The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

I recieved this email yesterday morning.

"Thank you for applying for the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program. At this time, you have not been selected for an award. The Department of Defense will continue to make awards over the next few weeks. If the Department of Defense decides to offer you an award, you will be notified.

If you are not contacted, this will serve as your final notification for the 2023 application cycle. We appreciate your interest in the SMART Scholarship and encourage you to apply again in August, via www.smartscholarship.org. We wish you all the best in your continued academic career."

It sounds like a softer no. I only had one interview and my major is EE.

@ Confusedguest, if I may ask, what is your major? I wonder if they are looking for one major over another.
I ask because I'm in aerospace engineering, but undergrad and I'm wondering if they're looking for PhDs only?
I do wish they'd give a better break down of how many applicants and more details on awardees, etc.

@ hdibene, yeah my email said the same thing.... which seems pretty final :/
Just all around bummed.

@ rejected-rip, haha makes me wonder if there are different automated emails sent out and you happened to be in the "maybe" pile :)
I think I'm in the "no" pile LOL

Best to you all!!

Five interviews and recommended by at least one SF—and rejected. Not sure how to improve for next year.

Just gonna copy and paste what mine said here:

"Thank you for your application to the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program. While your application was not selected for an award this time, we truly appreciate your interest and enthusiasm in the SMART Scholarship.

We recognize the effort and dedication it takes to apply and want to encourage you to consider reapplying in August at www.smartscholarship.org. We wish you the very best in your ongoing pursuits and achievements."

Tbh it sounds like I'm completely out of the race. This is my second time being rejected.

When did you all receive your rejection emails? What did they say? I haven’t heard anything at all yet.

Also, I did hear of one rejected applicant on Reddit who got his acceptance letter two weeks after his rejection. Maybe that’s what it means if it mentions that awards are still being handed out over the next few weeks. So there’s still hope.

My rejection email included a blurb about awards continuing to be sent out over the next few weeks. Does that actually mean anything? Or basically just a soft-launch rejection?

It too was rejected. Totally sucks :( Second year in a row. At least they sent an email instead of silence.
I thought I had a good shot. Do I really want to apply for a third year???

Whats the grfp?

I even got a semi-finalist phone call in late march asking to re-rank my facilities. Gave me high hopes bummer. I guess now I hold out for the GRFP