Useful Tools

For the most part, priority is given to well-grounded and feasible proposals. For example, identifying a particular itinerary or specific university is more credible than a vague and ambiguous proposal lacking specifics or tangible goals.

When creating a proposal you should be able to detail the curriculum that may be involved for a research project or course of study. You should also be able to articulate how and why a certain university/college fits your abilities and interest.

When proposing a course of study, “not only should you have read catalogues and web sites thoroughly and be able to show how that department or degree program matches your abilities and interests, but you should have found out who teaches what, where, how their research relates to yours, specific assets and liabilities of that set of courses or program, etc.” (Gunzburg, Brown University Fellowship Guide) Your goal should be to detail the various courses, activities, etc. of your proposed project while connecting those deliberately and thoroughly with the aims of the fellowship or scholarship.

You should consider the following questions while planning your proposed project:

1. Is this feasible?
2. Is it in line with my background, preparations, and ambitions?
3. Do I have the skills to succeed?
4. Is this proposed project relevant to the place of proposed travel or study?
5. Why would I value this experience?
6. Why would others value this experience?

Generally, most applications require you to write at least one essay. While this component can be the most difficult, it may also be the most fulfilling as it requires you to answer many of the most challenging questions. A thorough essay will help you to evaluate your goals and ambitions, how you plan to accomplish them, why they are important to your past, and how they might influence your future.

Many "research project" essays are straightforward in that they link directly to a students past academic experiences, interests and extracurricular activities. While these essays tend to be rather cerebral and academic, other essays entail more soul-searching and self reflection. Essays that require you to describe why you want to pursue a given proposal are sometimes difficult for students who are not comfortable writing openly about themselves and their passions. For this reason, personal essays can prove a more challenging task.

Personal writing allows you the freedom to express your values, unique gifts, and beliefs – a freedom that some find paralyzing. While there is no "right" way to express these important entities, by avoiding generalities you can separate yourself from a pool of stellar candidates. Instead of telling them you are passionate about human rights, show them by using examples or past experiences. Instead of being the student "interested in human rights," you then for example become the student who volunteered with the UN peacekeepers or organized Amnesty International Committees at high schools throughout Maine. Rather than opt for the general aspects of your candidacy, personalize it. This is your chance to tell people who you are, what you stand for, and who you want to become.

Write, write, and rewrite. You should share your essay with your recommendation writers, your professors, and others to get their feedback, hear their suggestions, absorb their compliments, and listen and respond to their criticisms. Anticipate and plan the time for three or even four drafts.

The Director of Student Fellowships and Research can usually provide examples of past essays upon your request, and also identify an individual on campus with whom you can work on this important piece.

When it comes to recommendation letters one fact cannot be overstated: The more personal the letter, the better. Likewise, the more tailored a recommendation is to your strengths for a particular scholarship, the more helpful the recommendation. You need to be sure your recommenders understand the selection criteria for your particular fellowship or scholarship. To be certain of this, photocopy materials and provide those upfront before they begin writing for you. Think about soliciting recommendations from people who have encountered you and your strengths in numerous ways and in a variety of venues.

You should meet with your recommender to discuss the specifics of the fellowship and the letter of recommendation. The letter should be rich in content and personal examples and/or anecdotes. You ought to begin collecting evidence supporting your candidacy even before you identify your recommenders. Such evidence can include: resumes, publications, news articles, past recommendations, and even a list of anecdotes illustrating your strengths. Don’t be shy. These will help the people you select to write your recommendations be more specific and persuasive.

Many students inquire if it matters if a faculty member is a visiting, assisting, adjunct, or full professor who writes their recommendations. Again, so long as the professor can attest specifically to your character, strengths, and scholarship, you should be well served by your professor’s recommendation no matter what his or her status.

If you plan on soliciting a recommendation from a faculty member from abroad, ask early. For the most part, recommendations coming from afar are slow to arrive. Please note that some processes require an original copy on letterhead, so an electronic or photocopied letter may not be acceptable.

