Ontario Graduate Scholarship

[mikaela]

I am in a similar position, I am ranked number 3 on the reversion list but because of my obsessiveness I have been looking over the statistics since about December. I think it depends on which program you applied to... I applied to multi & interdisciplinary studies which usually is not awarded more than 15 awards every year. If this is the case (for this year) you might be able to figure out that most people applied for SSHRC and OGS - meaning that a few of those people will be awarded both. For those who applied to programs with much higher award payouts (probably Psych being one of them) your chances may be higher. I am just KICKING Myself for not applying in the same category as my department - environmental studies (I think I would have had much greater success there).

Where did you find the statistics virdisun? I wonder how many scholarships are given out in sociology. Let's hope everyone ahead of us in the rankings is so spectacular that they'll get a SSHRC, an NSHRC or whatever applies! That would be a perfect case of win-win.

[scario_canada]

rosej44,

Is is possible that one of you is a doctoral student and the other a Master's student? Just a thought...

[paulfcurry]

I'm 12th for PhD philosophy - doesn't sound too hopeful

[virdisun]

Where did you find the statistics virdisun? I wonder how many scholarships are given out in sociology. Let's hope everyone ahead of us in the rankings is so spectacular that they'll get a SSHRC, an NSHRC or whatever applies! That would be a perfect case of win-win.

Hello, the lists aren't for the schools they are for the discipline code you applied for (the three digits). So for all the people who applied under the same discipline code as you did, they gave out a certain number of awards (I imagine quite a few for Psychology), and you are on the reversion list if one of those applicants does not accept their award.

Good question Mikaela, I might have found them on the osap website but now that I think of it, they don't really distribute any stats. I'm thinking I mixed up OGS with SSHRC and that SSHRC provided a breakdown of awards by discipline code and I might have based my remark on those spreadsheets which are found on the SSHRC website. Sorry for the misinformation.

[Cree8tiveGyal]

Hmmm...some very interesting things....I feel really sorry for Gerry @ OGS - she must go nuts at this time of year! Especially with all of us wanting to know where we stand on the Reversion List!

I called at the middle of last week and was told I'm #1 on the English list (so yeah, it's definitely discipline-specific). I don't know what the odds are or where to find out how these things usually pan out.....I'm just gonna cross my fingers and hope for the best........this whole SSHRC delay thing sucks....but no news is good news - it's better than what I went through with Trudeau Foundation - all excited since I hadn't heard, while other people received rejection letters...so I finally e-mail to inquire and within 20 mins. have my e-mailed rejection letter on-screen! Ah, mail mishaps and false hope.....

I never thought I would be one to obsess about this quite so much - and I haven't - this is the first year for obsessing - likely because I received an OGS last year when I didn't anticipate standing a snowball's chance in hell (I never tire of that phrase)....... :wink:

[randomthought]

I am just curious...

If you are on the reverse list, do you still get a rejection letter?

Or you won't hear anything until later they decide to give you an award (say if all the people before you get other major awards) or not?

[Cree8tiveGyal]

Yeah - you get a letter that's like "Congrats, you were semi-rejected"......"sorry we didn't pick you"...."all hope is not lost, if other people refuse, you could hear as late as December 2009 that you will receive an award".......

That's the condensed version......lol

[mikaela]

I keep checking the SSHRC thread - I think I'm as anxious as SSHRC applicants are to hear that they've gotten their results. I mean, I figure that's when the reversion lists will become active right?

Note: I just finished my SSHRC funding jan 2009. Which is why I really want an OGS - else it's OSAP for me to finish the PhD ASAP.

[monkeyphd]

gerry must be getting really irritated by all the phone calls. we just got a letter from her forwarded by our dept. which says that those who have received an offer have until june 30th to respond, and that we shouldn't call again until mid-late august. also that our status on the website will be updated if we eventually receive an OGS.

[Cree8tiveGyal]

Wow...you're kidding......yeah, she must be ready to lose her mind. I'm surprised that people are being given that long to respond....I swear I thought last year you only had 30 days.......ah well. I can't recall if it was mentioned on this board or not, but has anyone else had a friend who received an OGS but was told it was conditional upon making a repayment to OSAP first? One of my friends has been told to pay back a few thousand BEFORE she can receive her OGS......in fact, if she pays them back, the amount she loses versus what she receives actually translates to LESS money that if she just stuck with what the department gives out.............

