Rangel & Pickering Fellowship

[mrs12]

I am sending you all my positive thoughts this upcoming week, @kbui and @jrdnmadrid , you too!

[kbui]

Thank you! I'm hoping to upload some good news later this week. *fingers crossed*

[kbui]

And @jrdnmadrid, thank you for the good wishes. I'm sure you are a great applicant and that you will hear back good news. I hope that we both do.

[mrs12]

This week I'm hoping to hear back from the CLS as well so it's been a really antsy week so far.

I can't believe the Pickering decisions are so far awayyyy.

[jrdnmadrid]

Hi @mrs12 and @kbui. I asked a couple additional questions, passing along some information that i hope you find helpful (or maybe you already knew). Looks like this year Pickering Grad program got 440 applicants! Good luck. 

Questions

1) Generally,  how many people apply for the Pickering Scholarship? 
2) I really hope I am selected as a finalist but if not will I be able to get feedback on my application for next year? 
3) I also applied for the Rangel Fellowship. Are both committees in touch with each other on finalist selection since the Rangel Fellowship prgram decides earlier? 
4) The graduate school selection deadline is mid-April. Do you know if past finalists were able to defer their college selection until after hearing about if they were accepted as a Pickering Fellow?

Answers

1) Typically, about 350-400 eligible applications are received. We're looking at about 440 eligible applications this year.

2) Unfortunately, because of the volume of applications and the fact that it is the Selection Panel who makes the final determination of who goes on to the next round, we will not be offering feedback on applications.

3) Yes, we do keep in touch with the Rangel Fellowship; those who choose to become Rangel Fellows are withdrawn from our applicant pool after their selection process concludes.

4) This question is unique and I'm not sure what the answer is there as we do not speak directly with universities in relation to applicants (once selected as Fellows, that's when our interaction with the universities really begins); I imagine, in the past, that Pickering applicants have spoken directly to universities about that. At the very least, they will know if they have a 50/50 shot (as notification of an invitation to Selection in DC will have gone out by that time in April).

[Damis]

I know several Rangel and Pickering Fellows. Given the exchange here, I'd say ya'll would be great additions to the Foreign Service! Best of luck!

[mrs12]

Wow, that's so many people! Ahh, I can't help but be kind of upset at that. I mean, it's good that so many people want to join the FS but it also means we're in for a harder time. I hope less people applied to the undergraduate program...

Thank you so much, @Damis! I sincerely hope so. If I don't get into the Pickering this year I will definitely try again, meeting all of these other potential applicants has reinforced my desire to be in the Foreign Service. You are all amazing.

[kbui]

@jrdnmadrid Thank you for posting the questions and answers from Pickering! I can't believe that so many applicants are vying for the same spots. 440, which can suggest that Rangel would have approximately the same amount of applicants. I told myself that I am not checking my email today until after work because otherwise I would be so excited/disappointed for the rest of the day, and I don't want that because I won't be able to concentrate on my projects. Haha.

Has anyone heard back yet? Did the emails come out yet?

Edited February 17, 2016 by kbui

[mrs12]

They convened today, right? So tomorrow you'll have to hear something if it wasn't today!

So exciting!!!

[kbui]

@mrs12 I am dying to know. Today I abstained from looking at my emails until 4PM, but then there wasn't anything. And looking at the previous Rangel/Pickering fellowship forum topics, it looks like it's usually the day after that they send out emails. I will not look at my emails until 4PM tomorrow also because I have a ton to do at work. At least I'll be occupied tomorrow.

I'm so excited that you're going to hear from CLS this week! They're fiercely competitive. I hope that you hear good news soon!

[mrs12]

Ahh, I saw your post here and assumed you'd know by now. I cannot wait until 4 PM!!!

[ChocolateDiplomacy22]

Current Rangel fellow checking in to wish you all luck. My stomach was in absolute knots this time last year, but hopefully all the nail-biting and email-refreshing you're doing now will pay off soon!

[kbui]

Thanks! I'm fighting the urge to check my emails at the moment. I want someone to post on here first that results have came out so that I can at least know that it's there when I open my inbox for the first time today.

Time for a prayer.

[ZebraFinch]

Just got the "no" from the Rangel for a second year in a row. I think they really take into consideration financial need.

I made alternate for Pickering last year though so I hope this year I'll get it. Good luck everyone!

Edited February 18, 2016 by ZebraFinch
privacy

[mrs12]

@ZebraFinch, good luck! I'm also waiting to hear from the Pickering! About the Rangel, what do you mean by financial need, if you don't mind me asking? I read a lot of comments on the internet that they're looking for people with generally 0 EFC or something similar on the FAFSA. Do you think that's true?

