SELECTION
CRITERIA
Though some fellowships
have common characteristics, each has its own identity and set of
ideal qualifications. The most important selection criteria
are a genuine match between the character of the fellowship and
your character, as well as a match between the rewards of the fellowship
and your personal and professional goals. The specific criteria
outlined below will weigh differently depending on the particular
competition.
Academics
As one factor among many,
distinguished scholarly achievement plays an important role in most
of the fellowships handled by the Dean of the College Fellowship
Office (DOCFO). An excellent academic record provides a strong foundation
for your application, but do not eliminate yourself from these competitions
if you do not have a 4.0. (Note: Though Brown does not compute
a GPA for you, you will be asked to cite one for most fellowship
applications.) The Marshall Scholarship is the only fellowship
with definite academic guidelines, a minimum GPA of 3.7. Remember
that you can and should demonstrate the standard fellowship requirement
of "strong evidence of intellectual excellence" in a variety
of ways. In some cases, grades can be overshadowed by extraordinary
achievements represented in other parts of the overall application.
Non-Academic
Strengths: Extra-curricular, Personal, and Moral Character
Most fellowship selection
committees seek candidates who have many dimensions or, as Cecil
Rhodes put it, are not “mere bookworms.” Even project-based, research-oriented
awards ask for information about one’s personal motivations and
experiences. The Rhodes, Marshall, Udall, and Truman are particularly
interested in finding candidates committed to public service in
various forms: medical research, environmental work, community service,
educational outreach, etc. Extra-curricular achievements that
demonstrate leadership, initiative, social consciousness, and a
sense of responsibility can help to document your commitments outside
of academics. Other activities, such as athletics and work
experience of all kinds, can serve as evidence of character and
commitment.
Research
Project or Course of Study
Project proposals in most
cases should be as detailed and specific as possible. You need to
have a solid and precise justification for wanting to go to Cambridge
on a Gates, Nottingham on a Marshall, or Zimbabwe on a Fulbright.
A statement like, "Cambridge has the best scholars in
the world; I loved it there during my junior year abroad” says nothing
specific or interesting about you or your decision to apply. The
more detailed your knowledge of the site at which you propose to
work, the better; the more necessary it is for you to go to a certain
place, the better. Become familiar with the names and special strengths
of faculty or other experts at the institution that you hope will
sponsor you. Attempt to establish a liaison with an institution
or specialist and reflect the results of that contact in your application.
Consult the faculty in your department at Brown and/or the institution’s
web site for help locating appropriate contacts. See Establishing
a Contact Abroad and Finding the Right
Program in the U.K.
Example
of approaches to the Fulbright research proposal:
1. Milan has the only collection
of X documents in the world and your project depends on access to
those texts. You have located the only other person in the world
who cares about these texts and have been communicating with her
avidly. You know Italian.
Because you have a strong
reason for needing to be in Italy, a command of the language, and
a contact person in the country, you have a good 'Fulbright to Italy'
project.
2. You went to Ghana once
on vacation for a month with your grandparents, and you liked it.
You studied French for two years. You think it would be cool to
go away for a year after graduation and live in another culture.
You may have a Fulbright application lurking, but you have
a lot of work to do to get there. The nature of the project needs
to be defined. What exactly will you do? How will you do it and
with whom? This initial interest is a beginning, but you need to
determine a genuine purpose.
Essays:
Personal Statements and Program Proposals
Most fellowships require
one or more essays, and they are not easy to write. You may be asked
to describe “your study or research plans and your reasons for wishing
to undertake them in the country of your choice” (Fulbright).
In that case, you can concentrate on your project, the place you
want to go, and their compatibility. Such an essay will take a good
deal of background work and require multiple drafts to develop it
into a compelling proposal that will convince a committee to support
your application.
The autobiographical or
“personal” essays, which explain what motivates you, your background,
and why you want to study x or y, present different
challenges. Many people say they find it difficult to write about
themselves; they either feel like they are bragging or they cannot
step back and reflect on what makes them unique and what defines
their goals and desires without resorting to cliche. To help overcome
these difficulties, students should brainstorm about what matters
to them, important life events, hobbies and interests. After
brainstorming, see if there are any connections among the things
that stand out. In the essay, particular facts and anecdotes convey
more about your personality than unsupported generalities; showing
rather than telling is a good rule to follow.
Remember that the essay(s)
is the one aspect of the application process over which you have
total control. Rather than rehash your resumé, present yourself
according to the overarching themes in your life. Why have you made
the decisions you have made? What are your goals? What path will
you take to achieve them? This is the only opportunity to present
YOU without the filter of someone else’s judgment, so make the most
of it!
Examples of winning essays
are on file for your perusal in the DOCFO, though it is often best
to begin these projects on your own without a model to influence
you and potentially impede your creativity.
Interviews
Many fellowship competitions
require interviews. See Interviewing.
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