But it’s up to you to choose your references and to make sure they have everything they need to write you the best possible letters. Although these tips are especially useful for scholarship and fellowship recommendation letters, most are also useful for graduate school and employment recommendation letters. Here’s what you can do to help your references help you reach your goal: 

Some fellowships and scholarships don't ask Bowdoin to select you as one of our top candidates prior to your application to the foundation, but they may ask for a nomination, rating, or institutional endorsement. These fellowships and scholarships usually ask you to apply directly to the foundation but to include a nomination form or institutional letter backing your candidacy.

Generally these letters or forms are required to come from the President or a Dean at the institution. If the fellowship or scholarship to which you are applying requires a nomination or endorsement form, you should discuss this very early on with the Director of Student Fellowships and Research, who will help to coordinate this request.

While these forms are usually separate from the required recommendations, they should be equally as rich in content and personal examples or anecdotes. Even before you identify the person who will nominate you, you ought to begin collecting evidence supporting your individual candidacy to share with him or her. Such things can include: resumes, publications, news articles, past recommendations, and even a list of anecdotes highlighting your strengths as a candidate. This is not the place to be humble. The more examples of your unique gifts and accomplishments the nominator can have, the more specific and more persuasive the letter of nomination or endorsement can be.

Many students read the list of fellowships and scholarships and immediately think, “These aren’t for me.” The common misconception is that the most competitive fellowships are reserved for only the most academically gifted students whose GPA never dips below a 4.0. While perfect grades are not required, academic engagement and intellectual curiosity are at the heart of most prestigious fellowships and scholarships.  Concordantly, selection committees will be interested in a record that clearly demonstrates these attributes. Aside from a transcript, you may be asked to provide a list of academic achievements, awards, prizes, or publications.

For the purpose of submitting final materials to particular foundations, you must request official Bowdoin transcripts from the Office of the Registrar. Be aware that Bowdoin’s Student Records Office cannot procure off-campus study transcripts for you. Contact the off-campus institution directly to request a transcript from them. Obtaining transcripts quickly from overseas or even from Bowdoin can be difficult and frustrating, so to avoid the stress, request these early.

Most fellowships and scholarships require at least one interview. Additionally, Bowdoin may necessitate an on-campus interview for students applying to scholarships requiring an institutional nomination.

Interviews are intended to ensure that candidates are not just “strong on paper,” and therefore provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate the essential social and interpersonal strengths that leaders must possess. Some interviews may focus on your ability to socialize and discuss world events, while others may be focused on your explanation of your extracurricular activities and interests. There is no telling what you may be asked, but you can be sure that qualities of engagement, confidence, manner, affability, and sincerity may all be assessed.

You should determine whether or not the fellowship or scholarship you are applying for requires either an on and/or off-campus interview as soon as you can. If so, you should consider scheduling a time to practice mock interviews with the Career Planning Center (x3717).

Below are 14 strategies for a successful interview written by A. Scott Henderson of Furman University

