In the last couple days, I've found out considerably more about the scholarships... or rather, put a bunch of things I already halfway knew into a much clearer context. Sadly, that implies I'm sort of fucked in a couple of places.
The big issue is that I graduated from a relatively lame school (albeit with a really good GPA), and didn't write a thesis. The application form doesn't give you a lot of space to prove your ability in your field, beyond GPA, school name, thesis, and the promise of your research proposal, so I'm coming in with two strikes against me.
My school's reputation is hopeless. I've come to terms with that. In regards to the thesis, I'm trying to cobble something together 4 years after graduation, but it's pretty difficult to do decent research without access to any facilities beyond Amazon.co.jp. I'm not even sure that they'll consider a paper written entirely outside the academic sphere, even if I now am a much better researcher, thinker and writer than I was back then. Maybe if I just don't draw attention to the freshness of the ink.
The other big trouble is that I don't really want to stay in "my field", namely philosophy. I've been considering a couple fields, cheifly economics, but I realize now that that was pretty stupid. I did realize that I'm interested in economics to some degree, but it could just be that I've got a hard on for all sorts of learning this year.
The new hotness is Law. I've only just discarded econ in the last few days, but having a much better understanding of how this is all going to work, law looks like a much more viable option. Philosophy is a much more "closely related" field, and I have a class in the philosophy of law on my transcripts. I may even be able to squeeze my "late thesis" into something legal-esque.
The real lynchpin in going law is the LSAT. I'm good at logic, reading comprehension, argumentation and most of all, at standardized testing! If I can pull a 170 (not at all out of my range based on the first practice test), I have a pretty damned good indicator of my potential that I can paperclip onto the application. Trouble is it's too late. Even the email-reported results that come in three weeks aren't quick enough to come in under the (anticipated) monbusho application deadline of July 1st. (The definite deadline will presumably be revealed in March along with this year's applications.)
The flaws so far in shooting for a law scholarship:
1 Following the master's program, as opposed to the practical law program could still mean a pretty bleak outlook for employment in japan.
2 The practical law program could have outrageously high (de facto) standards regarding the language, and being a gaijin and still possessed of a noticeable accent, post-graduation employment may still be difficult.
3 Japanese schools may not see philosophy and practical law as related to the same degree that American schools do.
(sorry if you came here looking for information about the scholarship rather than about my application process. If you want what information I can give, feel free to leave a comment)
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Just happened upon your blog while surfing... I am a current Monbusho research student and wanted to assure you that the program is hardly as competitive as you seem to think...especially from the perspective of an American applicant. (That isn't to say you don't have to worry a bit, but definitely school prestige is not a real factor. I and most of the other research scholars I know graduated from less-than-stellar state schools and many didn't have theses written... What does count is your research proposal, your interview, your grades, lors, and MOST OF ALL who your sponsoring prof. is, how well they are known by the Monbusho, etc. And although you don't need a letter of support prior to applying it definitely helps if you show up to your interview with one... Philosophy major should be no problem if you make a strong case for the connection (I was in the same boat: philosophy major to comparative studies). It also helps that Japanese disciplines often don't align very closely with US ones. Anyway, what Consulate-General are you applying through? Things vary there and some are much more competitive than others.....
At least at my time of app. the Consulate wasn't one bit interested in GRE scores and I doubt they'd care much about LSAT's either.
wow, thanks for the advice. I hope you come back.
I'm coming out of the San Fran consulate... I can't imagine that there is a more competitive place in the states, actually. But maybe I'm wrong.
Regarding the professor's recommendation, they changed the order of things in the last couple of years. They no longer ask you to find a school before hand, and sort of vaguely imply that you shouldn't bother looking. The better schools all seem quite aware of this now, and ask applicants to not bother their professors just yet.
It makes sense, really, but I don't know how to make an impression on a professor who is shielded by this wall of school policy. I think I should go back to plan A, network shamelessly.
Any thoughts on how to go about that?
Tried to post a reply earlier but...apparently lost in the ether somewhere.
Okay. San Francisco. That is a little scary (better than applying through the Boston CG but that's only hearsay). Stanford and Berkley grad students to compete with...
The worst advice any consulate can give is to actually wait until you've gotten your embassy approval to start pursuing sponsors (and, at least in my limited contacts with different grantees a lot of embassies still advise just the opposite--getting your contacts firmed up as early as possible). What you have to keep in mind is that the window for requesting and getting the official letters of admission back to your consulate is only about six weeks (early August to mid-September). Worse yet, a lot of Unis are closed for some or all of that time (and I mean COMPLETELY closed) and profs travelling abroad for lectures and conferences. Can be total disaster to wait till then, as it nearly was for me.
So though you don't need an official letter, I cannot emphasize the importance of having at least two profs/placements already firmed up. And its also great to be able to work in your prospective advisor's own research into your plan (keeping in mind that they will, sooner or later, get a copy of the entire Monbusho app.)
Also, although my consulate official told me with absolute confidence that "every prof. in Japan knows what a Monbusho scholarship is" that was FAR from true in my own expereince. Science and engineering profs seem to (perhaps because they get so many inquiries and often can use a large number of grads in their labs) but not humanities profs. (There may be exceptions, but don't count on it.)
Approach tactics. Well, honestly most people I've talked to already had insider connections with their sponsoring profs (through the connections/friendships of their US profs, through having studied abroad at the uni as an undergrad, etc.) So don't think it'll be easy. You're in Japan, though, which I would think would be an advantage... What I ended up doing (having NO connections) was putting togethor a fax packet of a really good letter of rec. my transcripts, and a c.v. and then, any time I got any response at all from a prof. offerred to fax them the packet so they could have some objective basis for assessing whether or not they might want to work with me. (These were all philosophy/comparative studies/religion people, though, and perhaps law profs are interested in different things...?)
Perhaps asking if you could visit and sit in on a class would charm them?
Otherwise, if you've passed JLPT 1 your Japanese should be a big advantage. So just impress the hell out of the interview committee (usually two area professors, and two or three reps from the consulate staff).
Hope that gives you a few more details...
thanks a lot! Given my situation and ambition, the mere existence of the Monbushou scholarships seems like mana from heaven. All the help I've gotten from various recipients has made it all the sweeter.
I still feel like the biggest challenge is getting past the gatekeepers with my application. Convincing a professor that I am a worthwhile risk (small as that risk may be) is a little daunting, but with all the help I've been getting from every corner of Japan, I'm feeling more optimistic already.
Thanks again, stranger. If you happen to find yourself in the same town as me at some time, let me know. I owe you a couple of beers (since I'm not likely to be able to issue you any valuable advice any time soon). Contact me at my gmail address (notnato@) if you wanna cash that offer in sometime.
btw, since your "no connections" entry route sounds so much like the road I've got to follow, I wonder where you're studying? Did you manage to get into a pretty elite school despite the lack of easy inroads?
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