Marshall Scholarship Application Guide

This application guide is provided by Dear Future Colleague (DFC). DFC seeks to address inequity in educational opportunity by providing guidance to underrepresented students applying to competitive undergraduate and graduate scholarships, as well as law school. While the American education system is often regarded as a ‘meritocracy,’ pervasive systemic barriers tied to race, socioeconomic status, disability, institutional resources, and level of parental education affect bright students’ ability to reach their full potential.

The DFC Scholarships team is made up of students and alumni recipients of competitive scholarships—many of whom come from underrepresented backgrounds themselves—who are all eager to provide resources and support to prospective applicants. We want to use our privilege and insight to help students to chase their dreams at the undergraduate and graduate level, both domestically and internationally.

It is our hope that these applicants will join our professional ranks, diversifying academia and the workplace in a way that benefits ourselves, our professions, and the world. The mission of DFC is to journey alongside our peers today, with the hope that our futures will be intertwined as professional colleagues.

Interested in mentorship? If you’d like to be paired with an alum of this scholarship to support your application process, fill out our mentorship matching survey. If you are an alum and are interested in supporting prospective applicants, take our volunteer survey.

Partnerships: DFC is eager to form mutually beneficial relationships with organizations and individuals who share our commitment to diversifying the higher education space. If you’re interested in partnering with DFC, please contact [email protected].

Have questions about DFC and its services? Send us an email at [email protected]. You can also follow DFC on social media for updates on our program and more scholarship tips, tricks, and guides: ● @dearfuturecolleague on Instagram & Facebook ● @futurecolleague on Twitter ● www.dearfuturecolleague.org

Last updated: 6 November 2020

Prepared by: Maggie Hilderbran (2019), Kristian Gubsch (2020), David Elitzer (2017), Aaron Sandoval (2020), Jackson Neagli (2018), Lawson Sadler (2020), Morgan King (2019)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE GUIDE CREATORS

DISCLAIMER

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP Description of Scholarship Scholarship Benefits Scholarship Requirements Application Deadlines Things to Know Further Information

PREPARING TO APPLY Should You Apply for the Marshall? Timeline Choosing Your UK Course(s)

APPLYING The Application Process Choosing Your Recommenders

ADVICE BY FIELD OF STUDY STEM Humanities Social Sciences Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary

THE WRITTEN APPLICATION General Essay Advice Employment and Activities Personal Statement Ambassadorial Potential Proposed Academic Program

Leadership Post-Scholarship Plan Brief Statement of Future Career Aims

REGIONAL INTERVIEWS General Interview Advice Sample Questions

INTERVIEW ADVICE BY REGION Atlanta Boston Chicago Houston Los Angeles New York San Francisco Washington, D.C.

ADVICE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED CURRENT SCHOLARS/ALUMNI

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

CONNECT WITH FORMER SCHOLARS Contact Us

MESSAGE FROM THE GUIDE CREATORS

Hey there! We are a group of alumni and current scholars who want to help you apply for the Marshall Scholarship. This guide is intended to help inform you about the Marshall application process from the perspective of those who have been through it. We’re so excited you’re considering applying - and we’re rooting for you!

DISCLAIMER

We think the perspectives of students who have actually been through the application process are far too often left out of resources offered to scholarship applicants. However, because this guide is from the perspective of current scholars/alumni, it provides only a partial view of the application process. It’s important to keep in mind that these were our experiences and the suggestions that we found helpful, but they are not universal truths about how the program selects scholars. Also, while we do our best to keep this guide current, we can’t guarantee that

Steal this guide! This guide is licensed under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, so you can share it all you want - all you have to do is attribute it to: © 2020 Dear Future Colleague. everything remains 100% accurate - if you have questions, please check the Marshall website or reach out to your university’s scholarships/fellowships advisor or to the Marshall staff.

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP

The Marshall Scholarship website has an excellent overview of the scholarship here.

The Rules for Marshall Scholarships are available here - we recommend reading these carefully if you’re considering applying, as they contain critical information about the application process and requirements, as well as the scholarship itself. The Rules are updated annually.

Description of Scholarship

The Marshall Scholarship funds graduate study at any UK university in any field of study.1

There are two main routes: the One Year Marshall Scholarship (one academic year with no possibility of extension) and the Two Year Marshall Scholarship (two academic years with the possibility of a third-year extension). The Marshall website has a helpful flowchart explaining how these different routes work. You can only apply to one route. Most scholars are on the two-year track; however, there are always some one-year scholars in each class. If you’re applying for the one-year, you should have a strong reason for why it’s the right option for you.

The scholarship is funded by the British government.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship funds the following: ● Tuition and fees ● A monthly stipend for living expenses ● Annual book grant ● Thesis grant ● Research and daily travel (i.e., bus or Tube pass) grant ● Airfare to and from the US at the beginning and end of your scholarship tenure ● Shipping costs for your belongings (up to a limit) to and from the US at the beginning and end of your scholarship tenure

1 This is mostly the case - there are just a few degrees that aren’t eligible for Marshall funding. See the Rules for a complete list. Steal this guide! This guide is licensed under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license, so you can share it all you want - all you have to do is attribute it to: © 2020 Dear Future Colleague.

Additionally, the scholarship (through government funding and the alumni association) provides funding for a series of enrichment events often including but not limited to (and always subject to change): ● Annual Marshall Thanksgiving dinner in London ● Annual trip to a selected destination within the UK (spring) ● Annual trip to Scotland (summer) ● Speakers on a range of topics (in London) ● Annual group trips to see a show at Shakespeare’s Globe and a West End play

Other claimable expenses (that don’t fall under the official Marshall list): ● Travel & accommodation for visits to potential second-year universities (for two-year scholars) ● Moving expenses if you move between cities after your first year

Scholarship Requirements

These requirements are listed in full here on the Marshall website - a brief summary is provided below.

The Marshall Scholarship is open to US citizens who have graduated from an accredited four-year institution with a GPA of at least 3.7. Applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree within the past three years (i.e., candidates must have graduated after April 2017 to be eligible for scholarships beginning in October 2020). Applicants also must not have studied for or received a degree or degree equivalent from a British university or have taken British A-levels or GCSEs.