[JK84]

Hey, I've been lurking on these boards for a while, but this is my first post. I just got my letter from OGS saying that I was on the reversion list. However, I only applied to one school this year for my phD (U of T). I was pretty confident that I would get in because I had discussed with my MA supervisor my research plans and she was very excited about having me on board. Nevertheless, I was rejected this year. I'm wondering how it was possible that even though I was rejected from the PhD, I still end up on the reversion list. I applied through U of T and had to have been fowarded by my own department, correct? I'm just wondering why they would bother forwarding my application if they knew I wasn't going to attend school in the fall.

[dramanda]

Hey, I've been lurking on these boards for a while, but this is my first post. I just got my letter from OGS saying that I was on the reversion list. However, I only applied to one school this year for my phD (U of T). I was pretty confident that I would get in because I had discussed with my MA supervisor my research plans and she was very excited about having me on board. Nevertheless, I was rejected this year. I'm wondering how it was possible that even though I was rejected from the PhD, I still end up on the reversion list. I applied through U of T and had to have been fowarded by my own department, correct? I'm just wondering why they would bother forwarding my application if they knew I wasn't going to attend school in the fall.

Very odd. Did they know that you didn't apply elsewhere?

[JK84]

Very odd. Did they know that you didn't apply elsewhere?

Well, my application revolved around a specific sample that I wanted to work with at the school, so I'm assuming that they would know I only applied to U of T. But who knows? Maybe they didn't. I'm confused.

[thepoorstockinger]

Hey, I've been lurking on these boards for a while, but this is my first post. I just got my letter from OGS saying that I was on the reversion list. However, I only applied to one school this year for my phD (U of T). I was pretty confident that I would get in because I had discussed with my MA supervisor my research plans and she was very excited about having me on board. Nevertheless, I was rejected this year. I'm wondering how it was possible that even though I was rejected from the PhD, I still end up on the reversion list. I applied through U of T and had to have been fowarded by my own department, correct? I'm just wondering why they would bother forwarding my application if they knew I wasn't going to attend school in the fall.

They forward applications waaaaay before they make decisions about who to admit into the program. They may have thought at the time of OGS evaluation in the fall that you'd be offered a spot, but come February (or at UofT I guess it was probably late March) when they had to make decisions on offers they had more applicants or less spaces than they'd anticipated. It's an unfortunate circumstance, but I am sure that at the time of OGS nominations they either assumed you'd be offered a spot at UofT or assumed you'd applied elsewhere.

[JK84]

They forward applications waaaaay before they make decisions about who to admit into the program. They may have thought at the time of OGS evaluation in the fall that you'd be offered a spot, but come February (or at UofT I guess it was probably late March) when they had to make decisions on offers they had more applicants or less spaces than they'd anticipated. It's an unfortunate circumstance, but I am sure that at the time of OGS nominations they either assumed you'd be offered a spot at UofT or assumed you'd applied elsewhere.

That makes sense. I guess I thought since both my OGS and grad application were almost identical that if they thought it was good enough to send on to OGS then i would've had a good chance getting into the program. I emailed asking why I wasn't admitted to the program, and was told that I needed to improve my language requirements by taking an extra course. I just figured if this was the reason, then they would've known this from my OGS application, since I gave them my transcript, and probably wouldn't have forwarded it. I guess they could've assumed I applied elsewhere. I dunno, but thanks for the response.

[mikaela]

That makes sense. I guess I thought since both my OGS and grad application were almost identical that if they thought it was good enough to send on to OGS then i would've had a good chance getting into the program. I emailed asking why I wasn't admitted to the program, and was told that I needed to improve my language requirements by taking an extra course. I just figured if this was the reason, then they would've known this from my OGS application, since I gave them my transcript, and probably wouldn't have forwarded it. I guess they could've assumed I applied elsewhere. I dunno, but thanks for the response.

Jk, I've sat as the student rep on selection committees for UofT and what I can tell you is that in my department, the scholarship committee and the admission committee are separate, with different faculty overseeing each. This might explain the disconnect between the two results.

If you would still like to do your PhD at the UofT, I would contact the department to tell them that you're on the reversion lists for OGS. There's a small chance that this might help them reconsider your candidacy. (Un)fortunately, there's a whole economic side to admissions at the UofT, because of the garanteed funding.

