NSF GRFP 2016

[Vader Was Framed]

congratulations to all who received the award + onwards and upwards for those whose reviewers simply didn't click "recommended for award"

it's known that the reviewers feedback is mostly unhelpful, often wildly inconsistent and can be known to cause brain damage

now get some sleep!

[Bookworm349810]

For everyone who's wondering why the reviewers don't tell us much about what they think is lacking from our applications, I had a conversation a while back with a professor who used to be a reviewer and who basically said that the reviewers are told to focus on the positives of the application and to give feedback accordingly. Assuming this is a general policy for the NSF GRFP, it would explain why a lot of us have reviewers who say good things about our applications but then don't award us the fellowship. 

[Extra Espresso]

E/E, E/E, E/E, awarded. 

I'm a senior undergrad starting grad school in the fall, and I applied in biomedical engineering. 

My first review was easily the most detailed/helpful. My third was like one sentence total. They liked my GPA, broad research experience, and publication. They commented on an additional study I would want to add (which was actually a good idea I hadn't considered). They also said I had strong recs, but they didn't give details. 

I feel really lucky that I didn't get dinged for not putting separate headings in my personal statement/not having direct, bolded statements about the important stuff. It was all there, but I'm lucky I didn't get the reviewers some of you people had the misfortune to come across.  

I definitely don't understand the review for people who got E's from one reviewer and an F from another reviewer. That's so much variation! 

[mb712]

1 minute ago, sierra918 said:

My 3rd reviewer accused me of using local workers as slave labor. 

I actually laughed at this. I guess my third reviewer was not the worst third reviewer out there!

[Neist]

1 minute ago, Extra Espresso said:

E/E, E/E, E/E, awarded. 

Congrats!  

[pali123]

Guys this is a comment a reviewer left me "

plan is ambitious with challenges in translating across multiple, different models and systems (bacterial, mouse,

human-relevance, and/or mutations thereof) but has significant potential if the findings or strategy can be generalized to other

biologics and targets." 

 

Is this supposed to be a negative review? Trying to figure out what went wrong in my application but cannot find anything. Only glowing remarks. :/ 

[TongueSten]

One of my reviewers commented on the strength of my "academic performance,  outreach, and athletics".

I didn't mention anything about athletics in my application. I am literally physically useless and only run when I'm in danger. Not sure where they got that from.

[Neist]

Just now, TongueSten said:

One of my reviewers commented on the strength of my "academic performance,  outreach, and athletics".

I didn't mention anything about athletics in my application. I am literally physically useless and only run when I'm in danger. Not sure where they got that from.

This made me chuckle a bit.  

I know we're being a bit harsh, but they do read quite a lot of these.

[ForTheLoveOfBrains]

So, for those of you undergrads that applied... when do you think you will apply again? Your first year in grad school or your second? Also, when rewriting/submitting your new application does it have to be entirely different? Can you use the same personal statement and tweak it based on reviewers' comments your first round? How does this work? I got E/E, VG/G, G/VG and some valuable feedback actually!

[Neist]

Just now, ForTheLoveOfBrains said:

So, for those of you undergrads that applied... when do you think you will apply again? Your first year in grad school or your second? Also, when rewriting/submitting your new application does it have to be entirely different? Can you use the same personal statement and tweak it based on reviewers' comments your first round? How does this work? I got E/E, VG/G, G/VG and some valuable feedback actually!

Second year.

My research is on a topic that many think is somewhat worthless to pursue. I'll probably need to present and/or publish in hopes that my findings support a larger-scale implementation.

[Extra Espresso]

12 minutes ago, Neist said:

Congrats!  

Thank you!!

Congratulations to all of the other awardees and honorable mentions, and congratulations to everyone for having outstanding proposals for graduate work and acceptances to (or already studying at) amazing schools!! 

[Extra Espresso]

2 minutes ago, Neist said:

This made me chuckle a bit.  

I know we're being a bit harsh, but they do read quite a lot of these.

That is definitely true. It cracks me up some of the comments that people have gotten. Slave labor?? I wonder if they have a conspiracy plan to say crazy stuff in random places so we all at least have entertainment after the results come out? 