Edited February 18, 2016 by mrs12

[ZebraFinch]

I mean they want people who truly have a need that shows with numbers. Like EFC 0. Last year, I had a near zero EFC... no luck, and I have a strong profile aside from that. This year, I got a very relevant (for this award) job, and while it's poverty wages in the DC area, it takes me out of the EFC 0 zone. So, I think it's true, and that the statement of financial need is really important. Which, is sad because I'm not sure how to get relevant experience for this award except through Peace Corps or Fulbright; being married, I can't afford unpaid internships and such anymore I'm sure many other Foreign Service and grad school hopefuls are in a similar position.

Edited February 18, 2016 by ZebraFinch

[kbui]

@ZebraFinch I'm so sorry that you didn't get into the finals this year--again. I feel your pain. I applied for Fulbright once, twice, three times. And got rejected also three times. There was a miracle that happened along the way where my third rejection (not alternate) became an "accepted." Don't give up on your dreams! It will happen if it was meant to be. Call Patricia after things have settled down. I have read that she is incredibly helpful.

Also, I am also in the traditional routes to become an FSO. Sign up for a test the next time it's offered, and then when you apply again (and I really do hope that you apply again) you can show them how committed you are to work in the Foreign Service.

I hope that you get into the finals for Pickering, though. And being married is a great thing! You have such a great blessing already. It's definitely tough to support another person through an unpaid internship, and it makes it much more difficult to do more independent type of work.

I haven't checked my email yet today, but I will at 4PM after I leave work. I am so nervous.

[ZebraFinch]

Oh, if neither award works out this year I'll most definitely re-apply. No rush to go to grad school here.

I'm still hoping being an alternate fellow for the Pickering means I'll at least go through the interview stage again. I had so much fun that day! It was one of the best experiences of my life.

I think you have a great shot! And last year I was flat out rejected for Rangel and made finalist (then alternate) for Pickering.. so if you don't get Rangel, don't lose hope!

[mrs12]

Yes, despite the two programs looking so similar I've heard a lot of stories about very different applicants getting to the interview for one or the other. I actually think I prefer the Pickering to the Rangel, even though I'm ineligible to apply to the Rangel this year. But it seems like they really do go after different groups in their own way.

[ZebraFinch]

I almost think they purposely pick very different people... if you get interviewed for Pickering you'll hear many many stories of finalists who were completely rejected for Rangel.

[kbui]

I wonder what the differences are between the Rangel and Pickering in terms of which qualities they want in their fellows. Do you folks have a guess?

And ZebraFinch, can you tell us more about the Pickering interview process? I've been reading online about the interviews but I think some of them might be a bit dated.

Also, I was reading your stats on another forum board, and it seems like your Q-GRE score was a bit lower than desired. Did you retake it this year when you were applying?

Edited February 18, 2016 by kbui

[ZebraFinch]

I didn't retake the GRE and applied to different programs this year. Last year, I was feeling very insecure and applied to a sort of random range of programs. I have a strong Econ background so I didn't let the GRE get to me.

The interview day is looooong. A very long day. A different org is managing it this year so I'm not sure how similar it'll be to previous years' processes, but if you can find FSOA questions online and prep, that's your best bet. The written part is general enough that you don't need to read NYTimes every single day to do well, but mostly I think what gets to people is the exhaustion. You're there from six am to nearly six pm. So my best advice is SLEEP the night before. 

 

 

 

[mrs12]

@ZebraFinch, ooh, ohh, I have questions about this too! Was the written exam really subject specific? Should I be reading about world event's all over in case I get hit with some random country-specific question? Or was it something you could muddle through with general foreign policy acumen and some regional expertise? 

@kbui, are you home yet? Have you checked? I'm seriously so excited to hear your results!!!

[ZebraFinch]

Again different orgs are managing it now so it might be different, but they were very, very general.

[awayfromhere]

5 hours ago, kbui said:

Thanks! I'm fighting the urge to check my emails at the moment. I want someone to post on here first that results have came out so that I can at least know that it's there when I open my inbox for the first time today.

Time for a prayer.

Hey! I totally went MIA on this forum, mostly because I completely convinced myself that I had absolutely no chance. I got the email almost an hour ago telling me I'm a finalist, my interview day is March 9th. I cried. Then looked at my email again. Then cried again.

I'm sending you so many good vibes/prayers. Hope we meet in DC