> Fast forward a week and I got an email that I was not going to be offered a scholarship. Only two other students out of 25 were rejected. I was dumbfounded.
High stakes selection often comes down to random chance. It's entirely possible the author could have asked the perfect question and still missed out, because from the selection committee's perspective all candidates appear equally strong. It's a good position to be in as a hiring manager, but as a candidate it can be difficult to refrain from overfitting the situation.
Probably the best advice, in any situation, is to seek out more options. Apply to more jobs, more scholarships, and more fellowships. Write down more ideas, todo items and bugs.
High stakes selection often comes down to random chance. It's entirely possible the author could have asked the perfect question and still missed out, because from the selection committee's perspective all candidates appear equally strong. It's a good position to be in as a hiring manager, but as a candidate it can be difficult to refrain from overfitting the situation.
Probably the best advice, in any situation, is to seek out more options. Apply to more jobs, more scholarships, and more fellowships. Write down more ideas, todo items and bugs.