NSF GRFP 2009-2010

[Viva]

Relief! My NSF GRFP application is submitted for life sciences - animal behavior.

Who else has applied or will apply? What was your chosen primary field?

Late March / Early April cannot come soon enough!

I look forward to meeting all of you.

[AKJen]

I just finished my application this afternoon! It was down to the wire, but I managed it with hours to spare, which is quite a feat since right now my work is insane. My primary field is social science - cultural anthropology. Now it's just poking my reference people to get those letters done!

[Viva]

Congratulations, jennyb! Two of my references have submitted their recommendations but the other two have been very slow about the whole process. I am going to send them a friendly reminder soon.

[pospsy]

I finished my app at 4:50pm yesterday. Phew.

My project is a combination of subfields from psych. I submitted it as "cognitive psychology", then i realize I can submit for "psychology - other" which would fit my project much more.

oh well..

[UnlikelyGrad]

Who else has applied or will apply? What was your chosen primary field?

I applied. Geosciences--geochemistry.

Last year the NSF people announced late--May, I think.

BTW, LoRs have a later due date than applications...I think early Dec. So don't stress too much if your profs haven't submitted theirs yet.

[Viva]

May?!!! Oh boy.

Edited November 6, 2009 by Viva

[zilch]

They started announcing in March last year. I believe they actually send it out in rounds.

the honorable mentions didn't come out til like June.

[Viva]

Okay. That is a relief.

[dzk]

Applied yesterday for Life Sciences - Neuroscience!

And actually, I think last year almost all of the results came out after April 15th (their line is that they don't want to affect grad school admissions). There might've been a round before that but I don't know anyone who was in it.

Either way, I think the best thing to do is to try to forget about this thing for the next five months (well... once my letters and transcript make it there. My transcript was mailed last week, why isn't it in the system?!? haha...)

[Viva]

Applied yesterday for Life Sciences - Neuroscience!

And actually, I think last year almost all of the results came out after April 15th (their line is that they don't want to affect grad school admissions). There might've been a round before that but I don't know anyone who was in it.

Either way, I think the best thing to do is to try to forget about this thing for the next five months (well... once my letters and transcript make it there. My transcript was mailed last week, why isn't it in the system?!? haha...)

Good for you! I am applying to some neuroscience programs this year as well as general biology/zoology programs. Where will you be applying? What area of neuroscience are you interested in?

I think it takes awhile to process the transcripts but November 12th is the deadline for transcripts, I believe. Keep checking for it.

Two of my references have sent their LORs but the other two have not done so. Once they send their LORs in I will try to forget about the whole thing and hopefully be pleasantly surprised in March/April/May/whenever.

[swisnieski]

Sent in my application for social psychology on November 1 (due Nov. 5). My LORs haven't come in yet although they are in the works and will be ready, hopefully, within the next week or two.

I think I've got a strong application but I'm pretty worried over all. My GPA's a little below average for them (3.71) although my GREs are pretty solid (1460) and I've got mountains of research experience, including a publication in the works.

[Viva]

Sent in my application for social psychology on November 1 (due Nov. 5). My LORs haven't come in yet although they are in the works and will be ready, hopefully, within the next week or two.

I think I've got a strong application but I'm pretty worried over all. My GPA's a little below average for them (3.71) although my GREs are pretty solid (1460) and I've got mountains of research experience, including a publication in the works.

You sound like you would make a strong candidate. From what I have heard, the research proposal is crucial as well as emphasizing intellectual merits and broader impacts. I contacted a number of NSF graduate fellows for advice and help with my essays and I recall some having lower GPAs than yours so don't worry too much about that.

[swisnieski]

Yeah, the broader impacts are my big concern. I touched on as many as I could; I pointed out that I have done research with minorities in the past (am currently planning some research with two fellow undergrads, one an Arab woman and the other a black man) and that some of the students in the class I TA for are minorities, ESL students, first-gen students, or nontrads, and that I will continue working with minorities well into grad school and beyond. I also wrote about how my research interests (human asexuality) would benefit our understanding of disorders like HSDD and help with crafting sex ed materials and epidemiological strategies for combatting the propagation of STDs. But still, I have no idea how they, personally, evaluate these essays so I'm going to continue worrying indefinitely!