[DavidB144]

Honorable Mention

VG/VG F/G VG/E

Proposed topic is in image processing/signal processing. The most useful criticism came from the second reviewer, who said that he/she needed to see more math in the proposal.

The first reviewer gave me one-line reviews. Third one wrote paragraphs, but on reading them it's obvious he/she just copy-pasted from the letters of rec and from my own statements.

[ForTheLoveOfBrains]

11 minutes ago, Neist said:

Second year.

My research is on a topic that many think is somewhat worthless to pursue. I'll probably need to present and/or publish in hopes that my findings support a larger-scale implementation.

That's good that you have a plan. I'm split between when I'd apply again. Maybe second year as well.. but we will see.

[kafcat]

For those of you in the social sciences...did you have any publications? I have 0 and got an honorable mention..their main critique was that I didn't use mixed methods/mostly qualitative work. I am wondering whether I should apply for the NSF next year or the following to get a publication in at least...but seems like they liked my app overall..just the methods part was lacking..

[kafcat]

Also, anyone waiting for the Ford now? 

[Neist]

11 minutes ago, ForTheLoveOfBrains said:

That's good that you have a plan. I'm split between when I'd apply again. Maybe second year as well.. but we will see.

I have pretty terrible luck, so I plan contingencies for everything.  

There's no way I could have made it as far as I have if I didn't. 

[utb040713]

Didn't get it. E/VG, VG/VG, G/F.

1st two reviewers said it was borderline (receiving the award vs not). 3rd reviewer left similar feedback to the other two, and then said "one of the LORs wouldn't open, so I've flagged the application". That's definitely frustrating.

Edit: AND, on top of that, the 3rd reviewer said "Accessible letters of support suggest the applicant is a fair candidate for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program."

Edited March 29, 2016 by utb040713

[pali123]

I got VG/VG VG/VG E/E and no reward or HM. They did not criticize anything in my application. Everyone I spoke to told me to try to contact them again after I let them read my reviews. There was nothing but glowing remarks. Not sure what I should do? Should I try to contact the GRFP? 

 

 

[lithal]

I'm super happy to say I got the fellowship! One thing--I listed a school that I'm not going to attend. I would like to update my info with the school that I have actually committed to, but 1. does it matter and 2. how do I do it? 

I'm sure the answer is somewhere on the NSF website or letters/forms they give you, but I thought I could try to quickly post something here so that I can go back to doing more lab work.

[pterosaur]

1 minute ago, pali123 said:

I got VG/VG VG/VG E/E and no reward or HM. They did not criticize anything in my application. Everyone I spoke to told me to try to contact them again after I let them read my reviews. There was nothing but glowing remarks. Not sure what I should do? Should I try to contact the GRFP? 

That won't get you anywhere. They don't take appeals. If they said VG but didn't have any negative remarks, I guess they thought it was good but not... fantastic? It seems kind of like the idea of letters that kill you with "damnation by faint praise".

[Pitangus]

12 minutes ago, lithal said:

I'm super happy to say I got the fellowship! One thing--I listed a school that I'm not going to attend. I would like to update my info with the school that I have actually committed to, but 1. does it matter and 2. how do I do it? 

I'm sure the answer is somewhere on the NSF website or letters/forms they give you, but I thought I could try to quickly post something here so that I can go back to doing more lab work.

You can't change the proposed institution as it appears on the awardee list, and it doesn't matter if you don't end up at the proposed program. When you accept the fellowship though, you do get to indicate the institution you will actually attend, but that won't change the public list. 

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

4 minutes ago, Pitangus said:

You can't change the proposed institution as it appears on the awardee list, and it doesn't matter if you don't end up at the proposed program. When you accept the fellowship though, you do get to indicate the institution you will actually attend, but that won't change the public list. 

Aw... whoops! I don't understand why you even have to put one when applying as an undergrad.

[knp]

@Pink Fuzzy Bunny Do you mind if I ask how you handled the broader impact stuff? You mentioned struggled with writing it, but three Es is a rousing success!

[Songbird222]

Good morning, all!

I cannot believe it, but I was awarded the NSF this year! Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.