NSF GRFP 2014-2015

[jmu]

I'll add to the train. I generally wake up randomly in the middle of the night so I just remembered to check my phone for the email when I did. Seeing the email and then falling back asleep worked out pretty well for me. I wasn't anxious when I woke up and apparently dealt with it while I was asleep. It sucked still, but it was better than going to sleep in a bad mood and waking up tired and still in a bad mood.

[rehab-robotics]

I'll add to the train. I generally wake up randomly in the middle of the night so I just remembered to check my phone for the email when I did. Seeing the email and then falling back asleep worked out pretty well for me. I wasn't anxious when I woke up and apparently dealt with it while I was asleep. It sucked still, but it was better than going to sleep in a bad mood and waking up tired and still in a bad mood.

I'm emailing people in Germany about work this summer, so I've gotten in the habit of doing this as well. Wake up around 5, answer emails and check for GRFP news, go back to sleep. Hoping I can do what you did and still be able to fall asleep after reading the news.

[mdog3000]

So I have a hypothetical for everyone. I am a first year PhD student. Say I am awarded a fellowship. How would it be viewed if I applied to transfer to another institution? Obviously my current institution would be pissed, but they're awful and I wouldn't care about that. Would the institution I'm applying to be happy to accept a transfer GRFP scholar no questions asked? Do you think they'd let me skip the normal application process and enroll for the Fall? 

[katsharki3]

So I have a hypothetical for everyone. I am a first year PhD student. Say I am awarded a fellowship. How would it be viewed if I applied to transfer to another institution? Obviously my current institution would be pissed, but they're awful and I wouldn't care about that. Would the institution I'm applying to be happy to accept a transfer GRFP scholar no questions asked? Do you think they'd let me skip the normal application process and enroll for the Fall? 

 

I don't know much about graduate school I'll admit as I'm a first time applicant to a master's program...but I imagine no school would allow you to skip the normal application process even if you are coming in with your own money. There's all sorts of decisions that go in to deciding cohort size of a new incoming class, and any school you'd be looking at likely has already made most of their decisions about who will be coming to their program in the Fall. 

[Monochrome Spring]

I don't know much about graduate school I'll admit as I'm a first time applicant to a master's program...but I imagine no school would allow you to skip the normal application process even if you are coming in with your own money. There's all sorts of decisions that go in to deciding cohort size of a new incoming class, and any school you'd be looking at likely has already made most of their decisions about who will be coming to their program in the Fall. 

 

I agree with this. You would need to still go through the application process unless you had a specific lab that was actively recruiting you and had made special arrangements. And more than anything, if I was on whatever committee decides if you can transfer, I'd be concerned about someone who leaves a program a year in. You need to have really good reasoning other than winning the GRF.

[Cosmojo]

I agree with this. You would need to still go through the application process unless you had a specific lab that was actively recruiting you and had made special arrangements. And more than anything, if I was on whatever committee decides if you can transfer, I'd be concerned about someone who leaves a program a year in. You need to have really good reasoning other than winning the GRF.

I double agree. transferring in grad school, unless for super good reasons is really unheard of and generally frowned upon even if you are going with your own funding. 

[Freudian_Slip]

Officially Thursday, March 26th.

In response to others, I just want the news either way. I think we all have to expect the odds are very slim for everyone, so I know at least for me there won't be a major disappointment factor.

Oh how nice it would be if we get the results a bit early this Friday, early morning! Any late emails will get my heartbeat going

[katsharki3]

Officially Thursday, March 26th.

In response to others, I just want the news either way. I think we all have to expect the odds are very slim for everyone, so I know at least for me there won't be a major disappointment factor.

Oh how nice it would be if we get the results a bit early this Friday, early morning! Any late emails will get my heartbeat going

 

Ah I definitely agree with this. I know there is a very slim chance I'll get the fellowship, so I'm not expecting to. If I don't get it, there will be some disappointment, sure, but I definitely won't be crushed. If anything, I'll be more disappointed if my reviewers end up giving me no feedback on my application so I won't know how I can improve in the future.

[caffeien42]

fyi for those of us re-freshing the inbox. last year I got HM and the email got sent to my spam folder in gmail.