Application Deadlines

Applying for the Marshall Scholarship requires endorsement from your college/university. CHECK YOUR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY’S INTERNAL DEADLINES! These are school-specific and may occur many months in advance of the final Marshall application deadline and in multiple stages.

The deadlines for the 2021 scholarship competition (i.e., moving to the UK and starting your Marshall Scholarship in the fall of 2021) are here. For scholarships tenable beginning in 2021, the deadline for applicants to submit their applications is 5 pm (in the time zone of your endorsing college/university) on 25 September 2020. Final submission of the application and accompanying letters must be completed by 5 pm on 30 September 2020.

NB: What matters most are your college/university’s internal deadlines, which are likely earlier than those set by the scholarship. If you’re thinking about applying, start the process early and plan ahead.

Things to Know

Here are a few things we’ve learned about the Marshall through our experiences - what makes it unique, special benefits, and particularly important rules/restrictions. We think they’re helpful to know as you’re heading into applying and making the decision about whether or not the Marshall would be a good fit for you.

● The Marshall is distinct from other UK graduate scholarships (Rhodes, Gates Cambridge, Churchill, etc.) in that it allows study at any UK university. ● Because the Marshall also funds study in any field, the scholar/alumni network is fairly diverse academically and professionally. Alumni go off to do a ton of very different and very cool things. ● The Marshall focuses on UK cultural understanding - as seen through its annual trips within the UK, support for educational/cultural events, and focus on “ambassadorial potential” (i.e., building US-UK connections). ● There’s a strict 30-day annual limit on non-academic travel outside the UK during your scholarship tenure (this is in the Rules but is worth re-emphasizing here) - this is to encourage scholars to focus on getting to know the UK.

Further Information

Marshall Scholarship website: https://www.marshallscholarship.org/ Marshall Scholarship Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshallScholar Marshall Scholarship Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallscholar/

Association of Marshall Scholars (alumni association) website: https://marshallscholars.org/ Association of Marshall Scholars Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarshallAlums

Bonus information (potentially helpful for further understanding the scholarship): ● Statistical reports for each application cycle (interesting if you like data, but keep in mind that these are previous cycles and the current one may go very differently): https://www.marshallscholarship.org/the-scholarship/statistics-and-resources ● Annual Reports for the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission (more data + gives some more insight into how the Marshall actually functions): https://www.marshallscholarship.org/the-commission/annual-reports

PREPARING TO APPLY

Should You Apply for the Marshall?

Short answer: YES!!!

Longer answer: YES!!! Provided you meet the criteria and eligibility requirements, you should apply if the Marshall sounds exciting and appealing to you. Some possibly helpful things to consider when you’re thinking about whether or not a Marshall Scholarship would be the right opportunity for you: ● Are you excited about the idea of living abroad? The idea of going to school abroad? (Even if you’re nervous about it, is it a challenge you want to take on?) ● Are there UK graduate degree programs that truly align with and advance your academic/career goals? ○ Does studying in the UK make sense for what you want to do? ● Are there any partnerships between grad school programs in the US that you want to apply for and grad schools in the UK?

Timeline

REMINDER: check your institution’s internal deadlines, which are likely earlier than those set by the scholarship. You must have institutional endorsement in order to apply for the Marshall. Everyone’s deadlines and application processes vary - the timeline that works for someone else may not work for you or for your institution. We’ve provided a general timeline below to serve as a starting point for your application, but it’s not written in stone. And don’t worry if you’re starting the process a little later - you’ve got this!

General timeline: ● As early as possible: look into your institution’s endorsement process and identify relevant deadlines. ○ Every institution has a different timeline and process! ● Spring/summer of the year in which you’re applying: begin to research possible degree programs in the UK; start thinking about letters of recommendation and essays. ○ If your institution has an office that oversees student applications to scholarships like the Marshall, this is a good time to reach out to them. ○ If your institution does not, start reaching out to determine who the relevant contact for institutional endorsement is and what your next steps should be. ● Summer: draft and revise essays; request letters of recommendation. ● Summer/fall: apply for institutional endorsement (most institutional endorsement deadlines generally occur throughout the summer and into the beginning of the fall). Check your institution’s deadlines! ● If selected for institutional endorsement:

○ September: final deadline for submitting your application to the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission. ○ November: regional in-person interviews for shortlisted candidates.

Choosing Your UK Course(s)

Unlike other UK fellowships, the Marshall gives you great freedom in course selection, allowing scholars to study any postgraduate course at any university in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, with a few exceptions (listed here on page 2 for c/o 2021 applicants). Choosing where to study is an incredibly important decision, both in making a competitive application and in having a positive experience in the UK. It’s worth taking the time to research all your options to find the best-fit program for you!

For one-year Marshall applicants, you must select a program that ends within 12 months of starting. A one year Marshall Scholarship is tenable for one academic year (i.e., 12 months). It is a condition of the award that Marshall Scholars must proceed to a degree that can be completed within the 12-month tenure. It should be noted, however, that courses that run for 10 months or less - i.e., where the course ends before August - will not be funded on this Scholarship.

For two-year Marshall applicants, you can choose either two one-year programs (can be at two different universities or the same one) or one two-year program. These shorter 1-2 year master’s programs are often called MPhil, MRes, or MSc in the UK (as compared to MA in the US). You can also apply for a longer program like a PhD, which are typically 3 year programs, but you’ll have to consider finding ways to fund the third year (or beyond). The scholarship does have means to offer third year funding for doctoral students, but we’re currently not sure how guaranteed this is. You can also ask your university department about funding opportunities, as many have the bandwidth to fund students.

There are two main types of academic postgraduate degrees in the UK - taught and research. Taught degrees involve structured coursework for the bulk of the academic year, generally combined with either a substantial project/portfolio or dissertation in the summer. If you enjoy taking classes and having some more structure in your academic life, a taught degree may be a good fit for you. It also may be a good fit if you don’t feel quite ready to pursue full-time research and want to do some skill-building first. Research degrees come in a few flavors - e.g., MPhil, MSc, MRes, PhD, and DPhil. These programs generally are much more independent - you might audit a course or two and attend seminars, but your focus will be primarily on your research. If you’re interested in pursuing a PhD, do be very thorough in vetting your program and advisor. UK PhDs are very different from US PhDs, and you should be aware of these differences before you decide to enter a program.

