NSF GRFP 2013-14

[Queen of Kale]

VG/VG E/E E/E => awarded

 

Last year I had the same scores & very similar application and received an HM.  In fact, a good friend in the same field had lower scores than me last year and was awarded.  So yes, the process is slightly random but I am also reeaaallly really happy that the odds inexplicably fell in my favor this time & wish good luck to those of you with additional years of availability.

 

Don't lose heart!

[guttata]

does anyone know what it means if you only got two reviews? (first timer here)

 

Not much. Some people with 2 reviews get the award, some get nothing. Some need a 3rd reviewer, presumably if they're on the bubble and need a reviewer to push them one way or the other. Very rarely I've seen people even get 4.

 

Nothing myself, 3 and out. Got the exact same scores as last year with a totally different proposal - I suspect I may have been applying to the wrong subheading.

VG/E

G/G

 

Just goes to show that luck of the draw with reviewers can make a huge difference. #1 loved it and would have given me the award; #2 was wholly unimpressed.

[jmu]

Congrats to those who won!

G/F VG/E VG/G

First reviewer must have been from another field or didn't read very well because they mention things that I said as ways I can improve. ('The problems are economic and environmental' ... Yes. I said this and mentioned that this is political ecology. Political ecology is also in the title. 'It's also due to the globalizing economy and the influence of Brazil' ... Which is precisely why I mentioned that and cited the IDB documents relating to my research country and Brazil's partnership.)

[eastcoastprimate]

Not much. Some people with 2 reviews get the award, some get nothing. Some need a 3rd reviewer, presumably if they're on the bubble and need a reviewer to push them one way or the other. Very rarely I've seen people even get 4.

 

Nothing myself, 3 and out. Got the exact same scores as last year with a totally different proposal - I suspect I may have been applying to the wrong subheading.

VG/E

G/G

 

Just goes to show that luck of the draw with reviewers can make a huge difference. #1 loved it and would have given me the award; #2 was wholly unimpressed.

 

I got VG/F and VG/VG, with a ton of typos in the reviews. Were they half asleep when reading my stuff? The first reviewer said "no significant honors or awards, only two professional conference presentations" and the second reviewer went on about how having presented twice is so wonderful.

 

There has to be some way for them to standardize these reviewers. This is how I feel about the guacamole scoopers at chipotle. Either you get a huge amount or basically nothing depending on who's scooping. JUST FILL UP THE DAMN SPOON AND BE FAIR!

Edited April 1, 2014 by eastcoastprimate

[bathingintheneon]

I'm just so angry I cannot sleep. I wish I had known then what I know now about what category I wanted to be judged in. I'm even more upset that I got excellents in the broader impact, and a mix of very goods and excellents in intellectual merit. I literally have every undergrad national fellowship for my field, 4.0 GPA, 4 years of research and outreach and summer activities. There were like 6 full awards offered to people at my university and I know that my application was better than theirs. Just so infuriating. I have been working towards this every moment of my undergrad career. 

 

Edit: I was just looking over my reviews and both of my VG/E said I was fellowship potential (one even stated Level 1 applicant) and my E/E of course said he recommended for fellowship. I LITERALLY DO NOT GET IT

I slept on it, thinking that I would be less angry in the morning... nope. Still can't get over that my reviewers said that I lacked the publications to be competitive in this years pool. Many of them recognized that I'm not in graduate school yet, so I know they weren't misinterpreting my year. I had listed that I had two pubs in prep (now it's four, with three as first author), but I guess they wanted more? Even so, a second year grad student in my lab got HM and she doesn't have any pubs yet. Wtf. I think this was the thing that stopped me from getting Es in IM, because I know it wasn't my GPA, lack of awards/presentations, etc.

Guess the only thing I can do is write like a madwoman for the next seven months and get out these pubs. I feel like I also need to be doing more outreach, even though I did a ridiculous amount of tutoring as an undergrad. Maybe that isn't relevant to BI? I don't know anymore.

[loginofpscl]

E/E E/E E/VG

[ANDS!]

Not the end of the world folks.  There are numerous other awards out there and if anything (whether you agree with them or not) the review comments can only help you going forward.

[Fisherer]

G/VG, G/G, E/E- Not recommended.

 

I am pretty disappointed.  I honestly though I had a stronger application.  2/3 reviewers were hung up on the fact that I don't have any publications or presentations.  I am not currently a student, and while the research I am helping to conduct is resulting in publications, I have had no opportunities to be a part of that process.  I'm pretty sure one reviewer didn't reach much of my application, given that for the "broader impacts" section they just spat out (with many grammar errors) one of my many research experiences, not even the focal experience.