 

also:

2015: ????????????????????????

2014: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 @ ~2:00AM

2013 :Friday, March 29, 2013 @ ~2:00AM

2012: Friday, April 1, 2012 @ ~2:00AM

2011: Tuesday, April 5, 2011 @ ~12:50AM

2010: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 @ ~1:00AM

2009: Friday, April 10, 2009 @ ~1:00AM

2008: Tuesday, April 1, 2008 @ ~2:00AM

2007: Monday, March 23. 2007 @ ~11:20 PM

[shadowclaw]

I will be so mad if results take until the 10th to come out...  I wonder if there's a pattern to what day of the week it will come out. If Monday is day 1, then the pattern so far is 1 2 5 2 2 5 5 2... I think another 2 would come next in the pattern. So my bets are on Tuesday 3/31 or Tuesday 4/7. 

[ChanEvansLam]

I will be so mad if results take until the 10th to come out...  I wonder if there's a pattern to what day of the week it will come out. If Monday is day 1, then the pattern so far is 1 2 5 2 2 5 5 2... I think another 2 would come next in the pattern. So my bets are on Tuesday 3/31 or Tuesday 4/7. 

You guys are overstressing. There is no pattern, rhyme, or reason between years...

[nsf_weiner]

Yeah. The odds are against you. There will be approximately 10,000 sad people the day they post. All the applications are high caliber. Just depends on luck. How lucky are you? Now ask yourself. Do you really think you are so special that you are better than many other good scientist applying? Don't be selfish and conceited. Every single person that applied has just a good a chance as you. My friend that won last year only filled out 1 page for the proposal and one page for the personal statement and somehow won. =/ Bet the judges just liked that he was simple and down to the point. O.o

[katsharki3]

You guys are overstressing. There is no pattern, rhyme, or reason between years...

 

I'm not the one trying to make a pattern, but for the past 7 years at least the results have always come out on a Tuesday or a Friday. Of course that doesn't mean they will this year, but it is something. 

 

Yeah. The odds are against you. There will be approximately 10,000 sad people the day they post. All the applications are high caliber. Just depends on luck. How lucky are you? Now ask yourself. Do you really think you are so special that you are better than many other good scientist applying? Don't be selfish and conceited. Every single person that applied has just a good a chance as you. My friend that won last year only filled out 1 page for the proposal and one page for the personal statement and somehow won. =/ Bet the judges just liked that he was simple and down to the point. O.o

 

...Not sure where this came from, because 2 of us just said we aren't expecting to get it and won't be disappointed if we don't because we know the odds aren't great. None of us said we thought we had a better chance than anyone else? 

Edited March 26, 2015 by katsharki3

[Vader Was Framed]

amusing

[Freudian_Slip]

I think ChanEvansLam and nsf_weiner's 1-page and done friend both had Nobel Laureates write their references

[nsf_weiner]

I think ChanEvansLam and nsf_weiner's 1-page and done friend both had Nobel Laureates write their references

Actually it was a U.S senator. I guess it will always be about who you know. =(

[Cosmojo]

Yeah. The odds are against you. 

you trolled here like a week ago.....and you trolled the NSF GRFP boards last year....go get a hobby. 

[isilya]

I think nsf_weiner is that troll from a few months ago so I wouldn't take anything they say seriously.

The more I think about my application materials the less hopeful I am. Since it was such an early deadline I just kind of threw some crap together and submitted it. After looking at sample proposals recently I realized mine isn't even really written in the right style and is also much too vague. It's actually somewhat of a relief, now I won't be disappointed! I'm just looking forward to seeing what my reviews are so I can prepare for next year.

[nsf_weiner]

I think nsf_weiner is that troll from a few months ago so I wouldn't take anything they say seriously.

The more I think about my application materials the less hopeful I am. Since it was such an early deadline I just kind of threw some crap together and submitted it. After looking at sample proposals recently I realized mine isn't even really written in the right style and is also much too vague. It's actually somewhat of a relief, now I won't be disappointed! I'm just looking forward to seeing what my reviews are so I can prepare for next year.

you were rejected from schools, just like you will be rejected from the NSF. Expect it. Doesn't mean that you won't go on to do great things. It just means you wont have that badge of prestige. Have a good day sir.

