Fellowships

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baksiidaa
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:35 pm

Fellowships

Post by baksiidaa » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:21 pm

Has anyone heard anything back about their NSF or NPSC fellowship application?

schmit.paul
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:48 pm

Post by schmit.paul » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:28 pm

Haven't heard anything yet, applied for NDSEG, NSF, and ORISE...i wouldn't worry too much though, you're pretty much going to be forced to make a decision about which grad school you go to without any knowledge of your success/failure with the external fellowships. Kinda sucks the way it works out, it would be nice to know going into the decision process if money should even weigh into your decision-making at all, but that's just not how it works. It's very possible some fellowships won't announce winners until after April 15th.

cazcazcaz
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:47 pm

Post by cazcazcaz » Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:15 am

I gave the nsf people a call this morning -- they said that we should be notifed by email within the next two weeks.

baksiidaa
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:35 pm

Post by baksiidaa » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:17 pm

@ caz^3

Thanks for the info.

cazcazcaz
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2006 1:47 pm

Post by cazcazcaz » Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:00 am

they're up on the site -- I got a hon mention! no money but it's nice anyway; a good boobie prize

baksiidaa
Posts: 22
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 6:35 pm

Post by baksiidaa » Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:21 am

darn - another let down. I must have just bombed all my SOPs or something--I thought my test scores and such were pretty decent.

schmit.paul
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:48 pm

Post by schmit.paul » Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:28 am

yep, honorable mention...i was walking on thin ice by declaring an interest in plasma physics (the NSF doesn't directly fund anything directly related to fusion, as they consider that DOE's territory, so I had to try to appear as focused on basic science as possible). Can't imagine I'll have better luck with the NDSEG, but who knows....

radicaltyro
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 4:23 pm

Post by radicaltyro » Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:32 am

Wow, not even honorable mention. Does anyone know how much of a difference it makes for what field you specify? My current work and research proposal are closer to theoretical astrophysics, so I chose astrophysics as my proposed graduate program. However, my main interest is in theory (specifically mathematical physics) so all of my training is in this area (I have never taken a course in astro). I applied to grad school in physics, not astro. Did I shoot myself in the foot?

:cry: :?: :cry:

Will we get our "score sheets" mailed to us?

slee
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:10 pm

Post by slee » Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:46 am

honorable mention here too. looks like astrophysics is a bit of a tougher sell than condensed matter, atomic and molecular, etc, for future reference...

schmit.paul
Posts: 161
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Post by schmit.paul » Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:50 am

yeah, you're right, slee. i looked through the list...two guys in plasma got it, one is already a first year student at Princeton (and he's doing plasma propulsion...ie nothing to do with fusion), and the other guy is an incoming student who wrote princeton in as his top institution but as far as I know didn't get accepted (didn't see him there when I visited, and I met all of the other domestic admits). Kind of unfortunate...but yeah, there are some more popular and plentiful subjects to go after (anyone else wish they'd take all of the psych/soc fellowships and divert them into the hard sciences?), of which condensed matter and AMO are two. Kind of wish I would have started my current research project (in computational quantum stat mech) a semester earlier so I could have based my research proposal on some logical extension of it.

These things really are longshots. I wanted to apply for one in high energy theory, but I knew not having any formal research experience with it in the past would immediately hurt my chances, so I stuck with a research area in which I had some previously established background. It really is the smartest way to go.

So no go on Hertz and NSF, still awaiting NDSEG (an even longer shot) and OFES/ORISE (specifically for fusion research)...good luck to everyone else

braindrain
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:23 am

Post by braindrain » Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:34 pm

(anyone else wish they'd take all of the psych/soc fellowships and divert them into the hard sciences?),
No, but how about taking the money that went into the Iraq war and putting it back into the research budgets where they got it from. I think theorists got nuked all the way around.

But, I did hear that students say don't worry. If you don't get it now, you may later on.

jormiga
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:30 pm

Post by jormiga » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:17 pm

Congrats to those getting the fellowships and honorable mentions. We have to consider that most of the best science students in this country apply to this program.

Although I definitely would have preferred the actual award, I find very amusing that some external referees believe I deserve an Honorable Mention when compared to this pool of overachieving applicants.

For those who did not get the money: do you thing you will apply again next time?