Other important things to note re: program selection:

● You’ll be asked to provide first and second program choices. ○ IMPORTANT: “...if a candidate puts Oxford, Cambridge or Imperial College, King’s College London, LSE or UCL as their first choice institution none of these universities can be listed as second choice institutions.” (Rules for Candidates, p. 2) ■ “A possibly helpful point of clarification: when I applied, this rule was interpreted as applying across both scholarship years, meaning that if any of those schools were a first choice for either year, none of them could be listed as a second choice for either year - e.g., by listing UCL as a first choice for my second year, I couldn’t list Oxford as a second choice for my first year. You could, however, have these schools as your second choices in both years. It’s possible this could be interpreted differently in the future.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ■ “To clarify further: you can indeed have an OxCam/London school as your first choice for both years (e.g., Cambridge in year 1 and then Oxford in year 2), but then your second choices for both years would have to be non-OxCam/London schools. That said, Marshall Scholars almost always gain admission to their first choice schools, and I put little thought into my second choice schools for that reason.” (from a 2020 Marshall) ● If possible, get in touch with former scholars who did the courses you’re interested in. They can provide helpful information about the atmosphere of the program and of the university as a whole - a perspective you may not be able to get from the program’s website. If you’re having trouble finding a former scholar, it can be helpful to reach out to the program director, who may be able to connect you with current or former students in the program. ● For research degrees, it’s a good idea to contact your potential supervisor in advance of applying. This helps you determine if the course is a good fit, and it also strengthens your application by showing that you have been proactive. ● You should choose your courses carefully and commit to them. However, remember that you’re not signing your life away with this application - there’s room to change your first year course in case of emergency (e.g., the program changes dramatically in some way or is cancelled), and you have the chance to reconsider and possibly switch your second-year course during your first year in the UK. ● The non-academic aspects of your program are relevant as well - the type of city you’ll be in, the activities and clubs that are offered, where in the UK you want to be, etc. While the Marshall is an academic scholarship program, your well-being and happiness beyond academics matter. Choose courses and universities where you think you can thrive both in the classroom and beyond!

Resources for finding courses: ● "Choosing a University in the UK" on the Marshall website

● "Find a Course in the UK" on the Marshall website ● Google (sometimes far more helpful and easier to use than search engines designed specifically for postgraduate degrees) ○ Try searching for lots of different keywords related to your field of study - particularly if you’re interested in something a little more niche, you may need to hunt around for a while before you find the degree that best fits what you want to do. ● University websites (esp. if you’d like to be at a particular university) ● Looking through degree programs that have been pursued by Marshall Scholars in the past can be helpful.

APPLYING

The Application Process

Applying for the Marshall Scholarship requires institutional endorsement. Each institution has its own endorsement application process, often involving a written application and interview. Look at your institution’s specific guidance for the relevant timeline and endorsement application information.

Should you receive endorsement, you will then submit your application to the Marshall Scholarship itself. You will apply in one of eight regions: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. If your permanent address and your school are in the same region, you must submit your application to that region. If your permanent address and your school are in two different regions, you may choose the region to which you submit your application.

From the pool of endorsed applications, regional selection committees choose a subset of finalists for interview. If you’re selected to interview, you will attend an in-person interview with the regional committee. (See below for more information on regional interviews.) Following the interviews, each region will award several scholarships.

The following sections address the application process in greater detail - both the written application and interviews.

Some helpful advice to remember along the way: you are qualified and deserving. Your transcript will speak for itself, as will the very fact that you’re eligible to apply for the Marshall in the first place. While grades are important, what really matters is who you are - what you care about, why you do what you do, and what you want to do with your life. Trust that your academic track record is enough!

Choosing Your Recommenders

The Marshall application requires three recommendations. The application instructions for these recommendations are as follows: “You should state the names of three persons who can supplement the required Letter of Endorsement by providing further details as to your qualifications. The first of these should be designated the Preferred Recommender and this recommender should have supervised your college or university training. The general recommendation must be provided by an academic. At least two of these recommenders should be in the United States." (from “Information for Recommenders” on the Marshall website)

Tips for recommendations: ● Prioritize your research/academic advisors for one or two of your letters, but it’s also good to diversify your recommenders by asking club advisors or professors who have taught you a subject outside of your primary research area. ● Remember that your academic track record speaks for itself. The committee will see your transcript and know that you’re a great student. It’s helpful for recommenders to add something new to your application - something beyond simply whether or not you succeeded in a class. ● Think carefully about what each of your recommenders can add to your application. It can be good to have recommenders who know you from different contexts or who know different aspects of your personality. Several recommendations that each say something different may be helpful! ● It can be uncomfortable, but if you aren’t sure whether a professor or mentor will write a good letter of recommendation then meet with them! This can be a great opportunity to not only ask if they are willing to write a good letter, but also for them to ask you specific questions about your background/experiences to further bolster the letter. ● Similarly, if you know you want to ask for a letter from a professor who knows you well academically, but not personally, consider investing time attending office hours before asking for a letter. The best letters will come from those who know who you are both as a student and as a person.

ADVICE BY FIELD OF STUDY

STEM

● Reach out to potential research supervisors, identify one, and then mention your interaction with them in your application.

