Secret_Ninja Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 The numbers of applicants for each pool are now flipped? How did we find that information? Just look on the Fulbright stats page. You will see what I mean by "flipped" and no - they do not have stats up yet for this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrrrdgrrrl Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Guys this what my FPA sent me. I guess we now know why it took so long to hear back from them. More than 10,000 people applied for 1550 grants! Best of luck to everyone! "Next Tuesday, January 28, after 5:00 pm, Fulbright will begin notification to candidates of first round decisions. Your message will come from U S Student Fulbright via the Institute for International Education (IIE) in New York, the contract agent whose national committee structure makes first round decisions. There were a record number of Fulbright applications this year (above 10,000) for the 1550 or so total grants. Whatever the decision you receive, please hold your head very high, with thanks from your alma mater for your interest." Still better odds than any of the other major research grants I applied for! You have to consider each grant pool separately as well. For example, the UK open grants are usually about 1-2% chance (250-300 applicants for 4 grants!), while some of the others around the world have more like 50+% chance. In other words, let's stay positive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Does anyone know why people apply for the open grants vs. the partnership ones? I feel like most of the UK unis have a partnership grant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moderatedbliss Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Does anyone know why people apply for the open grants vs. the partnership ones? I feel like most of the UK unis have a partnership grant... I can tell you personally that I didn't apply for a partnership grant because I didn't want to feel obligated to attend that particular school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moderatedbliss Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Apologies for the double post: Does anybody know if applicants for the postgraduate student award will be notified if they're on the shortlist? Or rather, will they randomly receive a phone call for an interview...? It would be nice to at least know that I got formally rejected. I've been looking forward to this January 31st date for a while now, but from the sounds of things I'm not sure if I'll be hearing back at all.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Oh ok. So basically, the open grant is whatever school you want versus being set on a particular school? I guess that makes sense. I'm sure most people want the flexibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibette Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 While we wait for Tuesday, I was wondering how many drafts did you guys end up for the final PS and SOGP?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrrrdgrrrl Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Does anyone know why people apply for the open grants vs. the partnership ones? I feel like most of the UK unis have a partnership grant... I specifically applied for a partnership grant because it is in my exact field, and the university in Aberdeen has a highly reputable program. That being said, the pool for those grants is much smaller. For mine, there were 5 applicants last year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrrrdgrrrl Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 While we wait for Tuesday, I was wondering how many drafts did you guys end up for the final PS and SOGP?? I would say at least 10 for SGP, and at least 5 for PS. I was also applying for other grants simultaneously, so I was able to recycle some stuff. The Fulbright application is by far the shortest and least complicated that I have seen...but still so much work! Horb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Yeah, I think i actually did about 12 of each. It was my first fellowship i was applying for, so I didn't have anything I could really pull from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I specifically applied for a partnership grant because it is in my exact field, and the university in Aberdeen has a highly reputable program. That being said, the pool for those grants is much smaller. For mine, there were 5 applicants last year... Yes, I chose mine based on the professors there and the specific resources the university had. I think mine had 7 or 9 last year, but I can't recall. Good luck with Aberdeen! I've heard wonderful things about that school. I'm not sure if you already mentioned it, but what are you hoping to study/research there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrrrdgrrrl Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Yes, I chose mine based on the professors there and the specific resources the university had. I think mine had 7 or 9 last year, but I can't recall. Good luck with Aberdeen! I've heard wonderful things about that school. I'm not sure if you already mentioned it, but what are you hoping to study/research there? I am actually hoping for funding for a research period. Although I am affiliating with Aberdeen, my research will be mostly in Glastonbury. I am looking at the proliferation of the claim to be "spiritual, but not religious". Basically, I hope to use ethnographic data to develop a more nuanced theory of secularism that takes seriously the ways in which people express religioua ideas and practices outside of "religion" Horb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overworkedta Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I had at least 10 different drafts of my PS and probably about 5 or 6 for my SGP. I am used to writing research proposals but I hadn't written a PS in 4 years. It was hard. I also was lucky to have a prof that had gotten a Fulbright, good university interview feedback (a doctoral committee member was also on my interview committee member), a GREAT FPA, and a strong set of comments from my advisor. Also, my BF who seriously should be a copywriter and has a degree in English looked over my final draft prior to submission. I got really good at looking at these, though. I just helped a friend with her Boren Fellowship essays and knew what to look for. If nothing else, I have learned how to write for such an application. Writing about me was the hardest part. I tend to think that I am my research more often than not since I chose to study what I chose based on my desire to help people. I study women and minorities in public admin because I want to help improve outcomes for those groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I am actually hoping for funding for a research period. Although I am affiliating with Aberdeen, my research