<p>Any pertinent information people want to share is appreciated.</p>
<p>1.How extensive is the application process?</p>
<p>2.Do you know any student who received one? What was their project? </p>
<p>3.Do you need to be a top student? What qualities are evaluated?</p>
<p>I know someone who was on the Fullbright selection committee. The most important part is a demonstrated ability to do research. </p>
<p>The one student whom I know who got one was a top student at a 2nd/3rd tier and also had done research. She had done science research at a summer program at Columbia university, and also had done research at another summer program in a developing country. </p>
<p>In addition, she was fluent in two foreign languages, including one of the country that she wished to live in for her Fulbright. Presumably the Fulbright committee had no need to be concerned about her ability to handle living abroad.</p>
<p>Her project had to do with researching the treatment of pregnant women in Africa who had malaria.</p>
<p>I know students who were turned down for Fulbrights. They had high grades, but no background in doing extensive research.</p>
<p>Great info, NSM - thank you!</p>
<p>Let me add a third factor: ground work to develop an acceptable project in conjunction with the prospective host institution.</p>
<p>My D, a rising Senior, is in Bolivia this summer in order to develop contacts and a project to be part of a Fulbright app. The curious thing is that, having spent two months there now, she’s a bit less anxious to go back. She may even decide to not apply.</p>
<p>If the OP were to go on the web, and also look carefully at the fulbright website, the OP might notice that several different kinds of scholarships are awarded, with somewhat different requirements. There is a lot of good material online.</p>
<p>Thanks NewMassDad. I was hoping for personal experiences and insider accounts - just like you provided. Much appreciated. Gracias!</p>
<p>MM, reading the press releases from schools that have become VERY good at reading at the Fulbright tea leaves is telling. You’ll find out that the choice of program AND the choice of the country are key elements. However, the availability, dedication, and resources of your own school seem to make … a world of differences. It is obvious that the success in landing Fulbright awards has become part of the prestige collegial arms’ race. </p>
<p>Check the recent stories about the success of the small German department at Boston College. (see <a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/28/tiny_bc_department_off_charts_with_fulbrights/[/url]”>http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/07/28/tiny_bc_department_off_charts_with_fulbrights/</a> )</p>
<p>You may also read about the successes at smaller schools such as Smith and Wellesley, as well as at the various Claremont colleges. </p>
<p>A good mentor with a strong knowledge of the award procedures is key.</p>
<p>xiggi,</p>
<p>I think success is more than a mentor. It has to do with understanding what the goals of the various parts of the program are. An english teaching scholarship will be different from a research one. Keep in mind, too, that the host countries differ in terms of what they want. The website spells this out.</p>
<p>The prestige colleges’ students can get lots of Fulbrights because:
<ol>
<li><p>The students have done more research than have students at most other schools.</p></li>
<li><p>The students also are more likely to have the language and travel experiences indicating they have the maturity and sophistication to be able to flourish while spending a school year abroad.</p></li>
<li><p>The professors know how to write recommendations supporting the student’s Fulbright. They aren’t going to write recommendations emphasizing how humble a student is (and yes, I have seen those kind of recommendations from well-meaning professors at third tier schools), but will write recommendations stressing the student’s sophistication, research and writing skills and other intellectual abilities.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The professors at the top schools also are well known in their fields for their research, and they probably know or are known to people on the Fulbright selection committees, so their recommendations will carry a lot of weight.</p>
<p>Thanks Xiggi! That is amazing about the large amount in the BC German program that were accepted. Should we all transfer to Boston College?</p>
<p>Do people remember the Atlantic Monthly article written by someone who went to Princeton from several years ago? For other interested applicants, you will find it an amusing and interesting account. I believe he also applied for a Rhodes and Marshall and received one of them.</p>
<p>I’d add another tip: since the purpose of the program is to foster mutual understanding, its important in the proposals and interview to sell yourself as someone who will be a good representative of this country in the host country. This is one of the questions that evaluators are asked to rate (at least the last time I was involved in the screening process) and it was an important aspect of the selection process.</p>
<p>I think that this FAQ from the Fulbright site has some not so subtle hints that any candidate could use to bolster this part of an application:</p>
<p><a href=“https://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_faq_qanda.html?id=491[/url]”>https://us.fulbrightonline.org/thinking_faq_qanda.html?id=491</a></p>
<p>My S met recently with the fellowship advisor at his school and talked about the Fulbright among others. The advisor said the key to the Fulbright is a proposal directly related to the culture of the country to which you are applying. This does not fit S’s rather vague ideas of what he wants to do next, and so he will not apply for it, though he might apply for some other fellowships. Five or six faculty references – from profs, not TAs – and the personal statement are also key.</p>
<p>S’s school does very well with Fulbrights, not so well with other fellowships. It hired someone new to try to up the success rate. So there definitely is gamesmanship involved. (I’ve heard that Yale, for example, starts grooming potential candidates practically from first year.)</p>
<p>Is your goal just to get some money to study abroad? I know someone who, a year or two after college, got a Rotary fellowship to go study a language. Might be worth looking into if you haven’t.</p>
<p>Yes Marathonman. I agree and understand completely. Thank you for the link.</p>
<p>Sac, I know several kids who did the Rotary Scholarship in high school or during their Gap year. I think they had to live with a host family.
I’ll check that out, too, for higher ed. Thanks for the idea.</p>