● Tie in your research to your personal statement, ambassadorial potential, and proposed academic program. Write so that someone not in your field can understand your proposed research. ● If you have multiple research advisors that interest you, choose the one that you want to work with most and then briefly (1-2 sentences) mention the other advisor/university in the proposed academic program section. ● In your personal statement, write about how past events/experiences in your life have culminated in choosing your UK university, research advisor, or lab. ○ For example, if you are passionate about limiting the effects of climate change then explain how you became passionate about that subject (documentaries, teachers, podcasts, etc.), what you have done to pursue that passion (research projects, student clubs, non-profits, etc.), and how you are going to apply this passion in the UK (are there any organizations or labs that already have a US-UK connection that you could “strengthen”? Outside of research, what extracurriculars will you be involved with related to your field of interest?). ● The Marshall historically has had more non-science scholars than science/engineering scholars (although this is starting to change). This means you have to defend to the commission why your research is important (especially if it’s not applied research), why it should be funded by British taxpayers, and what impact you will have on the world. ● Be prepared to answer to both a technical audience and a general audience. ○ “In my interview, the biologist in the room explicitly told me when to answer technically and when to explain my research to the rest of the committee members in lay language. However, if you are not prompted, I would start by motivating your research, then explain the general topic, and then add a few specifics towards the end of your response to make sure you are catering to everyone.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ○ “During my interview, I tried to make eye contact with everyone in the room at some point or another to see if their faces seemed puzzled during my answers and explanations. As a STEM person, we have to be careful of using terminology that others may not understand. If someone looked confused by what I was saying, I reiterated myself in more simple terms.” (from a 2020 Marshall) ● Show them that you are more than a scientist. Stereotypically, scientists are viewed as overly theoretical and uninterested in larger societal issues. Talk about other interests that you have, ways you want to be involved at your UK university, aspirations that you have beyond pure research. Convince them that you will still make a good cultural ambassador and leader, despite not studying the humanities or international relations like a lot of your competitors. ○ Having a deeper understanding of the history of your field, particularly in the UK and the US, can help strengthen your argument.

Humanities

● The humanities are not just subjective “fluff,” and the Marshall Commission recognizes this and seeks scholars who truly know and care about their chosen field, whatever it is. Interviewers may ask humanities applicants detailed questions about their own research and related issues in, for example, education, criticism, and the arts, just as they may ask STEM scholars about their own research and related issues in physics, biology, chemistry, etc. ● In your application and interview, be sure to show how your interest in the humanities is important to you and beyond you - is there an avenue for your kind of research/writing/creative pursuits in academia, the public humanities, activism, education, etc.? Try to think of different ways you can keep exploring and sharing your ideas/art with different audiences/media.

Social Sciences

● A pitfall of some social science applications, especially those concerning policy, is to rely on the public relevance of the area of study at the expense of personal experience. While you definitely need to convince those reviewing your applications why what you study matters, don’t forget that you have to be at the center. ● For the interview, think of ways your issue area has appeared in the news in recent years. Interviewers might ask for your thoughts.

Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary

● If your interests are interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary, embrace that! If you’re applying for the two-year scholarship, you can choose to pursue two rather different degrees - you just need a coherent explanation for why they fit together. ○ Remember that if you have multidisciplinary interests, you have them for a reason! Even if it’s hard to initially articulate why it makes sense to keep pursuing these different areas of study, it will come together - trust your intuition and the gut feelings that keep you interested in these things! And remember that your curiosity is a good reason in itself to explore these interests. ● You’ll need to justify why the programs you’re applying for make sense for your longer-term goals. (This is relevant to all applications, but especially so if you’re applying for very different programs or intending to veer away from your previous/ongoing field of study.) Think about why it would make sense for you to have this unique area of expertise, how experience in another field might make you better in your own, how these different skills will make you better at your future job, etc.

○ “I'd definitely emphasize this - as an aspiring transportation-focused urban planner, I got a lot of feedback in my practice interviews that it sounded like I was in an interview as a transportation engineer, rather than seeking to build a holistic educational pathway across different disciplines.” (from a 2020 Marshall)

THE WRITTEN APPLICATION

General Essay Advice

● Write about what feels important to you and be honest about it. Let your essays reflect who you are, not who you feel like the Marshall might want you to be. ● You’ll want to make the case for why your field of expertise matters, but the most important thing is that you’re at the center of this narrative. Explain the issue(s) you focus on, but really explain your relationship to it. ● Make sure that the personal statement, ambassadorial potential statement, and the leadership statement each have a narrative and aren’t just extensions of the activities list. ● Be sincere - make your case clearly and honestly. While you do need to back up your claims, it’s easy to fall into a trap of writing (and interviewing!) defensively. Try to stay confident and positive.

DISCLAIMER: the essay prompts listed below are included as a point of reference; however, they may reflect specific wording/topics from previous application cycles. Check the official Marshall application for the most up-to-date essay requirements.

Employment and Activities

Prompt (paid employment): Please give brief details of employment record to date. Prompt (unpaid employment): Please give details of unpaid employment including internships, voluntary roles, etc. Prompt (activities): Please give information about personal interests and non-academic activities. In particular please include information on any leadership roles you have undertaken.

● Anything you list here is fair game for interviews (be prepared to discuss any/all of it!). It’s okay to leave things out if you feel that they don’t add much to your application or that you wouldn’t have much more to say about them in an interview. ● As you’re deciding what to write about, consider what jobs/activities have been most meaningful to you and how each contributes to the bigger picture of who you are as an applicant.

Personal Statement

Prompt: This should be a short statement in which candidates should describe their intellectual development and other interests and pursuits.

● You have a lot of freedom with this one! Embrace it and think about what matters most to you and what you’d be excited to talk about. ● A good place to start is by asking yourself how you got interested in what you do in the first place. ● Let them know what unique perspectives you bring. ● This statement will provide those reviewing your application their most significant first impression of you. Let them know what you’re all about!

Ambassadorial Potential

Prompt: Candidates should explain why they want to undertake their studies in the UK, and in what particular ways do they think that they will benefit personally and professionally from the experience? Candidates should discuss how work in their field of study (including their own research) can enhance the USA-UK relationship. They should further explain what they might do to contribute to improved relations in this area now and following the scholarship.

● Possible questions to consider: ○ Why the UK? Make it very clear why it must be the UK and why it must be this particular course of study. (Why should you study this in the UK rather than in the US?) ■ Will studying in the UK provide a different perspective in your field of study? ○ What will you do for fun in the UK (extra-curricular activities)? ○ Have you connected with any faculty in the UK? ● “Ambassadorial potential” doesn’t mean you have to be a diplomat or that you need some kind of official ambassadorial role! Think about what kinds of connections you can make between the US and the UK in whatever you’re doing. ● Look for relationships between the US and the UK that already exist and explain how you could “strengthen” them. Perhaps this is a partnership between a US and UK university, laboratory, or other organization. If you cannot think of any, are there any pathways for you to create new relationships in your field between the US and the UK?

