Posted September 23, 2022
I remember scouring the internet looking for advice when applying to CBYX. So now that I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt, I wanted to include useful tips for your upcoming application; especially for those applying to the Young Professionals cohort. To hear about my time on the 38th cohort and to learn more about the program, you can read my story here.
Application Process
In short, the application process breaks down like this:
Around ~600 people apply, 150 people get an interview and 75 get accepted.
Essay Section
You will have to write 6 essays in total. However, they’re very short, about 200 words each. Shorter doesn’t mean easier, because now you must be very precise and eloquent. The essay prompts I was given as an alumni from the 2021-2022 38th cohort are as follows:
- Why do you want to spend a year in Germany specifically rather than in another European country or a country on another continent?
- What factors influenced your choice of field and professional plans, and what are your long-term goals in this field?
- What philosophy or motto do you live by? Why?
- How will your experiences dealing with challenges in the past help you overcome the challenges you expect to face in Germany?
- Living with a German host is an important component of the CBYX program. Why?
- Regardless of your field, many placements in this program are not in large cities but rather in small towns throughout Germany. What are some advantages to spending a year in a lesser-known German town or city?
Originally, I had planned to share my essays but I decided against it. As a chronic overthinker, I know if there was an example of someone’s writing out on the internet, I would doubt myself and try to sound more like that person because that’s what got them accepted. But maybe the judges decide there’s no more room for someone who sounds like them but only room for someone who sounds like you. Instead, I will provide just food for thought.
Essay Styling Tips
- Write like you’re telling a story
You don’t have enough words to restate the question, nor should you ever do that, so just dive right in. A story is more fun to read and once you can relate what you’re talking about to the question, readers can form their own opinions about you without having been spoon-fed the answer. Some of these stories should definitely be about the inherent nature of the program such as living abroad, learning a new language, and being out of your comfort zone. It’s great to show you have stories to share regarding similar situations you will be facing and how you handled them.
- Convey why going to Germany makes sense for you and will enrich your career
Think about how your passions align with the same issues in Germany and make sure that comes across in answering the questions
- Have multiple people edit your application, but ultimately, remember that you make the final call
This speaks for itself, trust your decisions in what sounds best!
- Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability within your application
You might not get your dream city placement, your housing may be stressful and you’ll probably get super lonely at certain points. How have you dealt with this before? How have you overcome and finessed your way out of a situation like this? Think about these questions and also ask yourself one more important one – is the possibility of encountering these obstacles worth it? Is it worth getting yourself involved in this and why?
The Interview
I was part of the 38th CBYX Cohort. We were the first cohort allowed to have our entire year take place in Germany during COVID. The 36th cohort had theirs cut short, the 37th cohort was virtual and for us, we were told that under no circumstances would they send us home. However, we still were operating under COVID mandates, regulated by the CDC and Cultural Vistas officials.
Usually your interview takes place in person, but with COVID, ours was online. After joining the zoom call at the designated time, you will be interviewed by a board of judges consisting of CBYX program staff, alumni, professors and/or ambassadors. Three other applicants from around the country will participate as well. After introductions, you’ll split into two break out rooms. The first room will be for the interview and the other will be to wait with the remaining participants until it is your turn.
During the interview, you will be asked a series of questions, ranging from the standard, “Why do you want to go to Germany?” question, to, “How will you handle homesickness abroad ” or “Tell us what you know about Germany’s system of government.” If you go to Quizlet and search CBYX, other applicants have made flashcards for potential interview questions that I highly recommend studying.
Here are tips for the interview generated by me and other 38th cohort alumni:
- Have a strong reason to wanting to go to Germany
To tell you the truth, Germany was never a country for which I had a deep passion. I’ve never studied the language, I knew very little about the culture, I could only name a few cities although I knew that my mom lived there for a while and really liked it. So, I really had to piece together my reason for going and not just say “to live abroad in Europe”. I thought about my career, I thought about the things I did up until that point and I thought how if accepted, this made sense in my trajectory of life. Here was essentially my reasoning:
My desire to go to Germany boils down to one reason and that is, my desire to learn from those that are making a difference.
What I mean by that is, when I care about an issue and I want to learn about it I put myself in the situations where progress is being made.
At 16 years old I found myself leading the largest student organization in our city’s history in the fight for gun control
At 17 years old I became the first black female to serve as our schools Senior Class President
Just after I turned 18, I was in El Paso on the frontlines of our southern border crisis
and at 19 years old I hope to find myself in Germany.
Because for me, Germany is that nation of progress.
They understand that weapons of war must have restrictions. They understand the power of a strong woman leader. They understand that leading with humanity is how you should greet those seeking refuge. And the list goes on: free education, universal health care, environmentally conscious.
When I go to Germany I want to be around a culture where the people believe that the partisan issues I face in America are not up for debate because it’s a basic human right.
Once I put my thoughts on paper, the response was more natural during the interview. I didn’t search for an answer because I knew why I wanted to go and the passion in my response was accurately conveyed to the judges.
- Have clear and concise answers – Do your practice rounds!!
You got an interview because you’re qualified. Now the judges just have to like you. Part of liking you is being personable and showing that you are well prepared. This means answering the questions in a clear and concise manner. Have a good back and forth in the interview, treat it like a conversation you might have with your friends who are also questioning your decision to go. Make sure you do practice rounds with friends and family so you’re not caught off guard with questions. Give them the link to that quizlet set you find and have them help you form succinct answers. I did about 4 practice rounds but, I still took a sad nap after my interview because I didn’t think I did well – I’m telling you, I’m an overthinker.
Also, time doesn’t matter. They allocate 1 hour per participant for the interview, but you can use as much or as little of it as you want. My interview was at most 20 minutes but for another, it was closer to 45. Just do your best and don’t worry about the time.
- Provide a few examples of internship opportunities you have in mind
This program really stresses that you need to hit the ground running once you begin the internship phase, so make sure you can tell the judges you’re thinking ahead. Have examples of what spaces you want to work in, including name dropping organizations you’ve researched that would be a good fit for you. Importantly, be realistic with how attainable this internship would be for you to receive. By this I mean, your German language ability could be a huge factor in determining your ability in working in that field.
- Keep up with German news
Because this is a joint US State Department and German government fellowship, it’s important to be up to date with current politics in both countries. For Germany, check regularly on the Deutsche Welle website for the most up to date news. Learn Germany’s political systems and study some key figures in their current government. Watch some crash course videos on youtube to understand ideas like Germany’s voting system and the difference between their Chancellor and President. Coupled with that, make sure you know some key political figures from the US government. During my interview I was asked how the German system of government differed from ours, the roles of certain German figures and who our Secretary of State was. I forgot the name of our Secretary of State. Of course you can not know a fact or two but still study as best you can.
Nevertheless, I confronted my missed question, as we ended up meeting Mr. Anthony Blinken at the end!
Once everyone has completed their interviews you will meet back as an entire group and the judges will then ask you to say one thing that you learned about a participant while you were waiting. So yes, talk to each other!
The Waiting Game
After your interview, you will now be stuck in your thoughts for the next month, wondering how those judges are deciding the fate of your acceptance. Whatever your feelings during that next month are, understand this: you’ve worked hard in your life to be qualified for such an opportunity. Don’t psych yourself out. If you gave 100% to the application process, then what is meant to be yours is yours. Good luck to all applicants in the upcoming cohort!
p.s. If this advice was useful to you, or if past alumni reading have anything else to add, send me a message, I’d love to know!