Why apply?
Posted on | February 16, 2011 | Comments Off
Some potential applicants have asked me what was the objectives of previous fellows in applying. Here are some of the responses of fellows themselves:
Serena Ng: I very much wanted to go to the U.S. to study and get a degree, I didn’t have the opportunity to do so as an undergraduate beyond a one-semester study abroad. I thought that getting a M.A. in the States would help me get a job in the U.S., or anywhere besides Singapore for that matter. It was my hope at the time to be a foreign correspondent of some sort.
Saabira Chaudhuri: While I had some journalism work experience, I did not have any background in business or economics. The BER program seemed like a good mix of journalism and business classes.
Jason Leow: I’d been a reporter doing regional work (Southeast Asia, China) for almost a decade. I wanted to give myself a chance at “going global” and seeing if I’d succeed.
Nesil Staney: I wanted an affiliation with the WSJ. A job, eventually.
Eva Woo: The reason why i decided to apply to NYU//WSJ was that i always wanted to live in New York, and finance and economics have always been fascinating field for me, i wanted to have enough knowledge to cover it and know what questions to ask. Not to mention WSJ is an irresistible brand endorsing the program. Later I also got a scholarship from Stanford but chose the NYU/WSJ one.
The Hard Part of Applying: Fellows’ Advice
Posted on | February 14, 2011 | Comments Off
Two and a half weeks to go, and I hope those of you who are applying are hard at work on your applications. We polled previous fellows about what they considered hardest part of the application to be and what pitfalls should prospective applicants look out for.
Here are some answers:
Serena Ng: The interview questions were very open-ended, and the essay that I was asked to write on the spot during the first interview came as a surprise. During the interviews, I got the impression that there were no right or wrong answers, which made it difficult for me to know whether or not I had told the interviewers what they wanted to hear. In hindsight, I think this was a good thing—the application and interviews shouldn’t be so structured that someone could get through by saying all the “right” things. I think applicants would be best served by recognizing that they have limitations and have things they need to work on, and not overselling their abilities in the application.
Jason Leow advised not to sweat too much over the GRE so long as the score is not excessively low. Indeed, he felt the application wasn’t too taxing: Nothing hard about it. I made up my mind to pursue it and started the process early.
Nesil Staney: Again, managing the timeline is the key.
Finding a Job
Posted on | February 11, 2011 | Comments Off
Serena Ng, one of the fellows who completed the course, was asked about finding a job after taking the course. She said:
“I did a summer internship at the WSJ in 2005 during the BER program. After the 10-week internship, my editors indicated they wanted to hire me and would try to find me a position when I graduated at the end of 2005. Nothing was guaranteed though, and I regularly checked in with them during the fall semester on how things were looking and applied for jobs at other media outlets. At the end of 2005, WSJ had decided to create a temporary position for me in New York, as a “reporting assistant” covering the credit markets. After a year, my position was converted into a full-time reporter job..”
Getting Settled in New York
Posted on | February 9, 2011 | Comments Off
Successful applicants were asked if they found it easy to settle in New York and what advice they would offer applicants.
Serena Ng: I benefitted a lot by meeting people early on who were aware that I was on a tight monthly budget and who showed me how to navigate the city and find cheap food and groceries. I felt a little homesick and lonely during the first few weeks but soon found friends and classmates in similar situations–we ended up spending time together and taking care of each other.
Nesil Staney: It was difficult initially, especially in finding an apartment.
Eva Woo: I was lucky. i got a lot of support and help from Serena Ng, a earlier fellow and an outstanding journalist at WSJ now.
Why Apply?
Posted on | February 2, 2011 | Comments Off
Some potential applicants have asked me what was the motivation of previous fellows in applying. So I asked them. Here’s what some have said:
Serena Ng: I very much wanted to go to the U.S. to study and get a degree, I didn’t have the opportunity to do so as an undergraduate beyond a one-semester study abroad. I thought that getting a M.A. in the States would help me get a job in the U.S., or anywhere besides Singapore for that matter. It was my hope at the time to be a foreign correspondent of some sort.