Schmit: I have heard stories about people not getting into their designated program, but then the program accepts them after hearing that they got the fellowship. BTW, have you decided where to go? The Caltech people persuaded you to go there?

schmit.paul
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:48 pm

Post by schmit.paul » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:36 pm

hey jormiga,

Yeah, I went and looked at my NSF review sheets, or whatever they're called...got all top marks on intellectual merit (i came up with a research proposal I really liked, though I didn't really share it with most of my recommenders...possibly a mistake, since I'm sure they didn't mention it in their letters), but my "broader impacts" scores were only average. I knew this was going to be what made or broke it in the end, and I thought I had my bases covered, but evidently not well enough. Word to the wise for anyone else applying for this fellowship: stress your broader impacts like you are the lynchpin on which all of physics hangs and you should do well in the ratings! And btw, I really think NSF is a class act for allowing you to see your review sheets...if all of our grad schools and fellowship programs did this, I think almost all of us would have a better chance of getting what we wanted the second time around!

As far as reapplying, I still haven't heard from 2 fellowships, and if I don't get either (or get the lesser-valued of the two), then I'll most likely reapply next year (and defer funding) if I manage to pull it off.

As far as decisions go, Caltech was awesome, I probably had a good hour and a half of face-to-face time with John Schwarz, and the whole program is so diverse and fascinating. However, Princeton is really pressing me to come and they are offering me a ton of flexibility in terms of designing my academic/research program, so I think I'm going to accept Princeton's offer. I need to get some new clothes! something tells me the shirts and shorts that worked well in AZ are not going to do much good in december in NJ!

theorygirl
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:31 pm

broader impacts

Post by theorygirl » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:18 am

I definitely think that the broader impacts was what made my NSF application succeed. I had great scores on intellectual merit b/c of good letters etc, but I made sure to address how my potential career path would address society at large. ( I plan to be a professor and as a woman I can be a role model for other women or even minorities, etc....) I also did undergraduate research which directly impacted global climate change research, so I had an advantage there. For people who want to succeed, this is a govt award, so write a proposal that is politically feasible! Oh well, I am still happy to win and good luck to everyone who will apply again next year.

slee
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:10 pm

Post by slee » Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:42 pm

looks like i had one reviewer who marked me "good" on broader impacts that might have decreased my chances for the fellowship. basically, the gist of his remark was that while it was good i was interested in doing more science-related community service in the near future, i didn't do too much of it during my undergrad years. so if you want a better shot, maybe consider getting involved in those kinds of programs early? it was pretty nice to be able to look at the rating sheets, though.

i also just got back from visiting caltech. i applied to the astronomy program, but it looks like there is great flexibility in crossing over and doing physics research. the princeton department gave me the impression that caltech was excellent for observation but weaker in theory, but it seems like the cosmology/theory group at caltech is growing quickly. i talked with marc kamionkowski, and he seemed excited to get some astronomy theory students working under new hires like sean carroll, yanbei chen, and chris hirata. so now i have a tough choice between princeton and caltech! princeton offers more money and academic flexibility, while caltech offers better weather and research flexibility (you can crossover into physics at princeton too, but only with a select number of professors - paul steinhardt, lyman page, etc). it was helpful, however, to talk to the many students and postdocs at caltech who spent time at princeton as undergrads or grads.

i'm visiting chicago tomorrow, hopefully they don't make my decision tougher!

schmit.paul
Posts: 161
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:48 pm

Post by schmit.paul » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:34 am

welcome to the club slee...they're both awesome schools. Sean Carroll's a rock star. Kamionkowski came off as an extremely laid back guy you could almost imagine partying with when I spoke to him, which is sort of amazing considering what he could be like at an institution like Caltech.

I think I've pretty much resolved to go east and do the whole new jersey thing, but it's a decision that I will never be 100% comfortable with (and never will be, no matter what the choice). Should be a great experience though. Let me know if you decide to head off to Princeton too...you'll most likely be staying in the Graduate College your first year. I'm already having a hard time figuring out what little from my apartment in AZ I'll be able to keep and bring with me, as I haven't done the whole dorm room thing since my freshman year and have acquired quite a bit of furniture and possessions since then!

Take it easy.

braindrain
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 12:23 am

Post by braindrain » Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:59 pm

I've stayed in graduate housing in Princeton over the summer for a job in the town. You would not believe what these rich kids do. They throw out good stuff. You can furnish your whole apartment on what they throw out at the end of the semester or whatever their moveout date was. I wouldn't be surprised if the town used-furniture guy drives buy with a truck collects it all and sells everything back to the students.

Actually, I found that google earth is a good resource to see the layout of things beyond the university.



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