Proposed Academic Program

Prompt: Candidates should describe below their proposed academic programme, giving reasons for their choice of course and preferred university. Those hoping to read for a research degree should give an outline proposal of the research they wish to undertake and with whom they would like to work. Candidates must also include a brief outline of why they have chosen their second choice courses and institutions.

● For a research program, mention if you have contacted your intended supervisor (shows you’re making a proactive choice). ● You can also contact the program directors for taught programs to show initiative and learn more about the programs themselves. ● Be specific about the programs - particular courses, extracurricular opportunities, unique resources that program/university has, etc. ○ Show that you’ve really thought carefully about the programs and done a lot of research on them! ● Connecting your specific academic program to past experiences as well as future goals can help strengthen your essay.

Leadership

Prompt: Candidates should describe a situation in which they recognized and responded to a need for leadership.

● Remember (and be reassured!) that leadership takes many forms! Embrace the unique ways in which you’re a leader and show your personality through it. ○ Your leadership story might involve leadership in an official or unofficial capacity, as a higher-up authority or among peers, by directing a project or setting an example, etc. - there’s not a right or wrong way to lead and no right or wrong story to tell here. ● Think of leadership not just as people following you, but as the way that you are moving your field forward. Keep this framing in mind here and in the wider application, too. ● The committee is looking at how you have created sustainable change within an organization. This can be difficult to demonstrate the long-term impact since we are only in school for four years so focus on things that you changed the positive result that followed. ○ E.g., you automated the invitations sent out and created a tiered incentive system for an annual fundraiser event your club holds. Your contributions improved attendance by 40% from the previous year and brought in $3500 more than the previous year. ● Your leadership story doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to academics or your college extracurriculars - it could be about a personal or work situation if that feels more like you!

○ E.g., you could write about leading your coworkers through a tricky situation at your summer job.

Post-Scholarship Plan

Prompt: Candidates should describe their immediate plans upon completion of their Marshall Scholarship and why two years spent undertaking a degree in the UK would enhance these plans. As well as describing plans for employment or further study, candidates should indicate how they would develop ongoing connections with the UK, through their UK institution or some other contacts they propose to make while in the UK. Please also include a brief statement of your future career plans.

● Pick a “most likely” post-scholarship path: the route that you could most likely envision yourself taking, with the future plans that sound most interesting to you right now. ● You’re not signing your life away here - the Marshall recognizes that people change their minds and grow and learn! Take this essay seriously and be deliberate and thoughtful with your answer (it should be a post-scholarship plan that you genuinely envision yourself following), but remember that it’s okay to deviate from that plan down the road.

Brief Statement of Future Career Aims

Prompt: Candidates should briefly comment on their future career aims.

● Same as above - think of your “most likely” career or what you’re currently aiming toward.

REGIONAL INTERVIEWS

General Interview Advice

● Practice, practice, practice! Mock interviews are particularly helpful, especially if you can do several in different environments with different interviewers. Getting through mock interviews can help you build confidence with handling unfamiliar interviewers, environments, and questions. It can also help you notice particular strengths or weaknesses in your interviewing style. ○ It can also be helpful to practice particular questions several times through, especially if there’s anything in your application you feel less confident speaking about. Finding someone who can repeatedly question you on a certain topic, give you feedback on your answer each time, and help you rephrase and retry answers might be useful.

○ Semi-rehearse answers to the basic questions, such as why you want to go to the UK, why your chosen course, what are your future goals, how you meet the Marshall criteria (academic merit, leadership potential, ambassadorial potential), etc. You don’t want to sound overly rehearsed, but it’s nice to have a handful of questions that you know how to answer well. ○ Even if you don’t undergo mock interviews, thinking of potential questions that could be asked and performing basic research/preparation to answer the questions is extremely helpful. ● Stay up to date on current events in the US and the UK. It may be helpful to look for UK-based or other international news sources for a non-US perspective. ○ Be aware of what’s going on in the UK in your academic field and in areas related to your non-academic interests. ○ “This may not be for everyone, but I found podcasts to be an easy way to stay up-to-date, since I was able to listen as I was walking to/from my classes and driving. During the application process and especially in the weeks leading up to the interview, I tried to just replace the time I spent watching Netflix/listening to music/randomly browsing the internet with a more deliberate focus on current events in general and in my field. This helped me feel a lot more prepared for the interview without requiring too much of my time!” (from a 2019 Marshall) ■ “I had an interview question that I was only able to answer thanks to a podcast I had listened to the week before!” (from a 2020 Marshall) ○ “I recommend the Guardian, the Economist, and the New York Times. If you like podcasts, I listened to The Guardian UK: Politics Weekly, NPR’s Up First, and The Daily, basically every day for a couple weeks leading up to the interview.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ● General topics that may come up: ○ George C. Marshall, the Marshall Plan, and the Marshall Scholarship: just make sure you know the story behind the scholarship and could talk about it if asked. ○ Current events in the US and the UK, particularly anything tied to your field of study. It’s also a good idea to be aware of the general status of your field of study in the UK and any recent major developments. ○ Current events at your university - mainly if there’s anything major that might make national headlines, especially if it’s relevant to your field of study. ○ If you say anywhere on your application that you have proficiency in a language other than English, be prepared to potentially answer an interview question in that language. ● Identify the type of question they’re asking before answering. Some questions are very clearly catering to one of the 3 criteria of the Marshall scholarship. If you can figure out which one the question is referring to, it can be easier to sell that aspect of yourself. On the flip side, if they are asking a question designed to throw you off, it’s OK to

