Talk Academia

spes wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2024 9:09 am

can'tgetapost-doc wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2024 8:45 am

Hi all,
EF-SOC, 92.20%. First attempt but still quite irritated, some of the weaknesses sound silly and sometimes they seem to contradict the identified strengths

Where do you read if you are in the reserve list? In the evaluation letter? I don't think I am, I did not see any mention of it there... Sorry for the basic question

First attempt with 92,20 is a very good result. You can be very happy of your work. Unfortunately, contradictory judjments are normal. You are not alone, I have found some too (and other many people…you can verify it reading the topics of past calls). In my second attempt, have been evaluated as weaknesses 2 things that were appreciated in the last call. If I were you, I would apply with the same proposal next call.

Thanks to all for the encouragement!

First applicant here. GF-SOC panel, rejected with an overall score of 93.80%. Didn't even make it to the waiting list - which makes me very curious about the cutting score of this year, last year it was 93.60%! The assessment report was very good and I agree with the weaknesses they have risen.

Good luck to those who haven't yet gotten the result!

I am trying to gather as much info about the EF-SOC panel. Based on the reports here and on the WhatsApp group, as of 09:44, the applicant with the lowest funded grade was 95.2. We have reports of applicants scoring 94 in the waiting list. So, the cutoff is between these, which is insanely high.

There seems to have been a very high number of people applying given the budget. I do wonder if more funding will become available once the UK-hosted people (like me) will be kicked out of the list of projects - as they will be funded by the UK itself as in the last 3 years.

Yes, I saw two people from EF SOC got 95.2 and got funded (as for now), and one of these two is myself. I have well predicted that this year's competition will be very high, and the scores must be very good in order to win. However, I didn't predict that my score is so low, and none of the weakness is about my science and research, nor my background/publication record. Instead, it is two trivial points about soft skills / teaching not specified in the training...which is completely irrelevant to the research. I perfectly understand that's what it is, and it is the reviewers' job to pick on these irrelevant stuff to cut we out, because there are just too many good proposals. Still find it absolutely unfair and irrelevant, and this needs to be changed. I heard the some evaluators are from a list of previously successful MSCA winners. If this is true, this simply means that we are all trapped in a loop in which the pattern is to be repeated. Just like Harvard only hires Harvard/MIT graduates, year after year. In this case, you either follow that pattern to write things up including those activities our public outreach that you possibly would never have the time to complete in this call, or you fail, no matter how good your science is, and how promising and ambitious as a great scientist you are.

'As for now', I said this. 95.2 means nothing, and it could even change after tomorrow. I got the 'Congralutions' email, but who knows, maybe tomorrow they will notify me that they did a mistake in the ranking and I'm not winning.

Good luck to everyone in your future. You are a great scientist and fantastic individual who strives to contribute to this world, no matter what the outcome of this year's MCSA.

watermelon wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2024 7:45 am

First time applicant here, 93% and in the reserve list, EF-ENV panel. In one of the sections, the reviewers have not read the answers with care, and I lose out 0.5 (or 2 marks in total). I have clearly addressed the supposed "weakness" that they have mentioned. Could anyone please let me know if it is a good idea to request a redress review? Is it possible that this process might result in a lower score than the one I currently have?

Congratulations to the applicants who have gotten the grant. Solidarity with the others.

It does seem to be a lottery!

Just forget about the idea of REDRESSAL. Simply forget. NO USE. absolutely no USE.

EF-SOC, 100%. My first attempt. I haven't received any official email yet, I hope I'm not dreaming. Thanks to this forum, which provided me with an escape during many tense moments

nik88 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2024 10:03 am

EF-SOC, 100%. My first attempt. I haven't received any official email yet, I hope I'm not dreaming. Thanks to this forum, which provided me with an escape during many tense moments

Big congrats! But how did you see your score if you haven't received any official email yet? I assume at least you can get an email like:

"Dear Madam/Sir,

Congratulations. Your proposal has reached the stage of Grant Agreement preparation...."

or nothing?

xiaoxiangshuiyun wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2024 10:07 am

nik88 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 12, 2024 10:03 am

EF-SOC, 100%. My first attempt. I haven't received any official email yet, I hope I'm not dreaming. Thanks to this forum, which provided me with an escape during many tense moments

Big congrats! But how did you see your score if you haven't received any official email yet? I assume at least you can get an email like:

"Dear Madam/Sir,

Congratulations. Your proposal has reached the stage of Grant Agreement preparation...."

or nothing?

I have just seen my evaluation report when logged into the portal.

Just got my email and the results on the portal at 10:07...Mine is 92.80%, which puts me on the reserve list (this is my third attempt). I'll contact my host supervisor and university and see what they'll say about it.