Jason Leow: I’d been a reporter doing regional work (Southeast Asia, China) for almost a decade. I wanted to give myself a chance at "going global" and seeing if I’d succeed.
Saabira Chaudhuri: While I had some journalism work experience, I did not have any background in business or economics. The BER program seemed like a good mix of journalism and business classes.
One Month To Go: Some Advice
Posted on | February 1, 2011 | Comments Off
There’s only one month to go until deadline for applications, so it’s a good idea to start now if you’ve decided to apply.
Here’s some advice from a past and present fellow. First, Serena Ng, 2004-5 fellow:
How long did it take you to complete your application?
About 3-4 weeks, mainly because the essay needed some thought and rewrites.
What advice would you offer applicants about completing their application?
Don’t leave it to the last minute (i.e. don’t try to do the whole thing in a day or two), and put some thought into what you want to get across to the people reading your essay; what personal experiences can you describe that will show why you need this fellowship and how you will approach it if you win it.
What was the hardest part of the application process for you? What pitfalls should applicants look out for?
The interview questions were very open-ended, and the essay that I was asked to write on the spot during the first interview came as a surprise. During the interviews, I got the impression that there were no right or wrong answers, which made it difficult for me to know whether or not I had told the interviewers what they wanted to hear. In hindsight, I think this was a good thing—the application and interviews shouldn’t be so structured that someone could get through by saying all the "right" things. I think applicants would be best served by recognizing that they have limitations and have things they need to work on, and not overselling their abilities in the application.
And from Saabira Chaudhuri, present fellow:
How long did it take you to complete your application?
Several weeks, as I revised my personal statement 4 to 5 times.
What advice would you offer applicants about completing their application?
Pay attention to your personal statement. Identify what you see as your strengths and weaknesses, how the BER program could help you develop the skills or gain the experience you might lack, how you think the program could help you achieve your short and long-term goals, and why business journalism in particular appeals to you.
In short: the more effort and time you put into your application, the more chance you have of being successful. Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses—the point of the course is to strengthen your skills as a reporter. The point is to be able to identify those weaknesses and study how you think the program will help you.
2010 winner: Saabira Chaudhuri
Posted on | April 3, 2010 | Comments Off
We’re pleased to announce the WSJ Fellowship winner: Saabira Chaudhuri:
Saabira Chaudhuri is the Multimedia Editor for Mint, India’s second most widely read business newspaper. As part of her role at Mint, Ms. Chaudhuri creates videos, podcasts, slideshows and other multimedia content for the paper’s website, Livemint.com.
Ms. Chaudhuri also writes articles for the website covering health, education, human rights, social media and technology. She anchors newscasts for Livemint.com and its content partner CNBC and writes a blog focusing on development issues.
Before Mint, Ms. Chaudhuri worked as the associate editor for FastCompany.com, and as the associate content producer for Forbes magazine, both in New York. She graduated magna cum laude in 2006 with a BA in sociology and philosophy from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, and spent her senior year studying law and sociology at the London School of Economics.
Thanks to everyone who applied this year; it was an impressive field of applicants.
Applications Have Closed (2010)
Posted on | February 9, 2010 | Comments Off
Applications for the fellowship have closed, but for those applying for the NYU’s own scholarship applications filed through May 1 will be considered on a space-available basis.
Finalists for the fellowship will be informed next month.
Just a Few Days To Go.. (2010)
Posted on | February 4, 2010 | Comments Off
A reminder to applicants to make sure your submissions arrive by deadline time. If you’ve not got them off yet and you live in Asia, you’ll need to courier them out today. Best of luck.
Application Deadline Extended (2010)
Posted on | January 13, 2010 | Comments Off
The deadline for applications to The Wall Street Journal Asia Fellowship at New York University, for one or two promising journalists from Asia to enroll in the three-semester masters program in the Business & Economic Reporting program at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, has been extended from Jan. 22 to Feb. 8, 2010.