SSHRC 2010

[Compoe]

[Edit: Double post]

Edited May 7, 2010 by Compoe

[bad breath]

well, the letter came. i was awarded a CGS with a score of 20.7/30. thank god the wait is over. i would have had a rotten weekend otherwise. this forum was a weirdly critical lifeline during the last few weeks.

[Tropes]

I'm also in the Midwest. The mail hasn't come yet today. GAH! This waiting is torture. Pure torture.

Whereabouts are you in the US? I'm in the midwest and have no idea when to expect the letter. Also, I don't think any of the posters today received a letter in the mail.

(And I think you are right to say that it's no small amount of money and that "small" SSHRC is a bit of a misnomer.)

[Tropes]

Can someone explain the May vs. September start date? I am currently in my 1st year of the PhD, so if I get SSHRC (praying/fingers crossed/knocking wood), I will get it for 3 years. I just assumed it starts in September, but it would be amazing to have the money before the summer. What are the pros/cons? Why would it start in May anyway? Thanks. Sorry if this is a stupid question.

[Compoe]

well, the letter came. i was awarded a CGS with a score of 20.7/30. thank god the wait is over. i would have had a rotten weekend otherwise. this forum was a weirdly critical lifeline during the last few weeks.

Congrats! What's your area of musicological study?

[greygardens]

The SSHRC letter came in the mail today. As promised, here are my stats: score of 21.9 for a CGS doctoral. I am entering a doctoral program in the fall and am a first time SSHRC applicant (who are these people giving me money???). I have no idea what school I will be attending, but am thinking that Northern Star might finally have a smoking buddy outside the front doors of the NMC dept. in Toronto.

For you obsessive sticklers out there, the envelope is that hideous recycled shade of grey-beige, and according to the digital scale on my kitchen counter, it weighs-in at 49 grams.

I agree that the "low" or "high" scholarship discussion is not productive. It is amazing to be awarded anything, if it is the case that you have won, and it is also an accomplishment to have the courage to apply in the first place. I found the application process terrifying.

Best of luck to all of you.

[mariokrat]

I got a PM asking about my score, so here it is. I got 20/30. From what other people have posted, this might have been enough to get me a CGS, but since I'm in my second year, I'll take the SSHRC. I didn't make it to the national competition last year, and that was a huge disappointment, so I'm really thankful to get anything.

[Ecophys]

I just found out from my grad secretary that I was unsuccessful (CGS nominated). I am quite sad about this, but the Chair of my new program wants to start me on the road for a Vanier application.

I'm wondering if there is any point to this. If I am not deemed worthy to receive 35,000, how would I even be considered for 50,000?

Thoughts?

The Vanier application would not have to be submitted until fall and the weighting they put on the Vanier is different than the PGS/CGS scholarships. I am in an NSERC field but the criteria are the same. I applied for both NSERC PGS/CGS and the Vanier through separate applications this year. I found out first that I was awarded a NSERC PGS (21K per year) and didn't get a CGS (35K per year). About a week later, I found out I was awarded a Vanier CGS (50K per year). So, even though I was lower ranked in the academic based PGS/CGS competition, I was successful with the Vanier, a rounded, leadership-based scholarship. With the Vanier, academics (grades, etc.) do not matter as much as extracurricular and professional activities, contributions to your field (publications) and your ability to explain your research in laymens terms and apply it to real-world problems. So, if academics were a weaker part of your application and the other components were stronger, definitely apply to the Vanier. I would also say that if your chair wants you to apply, start now. It was a very stressful two weeks last fall trying to get everything done in time. I would say the complete application took one full week of my time to make sure it was perfect. Starting now will allow you to catch the small mistakes that are often missed when you are in a rush.

[Canuckonomist]

I agree that the "low" or "high" scholarship discussion is not productive.

I don't see anyone here complaining about 'small-SSHRC'. The terms small and big low/high are really to help differentiate. We could all call it CGS or 'SSHRC Doctoral award' but small/big seems like an easy way to differentiate. Whatever you might call it, I don't think anyone is going to complain about getting money.

Congrats, greygardens! Way to rock that app!

Canuck

[Canuckonomist]

I got a PM asking about my score, so here it is. I got 20/30. From what other people have posted, this might have been enough to get me a CGS, but since I'm in my second year, I'll take the SSHRC. I didn't make it to the national competition last year, and that was a huge disappointment, so I'm really thankful to get anything.

Thanks, Mariokrat. That's a bang-up job you did there!

[caterinacanadese]

Got my letter, finally! My score was 25.3.

[bad breath]

Congrats! What's your area of musicological study?

hey hey. just sent you a PM, to avoid incurring the ire of other readers of this forum with too much non-sshrc talk...