acknowledge that you don’t know something and produce the best response you can on the fly. ● Look back over your application prior to the interview - be ready to clarify anything vague and brainstorm some detailed examples about any topic you mention in your application. If you wrote about it, it’s fair game for questioning. ● Stay calm, be authentic, and have fun! ○ “I actually enjoyed my interview because my committee mostly only asked questions relevant to things I cared deeply about, and it was fun to engage that discussion. Try to adopt that mindset when you walk into your interview. The enthusiasm and energy you bring to the room can go a long way.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ○ “I found it helpful to think about the interview as a special opportunity to talk about myself and what I loved - it’s not often that you have a captive audience for that sort of thing or are in a situation where it’s okay to just talk about yourself. Thinking about it in this way helped me stop envisioning it as an interrogation and more as my chance to have fun and be excited to show the committee who I am.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ○ “It’s okay to get anxious with interviews! Some things that helped me: lots of mock interviews and practice, as well as being intentional with how I took care of myself and spent my time during the days and hours leading up to the interview. If you’re the type of person who gets anxious in these situations, I’d suggest having a mental toolbox of strategies that you can use to calm yourself down, like breathing techniques. Thinking about these things in advance can help you feel much better about confronting all the other unknowns.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ○ “Channel your nervous energy into enthusiasm during the interview. Also, time flies when you’re having fun, so just try to geek out about your field of expertise and the interview will be over before you know it!” (from a 2020 Marshall) ○ “Smile when you talk about your research! … Perhaps even more important to interviewers than your presentation skills is how (and whether) your passion shines through when you talk about what you study.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ● Dress for success! ○ “I was told as a female applicant not to wear heels and to wear only neutrals (navy/black), but I ended up wearing what I felt the best in: a purple dress suit and moderately high heels. If it’s true to you, go for it!” (from a 2019 Marshall) ■ Similarly: “I wore my favorite red blazer because it made me feel like a strong & confident woman - it worked!” (from a 2019 Marshall) ○ “I pulled out my pantsuit from high school speech and debate and wore comfortable flats.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ○ “I bought some new clothes to represent my undergraduate institution, and I think that gave me a lot of confidence.” (from a 2020 Marshall)

● Be prepared to defend your goals and interests. Marshall committee members can be quite blunt when questioning your views or your decisions. If you get such a question, stay calm and provide a sound argument in response. Back up your ideas and answers without getting overly defensive. ● Pause and think before answering questions. The committee actually likes when you pause because it shows you are giving the question thought. This is also a good chance to carefully organize your response. ● Answer directly. ○ “For example, I was asked what the title of my Ph.D. thesis would be, and instead of just providing the title, I began to discuss the topic generally. I was interrupted and asked again to just provide a title. Answer the question and be brief!” (from a 2019 Marshall) ● Be specific - give examples to back up what you say. (It can be helpful to come prepared with a few ideas in mind!) ○ “This might not work for everybody, but for my preparation I basically made up a list of all the potential questions across a range of categories that might be asked of me (compiled with lots of help from my fellowships office, friends, and former applicants) and ‘drafted’ my answers. It was a great practice run just to have thought through all those questions. It definitely took a long time, but was so helpful in making me more confident and eloquent.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ● “Prepare a set of 2-3 metaphors, analogies or references to mainstream popular culture that communicate the content of your research to a lay audience. I cannot stress enough how important this is; you will be interviewed by a panel of 6-8 people, and chances are that at most one of those people will have familiarity with what you study/want to study in the UK.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ● “Prepare an answer to why your research is relevant to the modern world and people outside of academia.” (from a 2019 Marshall) ● “If your research area is not explicitly the UK (e.g., British history, the monarchy, etc.), be prepared to answer: ‘Why do you need to go to the UK to study [other place that is not the UK]?’ … Given the widespread historical influence of the Brits, try to have a response that is a little more specific than ‘The department of X at UK university Y is the best in the world at Z.’” (from a 2019 Marshall)

Sample Questions

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and every interview and interview committee is different. Questions vary based on the applicant, the committee, and the interview year! We’re providing it simply as a starting point to give you a taste of what kinds of questions you might be asked and to provide inspiration for you to brainstorm other possible questions. Consider what kinds of questions your written application might prompt - what might the committee ask that would help them better understand you and your unique perspective?

Sample questions from 2019 Scholars’ interviews (in fall 2018): ● I see in your application that you mentioned you enjoy reading, particularly books that are about [something fairly broad]. What do you mean by that? ● Some people would say you haven’t gone out of your comfort zone, since you’ve done [X] every summer instead of doing [Y] or [Z]. What would you say to that? ● How would you explain [scientific theory] to [someone who doesn’t believe in that theory]? ● What if [post-scholarship plan] doesn’t work out? What will be your job instead? ● What does leadership mean to you? ● Give an example of a recent failure you experienced. How did you respond and why? ● Why [university 1] and [university 2]? ● What’s happening right now for [your field of study] in the UK? ● What else would you like to tell us? Do you have any questions? ● What are your thoughts on Brexit and how it will influence [your chosen field]? ● [Given that you’re interested in literature and literacy:] How do you feel about e-books? ● Where do you see yourself in ten years? ● What are some of the biggest accomplishments of the organization you started? ● Should a female faculty applicant be given greater weight in hiring considerations? ● What would be the title of your Ph.D. thesis? ● Explain your research to a lay audience. ● You say your research interests are in [field of study], but you’ve chosen to pursue [related field 1] and [related field 2] degrees. Why is that? ● What do you want to do 5-10 years down the line? ● Why should British taxpayers fund yet another future research professor? ● What will you do if you don’t get the Marshall Scholarship? ● What is the knack of your mind? ● Why has the number of cancer cases in the Western world been increasing? ● Can you tell us about a time you failed? ● In what ways will you engage with your community at [university]? ● If you had one free weekend to travel in the UK, where would you go? ● I see you are researching [X] technology. Has there been any policy passed in the UK to support this technology? ● Tell us about a time when you showed creativity. ● What does music mean to you? ● What are the problems with artificial intelligence and how do we deal with them? ● Explain the pros and cons of working in industry versus academia.

Sample questions from 2020 Scholars’ interviews (in fall 2019): ● What will you do when you're a national leader in your field? ● What is your argument to the British taxpayer for why we should fund you?

● What are two things (relevant to your field) that the UK can learn from the US and two things the US can learn from the UK? ● How has where you grew up influenced who you are?