[Freudian_Slip]

I think nsf_weiner is that troll from a few months ago so I wouldn't take anything they say seriously.

The more I think about my application materials the less hopeful I am. Since it was such an early deadline I just kind of threw some crap together and submitted it. After looking at sample proposals recently I realized mine isn't even really written in the right style and is also much too vague. It's actually somewhat of a relief, now I won't be disappointed! I'm just looking forward to seeing what my reviews are so I can prepare for next year.

I feel you. I've vacillated between total pessimism and at least moderate optimism.

If I get it, I'm almost positive it will be primarily on the strength of my Research Proposal, esp. its Broader Impacts--I think that's my wild card. It also seems it's a bit easier applying as an incoming grad student (which I am) vs. current 1st/2nd year grad students. They supposedly give the same # of fellowships to each level and not as many incoming/undergrads apply (and have less experience than grad students).

On the negative side, one of my concerns is that I don't have the neat, consistent narrative in my interests--this topic is my life's work sort of people, this is what I've done in the past and will continue doing in the future. I tried to tie it all together as best as I could, and even tried to address that the diversity of my past experiences enables me to address meaningful topics. Not sure if they bought that, though, since as mentioned many of the winning applications I've seen seem to have that 'consistent narrative' factor.

Second, my recs are great and from profs in top notch programs but not in the same subfield as I submitted under. Hence they may not be known by committee members; I'm not sure how much this matters, but I think it mattered in applying to grad schools generally.

Third, I didn't major in my field as an undergrad. 6 relevant classes, some post-bacc, + 2 yrs. of research.

So yeah they'll probably give it to someone else :-(

[shadowclaw]

The more I think about my application materials the less hopeful I am. Since it was such an early deadline I just kind of threw some crap together and submitted it. After looking at sample proposals recently I realized mine isn't even really written in the right style and is also much too vague. It's actually somewhat of a relief, now I won't be disappointed! I'm just looking forward to seeing what my reviews are so I can prepare for next year.

 

I was actually super positive about my application until this week. My confidence suddenly tanked. Maybe it was from all the negatively popping up in this thread, maybe it's because I got an unofficial acceptance to one of my top choice programs over the weekend and now it's real. I even broke the rule of not going back to read submitted application essays. I think my personal statement is great, but there are some things I wish I added to the proposal.

[Monochrome Spring]

Don't feed the trolls. You have the option to block all content from users who you find annoying.

 

Remember that the outcome of the GRF does not determine your value as a scientist or as a person. It means that 3 people who most likely don't know you, who happen to be in a broadly related field, did not like your application as much as others. There is a lot of bias and luck, but it is also something to be proud of if you do get it. Just keep it positive.

[shadowclaw]

Don't feed the trolls. You have the option to block all content from users who you find annoying.

 

Remember that the outcome of the GRF does not determine your value as a scientist or as a person. It means that 3 people who most likely don't know, who happen to be in a broadly related field, did not like your application as much as others. There is a lot of bias and luck, but it is also something to be proud of if you do get it. Just keep it positive.

 

Thanks for the pep talk! We need more positive thinking!

[ESFPengineer]

Yeah stay positive people. The trolls have a point, but they could say it a little nicer. One thought to consider is definitely the recommendations. People tend to undervalue them... I think it's not who you know (even though a senator or Nobel helps) but rather HOW that person talks about you. I have one professor who told me his recommendations for me are always 4 pages long if there's no word limit, simply because he has that much positive stuff to say about me. It's likely super annoying to read, but the reviewer can't help but get the point: this student is pretty great! 

 

Anyway, godspeed to all! I'm anxiously waiting too. i fear my proposal could have used a little more umph. hakuna matata?

[Vader Was Framed]

Just keep it positive.

We need more positive thinking!

Yeah stay positive people.

 

Here here! Advanced congratulations to all who receive the award!

 

Everyone has great proposals, and I sincerely hope all succeed in their research regardless of what the fellowship provides.