Including NSF project proposal for the "Additional" information section of grad apps?

Graduate School
1

<p>Some apps have an "additional information" section:</p>

<p>Please use this field for any information you would like the Admissions Committee to have that was not captured elsewhere in the application. If you do not have any other information please skip this page.</p>

<p>Since I also applied for the NSF graduate fellowship, is it a good idea to include the project proposal in this section? My concern is that the admission commission will think of the project proposal as "unimpressive", and thus will hurt my application. However, I do want to make my grad app as strong as possible..</p>

2

<p>I applied for the GRFP a well. Is that the writing sample section? If it is, I’ve always thought that was for english/social studies majors.</p>

<p>Anyways, I considered attaching it, but probably won’t for several reasons:

  1. What you stated above, that it may appear as unimpressive
  2. You have to be careful. If your proposal was in a different area than the lab you’re applying to.
  3. I really doubt any adcom in STEM will want to read it. Several apps I’ve seen said not to include attachments of publications because they don’t want to read it.</p>
3

<p>In your personal statement it is appropriate to talk about the kind of research you want to you, so I can see discussing your proposal in your statement, maybe in an abbreviated version. You can show them that you can articulate a proposal worthy of research.</p>

<p>If you suspect your proposal is actually unworthy is another subject. If it is unworthy, it won’t impress NSF either, so what’s the deal? Either you stand behind it or not, I guess.</p>

4

<p>What’s the deal? Well, would you rather not impress just NSF, or both NSF and a prospective graduate department?</p>

5

<p>I completely agree with @BrownParent. When I read graduate applications, I want to see a well written professional statement which motivates the applicant’s desire to undertake a research degree. However, I do not want to read an overly long professional statement or a lot of added information. It is likely that if you attach an NSF GRFP proposal, it won’t hurt your chances, it just won’t be read at all.</p>

6

<p>I would say no - just include the ideas from it into your personal statement. You do run the risk of the NSF statement not being that great and thus not impressing the professors.</p>

<p>Also, there are some science programs that want a writing sample, because a lot of your program (and career, hopefully) will be writing scientific journal articles for publication.</p>