NDSEG 2013-2014

[InquilineKea]

So the application process starts again today. See https://ndseg.asee.org/apply

Edited September 4, 2013 by InquilineKea

[Roo]

For the "Community & Volunteer Work" section, would it look like I'm grasping if I wrote activities from late high school? I put in a lot of work over a couple years back then, but I haven't done much in that regard since (unless standing outside and telling people where to vote counts as a volunteer activity).

[Wander]

So I have a question about the research references. I'm currently working at a research institute and haven't yet told my supervisor that I'm applying to grad school. As I've coauthored papers with my current supervisor, he's a contact for my research experiences.

 

When might they contact research references / do they? I don't want my supervisor to find out via email from NDSEG but ideally I'd wait till Feb - April when I know where / if I was accepted to tell him for sure.

[DropTheBase]

So I have a question about the research references. I'm currently working at a research institute and haven't yet told my supervisor that I'm applying to grad school. As I've coauthored papers with my current supervisor, he's a contact for my research experiences.

 

When might they contact research references / do they? I don't want my supervisor to find out via email from NDSEG but ideally I'd wait till Feb - April when I know where / if I was accepted to tell him for sure.

 

I'm a little confused by your situation, is your supervisor not writing you a letter for the NDSEG?

 

You bring up a really good question, however. To what extent does ASEE contact every non-letter-writing reference you put down? And in what way? Do they read the blurb that we submit to NDSEG and confirm? Or is it just a he/she did/didn't work for me kind of thing? Maybe some previous applicants can answer.

 

DTB

[Wander]

I began work at my current job in July, so my supervisor hasn't known me long enough to write the kind of letter that my old professors can. But I've still done substantial research in that time since July.

 

Any previous applicants have an idea how/when non-letter-writing references are contacted?

[picabo]

Does anyone have any suggestions about the essays or know of any websites that include suggestions/examples?

[bananaphone]

Does anyone have any suggestions about the essays or know of any websites that include suggestions/examples?

 

Olga Botvinnik posted a link to her blog on here a while back.  She was awarded the NDSEG and has a lot of other example essays: Link to her essays.

 

Philip Guo also has some excellent advice on fellowships (Hertz, NSF, and NDSEG):  Link to his advice.

[tschlich]

Is anyone else going to get screwed over because they didn't submit GRE scores well enough in advance?  I missed the "send it 15 days in advance" guideline because silly me figured that an electronic submission would take at the most a couple of days to get from point a to point b.  Ridiculous.

[tschlich]

Also, I can't view the status of my application.  Anyone else?

[bluebla]

Also, I can't view the status of my application.  Anyone else?

 

Same. 

 

As for the GRE thing, did you take multiple tests with ETS (e.g., a general and a subject test)? If so, the numbers might not match up. You should call ETS to get the right registration numbers...

[DropTheBase]

Probably too late now, but isn't there an expedited service for sending GRE scores?

 

Also, unlike the NSF, you're application immediately disappears once you submit it. So it's a really good idea to save all your entries somewhere for next year.

 

DTB

[jeffleung1992]

Anyone have any experience with when we can expect to hear back?

[DropTheBase]

If you look at previous years' threads, 5% of each thread is about the actual application and the rest is about hearing back. It seems to be around or later than when we all hear back from NSF.

[MajorityMinority]

Ugh, I'm so anxious! I really need this fellowship to come through.

 

[DropTheBase]

Ugh, I'm so anxious! I really need this fellowship to come through.

 

You already have the GEM!! You need another one???

[MajorityMinority]

You already have the GEM!! You need another one???

 

Yes, I was very lucky to receive the the GEM fellowship upon entering graduate school; however, the fellowship only lasts for one year. 

[rubethecube]

I just went digging through the results for NDSEG, and it looks like the award time is a good deal more variable than for NSF. Last year, the majority of awards went out April 3rd (which was a Wednesday), so we may be hearing as soon as next week. The year before, the awards seemed to be erratically placed between mid April and as late as August 1 (??).

Anyway best of luck to everyone! And don't get your hopes up if you're waitlisted (which from last year looks like happens to a SHITLOAD of people)... better to assume it means rejected and have a pleasant surprise to find out you got it later than be destroyed again.

[sandyo]

The year before last, I think we heard in late April. Then last year, we got a first-cut notification early in April & the final notification went out first week of May. Hopefully they'll do the first-cut thing again this year.

 

This is my 3rd (and last year) playing the NDSEG game!

[fosgfp]

someone asked on fb about notifications and got this response:
 

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Thanks for your message! The applications are currently being reviewed by the DoD. They expect to inform us of their decisions by sometime in mid-April, at which point we will notify all selected applicants.
Have a great weekend!

March 28 at 2:39pm

[bluebla]

In previous years people found out by logging in before the official emails went out, right (and noticing the site went down right before the announcement)? Is this the main site? 

[picabo]

I received this email this morning from "The NDSEG Program Team at ASEE":

 

Dear 2014 NDSEG applicant,

The NDSEG Program Office has been receiving a large volume of inquiries regarding the status of awards for the 2014 NDSEG Fellowship. As a result, we would like to update you with the information that we have been given at this time. The Department of Defense has informed the NDSEG Program team that they expect to submit award decisions the second week of April. Once the DoD has submitted these results, the NDSEG Program team will then contact all applicants via e-mail.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

The NDSEG Program Team at ASEE
1818 N Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 649-3831
Fax: (202) 265-8504

 

So .... it sounds like DoD will email them next week and they will email us after that. So ... I'm thinking we'll hear back (via email) next week or the week after.

 

Fingers crossed!

[HERDERRCHEMISTRY]

Saw this on the Facebook page today:

 

"To all of the 2014 NDSEG applicants:

We just sent an email to all 2014 NDSEG Fellowship applicants letting you know that based on conversations with the DoD, we expect to announce award decisions in the second week of April.

We're almost there! Please let us know if you have any questions by contacting us on social media, at ndseg@asee.org, or by calling 202-649-3831. Thanks!"  So no new information, but it's something!

[waddles]

Did anyone else not get this email? I checked that my app was submitted and my contact info was correct....

[cornhuskerfan1988]

I got the email. It was sent yesterday at 10:49 AM (EST).

Edited April 4, 2014 by cornhuskerfan1988

[th3catalyst]

Yes I got the email on Wednesday at 10:49 AM EST as well.