[monkeyphd]

just received my letter today...i got a fellowship! my score was 22.1.

[SpaceJump]

In terms of scores, I received a 16.8/30. She said 17 or 18 is usually threshold for funding, which at least gives me some confidence that I am competitive for future years.

I hate to be a downer, but I just got my letter... 18.6/30, and no SSHRC for me...

[Canuckonomist]

I hate to be a downer, but I just got my letter... 18.6/30, and no SSHRC for me...

Seems the scores needed to be higher this year. I'm sitting on a 17.9 and in the same boat. They'd need to find a boat-load of cash under someone's mattress for me to see any money.

[kuba]

Has anyone in Vancouver received the news yet or is all the action in the Toronto area today?

[Snasser]

Has anyone from UVic heard?

Sorry for my lurking and silence. I have been trying to control my obsessive desires to think about SSHRC by *not* posting this year. But this waiting is driving me crazy. I am starting to think I have not heard because my department isn't bothering to tell me I was unsuccessful.

[NorthernStar]

The SSHRC letter came in the mail today. As promised, here are my stats: score of 21.9 for a CGS doctoral. I am entering a doctoral program in the fall and am a first time SSHRC applicant (who are these people giving me money???). I have no idea what school I will be attending, but am thinking that Northern Star might finally have a smoking buddy outside the front doors of the NMC dept. in Toronto.

For you obsessive sticklers out there, the envelope is that hideous recycled shade of grey-beige, and according to the digital scale on my kitchen counter, it weighs-in at 49 grams.

I agree that the "low" or "high" scholarship discussion is not productive. It is amazing to be awarded anything, if it is the case that you have won, and it is also an accomplishment to have the courage to apply in the first place. I found the application process terrifying.

Best of luck to all of you.

Congrats on your CGS! Excellent score!

And yay for a smoking buddy. Not to many of those left. People quit left and right, as if smoking is bad for you or something...

and btw, no letter on this end yet.

[homebrew]

I just found out from my grad secretary that I was unsuccessful (CGS nominated). I am quite sad about this, but the Chair of my new program wants to start me on the road for a Vanier application.

I'm wondering if there is any point to this. If I am not deemed worthy to receive 35,000, how would I even be considered for 50,000?

Thoughts?

Go for it. I applied last year and didn't get it but I think that preparing that document certainly made my SSHRC application road worthy!!

Edited May 7, 2010 by homebrew

[duck dock]

I just found out from my grad secretary that I was unsuccessful (CGS nominated). I am quite sad about this, but the Chair of my new program wants to start me on the road for a Vanier application.

I'm wondering if there is any point to this. If I am not deemed worthy to receive 35,000, how would I even be considered for 50,000?

Thoughts?

Well, you never know the exact reasons why you didn't get it. If you can clarify, it'd be great and knowing your score would help also.

Moreover, you'll probably have improvements in your file, publications etc by next year's Vanier competition, no?

In any case, if I were you, I'd believe the department Chair and see how your candidacy can be improved!! Cheer up!!

[homebrew]

Got my letter, finally! My score was 25.3.

wOW! Congrats!!

[sshrchopeful]

waitlisted, again.

16.6/30

[duck dock]

Got my letter, finally! My score was 25.3.

Congrats congrats!!!

[Sempiternipulus]

Since I haven't posted for a while, and I no longer have any finger nubs to bite, let alone nails (thanks to my department being one of the ones which refuses to give out any information until the letters are "officially" received, GRRR!) I thought I might offer some consolation to those who have been unsuccessful or are still waiting like myself. From what I understand, the final scores have more to do with the people who adjudicated your file than your impressiveness as a grad student. For example, I had heard that several, or perhaps many, years ago in my discipline (history) no one working on topics earlier than 1800 was funded because one jerk on the panel decided that anything before that point was irrelevant to modern society. Other times apparently people win SSHRC, but don't win OGS (the Ontario funding, which is generally much less competitive). I've also heard stories of people with A- GPAs getting funding over those who had As. In other words, it's a total crap shoot, so don't be disheartened if you haven't gotten it this year. The same application might be funded next year, depending on who's reading your file.

SIGH, back to waiting.

[Transnational_XX]

I've been one of the lurkers. I found this forum to be so helpful over the past few days. Waiting is terrible, and it was great to have others to commiserate with! But I thought that perhaps I should stop being a "guest" and officially join so that I can thank everyone for all their comments and feedback!

I just got the letter today in Montreal! I got the CGS, which is a bit suspect because I'm in second year already...Now I'm nervous all over again thinking they made a mistake. Have emailed the fellowship office and SSHRC to find out what's going on before I start to celebrate (or mentally spend money I don't actually have). Anyone run into a situation like this? I was certain you weren't eligible for the CGS if you were in your second year...