[Viva]

Yeah, the broader impacts are my big concern. I touched on as many as I could; I pointed out that I have done research with minorities in the past (am currently planning some research with two fellow undergrads, one an Arab woman and the other a black man) and that some of the students in the class I TA for are minorities, ESL students, first-gen students, or nontrads, and that I will continue working with minorities well into grad school and beyond. I also wrote about how my research interests (human asexuality) would benefit our understanding of disorders like HSDD and help with crafting sex ed materials and epidemiological strategies for combatting the propagation of STDs. But still, I have no idea how they, personally, evaluate these essays so I'm going to continue worrying indefinitely!

It sounds like you covered broader impacts very well. I struggle with doubt and worry as well though. No matter how many people say favorable things about my NSF essays, I still worry that they are inadequate in some way. I am just glad the worst part is over and it is out of my hands.

By the way, your research sounds really interesting (I have read about it on your profile) and that may help you stand out from the crowd as well.

[dzk]

Good for you! I am applying to some neuroscience programs this year as well as general biology/zoology programs. Where will you be applying? What area of neuroscience are you interested in?

I'm interested in developmental neuroscience, applying to PhD programs at Johns Hopkins, Penn, Stanford, UCSD, Michigan, and Harvard.

[Viva]

I'm interested in developmental neuroscience, applying to PhD programs at Johns Hopkins, Penn, Stanford, UCSD, Michigan, and Harvard.

Nice. I wish I could narrow down my list to 6 schools. There is a neuroendocrinologist at JHU that I have contacted but until I hear back from him, I am not sure whether I will apply there or not. I applied to Scripps Institute of Oceanography which is affiliated with UCSD as well.

I wish you the best as you apply to all of those great universities!

[dzk]

Nice. I wish I could narrow down my list to 6 schools. There is a neuroendocrinologist at JHU that I have contacted but until I hear back from him, I am not sure whether I will apply there or not. I applied to Scripps Institute of Oceanography which is affiliated with UCSD as well.

I wish you the best as you apply to all of those great universities!

Thanks! Honestly, part of the reason I have six schools is because I decided six was a good number Actually, I ended up with a really solid "Top 6" after going through my list a ton of times, and after some thought, decided I'd rather reapply than go to #7. How many schools are you applying to?

[UnlikelyGrad]

I think I've got a strong application but I'm pretty worried over all. My GPA's a little below average for them (3.71) although my GREs are pretty solid (1460) and I've got mountains of research experience, including a publication in the works.

Where did you get the info on average GPA? Mine's even lower than yours, though my GRE is higher. I don't have much research experience, and no pubs (yet).

I'm hoping that my research proposal and broader impacts will sell the thing. My advisor said I had a strong proposal for someone who didn't know much about the field yet (I've switched fields). As far as broader impacts go, I have a strong history of community involvement in various educational endeavors.

I know I'm a long shot--probably have a better chance at getting the EPA or NDSEG...

[Viva]

Thanks! Honestly, part of the reason I have six schools is because I decided six was a good number Actually, I ended up with a really solid "Top 6" after going through my list a ton of times, and after some thought, decided I'd rather reapply than go to #7. How many schools are you applying to?

Hmm. Right now, I will say that I have started applications for 4 schools but I currently have a list of about 20 schools. I need to hear back from prospective advisors and hopefully after that I can narrow down the list. I am not an incredibly decisive person so I may apply to a number of programs (not 20 though!) and then make the big decision in the spring. But you are right, if after serious consideration, you would rather reapply than attend, a school should come off the list. I am definitely going to keep that in mind when I check over my list again. Thanks.

[swisnieski]

It sounds like you covered broader impacts very well. I struggle with doubt and worry as well though. No matter how many people say favorable things about my NSF essays, I still worry that they are inadequate in some way. I am just glad the worst part is over and it is out of my hands.

By the way, your research sounds really interesting (I have read about it on your profile) and that may help you stand out from the crowd as well.

Shucks, thanks. I'm hoping the fact that it's interesting will be a boost for me. But like you, I'm very glad it's out of my hands now.

Where did you get the info on average GPA? Mine's even lower than yours, though my GRE is higher. I don't have much research experience, and no pubs (yet).

I'm hoping that my research proposal and broader impacts will sell the thing. My advisor said I had a strong proposal for someone who didn't know much about the field yet (I've switched fields). As far as broader impacts go, I have a strong history of community involvement in various educational endeavors.

