<p>Exactly how prestigious is it?</p>
<p>Does it matter? It’s a way to be fully funded while a grad student. You can basically pick whatever lab you want to join, get more freedom with producing results, and have more academic freedom with what sort of project you work on within your own group.</p>
<p>I agree, was a bit thrown off by what the question this thread ended up containing. </p>
<p>It’s full funding, and I believe there are only 200 awarded a year. I would consider it prestigious in that regard.</p>
<p>It’s quite prestigious. For hard scientists, there are some other awards that carry more prestige - the Hertz (which is extremely difficult to get) and possibly the NDSEG. But for social scientists, it’s pretty much the most prestigious graduate fellowship there is. And as others have already said - the prestige is less important than the fact that you have external funding for 3 years and can pick your own lab, not to mention that it’s easier to get more funding once you’ve already gotten funding.</p>
<p>There are 2,000 awarded every year. It’s worth the work. I have one.</p>
<p>It goes on your CV and gives you money. What’s not to love?</p>
<p>Thanks guys, i mean i know it is prestigious but i just wanted to get a better sense. All of my professors have been telling me it is a great honor (because I was awarded on this year) so i just wanted to get a better idea from people in other fields.</p>
<p>Yes, I meant 2000. NDSEG is 200.</p>
<p>Congrats, cheme24. Very cool news. When did you find out?</p>
<p>Thank you. I found out March 30th. Usually they tell you April but this year was a bit different. I am just happy that I was awarded as a senior in undergrad so I won’t have to spend a good chunk of my first year in grad school applying for fellowships =)</p>