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This year the interest in Fulbright is manifold due to the exemption of GRE exam. Muhammad Ali Falak, being a Fulbright PhD candidate himself, addresses the current problems and their solutions, and explains what to expect while applying for Fulbright.
Covid-19 has altered the Fulbright grant eligibility criteria this year; shifting it from Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) score to a more robust Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA); galvanizing the huge surge of applications. The GRE exemption came as a blessing for those who were deterred by the expensive and intimidating exam. Preparing a winning application, however, is still a mystery. Candidates spend a lot of time learning from the scholarship’s gurus; paying hefty fees to the Fulbright alumni but fail to impress the selection team. So why 90 percent of the applicants are unable to come up with a masterpiece?
The Fulbright Programme; established in 1946 under legislation introduced by then-Senator J. William Fulbright opened avenues of endless possibilities for thousands of graduates and professionals from all over the world. Embarking on a journey of learning, exploration, and knowledge sharing in the United States of America is a dream of every Pakistani student and professional alike. The program allows the candidates to study in the USA, learning its work-life balance. Pakistani students from all walks of life aspire to be part of this highly competitive program which has an intensely rigorous stage-wise selection and is offered for Master and PhD. degree programs.
The grant has recently extended its application deadline until July 25 this year; and is accepting applications without prior Graduate Record Examinations. GRE: a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the United States and Canada aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that have been acquired over a long period of learning. The exemption, however, means that the discriminating factor for the Fulbright grant this year is – what they write in their applications and embellish them with details.
The following are the nine reasons for 90 percent of candidates failing to make it.
1- Know the programme in detail
Fulbright is one of the most widely recognized and prestigious international exchange programs in the world that grants support for graduate study and research in 140 countries. The programme not only emphasizes on knowledge sharing but also underscores the importance of cultural sharing by the candidates as they stay in the USA during their academic programme. Focusing on the individual section information asked and not completing the entire application holistically will lead the reader to incoherent, disconnected, and disoriented as he/she goes through the candidate’s application.
2- Am I the best fit?
Several students every year feel restrained to apply to the programme; thinking that they do not have what it takes to be a Fulbright grantee. Every year I get hundreds of messages from students asking the secret to be the best fit. Well, the secret is – no secret at all.
The programme always welcomes diversity in the cohort every year. However, successful candidates do show common traits. They are intelligent, interesting, persistent, can express themselves in writing, and are optimistic. The manifestation of leadership and initiative (in the form of teaching or mentoring experience if you are applying for a Fulbright ETA or in the form of research experience if you are applying for a Fulbright Full) is of chief importance, as are community services and contributions to society. Previous coursework related to your major interest and or project proposal and command of the English language is also quite important. So if you think you are not the best fit; you can be one!
3- How important is my cumulative grade point average (CGPA)?
This is one of the most repeatedly asked questions by the candidates. CGPa is certainly not the most important criterion in the selection of a candidate for the Fulbright. However, the official CGPA requirement is a 3.0, but an even higher CGPA may be unofficially required, depending on the level of competitiveness of the field in which you apply.
4- Realize the importance of every step of the application
The application documents are extremely carefully designed to know about the candidate’s performance, personalities, and attributes throughout their lives. It strives to know the details of the academic achievements of the candidates and also inquire about their lives outside their classrooms and offices. The candidate must be able to present a truthful yet balanced picture of his lifestyle while proactively elaborating on any exceptional incidents that have helped or hampered the progress of the candidates.
5- Start Early
Unlike many other scholarship applications, Fulbright invites the candidates to express themselves through their expressions and writing skills. Preparing flawless documents needs several revisions and plenty of time which is only possible when the candidates start filling their applications early. It is not a mechanically designed fact-based application.
6- Find a Mentor
Finding the right mentor can help candidates polish their applications. Getting the right mentors is believed to have increased the success rate of the candidates by many folds. The candidates must try to have a support system that can look for errors and omissions. Remember, ninety percent won’t make it. So, try to be perfect.
7- Make the right choice for the university
It is truly appreciated to be optimistic however, one must realise the best-fit universities and departments considering the major of the candidate. Filling all IV-league will reduce your chances of landing at the university of your choice and will also leave you at the behest of the admission committee to select the university for you. Therefore, look for universities in the top, middle and low ranking. Give a realistic preference looking at the university admission requirement. Give all the options so that your best fit can be matched.
8- Selecting the wrong references
Numerous candidates fail to understand the weightage of well-written recommendation letters on their selection process. The Fulbright selection committee is hugely interested in knowing what other ‘relevant’ people have to say about you; how you have been dealing in your previous job and coursework. Choose the one whose opinion matters. Therefore, a generalized ill composed recommendation letter by someone who does not know you will surely leave a bad impression on your selection.
9- Not knowing what to expect in the Fulbright Interview
The Fulbright interview is usually held at the office of The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) in Islamabad and includes long travel and a short essay writing before the start of the interview. Be prepared for both.
Being a Fulbright PhD candidate myself and mentoring Fulbright aspirants over the years, it is concluded that in applying for the most prestigious scholarship of the world, every word matter and each statement counts. Looking for nuance is always helpful.
About the Author
Muhammad Ali Falak is a Fulbright PhD candidate at Texas A&M University and graduated from The University of Tokyo. He has worked at different positions in Pakistan, Japan and the USA. His work experience includes teaching in universities, research, consultancy and project management and several other businesses. He is also serving as a Senator in the Graduate Professional Student Government at Texas A&M University. Visit his Linkedin page here.