I know I'm a long shot--probably have a better chance at getting the EPA or NDSEG...

It was on their web site I believe. It varies by field but I recall the average GPA being around 3.8. That said, the average GRE was in the high 1200s to mid 1300s I believe, and they probably put a bit more weight on GREs than they do GPA.

Remember that broader impacts applies not only to you but to your research as well!

[ipsqq]

I have done research with minorities in the past (am currently planning some research with two fellow undergrads, one an Arab woman and the other a black man) and that some of the students in the class I TA for are minorities, ESL students, first-gen students, or nontrads, and that I will continue working with minorities well into grad school and beyond.

With all due respect, I am baffled as to how this could possibly count as "broader impacts." You happened to have done research with minorities and a few of your students happen to be non-traditional students? To me, this indicates a random coincidence of events, by no stretch an active effort to reach out to a diverse community. It is like saying "Gossip Girl" is a diverse TV show because a few of the minor characters happen to be Asian.

I am not trying to tear down your work, honestly, but I hope NSF's standards for broader impacts are little more meaningful.

[Viva]

With all due respect, I am baffled as to how this could possibly count as "broader impacts." You happened to have done research with minorities and a few of your students happen to be non-traditional students? To me, this indicates a random coincidence of events, by no stretch an active effort to reach out to a diverse community. It is like saying "Gossip Girl" is a diverse TV show because a few of the minor characters happen to be Asian.

I am not trying to tear down your work, honestly, but I hope NSF's standards for broader impacts are little more meaningful.

I am not sure exactly how NSF judges broader impacts, but I know what NSF fellows have told me and that is to lay broader impacts on thick. And if you have academic/community involvement with minorities or non-traditional students then you should by all means mention it no matter how shameless it might seem.

[ipsqq]

I am not sure exactly how NSF judges broader impacts, but I know what NSF fellows have told me and that is to lay broader impacts on thick. And if you have academic/community involvement with minorities or non-traditional students then you should by all means mention it no matter how shameless it might seem.

It is disappointing if "involvement with minorities" in the sense of having lab partners who happen to be minorities is somehow equivalent to working as a Teach for America teacher in the inner city. To me, the former simply indicates that one is not a blatant racist, while the latter indicates one's personal commitment to "broader impacts."

Again, I am knocking NSF's rather weak "commitment" to this particular standard, not the applicant's.

[Viva]

It is disappointing if "involvement with minorities" in the sense of having lab partners who happen to be minorities is somehow equivalent to working as a Teach for America teacher in the inner city. To me, the former simply indicates that one is not a blatant racist, while the latter indicates one's personal commitment to "broader impacts."

Again, I am knocking NSF's rather weak "commitment" to this particular standard, not the applicant's.

Oh, I completely agree. But in my case (and I believe the earlier poster's case) we served as TAs for minority students not as their lab partners.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Viva

[zilch]

applying under engineering. although my deadline isn't until the 12th I've finished everything and I'm now just hesitating on the submit button.

in regards to NSF's broader impacts, I understand it in the following manner.

In terms of your research plan, broader impact refers to a number of things including potential applications of your research and how you plan on letting people know about your results. If, for instance, you are working on making a new polymer material with x, y and z properties, BI would be what this material could be used for. So you need to demonstrate that you know why these properties are desirable and what advantages it offers over any current solutions and the impact it could have on academia or industry. Also, you need to demonstrate that you know how to get your research out there, whether it's by giving presentations, publishing papers, contributing to databases or whatever.

For your personal statement, BI comes into play with all sorts of things including tutoring but necessarily just of minorities. If you've mentored younger students in your field, if you've presented about your discipline to prospective students (ie tried to recruit young'uns in your field), if you've pitched ideas or worked on projects in industry, if you've started programs or initiatives that provide some benefit, and so on.

Intellectual Merit is whether you have the brains to do the science. Broader Impacts is whether you have the 'soft skills' to turn that science into something that leaves a mark, something that can benefit people, the environment or whatever it is you're aiming at. Depending on the specific field BI is expanded to include things related to minorities. For example engineering has a very lopsided gender split (especially at the graduate level) and BI for us will include things like outreach to get more young girls interested in math and science (although this is supposedly secondary).