It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make it?

Answers to various questions regarding the SMART Scholarship application process. Includes many tips and statistics.
littlehope
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:23 pm
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Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by littlehope »

Is it just me or is anyone else obsessively re-logging back in to the SMART application page to make sure they still can?

I noticed that I can login. There is no link to withdraw the application, and also it does not allow for me to access the "Application Instructions" link. Unfortunately I was never nervous enough to check before yesterday (as I talked myself down enough to not have hope to be a semifinalist so it might soften the blow when it came), so I don't know if these changes came around yesterday or just after the application turn-in deadline.

I really need that email to come so I can stop checking my email every five minutes and focus on my research. The fact that I get a notification every time I get an all-campus email isn't helping. :cry:

molbio

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by molbio »

I can still access it. I highly doubt this means anything, though this is my first year applying.

MD
Biochemistry/Molecular Biology (Biosciences)
PhD

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

I'm getting the message when I try to log into the application itself

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

LB
Aerospace Engineering
Undergrad

Cannot log in (I am the poster from pg 1 with the 3.9 etc)

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

Can still log in.
CF
Undergrad
Computer Science

j-to-the-K

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by j-to-the-K »

Just to pile on, I can access my application login area, but as a 37 year old who's never had a discussion with an engineer, much less ask one for a lor, I never put much hope into winning this award.
Either way, for your stats compilation:
Access - yes
JK
undergrad
MechE

Good luck to all of us

j-to-the-K

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by j-to-the-K »

j-to-the-K wrote:Just to pile on, I can access my application login area, but as a 37 year old who's never had a discussion with an engineer, much less ask one for a lor, I never put much hope into winning this award.
Either way, for your stats compilation:
Access - yes
JK
undergrad
MechE

Good luck to all of us
Also, I cannot access the 2016 awardee data, just get the same error as was posted by another user

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

j-to-the-K wrote: Also, I cannot access the 2016 awardee data, just get the same error as was posted by another user
I don't think anyone's able to access that.

littlehope
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:23 pm
Contact:

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by littlehope »

At this point my assumption is that they are cutting off in rounds. Like out of the 3000 whatever applicants maybe they denied access to, for example, 500 people February 1st. An additional more today and so on and so forth until they get down until the final 50%. So even though I can login now I wouldn't believe anything till an email confirmation arrived.

Pale_Magnet
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 4:03 pm
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Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Pale_Magnet »

littlehope wrote:At this point my assumption is that they are cutting off in rounds. Like out of the 3000 whatever applicants maybe they denied access to, for example, 500 people February 1st. An additional more today and so on and so forth until they get down until the final 50%. So even though I can login now I wouldn't believe anything till an email confirmation arrived.
I agree with this. Considering the amount of people applying, I would assume they're going through small amounts each day in order to properly weigh each applicant.

In case anyone cares
Initials: J . A. S.
Undergrad, Second Semester Freshman as of February 3, 2017
Physics and Mathematics
Access: No
Email: No

DanSMART
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 9:06 am
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Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by DanSMART »

I emailed smart this morning to get some information (both about semi-finalist decisions and the hiring freeze). Here is what they said:

semifinalists -
Thanks for your interest in the SMART program.

Applicants will be notified in February if they have moved from the evaluation panel to the selection phase by the sponsoring facilities, those who have not moved on will also be notified.

Awardees will then be notified in the Spring.

Hiring Freeze -
There is currently a temporary hiring freeze in effect for DoD. We expect to get further guidance on if and how the freeze will affect the SMART Program. As details become available, information will be provided to all applicants.

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

DanSMART wrote:I emailed smart this morning to get some information (both about semi-finalist decisions and the hiring freeze). Here is what they said:

semifinalists -
Thanks for your interest in the SMART program.

Applicants will be notified in February if they have moved from the evaluation panel to the selection phase by the sponsoring facilities, those who have not moved on will also be notified.

Awardees will then be notified in the Spring.

Hiring Freeze -
There is currently a temporary hiring freeze in effect for DoD. We expect to get further guidance on if and how the freeze will affect the SMART Program. As details become available, information will be provided to all applicants.
I'm not sure that lessens the stress to be honest...

littlehope
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:23 pm
Contact:

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by littlehope »

In addition, in older forums some people stated the emails were sent out as late as February 15th. Honestly I'd rather them take their time and thoroughly evaluate the applications than try to rush to meet a deadline as much as it kills me to wait. For the amount of time that we probably all invested in the applications it is my hope that the cause of the delay is simply that they are investing the proper amount of time to review each application that it deserves. Who knows maybe an extra 1000 people or so applied this year than expected from past data. I think that is why they never release an exact date. The timeline we tend to obsess over has only been given to us by past applicants.

As for the hiring freeze, the SMART scholarship supersedes it. Now that does not necessarily apply to each sponsoring facility. Unfortunately that is our reality this year. But on a hopeful note, the freeze is reevaluated April 23rd (90 days from when it was enacted) and if no reliable replacement is suggested then the freeze is supposed to be lifted. So who knows the SMART program might just delay the final awards till late April.

DanSMART
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 9:06 am
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Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by DanSMART »

I'm certain the DoD will be the first to be lifted. Likely within the next couple of weeks. President Trump is simply, and to be frank, rightfully pausing any movements by Obama's cabinet members until they are replaced by the yet to be confirmed nominations.

Mirandab

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Mirandab »

Hi yall.
i still have access to my account!
mb
undergrad
Computer Science

copperLaminate
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2016 1:04 am
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Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by copperLaminate »

Still have access.

TN
math
PhD

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

Emails are out! :)

Smiles

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Smiles »

Just got email. Made it through

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

If it helps I received my email that I'm a semi finalist this morning

Guest

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Guest »

I never received an email stating I was a semi finalist, however I received an email from a facility stating that they were interested in interviewing me. What does that mean?

waiting

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by waiting »

Also never received an email today with good or bad news. Perhaps there will be a round 2 of emails going out sometime?

Gues83

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by Gues83 »

What does it mean to be a semifinalist? Meaning how selective is it to get past this step, and now that I'm here, what chance do I have of getting an award offer?

littlehope
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:23 pm
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Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by littlehope »

Gues83 wrote:What does it mean to be a semifinalist? Meaning how selective is it to get past this step, and now that I'm here, what chance do I have of getting an award offer?
Addressing people who people previously mentioned they did not get an email with good or bad news. After reading many of the previous forums I would say that it was actually fairly common for the SMART program to accidentally miss a few people. I would go ahead and contact them by now if you haven't received anything.

As for what being a semifinalist means - it is that you have made it into the top 50% of candidate. Only the top 50% get their application forwarded to the sponsoring facilities. From there the sponsoring facilities will go through the applications--most likely an SF will only look at the applicants which listed their SF as their placement preference, but there is still a chance that they go through the larger pool of ~1500 applications or so they received. If an SF likes your application they may call for an interview or they may not and just forward their choice to the SMART program. Roughly 2/3 of the people the SFs pick get the award.

In previous years the average of people who got the award was ~10% so by being a semifinalist your odds have now increased to 20% since there is less competition after the cut.

littlehope
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:23 pm
Contact:

Re: It's Feb 1st, will an email come even if I'm didn't make

Post by littlehope »

Guest wrote:I never received an email stating I was a semi finalist, however I received an email from a facility stating that they were interested in interviewing me. What does that mean?

Would you mind stating in another forum such as "2017 Semifinalists: phone calls or emails for interview now? " which facility contacted you and maybe some stats about your application. But the good news is that by the fact alone that the sponsoring facility received your application means you are most likely a semifinalist. But just to get it in writing you may want to contact the SMART program as well.

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