Guidance



Introduction NU students who win competitive fellowships invest substantial time and energy in the application process. At the Office of Fellowships, we find that any process really begins long before personal statements or research proposals are drafted. Below we have sketched out categories of guidance we provide through the various stages of a standard application. We hope you (prospective student, current student, alumnus/a, faculty, or parent) will remember our motto: It is never too soon or too late to stop by the Office of Fellowships!
Exploration of Interests The sooner we get to know students, the better position we will be in to advise them down the road. Initial conversations need not focus on particular fellowships. We welcome freshmen and sophomores as they choose, change, and add majors and minors to their plans of study. We also encourage juniors and seniors to introduce themselves as they deepen their commitment to a discipline and/or career path. Since many of our applicants are alumni, we invite young alumni to initiate contact with our office.
Development of Plans When a student articulates long-term aspirations such as a career in public service, international research, or graduate study, we can discuss ways to build appropriate skills and gain relevant experiences to fulfill those goals. Courses that emphasize language proficiency or analytical methods might be essential for developing a foundation for later pursuits. Beyond the classroom, mentored research, experiential learning, or extracurricular activities also may serve those ends. Indeed, many fellowships exist to fund these preparatory activities. Having worked with hundreds of students over the years, we are familiar with ways to prepare for a range of academic and career ambitions.
Identification of Opportunities Once we learn about students' interests, we inform them of fellowships that may be of interest in the medium and longer terms. Sophomores and juniors can position themselves for possible future applications by building a certain expertise or pursuing a leadership position. We appreciate that students are busy and may not think to make an appointment or stop by the Office of Fellowships for our weekly Fellowships Forum. To reach them, we regularly send out notices through advising channels and post ads in the Northwestern Daily to generate awareness about upcoming competitions and associated information sessions and workshops.
Advice about Competitions Before students launch into an array of applications, we explain trends from past years‹including selection criteria, both written and unwritten. Through ongoing communications with selectors, we can provide students with an insider's view of selection processes, which allows them to focus on ways to contemplate connections between a program¹s mission and their qualifications and aims. Students also can get "insider information" by taking advantage of our library of past winning applications from NU students. In this stage of contemplation, students can make informed decisions about which (if any) fellowships to pursue.
Development of Application Materials The Office of Fellowships promotes the Rule of Ten: If a student has not completed ten drafts of an application, then he/she is not yet done. We review multiple drafts of personal statements and research proposals with students in order to produce the most compelling and succinct expression of ideas. This process lies at the heart of our advising mission. Regardless of the outcome of a particular competition, a student will possess a clearer vision that will serve him/her well in all future applications for fellowships, jobs, graduate school, and other pursuits.
Practice for Interviews Many fellowship competitions involve one or more interviews by phone or in person. These interviews are critical: applicants have been selected based on their written materials, and selectors want to probe the depths of their knowledge and commitment. We organize panels of faculty and senior administrators to simulate the interview experience and offer concrete feedback before the real interview. We find that these sessions are indispensable for anchoring students in their experiences to anticipate questions that may seem to come out of left field.
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Introduction

NU students who win competitive fellowships invest substantial time and energy
in the application process.
At the Office of Fellowships, we find that any process really begins long before personal statements or research proposals are drafted. Below we have sketched out categories of guidance we provide through the various stages of a standard application.

We hope you (prospective student, current student, alumnus/a, faculty, or
parent) will remember our motto:

It is never too soon or too late to stop by the Office of Fellowships!

Exploration of Interests
The sooner we get to know students, the better position we will be in to advise them down the road. Initial conversations need not focus on particular fellowships. We welcome freshmen and sophomores as they choose, change, and add majors and minors to their plans of study. We also encourage juniors and seniors to introduce themselves as they deepen their commitment to a discipline and/or career path. Since many of our applicants are alumni, we invite young alumni to initiate contact with our office.

Development of Plans

When a student articulates long-term aspirations such as a career in public service, international research, or graduate study, we can discuss ways to build appropriate skills and gain relevant experiences to fulfill those goals. Courses that emphasize language proficiency or analytical methods might be essential for developing a foundation for later pursuits. Beyond the classroom, mentored research, experiential learning, or extracurricular activities also may serve those ends. Indeed, many fellowships exist to fund these preparatory activities. Having worked with hundreds of students over the years, we are familiar with ways to prepare for a range of academic and career ambitions.

Identification of Opportunities

Once we learn about students' interests, we inform them of fellowships that may be of interest in the medium and longer terms. Sophomores and juniors can position themselves for possible future applications by building a certain expertise or pursuing a leadership position. We appreciate that students are busy and may not think to make an appointment or stop by the Office of Fellowships for our weekly Fellowships Forum. To reach them, we regularly send out notices through advising channels and post ads in the Northwestern Daily to generate awareness about upcoming competitions and associated information sessions and workshops.

Advice about Competitions

Before students launch into an array of applications, we explain trends from past years‹including selection criteria, both written and unwritten. Through ongoing communications with selectors, we can provide students with an insider's view of selection processes, which allows them to focus on ways to contemplate connections between a program¹s mission and their qualifications and aims. Students also can get "insider information" by taking advantage of our library of past winning applications from NU students. In this stage of contemplation, students can make informed decisions about which (if any) fellowships to pursue.

Development of Application Materials

The Office of Fellowships promotes the Rule of Ten: If a student has not completed ten drafts of an application, then he/she is not yet done. We review multiple drafts of personal statements and research proposals with students in order to produce the most compelling and succinct expression of ideas. This process lies at the heart of our advising mission. Regardless of the outcome of a particular competition, a student will possess a clearer vision that will serve him/her well in all future applications for fellowships, jobs, graduate school, and other pursuits.

Practice for Interviews

Many fellowship competitions involve one or more interviews by phone or in person. These interviews are critical: applicants have been selected based on their written materials, and selectors want to probe the depths of their knowledge and commitment. We organize panels of faculty and senior administrators to simulate the interview experience and offer concrete feedback before the real interview. We find that these sessions are indispensable for anchoring students in their experiences to anticipate questions that may seem to come out of left field.