[gradstudent1]

You can find out where you are on the reversion list by calling. I was first on the reversion list a couple of years ago and didn't get it, I re-applied the next year and did get it. I think it's definitely worth calling to see, the woman working at OGS will tell you.

[gradstudent1]

I should also point out that OGS gives out fewer awards than they do offers. So, they give more offers knowing that people will accept other awards (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) Just because declines an OGS, doesn't mean that someone on the waiting list will get it (if that makes sense).

[mikaela]

You can find out where you are on the reversion list by calling. I was first on the reversion list a couple of years ago and didn't get it, I re-applied the next year and did get it. I think it's definitely worth calling to see, the woman working at OGS will tell you.

You were first and you didn't get it? Bummer! Thanks for sharing though. i'm second on the list so I was really still holding on to some hope. I really need the money!

Has anyone received an OGS after having been put on the reversion list?

Ah well, I guess I should start applying for OSAP.

[Cree8tiveGyal]

That is really unfortunate, re: reversion list, being at the top, and not receiving something. I, like mikaela, was holding onto some hope that being #1 on a reversion list for a specific discipline might translate to being offered an award even as late as August. And since OSAP and I aren't the greatest of pals right now, I might start looking for work if I am denied by SSHRC........can always do this thing part-time! It might be nice to have a somewhat steady paycheque actually...............lol

[scario_canada]

Thanks to gradstudent1 for the valuable info re the reversion list. I was afraid that that might be the case; that OGS "overawards" offers knowing that a percentage of people will turn them down. I tried to gain this info over the phone but couldn't get a straight answer.

Gradstudent, I'm curious - did you have to wait until December to find out that you wouldn't be offered OGS, or was this made apparent earlier on? And do you know if, historically and statistically speaking, it was unusual to be #1 on the list and not be offered something? I guess it must depend to some extent on your discipline and how many offers were proferred in the first place.

Good luck to all here, especially those poor tortured souls who are still waiting on SSHRC...

[gradstudent1]

Hi,

I just went back to my OGS letter from a couple of years ago and it said that "scholarships are offered up to and including December 3". However, I was never notified (not once) either by phone or by mail that I would not be receiving an award or that I was removed from the reversion list. Once December 3rd came, I was never notified. I'm not sure if OGS has changed this policy or not, but in my experience, I wouldn't expect to be notified (unless you make it off the reversion list).

At the time, when I told the director/chair of my program that I was first on the reversion list, she said that I would likely get an award. She was one of the evaluators who sat on the selection panels. So, I think that my case was unique that year. I would encourage you to call OGS and find out where you are ranked. My letter stated "Separate reversion lists are maintained in rank order for each division of study." You will have a better idea of where you stand once you know your ranking. I think you are right, it also depends on your discipline.

Best of luck, keep is posted!

[scario_canada]

Hi Gradstudent1,

Thanks again for your valuable input. I called OGS a couple of weeks ago and found out that I am first on the reversion list for PhDs in Education. Apparently there is a high rate of refusal in this discipline (according to Gerry at OGS), so I just have to keep my fingers crossed that this year is a typical year and I move off the reversion list. I'm sorry that you didn't - that must have been a drag wondering what was going on for months on end. Sheesh.

Scario

[ontariograd]

A word of warning: I applied for a OGS for my masters (2006-7) and was placed on the reversion list. I was never 'actively' notified that I eventually won the scholarship, and did not notice until I was applying for a doctoral OGS a couple years later and, for kicks, checked the old application status, which said I was a successful applicant.

In the end, it didn't make a difference. I had decided not to go to my Ontario school for my masters. Be warned that you should keep checking your online status every few weeks, just in case.

I also heard of a 'friend of a friend' who was in the same situation, but did go to an Ontario school for his MA. The school withdrew his funding because they were informed that he had received the scholarship, but he was never told and so never formally accepted his OGS.

And now I am, once again, on the reversion list and (this time) am compulsively checking the website.

[Cree8tiveGyal]

Thanks for the tip. I have been checking the site periodically and plan to keep on doing so, JUST in case the status changes. I imagine a number of people in my discipline (English) will receive SSHRC awards, so I'd like to think my odds of receiving an OGS in the end are decent.

Ah well.........here's hoping!

Good luck to everyone else that is as well "second best"! (we know we're really the best)...lol