will be mostly in Glastonbury. I am looking at the proliferation of the claim to be "spiritual, but not religious". Basically, I hope to use ethnographic data to develop a more nuanced theory of secularism that takes seriously the ways in which people express religioua ideas and practices outside of "religion" That seems really interesting! Is that building upon something you're already working on or completely new? Either way, it is really cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrrrdgrrrl Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 That seems really interesting! Is that building upon something you're already working on or completely new? Either way, it is really cool. This is a continutation. My project is broadly comparative, using Glastonbury and Sedona as my case studies. My home U is close to Sedona, so I have done work there, but I also have done a pilot trip to Britain that was really helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibette Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I wrote more than 15 versions for each but I had a lot of people review them and give me feedback which was challenging especially when they tell you to change something and then ask you to go back to a previous version because that one was better. I think the personal statement was the most challenging part for me at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overworkedta Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Okay, I'm off to make some poutine with the BF. We had a gift card to use. Purchased a deep fryer with it because you can't get poutine in this place! Will be making some and praying I hear good news Tuesday, I guess. Either way it's a win-win, right? But before I go, question. How many "extras" make it to the second round as alternates. If we make it past this big hurdle, are there going to be like 20 alternates for a given country? Or is it like 5-6 alternates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibette Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Okay, I'm off to make some poutine with the BF. We had a gift card to use. Purchased a deep fryer with it because you can't get poutine in this place! Will be making some and praying I hear good news Tuesday, I guess. Either way it's a win-win, right? But before I go, question. How many "extras" make it to the second round as alternates. If we make it past this big hurdle, are there going to be like 20 alternates for a given country? Or is it like 5-6 alternates? I think they reccommend .5-2x more applicants to the country of choice, and about half of those not chosen become alternates. What I understood, is that the lets say 6 grants are given and they recommend between 10-12 applications, 6 make it to the final round and about 2-3 get alternate status and the remaining are not recommended. I think only up to three people get to be alternates or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I would imagine it varies by country/grants amount. In places with 50+ grants, you might have more alternates than the three. Though the three could be in relation to example given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibette Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Thought I'd share this from previous years GradCafe users: 2010-2011 Fulbright for All Countries: Alternates: 50 Alternates turned Accepted: 21 2011-2012 Fulbright for All Countries: Alternates: 63 Alternates turned Accepted: 11 2012-2013 Fulbright for All Countries: Alternates: 75 Alternates turned Accepted: 18 2013-2014 Fulbright for All Countries: Alternates: 71 Alternates turned Accepted: 12 This might not answer your question since they're alternates to accepted, but I thought I'd share. I wish Fulbright could have a more clear picture of every country's selection process when it comes to the initial and second phases. moderatedbliss and elle_woods 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbui Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I've just watched this video on the Fulbright selection process in Kabul, and it's incredibly useful! I just wished I saw it earlier... lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overworkedta Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 No kidding! It's going to be really hard moving forward with an alternate status if I make it through to round two but don't get accepted. I won't be able to sign a lease, figure things out, etc. It's going to be really frustrating but it doesn't seem like being accepted from alternate is a death sentence at all - which in some ways makes it worse. If I didn't have an SO (who has kids and visitation to worry about), a lease, and a dissertation to worry about, it'd be no issue at all. Blargh. I wish it was an all or nothing yes or no for my own personal circumstances. Maybe I will get lucky and they will just put me out of my misery on Tuesday? I don't really mean that, of course, but making it through seems like a long, long process! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secret_Ninja Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 No kidding! It's going to be really hard moving forward with an alternate status if I make it through to round two but don't get accepted. I won't be able to sign a lease, figure things out, etc. It's going to be really frustrating but it doesn't seem like being accepted from alternate is a death sentence at all - which in some ways makes it worse. If I didn't have an SO (who has kids and visitation to worry about), a lease, and a dissertation to worry about, it'd be no issue at all. Blargh. I wish it was an all or nothing yes or no for my own personal circumstances. Maybe I will get lucky and they will just put me out of my misery on Tuesday? I don't really mean that, of course, but making it through seems like a long, long process! I understand your sentiments. But for me, even if I am awarded I still need extra money for lab fees and other expenses. So my waiting game continues through January regardless. It makes the continued process to determine finalist vs. alternate not *as* painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horb Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I can't believe the day is almost upon us! kbui 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overworkedta Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I understand your sentiments. But for me, even if I am awarded I still need extra money for lab fees and other expenses. So my waiting game continues through January regardless. It makes the continued process to determine finalist vs. alternate not *as* painful. That's tough. :/ I'm not going to do much different if I don't get it. I will just not have this chapter/chapters in my diss and move forward, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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