Hi Alexey,
Good job on picking MariaDB as your GSOC 2019 organization! :-)
Whilst it is a very good start, Sergei is right, to make your application stand out, you will have
to get creative and prove the organization staff that you'll be able to do a great job as a GSOC student.
MariaDB Foundation and surely the other organizations participating in GSOC 2019 would love to accept all the
students that submit a proposal, but most of the times we are constrained by the number of mentors available,
resources and funding so we have to be selective.
Here's a list of what I think can help you boost your chances:
- Show interest for the project you're applying to, but also for our organization. Sign up on Zulip and IRC if you
haven't already and get in touch with the community. Don't be shy, ask questions!
You are already on the good track here.
- Prove the organization that you can adapt to the new codebase and that you're able to learn.
Follow the tips
here. Again ask for help, we are aware our codebase is not the easiest to grasp.
- Next step is to prove you will be able to tackle the project you picked. Try to research as much as possible
(ask the mentor, read docs, read code,..) and come up with a technical description of how you'd approach
(and maybe implement) the project. Include this in your proposal as well.
- The timeline on your proposal should be derived from the previous step.
- Show curiosity, initiative, be hard working and open minded.
Hope this makes the process a bit more transparent to you and let you focus on your proposal.
Robert
