Frequently Asked Questions
These are some commonly asked questions about the Watson. See also the FAQs on the Watson website. If you have a question that’s not answered here or elsewhere on this website or the Watson website, email Dean Mancini.
How much do grades count? Grades, and especially GPA, are in themselves not an important part of the Watson application. However, transcripts and letters of recommendation from professors are required, and most students chosen as nominees and as fellows have been successful academically. A weak academic record may raise questions, but if other parts of the application are compelling, grades alone will not keep Bryn Mawr from nominating a student, nor will they keep the student from receiving a Watson fellowship.
Can I go back to a country where I’ve been before? It depends. If you have taken a brief vacation someplace, yes, you may go back. However, you may generally not return to a country you have lived or studied before. If you lived in a country as a very small child (but are not now a citizen of that country), you may return there. If the country is quite large (for example, China) and you’re applying to be in a very different part (you studied in Beijing, you want to go to rural areas in the extreme west), that may be acceptable. But even then you should only include such a country in your proposal IF it is absolutely central to your research project.
Do I have to be able to speak the language of every country I travel to? No. But you do have to think about how you’ll communicate in every country you travel to. The people you’re interested in may speak English, or there may be enough English-speakers around that you can count on others to do some translating. You may be able to rely on a lot of non-verbal communication. You may learn some of the language that’s spoken.
That said, you should think about both the psychological difficulties and the methodological problems raised by spending large portions of your Watson year in places where you lack linguistic proficiency. For most people, it is emotionally stressful and exhausting to spend long times linguistically isolated. In addition, it may make it very difficult for you to achieve the kind of depth of cultural understanding that is one of the goals of the Watson.
In general, if a language is widely studied in the US, then you should probably have at least elementary proficiency if you want to go to a place where that language is spoken. That might mean taking a language class, either at Bryn Mawr or at Penn, during your senior year.
Finally, be aware that if you chosen as a nominee, the official Watson application requires you to list all languages in which you are proficient and to state your level of proficiency. Your Watson interviewer may choose to conduct part of the interview in any language in which you claim proficiency.
How detailed do my travel plans have to be? By the time you submit an internal application to Bryn Mawr, you definitely need to know (and to say) what countries you’re proposing to go to, and to have some idea of where within those countries. You should have some idea of how long you would spend in each country. If you’re selected as a nominee, you will need to specify the order in which you plan to travel to various countries. By the time of your interview with the Watson foundation, you should know details – of visa requirements, travel costs, cost of living, etc.
How many contacts do I have to have? What if my contacts have not responded?
A contact list is something that shows you’re thinking about how
you’ll actually go about carrying out your project. It shows you’ve
identified possible contacts. Merely listing somebody does not mean that
you’ve successfully reached them. Of course, if one of your contacts
does respond, but negatively (“Sorry but I can’t help you”),
you should not include them in your list of contacts.
How many countries should I propose? It depends. Remember that a Watson proposal must be both feasible and a stretch. Part of what makes it a stretch is that most projects require travel to different places in the course of a year; part of what makes it feasible is that most projects allow a Fellow long enough in each country to begin to feel comfortable.
Can I defer? No.
There is a Fellow this year doing exactly what I want to do. Is this
a problem?
Not necessarily (assuming that “exactly”) is an exaggeration.
The Watson selection committee is selecting Watson Fellows more than
they are selecting Watson projects. They are also looking for a good
match between a person and a project. If you’re potentially a strong
Watson applicant – bright, accomplished, curious, with the determination
and ability to make a difference in the world – and if you’re
absolutely sure that sea turtle conservation is what you’re most
passionate about, then you should propose a project relating to sea turtles.
If your project has to do with sea turtles, then there are certain places
you’ll have to go to. That will mean that your proposal may resemble,
in broad outlines, that of a previous Watson fellow. That’s okay.
That said, of course you want to individuate yourself. You want to be creative in putting together your project. And you want to offer a compelling picture of yourself in your personal statement. That’s true for all Watson applicants. After all, even if no Watson fellow has ever done what you’re proposing, it may very well be the case that three or four nominees will have the same basic idea that you have!
What is the initial on-campus interview like? The on-campus interview is conducted by the Fellowships Committee. Many but not all of the questions will be focused on your proposal and your personal statement. We will be trying to assess not only how well you know your subject but also how well you will handle some of the personal challenges involved in any Watson year.
If I am chosen as a nominee, what is the official Watson interview like? The official Watson interview is held on campus (usually in Wyndham) and is conducted by either the Watson director or a guest interviewer (who is then also part of the official Watson selection committee). The interview lasts approximately one hour. It will be quite conversational in parts, but may also involve a large number of detailed questions about your plans, conditions in the countries you are going to, etc.
Would I be allowed to come back to the US for grad school interviews/ a sister’s wedding/ my grandmother’s 90th birthday party? No. And if you’re an international student, you’re not allowed to go to your home country. However, if a genuine family emergency occurs (grave illness or death of an immediate family member), you will be permitted to return home.
Would I be allowed to have people visit? Yes. As long as you realize that your overall reason for being abroad is to carry out your Watson project and not to be a tour guide, absolutely. Indeed, amid the challenges of a Watson year, having a friend or family member visit can be a much needed energy boost.
What would I have to produce at the end of my Watson year? Essentially, nothing. The Watson is not about product, it’s about experience. The Fellowship Foundation will expect you to give them reports on your year at least every three months. You are also required to attend the “returning Watson Fellows’ conference,” held in early August each year. (Which mean, by the way, that your twelve months of travel must be over by then.) Almost all Fellows give a 10-minute presentation on their research at this conference.
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