Getting Closure With Your Fulbright Application
We know that it took an incredible amount of effort to submit your Fulbright application. You should be proud of the dedication and courage it took. Out of the millions of college graduates who are eligible to apply for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, fewer than 1% actually apply. Maybe you have worries and concerns about what you did and didn’t do, or what you could have done differently. Your application is now in the hands of the Fulbright gods and it’s best if you continue on with your life and goals rather than worrying about all the “what ifs”.
We’ve designed a reflection exercise to help you get closure with the application process. You will discover what you learned from this process that you can carry forward to other aspects of your life, regardless of whether or not you are awarded the Fulbright.
Take a moment to reflect and do a retrospective on the application process by answering the following questions or using the reflection worksheet:
What did I do and what didn’t get done?
Be objective here and list out all the things you physically did or accomplished.
All the people you contacted, the books you read, the classes you took, the expertise you gained on a topic or country, etc.
Look at the list and be proud of yourself.
Acknowledge the things you wanted to do that you didn’t complete.
The people you didn’t get in contact with, the affiliation you didn’t secure, etc.
Look at the list and tell yourself, “I did the best job I could with the knowledge, resources and limited time that I had. What didn’t happen is now in the past and it’s okay.”
There is always more you could have done. Be grateful that there is a deadline that forces you to stop and move on with your life.
What did I learn in this application process about myself? What lessons can I take from this experience?
There are no failures in life. There is only learning. No matter what happens with the selection, discover what you gained from the application experience. Did you learn how to write a powerful personal statement? Did you learn what worked and what didn’t work with contacting potential affiliations?
Don’t skip this step. If you end up applying again in the future, having this information captured while it’s fresh in your memory rather than a year from now will be helpful.
Still have questions? Chat with a Fulbright expert
We host regular free virtual office hours where you can with one of us to have your questions answered. Office hours are great for people who don’t have access to a campus Fulbright Program Adviser.