 

Now I am forced with the reality that I simply cannot afford to attend graduate school.  I live in and was planning to attend school and conduct research in an area with one of the highest costs of living in the lower 48 (can't really move elsewhere due to the nature of the research), and I make peanuts and barely scrape by as it is. Reduce my employment to part-time, take away health benefits, and add a 100-mile roundtrip commute between my university and my place of employment/research, and I'll be drowning in debt.  And with the field I am in (wildlife biology), I am unlikely to ever make enough money to pay off that debt in the near future.  Sigh.

 

Is anyone else in the same boat and feeling completely discouraged?

 

Congratulations, of course, to all of those who received an award or an honorable mention.

[WLOG8]

Just got my reviews sheets. Very confused. And sad. But mostly confused.  

 

E/P

E/VG

VG/VG

 

I just don't see how the first reviewer's rating in the BI section could be so wildly different from the ratings of the others, who remark on my tutoring, teaching, grading, involvement and leadership in related extracurric's, community outreach, and desire to communicate with the community. It's likely that this singular rating killed my chances, which is crazy. 

 

No constructive comments given by this wildcard reviewer either: "Unsure what the applicant means by 'the whole community.' The applicant could improve the research statement by explaining the potential impact on a broader audience. The applicant has been involved in, to a limited extent, community outreach."  Essentially, saying "the applicant can do better in the BI section by doing better in the BI section." How is this supposed to help me if I want to apply again? Moreover, the other reviewers thought that my potential for broader impact was so strong that they gave me VG's. Can't believe this. 

[Maziana]

Not recommended. 

 

I certainly understand, but it bugs me that I got a F/F E/E E/G - and that the reviewer who gave me fairs gave me no comments at all. Really? You won't even give me a vague sentence about what I can improve in case I decide to apply again? :/ Also, one of the reviewers misspelled a few words (obvious ones too). Did they even spend time looking closely at my application?

 

Also, looks like only one person in IO Psychology even won an award. That is highly discouraging. 

 

 

Now I am forced with the reality that I simply cannot afford to attend graduate school.  I live in and was planning to attend school and conduct research in an area with one of the highest costs of living in the lower 48 (can't really move elsewhere due to the nature of the research), and I make peanuts and barely scrape by as it is. Reduce my employment to part-time, take away health benefits, and add a 100-mile roundtrip commute between my university and my place of employment/research, and I'll be drowning in debt.  And with the field I am in (wildlife biology), I am unlikely to ever make enough money to pay off that debt in the near future.  Sigh.

 

Is anyone else in the same boat and feeling completely discouraged?

 

 

Aww, I'm sorry and wish you the best of luck... You could always apply for the NSF next year, maybe? I'm disappointed because I might have to give up attending my first choice, but I'm incredibly lucky to have a second choice with funding.

[Sabarnacle]

G/VG, G/G, E/E- Not recommended.

 

I am pretty disappointed.  I honestly though I had a stronger application.  2/3 reviewers were hung up on the fact that I don't have any publications or presentations.  I am not currently a student, and while the research I am helping to conduct is resulting in publications, I have had no opportunities to be a part of that process.  I'm pretty sure one reviewer didn't reach much of my application, given that for the "broader impacts" section they just spat out (with many grammar errors) one of my many research experiences, not even the focal experience.

 

Now I am forced with the reality that I simply cannot afford to attend graduate school.  I live in and was planning to attend school and conduct research in an area with one of the highest costs of living in the lower 48 (can't really move elsewhere due to the nature of the research), and I make peanuts and barely scrape by as it is. Reduce my employment to part-time, take away health benefits, and add a 100-mile roundtrip commute between my university and my place of employment/research, and I'll be drowning in debt.  And with the field I am in (wildlife biology), I am unlikely to ever make enough money to pay off that debt in the near future.  Sigh.

 

Is anyone else in the same boat and feeling completely discouraged?

 

Congratulations, of course, to all of those who received an award or an honorable mention.

 

Yep, for the majority of marine mammal graduate research projects, an NSF fellowship is necessary for admittance. So, I cannot go. The nature of the research requires a lot of funds, with little opportunities, so the researchers usually will only consider students that have their own funding. At least, that is what several researchers have told me. They think I am a good fit (multiple conference presentations, president of a national marine conservation student coalition, national board member of a marine mammal society, two lab experiences, 3 marine mammal internships, publication in the works..) but I need to bring $$$.  

 

I am an undergrad and didn't get it. One reviewer expected a publication (not easy in this field!) and somehow failed to see my extensive experience in science outreach. Going to try next year!

[dcampos6398]

G/G

VG/E

Only 2 reviews

Honorable mention

Hahhhhha

That one G/G judge that raves about my NSF, hhmi, NIH and cur funding and all my pubs, but still gives me average scores

Can't help but find it somewhat comical

 

Undergraduate application .... still got 2 more times

So watch out applicants next cycle

Good job to all!

