.@NSFGRFP applications are open for 2015 fellowship year! Deadlines in Oct - early Nov 2014 http://t.co/niUUYdhoLk
— NSF Educ, Human Rscs (@NSF_EHR) August 13, 2014
August. School starts in a week and that means it's fellowship season!
Last year was my second year applying for the NSF GRFP (I applied the year before I started grad school), and I received the award. I think I spent more time scouring the internet for advice re: doing the application than you know, actually doing it, but I found it really helpful. A really great compilation of advice and essays can be found here.
Quick background on me: Biology major with a shitty GPA (3.2), acceptable GRE scores, and at time of receiving the award, in the University Program for Genetics and Genomics at Duke University. I worked for three years as a technician before starting grad school, with one first author pub and a couple other mid author pubs, annnnnnd I am a single parent. So I might be what you call an "unconventional" grad student.
Here is my personal statement (relevant background, future goals), here is my research proposal, and here is my reviewer feedback.
The only piece of uniformly useful advice I can add is start early and get a ton of feedback from as many people as possible. Work on a narrative in your essays. I think so much of this process is random luck. I think it's important to remember that this is a fellowship, not a grant proposal.
That's all I have! (That's a total lie. I have so much more unsolicited advice. If you're feeling solicitous (or am I using that the wrong way?) you can feel free to find me on twitter, or some similar method of communication.) Hope it helps!
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