Guidelines and Advice

(compiled with the input and advice of Warren Ilchman, Director of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans Program)

	Visit the website: Among the high-profile scholarships, the Soros Fellowship has one of the better websites. In particular, it might be helpful to look at the bios of the past year’s Fellows to get an idea of how competitive you’d be as an applicant. Also, the site has extensive advice on the interview and on soliciting letters of recommendation. http://www.pdsoros.org/
	Make your essays a priority: They count for a lot more than your transcript and GRE scores, and they can offset a mediocre or even bad interview. Also, many of the interview questions or topics are drawn from applications, so an interesting, high-quality essay is laying the groundwork for an interesting, high-quality interview.
	Prepare for the interview, but don’t stress over it: The Soros interview takes pains to avoid being as intimidating or confrontational as the Rhodes, Truman, etc. Interview panels are relatively small, and the atmosphere is more one of conversation than of interrogation. Also, candidates are given two separate interviews, in part so that if one goes badly, you’ll have a “second chance”. Do take the interviews seriously and prepare for them accordingly, but don’t overdo it.
	Don’t pad your application: Particularly with regard to extra-curriculars, do not mention an activity unless it’s one that you are truly involved in and that is genuinely meaningful to you.
	Submit exhibits: Don’t merely submit your résumé. The application allows you five pages worth of “exhibits” (e.g., newspaper articles, excerpts from a portfolio, programs for events you were involved in, etc.) to further demonstrate your strengths with regard to the selection criteria. Take advantage of this opportunity to make yourself stand out and to give selectors more information and insight into who you are.

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