Edited April 1, 2014 by dcampos6398

[eliotstanton]

G/G VG/VG VG/G - Not much constructive criticism unfortunately, however think I should have emphasized broader impacts more heavily. Reviewer #1 placed the title of my research proposal as the explanation for IM. Congratulations to everyone who received a fellowship.

[hb19]

Award offered:

 

VG/E

E/E

E/E

[gellert]

Honorable Mention

 

E/E

E/E

VG/G

 

 

Say it with me now:  "Damn you, reviewer three!"     

 

Well, I have two more chances (I'm starting my first year in the fall), so hopefully I'll have better luck next year.

 

Congratulations to all awardees!

Edited April 1, 2014 by gellert

[sciatrix]

Delurking to vent...

 

E/E, VG/VG, E/E. Third reviewer in particular wrote paragraphs of gushing praise for my proposal, for both IM and BI. 

 

Honorable Mention. And this is my last shot at it, so I'm feeling a bit sulky. I can only conclude that the second reviewer (whose comments are nearly all negative despite the VGs) hated it enough to tank my application. 

[kap09c]

I WON I WON I WON I WON!!!!

 

VG/VG

E/E

VG/E

 

TWOOOOOO FELLOWSHIPS (NAT'L + PRIVATE) = FULLY FUNDED GRAD STUDENT = MY LIFE IS OFFICIALLY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Edited April 1, 2014 by kap09c

[WLOG8]

Honorable Mention

 

E/E

E/E

VG/G

 

 

Say it with me now:  "Damn you, reviewer three!"     

 

Well, I have two more chances (I'm starting my first year in the fall), so hopefully I'll have better luck next year.

 

Congratulations to all awardees!

In my case, "Damn you reviewer one!" Haha. I wish there were some sort of standardization in the reviewing process. It seems unimaginable to me that I can get a P (the lowest possible rating!) from one reviewer in the BI section, yet two VG's from the others. 

 

Just thought I would commiserate with you. Good luck with your next applications.

 

Personally, I don't know if I'm going to reapply. Unfortunately, the P was given with no constructive comments, so I don't know how I can make my app any better. There seems to be too much randomness in the review process to make it worth my time. Maybe I can submit the exact same app next year, and I'll do much better simply because I don't have the reviewer from hell!  

 

Nevertheless, congrats to all awardees!

[gellert]

In my case, "Damn you reviewer one!" Haha. I wish there were some sort of standardization in the reviewing process. It seems unimaginable to me that I can get a P (the lowest possible rating!) from one reviewer in the BI section, yet two VG's from the others. 

 

Just thought I would commiserate with you. Good luck with your next applications.

 

Personally, I don't know if I'm going to reapply. Unfortunately, the P was given with no constructive comments, so I don't know how I can make my app any better. There seems to be too much randomness in the review process to make it worth my time. Maybe I can submit the exact same app next year, and I'll do much better simply because I don't have the reviewer from hell!

 

Nevertheless, congrats to all awardees!

 

Oh man, that sucks.  I'm sorry.  :/  

 

The process is such a crapshoot, especially in some fields.  Sounds like your reviewer just hadn't had his/her morning coffee yet.  I would expect you'd do better next year simply because you'd have more experience (not just with grad school but with applying to the NSF), and you'd be getting different reviewers.  I understand the sentiment, though.

[parkridge]

Has anyone received an email from NSF???

[roboticsapplicant]

Has anyone received an email from NSF???

 

I got one saying I didn't win.

[jmu]

Has anyone received an email from NSF???

Mine came at 3:12 am

[roboticsapplicant]

I hate how angry and entitled some people are on this thread. Just be glad you get back feedback, but recognize that it's still a crap-shoot process.

 

My third reviewer said I was a strong applicant, but I didn't get squat. My hope is that there was a holistic process that awarded applicants who were better qualified overall than me, rather than who got the luck of the draw with reviewers. If it means that I get high marks and don't win the award, but someone else who is actually better qualified than me (holistically, not just in a two-line review) got it, then great. This is exactly what the system should be - there's no way to "normalize" different reviewers.

 

So stop complaining you arrogant entitled fools.

[EquationForLife]

I don't feel entitled. I'm not even saying my application is strong, but I'm not happy with feedback that says I don't discuss in enough detail disease related goals of my research when the Program Solicitation says: 

 

"Research with disease-related goals, including work on the etiology, diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in human beings is normally not supported."

 

Make up your damn mind. 

[hrdrckr]

not awarded

 

VG/F G/G G/E

 

The reviewers seemed to contradict each other, but each had merit in their critiques. All the reviewers thought my proposed research was very interesting but criticized my academic performance from undergrad. I think coming from a small program didn't do anything for my chances either. I have other external funding lined up for the next couple years, so definitely not the end of the world.

 

Congrats to those who were awarded!