor is baffled, I'd get further feedback from others. My application was shredded by a SSHRC workshop three years ago; it was shredded again in the States two years ago; and last year it was completely revised and ruthlessly edited by a team of new researchers. I've tried to always get further input. This strategy might fail. Maybe it will fail. But I've at least sought out other feedback. And this I can truly say: if DTrain has qualms about juries, which I partially share, nevertheless juries are populated with (some of) the people you may eventually be working with in whatever field you've chosen. They will be on the editorial boards, hiring committees and writing reader reports for articles and book-length proposals. I'd hear what they have to say (something we're not afforded by SSHRC). Some of the feedback may be useless, but some of it may make you rethink your strategy. Good luck in the future. You've already accomplished a lot. Whisky sounds good. And then back to the drawing board!

 

I was in the same boat two years ago with publications: it seemed hopeless to re-do a proposal when one couldn't improve one's publishing record in time for the next round but, as I've stated before, I've known several people who've gotten the CGS without publishing anything. That said, after last year I managed to get a publishing contract. So think of it as a long obstacle course. You may not have something ready for next year's application, but you'll be planting the seeds for the following year's application. And you never know: those fickle juries may just wind up favouring you next year!

 

This is really helpful for me, too. Thank you! I somehow feel more relieved than disappointed right now. Perhaps the rejection is still unreal...

[Confused applicant]

I tried!! That was the first thing I tried, I promise! :-( Oh well, my apologies again!

 

I remember that the feelings of rejection that I experienced from just being waitlisted for my MA SSHRC had me hurtin' for like two or three days--it was like a flu. But you're right, with the PhD being a longer program we can take at least two or three more runs at it! I haven't gotten any news yet, but I'm so prepared for rejection at this point that I actually opened my proposal today and started thinking about how to re-work it just to get a jump on next year's competition, haha:)

 

Anyways, best of luck to you in the future! Wrenochka's whisky & tv plan sounds like a good one.... I'll be doing that for SURE, regardless of whether or not the SSHRC gods are kind this year:)

Thank you. Fingers crossed for you!

[poseidon2012]

This is really helpful for me, too. Thank you! I somehow feel more relieved than disappointed right now. Perhaps the rejection is still unreal...

 

Great! Let me share one last thing with you. Last year, a grad student got a really awesome job at an ivy league university down here. He seemed to be a middling student without any real publications, but he ground it out. One day I found out that just before being hired at that university, he'd been turned down for a summer teaching job in our department. I asked him about it. The discrepancy seemed unfathomable: not good enough for a shitty summer job but good enough for tenure at an Ivy. But when I asked him about it, he was completely professional: they were looking for other things, it was competitive etc. I thought it was an admirable response. He could have concluded it was random, but it wasn't exactly random. Just different people looking for different things.

 

If there is one thing repeated failure will do to you, unless you let despair permanently embitter you, is to make you work hard, be humble and be a happy warrior. I like to see it as a contest: you're dropped in the middle of a dark wood. Can you get out?!

[sugarcoatedsour]

Hi everyone, my letter came today. 26/30. Stats are a couple pages back. Best of luck to y'all still waiting. I was on the west coast the last 2 years so I feel your pain. 

[Minou]

First time poster, long time lurker here as well. I received my letter last night and was awarded a CGS!

 

Committee 3 

Anthropology, archaeology (except classical archaeology), archival science, communications and media studies, etc

 

Direct applicant on a sabbatical from school while I work as a researcher.

 

My score: 20.7/30

 

 

Stats when applied

• 3.85/4.3 Undergrad GPA 
• 4.17/4.3 MA GPA
• 2 very strong letters, one of which mentioned I was the top student the department has had in the last 10 years
• 1 peer reviewed book chapter forthcoming (sole author)
• 1 co-authored peer reviewed article forthcoming (main author)
• 2 non peer reviewed publications (one sole author, one second author)
• 10 peer reviewed conferences (9 as presenter, one as second author)
• a couple community and invited talks
• 5 RAs 
• 3 TAs
• two years of professional research experience leading a community-based project
• Masters SSHRC
• a couple travel grants and one undergrad award

I did about 6 major edits of my proposal, had it looked over by 4 faculty, and participated in a peer grant writing workshop. My project is innovative and could have tangible ramifications beyond academia.

 

To everyone who got it congratulations and for others who were not so lucky (as luck has a lot to do with it), don't give up and continue buffing up your application!

 

Also, if anyone is waiting on FRQSC I will be turning down my award with them.

[in the forest]

 

I finally received a letter today informing me that my application was rejected (successful applicants in my department heard by email on Monday, so I just assumed). I'm finishing my MA right now - I had been planning to start my PhD in September.

 

I've been putting off posting this because I'm so depressed about it, and embarrassed about my score (15.7/30).  I know there have been a lot of posts about the seemingly arbitrary nature of the adjudication (thanks for your post especially, DTrain), but it's still very painful.  I'm sure there are a lot of people who've been rejected who prefer not to post their profile for this reason. Here's my profile - I hope it's some consolation for others in my position, if only to let you know you aren't alone:

 

- 3.94 master's GPA

- MA SSHRC + several major awards, including an entrance fellowship, an internal award, a national prize for grad students in my discipline, and an undergraduate researcher award

- 3 peer-reviewed conferences (1 international, 2 national), 2 non-peer reviewed student conferences, 1 invited guest lecture

- 0 publications

- 4 RAships, including two overseas project positions

- 2 TAships

- high ranking by my department, forwarded by my university

- strong letters from two well-known scholars in my field, my supervisor and the research chair who I've RA'd for, both of whom enthusiastic about my proposal

- solid proposal, multiple drafts, reviewed and edited with supportive feedback from my referees & other professors in my discipline who have a great record of supporting successful applicants

 

To be honest, the score feels like more of a rejection than not receiving funding, because it's clear that I wasn't even close to receiving funds and I know I did the best that I could. I really need funding to pursue my PhD, so I'm anxious about whether I should defer a year and work instead. I am first on the waiting list for our provincial awards, but to judge from others' experiences last year, I likely won't hear for a while, and possibly not until the end of the summer.

 

My supervisor is as baffled as I am about the score. I applied knowing I had only a 50%-60% chance, so I didn't assume I would be funded - but I thought I was more competitive than a 15.7. It feels like such a personal rejection to receive a score that low after receiving such positive feedback from my mentors, and knowing that others in my discipline were funded with similar profiles. It's especially demoralizing not knowing how I could have improved my application. I guess it has to be the proposal, in spite of my referees' feedback - I really don't think having no publications would result in a score that low, especially for an applicant heading into year 1 of the PhD, but who knows. In any case, I don't have time to prepare a publication before the next application round, which makes me feel even more hopeless.

 

I think it's time to retire for the night with a glass of whiskey and some brainless tv. Hopefully after a good night's sleep I'll feel a little more resilient.

I had a similar experience last year, I was totally confounded because I basically submitted the same proposal again this year and got it. When I asked the Grad director, she told me that sometimes they will hold back on a Master's student just to see the full Master's transcript. Do not despair...and don't necessarily change anything, especially if the feedback was all strong - just submit again with the complete Master's transcript and cross your fingers.

Edited May 2, 2013 by in the forest