Zourob Posted June 11, 2013 Posted June 11, 2013 I received my ranking as well and I think I do not have any hope of getting any upgradation to CGS-D. What I understood from their letter that the scholarships are not distributed based on the ranking only. It is not like the first ten in the list gets a CGS and the next 20 gets a PGS. They have some way of distributing them. Depending as well on the ranking but not solely.
QueensCS Posted June 11, 2013 Posted June 11, 2013 What I understood from their letter that the scholarships are not distributed based on the ranking only. It is not like the first ten in the list gets a CGS and the next 20 gets a PGS. They have some way of distributing them. Depending as well on the ranking but not solely. Well, let us hope for the best. What about you?
Zourob Posted June 11, 2013 Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) Well, let us hope for the best. What about you? Still waiting for any updates... But the lady at the Graduate office at Western said that they keep receiving upgrades and scholarships up till September and even December where some ppl agree to take the scholarship say in May and they plan to start in December but then they change their mind just before joining. So there is still a long time period where upgrades can take place. Edited June 11, 2013 by Zourob
nc805397 Posted June 12, 2013 Posted June 12, 2013 Hi everyone, I applied for NSERC PGS M funding and I was waitlisted. Today, I got my rankings and scores for each category (after sending an email requesting them). I am ranked 61/103 in the Earth Sciences group. So disappointed. I got a FAILING % in Academic Excellence, even though I have a 3.84/4.3. Which, ok, isn't THAT great, but I worked extremely hard and graduated at the top of my class. I got a 70% in both the other categories though (Research potential/abilities and Communication/Leadership). When do you guys start the next application? I was thinking of starting it soon to get a head start and make it perfect so that it is submitted before I start my Master's program this fall. Although, I can't change my grades, maybe I can strengthen the rest of my application. Although, this past fall and winter I got a 4.0/4.3 in both semesters, so that may help. Let me know when you guys plan on starting your next NSERC PGS M application
Garganturat Posted June 13, 2013 Posted June 13, 2013 Hi everyone, I applied for NSERC PGS M funding and I was waitlisted. Today, I got my rankings and scores for each category (after sending an email requesting them). I am ranked 61/103 in the Earth Sciences group. So disappointed. I got a FAILING % in Academic Excellence, even though I have a 3.84/4.3. Which, ok, isn't THAT great, but I worked extremely hard and graduated at the top of my class. I got a 70% in both the other categories though (Research potential/abilities and Communication/Leadership) It's good! But NSERC has become ridiculously competitive. At the PGS-M level, which I applied for in the 2009-2010 competition, I had a GPA of 3.94/4.3 (which was the highest in the department in my graduating year). I was also in the honours stream, and in a co-op program, so I had (by the end of my degree) 4 semesters full time, and 2 semesters part-time of laboratory experience as an internship. I also had my honours project and other small projects, that were worth 12 credits and involved lab work (that are above and beyond the co-op stuff). I'm not trying to get you down, just giving you some perspective on who you're competing with. At the PGS-D level, I was rejected twice, and only got it this year because I had a 2nd author paper in a big-ish journal, so it's not as if I was leading the pack. Papers shouldn't matter at the MSc level, but letters of reference do. Make sure you're not only getting them from people who like you, but from people that are known, or well-liked and have supervised students in the past. The letter carries less weight if they have no idea who the person is (or if it's hard to find out). When do you guys start the next application? I was thinking of starting it soon to get a head start and make it perfect so that it is submitted before I start my Master's program this fall. Although, I can't change my grades, maybe I can strengthen the rest of my application. Although, this past fall and winter I got a 4.0/4.3 in both semesters, so that may help. Let me know when you guys plan on starting your next NSERC PGS M application I always did it last minute! But one thing that's helpful is to get your current or future supervisor to take a look. It's always in their interest for you to do well, so they should put in the effort to help you out. Good luck!
TakeruK Posted June 13, 2013 Posted June 13, 2013 I agree -- definitely get your new supervisor to take a look, especially at your research proposal. For both my -M and -D applications, I sought out a researcher, brainstormed with them a project, and wrote up a proposal. In the -M case, they also agreed to read over my first draft and gave useful comments. Also, I wouldn't consider the % feedback you get as "grades" -- i.e. less than 50% doesn't mean "fail". I think it's a comparative ranking and remember that it's only the strongest students apply so getting "middle of the pack" scores doesn't mean you're a bad student -- it just means that you're in the middle of the pack in terms of GPA compared with other students, I think. Other things that help are winning past NSERC awards (e.g. USRA or the -M award to get the -D award) and publications. For the -M, where grades are more important (50% of the consideration), I would say that a "strong" candidate woud be someone with an A average, or 4.0/4.3. If you have less than that, you probably would need strong research experience and LORs and all of the other stuff they consider. I barely had an A average when I applied for the -M for the 2010-2011 award year and I got it while my friend, who had roughly the same research experience (co-op, papers, and all that too) but slightly lower GPA did not get one. So, I feel like I barely squeezed in with a slightly above A average back in 2010-2011 and I can only imagine the competition is higher now!