INTERVIEW ADVICE BY REGION

Atlanta

● “The committee did try to test my knowledge of my primary field of study (STEM in my case) - I got one fairly straightforward question and then one that was a little more brainteaser-y. I didn’t know the second one off the top of my head but reasoned my way through it out loud, which seemed to go over fairly well even though I didn’t get it completely right.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018) ● “Most of my questions came from a couple of the committee members - the ones whose areas of expertise were generally closest to my fields of study. A couple of the others didn’t say anything or asked just one question. Don’t be surprised or worried if you don’t hear much from some of the committee members!” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018) ● “I was asked extremely specific factual questions, to the point where it felt more like an oral exam than a personal interview (though I’ll note that my interviewers were all very friendly and kind!). One question I distinctly remember being asked is what the population of Birmingham is (UK, not Alabama), perhaps because my first choice institution for Marshall was the University of Birmingham - for those wondering, it’s a little over a million people. The interviewers also provided me a list of certain demographics (ex. people living in urban areas, people in blue collar jobs, women, etc.) in the US and the UK and asked me to tell them whether those demographics tended to be majority Trump voters and Brexit voters, respectively. And I was asked some statistics questions, despite being a political science major (e.g., ‘Which would be higher in this category, the median or the average?’). When I didn’t know the answer to those immediately, I would ‘think out loud’ and explain my thought process/how I think I could come to the answer, which the interviewers seemed to approve of. There were a number of questions I straight up didn’t know the answer to at all and I literally just said ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I’m not sure’ - the interviewers would either move on or push me to try and tease out the answer if possible. While I thought all the interviewers were lovely, this is a very hard interview and you shouldn’t feel bad if you can’t answer all of their questions! My best advice is to just go in as confidently as possible - there’s no way to prep for all of their questions, but you can still have a great interview by explaining your thought process where possible and not letting hard questions throw off your mood.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2017)

● “My first question was a relatively easy question about one of my extracurricular activities. The purpose was to get me comfortable before the technical portion of the interview began. The technical portion was led by a STEM interviewer and involved in-depth questions about my field. After talking to a couple friends interviewing in other regions, I got the feeling that Atlanta puts a bit more emphasis on confirming technical expertise. The questions would sound difficult for a person outside my field; however, since it was my expertise, the questions were actually not that hard to answer for me. If you talk to other people who have interviewed, do not be intimidated by the questions they got since each interview is highly specialized to highlight each individual’s strengths. I was also asked a question on breaking news related to my field that had only come out the week prior. At the end of the technical portion, I was asked an ethical question about my research. After that, the interviewers took turns asking questions about my extracurricular activities, which consisted mostly of me expounding upon what I had written in my application. The final portion of the interview had to do with British politics. Although I had studied up on Brexit, they tested my knowledge of general UK politics, and I was unable to answer their final question. I said I did not know, and they thanked me for my honesty. My biggest advice would be to do background research to strengthen your argument for why the UK, why these insitutitions in particular, and why these degrees in particular. I built in-depth relationships with professors at the institutions I wanted to study at, and the interviewers seemed very impressed by this. Also, I did not really do any practice interviews since I did not want to sound rehearsed but rather authentic (which I think worked). That said, I did come up with potential questions and prepare for those. Overall, I recommend just being yourself and having fun!“ (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2019)

Boston

● “My questions focused very closely on my field of study and how it might relate between the US and the UK. I was surprised that my first question, which I thought would be the ‘softball,’ was actually the committee diving right in with big and tough lines of questioning! Especially the lawyer on the panel was good at directing pointed questions that challenged me to stand by what I was saying. The last question felt like a standard question they asked everyone, a way for everyone to leave on a relatively easy question and on their own terms. I’d also say the room itself was a little awkward; I understand that they weren’t going to send me an architectural drawing of the space layout, but I wish I had known going in what it’d look like. I was in a chair, I think I had a desk with water beside me, but no table. The panel was in chairs in a semicircle in front of me, again with no tables. It felt a little…bare, I guess. Ultimately I had a very positive interview experience. The committee was clearly very warm and genuinely interested in me. When I left, I felt good because of their supportive energy. Of course, then the nervous second-guessing came in...” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2019)

Chicago

● “I was asked several questions regarding my unusual family situation, which I had mentioned in my personal statement because it impacted my academic and professional life. I did not anticipate these questions when I prepared for the interview, but it seemed very important to the committee, so it is worth noting that they might ask such personal questions during the interview.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2019) ● “In the course of my interview, one of the committee challenged some of the ideas I brought up in my answers. There may be an interviewer who is designated as a sort of resident ‘devil’s advocate,’ who will continually push you to defend your claims/opinions. In such a case it is good to try to anticipate counterarguments when you prepare for your interviews. It’s also good to admit when you don’t know something, or to give a qualified answer that shows that you have an opinion but are open to alternatives and/or nuances.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2019)

Houston

● “Similar to the Chicago panel as mentioned above, there tends to be one interviewer who will play ‘devil’s advocate,’ and push you to defend your application package (e.g. proposed course of study, undergraduate coursework). None of the interviewers ever became confrontational or hostile - it seemed as though they were just looking to see how candidates would respond when pushed to explain their application narrative in greater detail.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2017) ● “From what I’ve gathered in conversations with my cohort, Houston is one of the more laid-back interview panels. We prefaced the interview with casual conversation about some of my coursework and non-academic interests, and overall the experience was extremely cordial. The casual conversation is definitely part of the interview, at least in my opinion - they want to feel candidates out, and see how they respond in a normal social setting. I think the best way to face this is to calm your nerves to the best of your ability, and just be as genuine and engaging as you can be.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2017) ● “The Houston panel, at least when I interviewed, was heavily reflective of the city’s unique modalities: there were some NASA/aerospace folks, some Medical Center folks, and I believe some business (maybe energy-related?) folks. This is something to think about when you’re preparing for interviews: think about how your area of study and proposed program is related to space, medicine, or energy, and speak to the panel in terms which they are likely to not only understand, but actively engage with.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2017) ● “My panel had a space physicist, pathology professor, education professional, english professor, government professor, and the consul general. We started off with in-depth

