2017 Recipients

Answers to various questions regarding the SMART Scholarship application process. Includes many tips and statistics.
EnergyEngineer

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by EnergyEngineer »

I have a question needing answered since I can't get anyone at SMART on the phone or to respond to email.

I have been extended an offer for my PhD with placement at the Pentagon afterward. I have gotten vague answers but nothing straightforward.

1) If I accept, do they only allow you to work 16hrs/wk? I'm not keen on giving up my job at this point.

2) If I accept, my program might change, but I wouldn't start classes until NEXT spring ('18). I assume that won't fly?

3) Assuming placement after graduation at GS11, does anyone know if they give you the location adjustments? ie. GS11 pay = ~$52k, DC locality = 27.1% increase. Total pay would be $66k. I already make this much, so this is a vital piece of the equation for my situation.

Thanks.

Guest

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by Guest »

You are correct an all of your assumptions except your salary can vary based on experience as well

kbl2017
Posts: 339
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 10:48 pm
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Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by kbl2017 »

The only thing is salary. However I would not bet on it increasing much past a GS12 upon hiring. As far as I've heard in the past places can't bump past that without actual civil service years. Yes you would have locality on top of it, I would suggest just looking at the DC GS scale when making decisions :)

Guest_CU

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by Guest_CU »

EnergyEngineer wrote:I have a question needing answered since I can't get anyone at SMART on the phone or to respond to email.

I have been extended an offer for my PhD with placement at the Pentagon afterward. I have gotten vague answers but nothing straightforward.

1) If I accept, do they only allow you to work 16hrs/wk? I'm not keen on giving up my job at this point.

2) If I accept, my program might change, but I wouldn't start classes until NEXT spring ('18). I assume that won't fly?

3) Assuming placement after graduation at GS11, does anyone know if they give you the location adjustments? ie. GS11 pay = ~$52k, DC locality = 27.1% increase. Total pay would be $66k. I already make this much, so this is a vital piece of the equation for my situation.

Thanks.
I'm assigned to the Pentagon as well, also for a PhD, I talked to the POC at the SF and she said that they do whats called a ladder position meaning you start at Gs-11 but move to GS-12 and the 13 fairly quickly, like 2-3 years.

kbl2017
Posts: 339
Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 10:48 pm
Contact:

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by kbl2017 »

Guest_CU wrote: I'm assigned to the Pentagon as well, also for a PhD, I talked to the POC at the SF and she said that they do whats called a ladder position meaning you start at Gs-11 but move to GS-12 and the 13 fairly quickly, like 2-3 years.
Ladder position (as told to me by some pathways interns):

Jump a pay grade in 6 months and jump to the next in normally a year, sometimes they have you jump to the middle of that pay grade in a year and the new pay grade the next year. Either way just jumping to GS-12 in 6 months is great!

Barely

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by Barely »

year: finished 2nd year grad school
degree: Computational & applied mathematics
SF: AFRL/RV, Kirtland AFB
Portal: incorrect username :( .... till today!
Interview: 2 phone interviews (Kirkland included) and was recommended by both
GPA: 4.0 undergrad and grad (I switched majors too much so I didn't get a lot of deph as undergrad)
other: 1 publication in pure math, ~1 yr CFD research, haven't taken many programming classes which kills my resume as well.

shocked

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by shocked »

I just received an award offer this afternoon!

year: 1st year masters
degree: Electrical Engineering
SF: Naval Air Warfare Center - weapons division, Pt. Mugu, CA
portal: incorrect username (even this morning...yes, I was still praying)
interview: one super informal interview with one of the lead engineers, no real interview questions asked. more of a conversation about interests and how things work for them.
GPA: 3.8 undergrad

shocked2

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by shocked2 »

Year: 1st year PhD
Major: Chemical Engineering
Facility: Army ERDC Environmental Lab Vicksburg, MS.
Award Portal: Incorrect Password/Username
Interviews: 1 phone interview in November, on campus visit with a researcher in February, and on-site tour/visit in March.
GPA: 3.87 PhD, 3.67 undergraduate

BatemanK
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:08 am
Contact:

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by BatemanK »

shoecked2 wrote:Year: 1st year PhD
Major: Chemical Engineering
Facility: Army ERDC Environmental Lab Vicksburg, MS.
Award Portal: Incorrect Password/Username
Interviews: 1 phone interview in November, on campus visit with a researcher in February, and on-site tour/visit in March.
GPA: 3.87 PhD, 3.67 undergraduate
Closed?
Last edited by BatemanK on Mon Oct 25, 2021 12:08 pm, edited 3 times in total.

scheffc

Re: 2017 Recipients

Post by scheffc »

Year: 1st year of MS / PhD
Major: Applied Physics
Facility: Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) - Crane, Indiana
Interview: None
Award portal: Temp Closed.
GPA: None for graduate studies (1st term). 3.6 for undergrad.

I found out about this 3 weeks before the deadline, so I'm glad everything worked out in the end. Long application process with all the delays!

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