QueensCS Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 No one with any upgrade news this year. Well, that is pretty unusual Bmad 1
nc805397 Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 Hi everyone!!! about 1 week ago I posted here disappointed that I was waitlisted, and frustrated with my ranking and scores (see a few posts above). My ranking must have been 61/103 overall and not 61/103 on the waitlist like I assumed. I GOT OFF THE WAITLIST! I got a NSERC CGS M award!!!!!!!!!!! :D Miracles do happen THANK YOU NSERC YOU HAVE MADE ME SO HAPPY. Anyone else got the happy news??!?! *happy dance!*
QueensCS Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 Hi everyone!!! about 1 week ago I posted here disappointed that I was waitlisted, and frustrated with my ranking and scores (see a few posts above). My ranking must have been 61/103 overall and not 61/103 on the waitlist like I assumed. I GOT OFF THE WAITLIST! I got a NSERC CGS M award!!!!!!!!!!! :D Miracles do happen THANK YOU NSERC YOU HAVE MADE ME SO HAPPY. Anyone else got the happy news??!?! *happy dance!* COngratulations ! when did you get the news? Was it through postal mail or through email from NSERC?
Bmad Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 Anybody hear any news about the upgrades from PGS-D to CGS-D? Last year these were sent out at the beginning of June.
nc805397 Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 COngratulations ! when did you get the news? Was it through postal mail or through email from NSERC? NSERC sent the CGS M offer to my email. I got the news last Friday (14th) actually, but didn't come online to the forums until now.
QueensCS Posted July 1, 2013 Posted July 1, 2013 This year NSERC is being late in announcing the upgrades (if there is any at all).
neon45 Posted July 1, 2013 Posted July 1, 2013 Hi everyone. Was wait listed for a masters-level award, just found out a got a CGS-M. Letter was dated June 21st, and came by mail. Good luck to all still waiting to hear!
snowshoes Posted July 2, 2013 Posted July 2, 2013 I was under the impression that the successful waitlist folks could hear from NSERC anywhere from June-January. If you don't hear over the next few weeks does it really mean you didn't make it? I can't see how NSERC would find out all the applicant responses and other information by June. That said, not holding my breath
Zourob Posted July 2, 2013 Posted July 2, 2013 I was under the impression that the successful waitlist folks could hear from NSERC anywhere from June-January. If you don't hear over the next few weeks does it really mean you didn't make it? I can't see how NSERC would find out all the applicant responses and other information by June. That said, not holding my breath I did confirm this with the graduate office at Western. Some people who were wait listed would eventually refuse the award to be held starting January and then it will be passed on to someone else. So, it seems as a year-long process!
Bmad Posted July 2, 2013 Posted July 2, 2013 This year NSERC is being late in announcing the upgrades (if there is any at all). I've been checking my mail very frequently for an upgrade letter. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but it would be really really nice if I got the upgrade. I hope there will be upgrades this year
WhiteRussian Posted July 9, 2013 Posted July 9, 2013 Hey everyone, I just received PGS M! Received the confirmation through email. Good luck to everyone else. This has great information for anyone wondering how many applications are declined each year: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/_doc/Students-Etudiants/CompStat2013-StatConcours2013_eng.pdf
Funhe Posted July 16, 2013 Posted July 16, 2013 Sorry I'm late to the party. I received my upgrade notice (PGS to CGS-D) out in BC about two weeks ago. Hope that helps.
QueensCS Posted July 16, 2013 Posted July 16, 2013 Congratulations Funhe. Did you get your ranking or score from NSERC before? Sorry I'm late to the party. I received my upgrade notice (PGS to CGS-D) out in BC about two weeks ago. Hope that helps.
Bmad Posted July 16, 2013 Posted July 16, 2013 Sorry I'm late to the party. I received my upgrade notice (PGS to CGS-D) out in BC about two weeks ago. Hope that helps. Congratulations! Did you receive the notice by letter or email? As of last week the awards department at Waterloo had not yet received the upgrade list from NSERC.
dynasty007 Posted October 4, 2013 Posted October 4, 2013 I was on the reversion list for a NSERC PSG and just received word last week that I got the award. Hopefully others on the reversion list will be successful as well.
Gira Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 Ah great. NSERC server overload on deadline day. I don't know if I will be able to submit my application. Did you contact university and NSERC? They will give extra time to submit the application.
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