1. Be yourself. Don't try to adopt a persona, or provide the kinds of answers, that you think the interviewers expect.
2. Practice answering potential questions out loud. Typically, your responses should not take more than 30-45 seconds. At the end of that time, you can always ask, "Have I answered your question?" or "Would you like me to elaborate?" Even in the longest interviews (approximately one hour), you should try to limit your responses to about a minute and a half. Better interviews involve more, not fewer, questions from the interlocutors.
3. Become conscious about whether you use a lot of "ums" or "ahs." If you do, work on eliminating them. These speech affects are usually an unconscious device to gather one's thoughts before continuing with a remark or comment. Thus, the better prepared you are to respond, the less likely you'll say "um" or "ah" (for example, when somebody asks what your street address is, you don't usually incorporate an "um" or "ah" in your answer).
4. Don't speak too quickly. If you do, interviewers will stop listening and/or interrupt you to clarify something that they didn't have time to process. Speak at a normal pace, though you can vary your rate (and inflections) in order to emphasize various points. But don't inflect statements into questions. If, for instance, you are asked where you went to high school, there's no reason to respond, "I went to George Washington High School? In Dallas?"
5. Use your posture/body language to your advantage. Sit up straight, but in a relaxed manner. Don't sit with your arms crossed, and don't slouch, fidget, or play with your hair, glasses, etc. Place your hands on the table, or in your lap if there isn't a table. It's acceptable (even preferable) for you to use hand gestures to punctuate your remarks; however, it shouldn't appear as if you are conducting an orchestra or directing traffic. Lean forward to indicate passion or emphasis.
6. Make eye contact with as many of the interviewers as possible while answering a question. You want to foster the dynamics of a stimulating conversation, not the combative milieu of a press conference.
7. If somebody asks a difficult question, take a few seconds to gather your thoughts. You can always do so inconspicuously by taking a brief sip of water (if available). If you don't know the answer to a question ("What is the exact width of our solar system?"), then don't guess or bluff or ask for a clue. Just say, "I don't know." You would be better off, however, if your response could include something that you do know. ("I'm not sure of the exact width of our solar system, but I've often marveled that even relatively short distances in space, such as the length of the Earth from the Sun, are so vast—for example, 93 million miles.")
8. Don't automatically accept the premise of an interviewer's question. For instance, if you are asked, "Why do you think Clinton was such an ineffective president?," don't be afraid to respond, "I think that the evidence shows that Clinton was actually a very effective president" (if that's what you believe).
9. Don't hesitate to smile or laugh! And don't be afraid to use a little judicious humor—but please note: All humor depends on context. Too many self-deprecating comments (albeit funny ones) might give the impression of low self-confidence, while even small amounts of sarcasm can be offensive. Whatever form it takes, humor during an interview should function as a way to show that you don't take yourself or life too seriously, and that you aren't terrified by the interview or the interviewers.
10. Dress appropriately. If in doubt, ask a faculty member or adviser. Don't trust the advice of your friends—they might not be any better informed than you are. Err on the side of over-dressing, not under-dressing.
11. The more you know beforehand, the more comfortable you'll be during an interview. Read widely and deeply, including 2-3 daily newspapers (good ones include the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times) and respected magazines (The Economist, Harper's, Atlantic Monthly, New Republic, The New Yorker, National Review, and the Weekly Standard). Read international news sources if your interests/ambitions lie overseas. Be prepared to answer questions that have nothing to do with your area of expertise:
    
    • What is your favorite novel? Non-fiction book? Poem?
    • Who is your favorite composer/piece of music?
    • Who is your favorite artist/work of art?
    • What is your favorite film/documentary?
    • What leader (male and female, living and dead) do you admire most?
    • Who do you think was/is a hero (male and female, living and dead)?
    • If you could travel backward/forward in time, where would you go and why?
    • What adjectives would friends/professors use to describe you? Which ones would you use?
    • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
    • Many interviews end with a question like, "Is there anything else you'd like to say?" It's OK not to say anything, but it's better to have something—a brief sentence or two—as a response. As noted above, be yourself when giving a response. If nothing else, a gracious thank-you is always appropriate ("I appreciate having had this opportunity to discuss my educational and career plans"); final pleading is not ("I'd like to reiterate that my experiences and ambitions make me an ideal candidate for the John Smith Scholarship").
    • Be passionate about your interests and plans. This is a vitally important part of every interview.
    • Don't worry if other candidates being interviewed seem to have more impressive credentials than you do. How you perform during the interview is almost always more important than what you've listed in your written material.

A common misperception about the most competitive fellowships and scholarships is that they are reserved for only those students with the highest GPAs and IQs on campus. While a few have GPA requirements, you will find that most are looking for very bright and very involved students. Since most of these opportunities are geared toward nurturing, cultivating, and educating future leaders, it should not be surprising that they also take into account your moral awareness, personal ambitions, and unique talents when considering your candidacy.

Essays, resumes, and interviews are all opportunities to convey your particular strengths outside the classroom. Therefore it is generally important to demonstrate your ability to affect change and thus, to interact well with others, communicate effectively, and lead by example.

Most fellowships and scholarships do require a resume or a CV. Generally, it is important at this stage in your life to develop one regardless of your post-graduation plans. While obviously your resume preparation and presentation will vary depending on your ambition, there are some sound strategies for preparing good ones.

As one former Fulbright National Screening member commented, CV’s “…probably received less weight in our considerations, although good style and a tight, informative piece of writing are plus factors.” (2000 Fulbright Manual, 9)

Bowdoin’s Career Planning Center is a wonderful resource for resume reviews and critiques. Contact Career Planning for an appointment (3717).

