Any Rhodes or Marshall applicants out there?

<p>How many applicants do these scholarships usually get? When do you hear about finalist status?</p>

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How many applicants do these scholarships usually get? When do you hear about finalist status?

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<p>Depends what you mean by 'applicants.' If you mean the number of endorsed applications that actually get sent to the scholarship committees then I believe the number is somewhere around 700-1,000 (I'm guestimating here, but those are the ballpark figure's I've heard). However, remember that each school will have had it's own internal selection process for choosing who to nominate so for each person that actually ends up submitting an application there are probably at least another 2-3 (or more) that started the process as interested in applying. </p>

<p>The timelines should be on the respective websites. But it's generally all over by Thanksgiving with finalists notified a week or two before their interview.</p>

<p>Last year, there were 764 endorsed applicants. 209 of these received district interviews in 16 districts, with 32 scholars, two per district, selected. The Rhodes folks did a survey and estimated that approximately 1420 students sought a Rhodes endorsement. </p>

<p>Historically, the applicant numbers have been a bit higher, closer to 900. But four years ago, the selection process changed to a single tier system. Before then, semifinalists were chosen at the state level, followed by selection of finalists for 8 regions/districts. Under the new system, odds for an interview are much lower, so some feel this may have impacted the number of applicants, even though the number of scholars has not changed. In fact, the "odds" based on number of applicants, are better.</p>

<p>In past years, finalists are notified very end of October for Marshall, a week or so later for Rhodes, in each case about two weeks before the interview. Curiously, Marshall pays for transportation costs to the interview, Rhodes does not, although many universities will help. Marshall interviews always seem to be first, and they notify winners (and alternates) Friday evening or Saturday morning by phone. (so the non-winners only know because they don't get a call...). Because many Marshall winners are Rhodes finalists, and often turn down a Marshall for a Rhodes (can't have both!), the Marshall folks do not publicly announce their winners until after the Rhodes winners are announced. </p>

<p>At any rate, a week after the Marshall interviews, the Rhodes candidates meet, interview, and learn that day who won. The press release is usually issued Saturday evening right after selection. A few days later the Marshall folks have their press release.</p>

<p>Thanks guys, you're a wealth of information. Hopefully going through the process itself is a valuable experience. I know it has helped to focus S on his academic goals for the next few years. Applying to grad school should be a breeze after this.</p>

<p>S just got called for a Marshall interview. Anyone know how many candidates get interviews?</p>

<p>Congrats, congrats, congrats!!!!</p>

<p>I have no idea how many interviews but ;)....... as my sainted granny used to say......who gives a rat's :eek:. Woo-hoo!!! The goats are dancing for him. What an honor to be interviewed.</p>

<p>(The weasel I raised has told me she won't apply when it's her time. Doesn't fit with her program. I'm still working on it.)</p>

<p>Cur,</p>

<p>Don't worry. Mine said the same thing spring of her junior year. But she changed her mind over the summer. Fortunately she had contacted faculty before she left in June for summer break. So things change.</p>

<p>You might want to point her toward the NIH GPP website, where NIH talks about its partnership with the Rhodes and Marshall folks.</p>

<p>^ & #32. Good point, NMD. I forgot about NIH. My nephew wrote a grant proposal to NIH to work in China. Proposal accepted and he enjoyed 2 months in China at a major research institution. Jr-sr summer. If I remember the time from proposal writing to acceptance was about six months. Better start now. </p>

<p>I again reinterate, its not the technical knowledge that one gains but what one learns on how other cultures think.</p>

<p>LongPrime,</p>

<p>The program I was referencing is their Graduate Partnership Program, specifically the part that partners with Oxford and Cambridge. This program is designed for MD/PhD candidates, with a goal of having participants complete the PhD portion in three years, doing research at both NIH and Oxbridge, with the degree awarded by Oxbridge. Needless to say, all expenses are paid for by NIH. It is not restricted to Rhodes or Marshall winners, but NIH has partnered with both programs to integrate things a bit. NIH even goes so far as to include information about the program in the information packet for Rhodes winners. </p>

