Even before applying to Google Summer of Code I had the question of what GSoC evaluations look like. Are students passed easily? It was time to know. It was Evaluation Time.

Starting GSoC 2021, Google modified their rules to have 2 evaluations from 3 earlier. This meant an evaluation at the 5 week mid-way mark between the program and one at the end of it.

I had just finished raising a PR for the Add User Defined Options feature on my GSoC project — Poll App Mega Extensions. It would allow channel members within a room on Rocket.Chat to add options to an already created poll before it ended.

And then this dropped into my mailbox.

Fortunately, I had been sternly following my work plan and had finished my GSoC project exactly 50% before the evaluations began, as I had planned.

Evaluations comprise of a two-way feedback where students and mentor review each other based on the 5 weeks they’ve spent working together. Once the student passes the evaluation, they’re sent out 45% of their stipend — $675 for Indian students.

What Are You Required to Do During Evaluations?

Students need to fill a form comprising of 4 sections:

About You

This section requires you to fill details about your prior relation with open-source and your GSoC organization before GSoC started. Google later uses this to shell out statistics, for example, how many students were first-time GSoCers. It also uses this section to get an internal estimate of how long before GSoC actually begins do people start gearing up for it.

Communication

Open-source is all about communication. Within this section you’re asked about the mode and frequency of communication between you and your mentors. The same question is asked to your mentor as well. It’s scary and funny to think what if both of your answers differ here (you say everyday and mentor says once a week : P ).

GSoC Experience

This one’s a more subjective section. In 2000 characters each you’re required to write what are your most favorite and most challenging parts of participating in GSoC.

Feedback

This section involves two questions — one is the feedback for your organization and mentor (this becomes visible to your organization after submitting) and the second is feedback for Google (GSoC students in India mutually decided on Whatsapp to ask Google for swags in this question!). Google be like:

Mentors have their own questionare about students. In one of the questions they’re required to provide student feedback. This is sent to the student in the evaluation results mail along with the pass/fail.

In case you’re interested in viewing the exact questions that mentors and students have to answer, Google has provided a preview here.

What’s Next?

In case you’re sticking to your work plan and have been consistently communicating with your mentor — Congratulations you’ll pass your first evaluations and get those dollars 💰.

A cool feature that I’ve started working on next is pre-formed polls. For example, an Overrated/Underrated Poll or an Emoji Poll! The user just needs to select the poll type and the Poll App will pre-fill all the options!

Check out my GSoC Project Board. I continuosly try to keep it updated with what I’m working on!

I write biweekly about my GSoC journey at Rocket.Chat and this was the fourth blog in this series. Follow my voyage on DEV and Medium ⭐️

In case you haven’t checked out my previous blog about Coding Phase 1 at GSoC, go check it out now— it includes all that I’ve been building at Rocket.Chat!

Commit, Push, Merge: GSoC Coding Phase 1

Like what I do? Help me pull my next all-nighter. Consider buying me a coffee 🥤

Rohan Lekhwani is an open-source contributor and enthusiast. You can connect with him on LinkedIn, GitHub, Twitter and his website.