Applying for the Rhodes, Marshall, and Gates Cambridge Scholarships

Spring semester before application
Visit the Rhodes, Marshall, or Gates Cambridge websites, and download the application forms and instructions. Read all materials carefully. (Application materials are not usually available until the preceding May for Marshall, July for Rhodes, and September for Gates but since the forms change little from year to year you can rely on last year’s materials as an initial guide.)

Review your academic and other achievements at Bowdoin, as objectively as possible, to see how well you fit the requirements the fellowships describe. If you meet the requirements for one, you are highly likely to do so for the others; you are strongly recommended to apply for all three. A summary of the instructions for these indicates the similarities. Rhodes applicants are expected to show “proven intellectual and academic quality of a high standard; integrity of character; interest in and respect for their fellow beings; the ability to lead; and the energy to use their talents to the full.” Marshall selectors assess candidates for “distinction of intellect and character as evidenced by both their scholastic attainments and by their other activities and achievements; adequate preparation for the proposed course of study, particularly in the upper-level course work and real strength in the major field; a cogent argument as to why their studies and proposed career would be best served by spending two years at a British university; the capacity to play an active part in the life of the United Kingdom university to which they go, and the potential to make a significant contribution to their own society.” In selecting Gates Cambridge Scholars, the Trust looks for “students of exceptional academic achievement and scholarly promise for whom advanced study at Cambridge would be particularly appropriate. The Trust expects a good match to be made between the applicant's qualifications and aspirations and what Cambridge has to offer. Successful applicants will have the ability to make a significant contribution to their discipline while in Cambridge, with a strong aptitude for research, analysis and a creative approach to defining and solving problems.”

Discuss the possibility of applying for these scholarships with faculty advisors, especially if they work in the academic area that you would like to pursue in the UK.

Be sure that you have a clear sense of your academic purpose in applying for a scholarship, and develop a short list of the programs and universities that are best suited to your academic background and needs. Review the degree programs available at the Oxford University website (www.ox.ac.uk), the University of Cambridge website, and the searchable database of programs and institutions available at the British Council website (www.studyintheuk.org). Stephen Hall has a small number of printed university prospectuses that you can review in the Off-Campus Study Office. Other references are provided in the Marshall “Memorandum of Guidance to Candidates.” Marshall applicants are urged not to ignore the many excellent British universities outside Oxford, Cambridge, and London. (You should also not give the impression that you are applying for a Marshall merely as a backup for the Rhodes.)

Arrange to discuss your application with the Director of Student Fellowships and Research before you leave campus for the summer.

When applying for the Rhodes and/or Marshall, decide from which state you will apply. For either scholarship, you may apply from your home state or from Maine. It will generally help you secure a first interview if you apply from Maine.

Decide which of your advisors you will ask to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf, and, if they are willing to do so, send them the form and instructions as soon as it is available. Complete and sign any parts of the form that are your responsibility. You will need not fewer than five and no more than eight letters of reference for the Rhodes, at least four of which are from your undergraduate instructors, and four letters for the Marshall, one of which is from a “preferred recommender.” The Gates Cambridge requires one referee who can write knowledgably about you as a person, and who can comment authoritatively on your non-academic attributes and achievements. Give your advisors plenty of notice; give them a copy of the scholarships’ instructions to recommenders and a full explanation of your plans (a copy of your resume and draft application essay is the easiest way to do this); and make sure that they know where and by when to send the letter (the scholarships differ in their requirements in this area). For a major scholarship, you will need a letter that demonstrates a close acquaintance with you and your work, and addresses your qualifications for the specific scholarship and degree to which you are applying. Let the Bowdoin Office of Student Fellowships and Research know exactly which letters will be sent directly to the Rhodes or Marshall scholarship office (with multiple copies), and which to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research. In any case, ask if your recommender would be willing to send a reference copy to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research.

It is also a very good idea to ask an advisor who is familiar with your proposed field of study if he or she would be willing to review your application essay.