<p>It is a great program, and quite difficult to get into, much more so than for a traditional MD/PhD (MSTP) program, as you might guess, but it offers a world of resources to those accepted, and even offers an option (rarely used) where one in the program can get the PhD first, then get the MD, while still having NIH pay for med school.</p>

<p>thankyou for the clarification. My nephew is taking the MA route as a fifth year in science. He's was not sure whether which route to do phD then MD or other way around. I haven't talked to my sis about that. </p>

<p>Any way for those who want a NIH program, making your own research opportunity could be a real plum of an opportunity, especially for an undergrad.</p>

<p>cookiemom-</p>

<p>Congrats bigtime! Our CC hopes are riding on your son, mine was e-mailed 7-10 days ago that he was not to be interviewed for the Marshall, today found out by e-mail he is also not to be interviewed for the Rhodes. It is disappointing but realistically we knew the odds are long.
Best of luck for good results for your son.</p>

<p>jacdad,</p>

<p>Congratulations for having a son nominated. I'm not sure how much separates the nominees from the finalists from the winners! Hard for me to tell from the ones I know.</p>

<p>Look at it this way: the fact that your son was nominated and endorsed by his college validates his accomplishments and references at that college. Those things will stand him well regardless of what direction he takes.</p>

<p>Good work!</p>

<p>NMDad-</p>

<p>Thanks. We are proud of him, he's having a great senior year and is prepared to finish off the rest of his graduate applications in the next few weeks.</p>

<p>This thread is timely! I just told my son to make an appointment with the dean at his school in charge of advising to look into these scholarships. He's a junior with a 3.93 cumulative GPA and tremendous accomplishments. But what he does is write fiction so his only plan after college was to get an MFA. I'm not sure if that sort of thing fits at Oxford but I assume the school will point him in the right direction.</p>

<p>jacdad,
Congrats to your son for being nominated. I'm sure the process helped him get a head start on his grad school apps. My S is a little behind on his and this will put him further behind. He's actually more excited about the election right now. Luckily this is the big news world wide right now, so maybe that will help with his interviews.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the cc goodwill. It's still an uphill battle from here.</p>

<p>roberthhid,</p>

<p>Such an interest would fit fine. You might want to google the Rhodes Scholarship website and read the bio statements of some of the recent winners. You may be surprised at the range of interests.</p>

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The weasel I raised has told me she won't apply when it's her time. Doesn't fit with her program. I'm still working on it.)

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<p>Cur: If it doesn't fit her goals, then she shouldn't apply. The Rhodes/Marshall/etc. are fabulous experiences only if they make sense for the student's goals/desires. I've worked with many students who would have been competitive for these scholarships but chose not to apply because they felt the experience didn't make sense for them. </p>

<p>Good luck to all the Marshall and Rhodes Finalists!!</p>

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<p>The die is not cast....yet. She is talking about MSTP again and , nmd, that NIH "dealio" is on the table (lots of advice coming her way from the academics - both UG and med school prof's).</p>

<p>To quote a law school prof of mine (talking about his own child) - "It's still possible he may want to be a carrot when he grows up". I can relate.</p>

<p>Any of her present goals are so far beyond what I would have imagined for her. Heck, I'm still in awe that she made the 7th grade A team in basketball. She has succeeded past my ability to imagine (or be of much help, other than being a sounding board). Whatever she picks for herself is more than fine. Heck, I'll still have to use google to find out what the career entails. I have zero reference points. My medieval -at best- GPS just doesn't go anywhere near where she's going. It just shows dragons and sea serpents and the word UNKNOWN. And lots and lots of open water. </p>

<p>I have a candle in the window.</p>

<p>S just got email - no Rhodes interview.:(</p>

<p>cookiemom,</p>

<p>Chin up. It is not unheard of for a kid to blow the Marshall interview because of too much focus on an upcoming Rhodes interview. </p>

<p>And remember, being a Marshall finalist looks good on a resume in itself.</p>