Penalty for Applying at Large?
I’m currently enrolled at a U.S. university, and my campus Fulbright internal deadline is in mid-August (with all materials required to submit).
However, one of my strongest possible recommendation letters would likely come from a professor I began working with this May through a research experience abroad. This experience is super aligned with my proposed Fulbright country.project: the country context is similar, the professor works in the same field, and my independent research project overlaps substantially with the project I hope to propose for Fulbright. Because my current project is independent and directly supervised, I feel confident that this professor could write a strong and specific letter. However, the letter would likely be stronger if I asked in September, after they have had more time to get to know my work.
I know that currently enrolled students are strongly encouraged to apply through their university. My university is also a top-producing and prestigious Fulbright institution, so I know their endorsement letter will help (though I can still make use of campus resources without it). Would applying at-large instead of through my campus be viewed negatively or raise questions?