Ways to enhance your MLH Fellowship application

Hello Everyone! I am Ananya Joshi, a final-year B.Tech student at Cummins College of Engineering for Women, Pune. I interned at Microsoft this summer and have participated in programs like LinkedIn CoachIn 2021, Microsoft Engage 2021, the GDC Engineering fellowship, and the Google Developers ML Bootcamp.

About the program:

The MLH Fellowship is a 12-week remote internship alternative for aspiring software engineers. It is a great opportunity for students to get hands-on experience of working on real-life projects and contributing to tech organizations like Meta, Solana, Twilio, GitHub, etc.

The MLH Fellowship prep, on the other hand, is a 3-week program that prepares you for the 12-week long fellowship and allows you to get a brief experience before committing your 12-week time.

It runs year-round with batches starting every few months. So do keep an eye on their website which contains all the details about the programs offered, their details, benefits, application process, and schedule.

In my third year of college, I was selected for the March 2022 batch of the fellowship prep program. The application process for the prep program is exactly the same as that for the 12-week fellowship. You’re required to fill out a detailed application consisting of personal information, skills, interests, a code sample, and a couple of essays.

Having seen many students struggle with the essays and fail to make the cut even after multiple applications, I decided to share the points that I believe, worked wonderfully for my application and helped me get selected to the program in my first attempt itself!

This article is a compilation of all the suggestions I received from past fellows, the things I included in my application, and my personal opinions after having reviewed the essays for many of my friends.

The Application:

The selection of a suitable code sample is as important as the quality of your essays. While the code sample demonstrates your technical competence, the essays give a glimpse into your personality and convey your passion to be a part of the program!

Let’s discuss both parts, starting with the code sample first.

Choosing a code sample:

First and foremost, read the code sample requirements mentioned in the application form carefully.

Image Src: https://fellowship.mlh.io/

• Select a code sample that you’re well versed with. Remember, you’ll have to talk about it in detail during the technical round. Preferably, select a project that you have built individually and not a group project.
• The project should have a good use case and should ideally address a real-world issue.
• Deploying the project allows the user to quickly try out your application and significantly increases your chances of selection. In my experience, full-stack web applications and mobile/ desktop applications have the highest chances of getting you selected for the program.
• Ensure that the code is pushed to a publicly visible GitHub repository and contains an attractive README file. Add all the project details like screenshots, features, tech stack, future improvements, etc in the README file to make it as informative as possible.

Next, there are a couple of questions related to your code sample:

1. Briefly describe what this code sample does

The first answer requires you to describe your code sample. I would recommend structuring your answer in the following format:

• What is the code responsible for? Describe the project in 1–2 lines.
• Why did you make it? Explain what motivated you and how you came up with the idea.
• What are its functionalities?
• What tech stack have you used?
• How is it unique? How is it useful in the real world? Basically, just describe why you are proud of it
• How do you plan to improve it in the future?

Additional suggestions:

• A catchy name for your project helps grab the attention of the reader! 👀
• Do mention the name of the hackathon or project competition during which it was built or if it was assigned to you by a professor/ mentor.
• The essay should give a clear idea about the user experience, and about how to use the application.
• Numerical figures or statistics help create a better impact on the reader’s mind!
• Show passion and confidence about your code sample; be proud of your work! 😎

2. Briefly describe what you learned when you created this code sample

The second question requires you to elaborate on the impact and learnings from the project. To answer this question, I’d suggest:

• Briefly describe the process you followed from formulating the idea till the completion of the project/ deployment.
• Describe the new things you learned during development. It could be a new programming language, a new library/ framework, algorithm, tool, deployment process, etc.
• Do not shy away from writing about the things that did not work well; it could be an approach in the wrong direction, an error that took a long time to resolve, something that you were stuck on, or that made you rewrite a significant part of the code.
• How did you debug and resolve errors? Did that process teach you something new?
• How did you test the working of the app?
• In the end, mention the non-technical learnings as well, such as time management, presentation, documentation skills, etc.
• While being concise in your answers, always try to demonstrate an exploratory attitude and perseverance 👩‍💻

The next part of the application contains essay questions. This is where you should spend a good amount of time thinking, collecting your thoughts, and refining your draft a few times.

1. Why do you want to become an MLH Fellow?

Through this essay, you should highlight how the MLH fellowship would help boost your tech career and the kind of impact will it have on your personal growth.

• For this essay, think of all the reasons that made you apply for the program. Pick 1–2 strongest reasons and frame your answer around those points. For me, it was the exposure to cultural diversity which is often hard to find in Indian educational institutes. It could be a totally different set of factors that appeal to you! Be open, genuine, and unique in your answer!
• Reading more about MLH, the purpose behind the fellowship program, can help you explain how your goals align with that of the MLH fellowship.
• Choose a few of your personal traits, skills, past learnings, etc, and mention how they would be helpful in making the fellowship experience impactful for you. Write about your expectations from the program, the things you look forward to, what makes you excited to become an MLH fellow, and how you would make the most of this opportunity!
• Have a broader purpose beyond your personal growth and learning. In what ways could the fellowship help you to inspire others, and contribute to the growth of your community?

2. The MLH Fellowship is a diverse community that welcomes Fellows from a wide range of experiences and backgrounds. What perspective or experience will you bring to the fellowship to strengthen our community?

Through this essay, you need to express how well you can fit in with the diverse group of MLH fellows, and highlight your ability to communicate respectfully and collaborate effectively.

• Give a short introduction about yourself, your background, and describe some of the experiences that have shaped you as a person.
• Elaborate on the ways in which those experiences could help strengthen the MLH community.
• What values/ traits have you inherited from your family and in what way are those values helpful for your career?
• Think of how you can make the fellowship program a better experience for everyone, and the ways you could motivate and guide your peers.
• Narrate an instance where you worked with a diverse group towards a goal along with your learnings from it. Leadership experiences are obviously a plus!

3. Coming to the final question: Anything else we should know about you?

Do not leave this answer blank, instead list your top achievements here. Write about the different hackathons, clubs, communities, etc you have participated in. Awards or recognitions would make the application even more attractive!

Keep all these points in mind, and ensure you do not exceed the word limit.

Tip: Update your LinkedIn and GitHub profiles before applying, if possible, create a simple portfolio website as well.

MLH selects applicants on a first-come basis, so it’s important to submit your application well before the starting date of the batch you’re applying to (At least 30–45 days prior, in my opinion)

I hope this article helps you create an application that stands out uniquely ✨

I’ll be writing a separate article containing my experience during the interviews and the prep fellowship program very soon :)

Feel free to reach out to me for any queries through LinkedIn!

Do give your best shot and success will be yours! Happy Hacking!!

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