The majority of students who complete the fellowship application process emerge feeling more confident in their ideas and their abilities. Most utilize the skills they developed through the application process by applying for additional fellowships and/or graduate school. However, the applicability of the skills that you will develop through the fellowship application process doesn't stop with grants and grad school; indeed, the skills listed below will benefit you throughout your career:
- Time management
- Responsibility
- Initiative
- Resourcefulness
- Critical thinking
- Written and interpersonal communication
- The art of persuasion
- Research
- Networking
- Presentation & public speaking
- The ability to articulate an argument succinctly and clearly
- The ability to establish, define, and achieve goals
But don't just take our word for it!
A survey from the Truman Foundation revealed that their finalists reported one or more substantial benefits from the application process, the most frequently mentioned being that the process:
- Clarified my career goals and objectives [81%]
- Better understanding of my policy topic [75%]
- Began serious planning for graduate school [64%]
- Became more aware of my values and interests [63%]
Truman Faculty Representatives' perceptions of the benefits to candidates from applying:
- Clarified their career goals and objectives [96%]
- Became more aware of their values and interests [80%]
- Improved their writing and presentation skills [74%]
- Improved their verbal and interview skills [69%]
- Gained confidence to apply to selective grad schools [63%]
- Became stronger candidates for other applications [58%]
Take a chance, and begin researching fellowships today!