Summer vacation before application
Start work on your application essays. While these essays should obviously be extremely carefully composed, they should be, as the Rhodes instructions put it, “written in as clear and direct a style as possible.” Do not aim to dazzle the reader with a literary or intellectual tour de force; and avoid the model of the college application essay that focuses on a formative experience in your life. Rhodes asks for a 1000-word description of your academic and other interests, the specific area of proposed study, and your reasons for wishing to study at Oxford; Marshall asks for a 1000-word description of your academic and other interests and pursuits, and the Gates requires a 500-word description of how your interests and achievements - both academic and extra-curricular - demonstrate a capacity for leadership plus a commitment to using your knowledge to serve your community and to applying your talents to improve the lives of others. You also must explain how your proposed studies in Cambridge will help you with the aims of your future career.

Start simply, and the connections between your various interests and goals should emerge naturally. Read the instructions extremely carefully, and in particular observe the following:

Over the summer, you should send a dated draft or two of your essays and of your resume to the Director of Student Fellowships and Research, and to any of your advisors who have agreed to give you comments (email is the most convenient method). It is hard for your readers to help you if your drafts arrive in sections, or change almost daily, so do not send them anything until you have a first version that is reasonably complete; but it is time to ask for advice if you find that you are stuck, or cannot leave the draft alone. You will very quickly get too close to your own essay, and overlook gaps in the logic and structure that will seem very obvious to your readers. Take their comments seriously, and fix the problems that they point out — you may lose their sympathy if they see the same ones in your next draft! Remember, finally, that the essay has to be your own work (for the Rhodes you even have to conclude the essay with a signed statement to this effect); your readers will be happy to make editorial suggestions, but you are responsible for the essay’s ideas and arguments, and for its final state. Try to do as much as you can over the summer; once the Bowdoin semester starts you will find you have very little time to do much serious rewriting. It is very disappointing to see promising applications abandoned, after much hard work, for the lack of time to apply the essential finishing touches.

Make sure you are ready to assemble all the other components of your application, such as photographs, photocopies of birth certificates, transcripts, etc.

Fall semester
As soon as you return to campus, get in touch with the Director of Student Fellowships and Research to review your application. By early September your essays and resume should be essentially complete, and ready for distribution to the members of the Fellowship Committee. An on-campus interview (of about 30 minutes) will be scheduled for you with the committee around 15 September. On the basis of that interview and of your essay, the committee will decide whether your application will receive Bowdoin’s endorsement.

If you or the members of the Fellowship Committee feel that you need more interview practice, one or more mock interviews may be scheduled for you through the Office of Student Fellowships and Research.

If your application receives Bowdoin’s endorsement, put the final touches to your essay and finish assembling your application packet. Give a copy of the institutional endorsement form, with the necessary addresses and signature, etc., to the Director of Student Fellowships and Research; include an additional copy of your application, to assist in the writing of the letter.

You will hear if you have been invited to an interview a few weeks after the application deadline. Your interview will probably last about 30 minutes. The interviewers may be a mix of academics, previous winners, and others in positions of public service. Most Bowdoin candidates report that they were pressed hard by their interviewers, if not aggressively. You will be expected to show your intelligence and commitment by being quick on your feet, and by speaking clearly, persuasively, engagingly, and, not least, reasonably concisely. While anticipating questions is a very inexact science, you should plan to answer any question or defend any position that has a connection with anything you say in your essay; such a connection may well be rather indirect, as you are unlikely to have the fortune (good or ill) to meet up with an expert in your proposed academic field. If you are lobbed a soft question, such as “Why Cambridge?” make sure that you do not shrug it off with a casual response. In general, however, admit the limitations of your knowledge rather than try to disguise them with lengthy waffling. You may well be asked about questions of public policy that do or do not arise from your essay; be sure to be well informed in any case about current affairs, especially as it pertains to US-UK relations. You may avoid straying into dangerous political territory, or sounding arrogant, if you make clear, without being too diffident, that you understand the pros and cons of the positions you hold. While you will not be expected to have a profound understanding of the educational system in the UK, and your proposed university and program, you should have done your basic homework on the subject.

Interview candidates for the Rhodes also attend a reception the evening before the interview, at which they meet other candidates as well as committee members. While this reception is by no means as important as the interview itself, it is also not just a social occasion; you may find that one member of the committee is taking a particular interest in you, and probing for a possible first line of questioning the next day!

Scholarships are announced shortly after the interview.