discussion of my research - perhaps the biggest piece of advice is to be able to speak about your research in a way that is accessible to an intelligent but uninformed audience. We then pivoted to more general questions about my field of research including broader applications, future challenges, and ethical considerations. Finally the consul general asked some UK-specific questions. Honestly it was a lot of fun talking about my work, they asked really good questions and seemed genuinely interested in learning more, which was great.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018) ● “Know general trends/challenges in your field and how you hope to solve these problems. Read more about the general applications of your work beyond what you’re doing specifically. Read about the current situation in the UK in your field. I found it useful to have multiple people interview me beforehand (could be anyone, professors, scholarship office staff, family friends, etc), especially people outside my field, to get a sense of what topics a general audience will want to hear more about.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018) ● “Houston’s interview panel is mostly local to Texas and fairly diverse in specialty. My interview consisted of grilling on politics/policy in my areas of study. Everyone at the table had a basic grasp of my policy research so we had a very lively back and forth as a group. I found the interview to be equal parts an assessment of my knowledge and my critical thinking skills. Whenever possible, I would take a very direct question and apply it to some broader context to show the depth of my knowledge on the issue (including UK comparisons). The interviewers asked no questions about my application, except that they spent the last 10 minutes interrogating me about my interest in running for public office one day. One of the interviewers also let slip some information about me that was not in my application, so don’t be shocked if they’ve done background research on you. I think the interview can be fun and stimulating if you allow yourself to match the energy of the interviewers, and remember that you’re probably the expert in the room.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2019)

Los Angeles

● “I think the LA region was distinguished by having relatively few questions about the UK, since most everything seemed to be about my research and asking why it mattered. I was asked why I had chosen the second choice program that I had, given that I spent the early part of the interview saying my top choice program was really the perfect (and potentially the only) fit in the UK. I’d suggest being careful about implying that the second choice program might be somewhat of an afterthought in the interview.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018)

New York

● “The NY panel was very friendly and they really want every candidate to do their best in the interview. Prior to the interview, they sent a document with interview advice (primarily that you should relax and be yourself!) along with a list of the panelists. I have a computer science background but my panel was primarily non-STEM so the questions about my research tended to be very high level and seemed to test my ability to talk about my work to a lay audience (e.g., ‘What are artificial intelligence and machine learning and how are they related?’). Most of the questions were straightforward and were essentially just an opportunity to expand on details from my application. One question was very specific and came from a single sentence in my application (‘Why did IBM Watson Oncology fail?’), so it is worthwhile ensuring that you are very comfortable with all the details in your application. Interestingly, there were no questions about the UK or my Marshall plans or about a very personal circumstance I had discussed in my application, but that was perhaps because they were satisfied with the level of detail in my application and wanted to focus on other areas of my application where I could say more in an interview setting. Overall the NY panel is wonderful and the interview is a great opportunity to highlight your accomplishments!” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018) ● “The committee was very open and friendly. They had someone sit with me in the lobby before my interview to talk with me and calm my nerves. They provided water and briefly introduced themselves before the interview in an effort to be approachable and conduct the interview more as a conversation. I was surprised to find that they did not ask questions about the detailed parts of my packet. They were more interested in areas of my life that I had not fully elaborated on in my written application.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018)

San Francisco

● “One of the questions that caught me off guard was, ‘Since you think CO2 converted to fuels will be a commercial technology in the next few years, what technology that is currently in the lab do you think won’t be commercialized?’. I stumbled my way through a response about how hydrogen fuel would not be successful but the lesson there is be prepared to defend the research you are doing and know what else is going on in similar fields so you can better justify why your research is important.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2019) ● “The SF committee seems to lean more towards science in its makeup and also in its selection of scholars. Usually one committee member is the ‘lead interviewer,’ and for me, she was a scientist in a similar field as me who proceeded to ask me about research. After some back and forth, she opened up the floor to questions from the rest of the committee, who asked more about the general impact of my work and my extra-curricular interests. One committee member in the humanities asked me to discuss the imagery in a poem I read during a freshman year poetry seminar, so definitely be

ready to talk about anything on your transcript or CV!” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018)

Washington, D.C.

● “My panel consisted of a law professor, British Embassy representative, English professor, astrophysicist, physician-turned-reporter, and attorney. Most of the time was spent on my past projects and professional interests building on why I wanted to apply an engineering background to a career in policy. They asked some theoretical questions such as how I would have chosen to handle the Flint water crisis. The panel devoted a couple questions to broader current events, like Brexit, and clarifications on my university and program choices. The specific, more challenging, current events questions were based on my field, whereas the broader ones were only meant to demonstrate a general awareness of global issues. The question that was a surprise for me was on what I enjoy outside of my academic and professional experiences. It seems like a simple question; the panel knows your accomplishments and who you are on paper, but they use the interview process to see you have passion in your motivations and, also, interests outside of goals to show you are ultimately human. I entered the interview terrified I was unprepared and expecting ‘gotcha’ questions, but it ended up being a genuinely wonderful conversation.” (from a Marshall who interviewed in fall 2018)

ADVICE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED CURRENT SCHOLARS/ALUMNI

More info to come - we’re working on this!

● From an LGBTQ+ scholar: “Feel free to talk about your identity in whatever way is most comfortable for you. I didn’t feel comfortable addressing my identity within my application because of issues with my undergraduate institution - but in my interview I brought up LGBTQ+ intersectionality with my research, and how excited I was to potentially live in a more accepting community in the UK.”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

● Resources from university scholarship offices (there are SO many if you just do a quick Google search - we’re highlighting some particularly useful ones here): ○ “Resources and Advice for Students” - UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Distinguished Scholarships (has lots of general advice for competitive scholarship applications, as well as some good information specific to Marshall/Mitchell/Rhodes)

○ Advice for writing a personal statement from University of Wisconsin: https://awards.advising.wisc.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Caroli ne-Levine-Advice-for-writing-a-Marshall-Personal-Statement.pdf

CONNECT WITH FORMER SCHOLARS

Have questions about the Marshall Scholarship in general? Fill out the survey on this page of the DFC website and we can try and connect you with a current scholar or alumni who can answer them!

Have questions about the specific contents of this document? Reach out to Maggie Hilderbran ([email protected]).