The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

Keith,

I would definitely recommend going the NSA route - DIA (Bolling AFB) would be another nearby option. "Interesting" work at those places and the degree you're working on should fit right in with them. They may even be willing to bring you on board and help you complete school while you are working for them.

Glad to help, best of luck with it, but most importantly, enjoy your retirement :)

Thanks again CH sir.
I will take all your advice on board....esp the part about award package writers...your are right they usually "polish the turd" if you will excuse the saying....

I received an email from the SMART folks in Aberdeen. Their advice was to hold off applying until I am starting my Masters program (I am planning Cybersecurity Policy/Info Awareness dual-MS). I agree that I should be more science/math related in my field of choice, but Cybersecurity is an emerging field, and I am very much interested in research of any kind in this field.

On another note, I have also looked into the NSA's IASP scholarship, which, while not as "lucrative" as the SMART program, will be more tailored to my degree program, with similar benefits.

Again, I am very grateful to you for taking the time to answer my questions and generally giving me great advice. And who knows? Maybe there is someone else out there who has the same questions as I and now you have helped them too! Cheers!

Keith

Ammokeith,

Regarding your degree program, SMART focuses on engineering an scientific fields. I'm going to guess that cybersecurity is not going to fall into one of those categories.

A lot of the degrees that you see in technical fields are more like certification programs, they focus on the applied and technical aspects of a subject.

I looked at the course description on the UMUC website and there is only one math class that I saw, so it's not a scientific or engineering program.

Engineering and scientific get into the more theortical (mathematics, physics, chemistry) aspects rather than applied and technical.

A cybersecurity program isn't bad compared to a computer science or engineering program, it's focused on a different area of the field (using the computers as opposed to making the computers).

I can almost guarantee that SMART will not accept your application for a cybersecurity program for that reason, which is why I mentioned changing your major.

If you are willing to transfer what general ed credits you have and basically start over, you could apply as a freshman computer science or engineering major.

Regarding the resume, definitely use your dad. However, good award package writers won't necessarily make good resume writers.

Writing an awards package frequently means taking a lump of coal and making it look like a diamond. Anybody who is looking to hire you (or consider your application for school) knows what the job is, what experience they're looking for and what people actually do. You're an ammo troop, so you know how this goes. If they smell even a hint of what seems to be BS, they're likely to stop right there.

It needs to be "This is what I did and when, a few examples demonstrating that you are willing and able to help solve a problem on your own initiative. I built bombs that got hung on planes that then dropped the bombs on the bad man and the bad man went away." No buzz-words, no "$XX billions in inventory" and that kind of stuff.

On your research interests paper "This is why I am interested in cybersecurity, this particular part of cybersecurity really interests me and I want to understand how it all works so I can make it work better."

That's why I said find an engineer, but I guess I should be more specific, see if you can find an electrical engineer or a computer scientist or engineer. They can not only tell you what the work entails, but they can also help you write your reseach interests paper.

You don't have the engineering background, but it's no big deal, most of the people applying for this are kids coming straight from high school, you've a lot of general experience and maturity that they don't have, so work from that.

Awesome with the financial situation, life will be much easier for you and I understand on wanting to stay on the east coast.

Regarding the concurrent BS to MS program, that is one of the funding options. It's normally a 5 year program, how long you would have to attend would depend on whether you could continue where you are or not.

Again, good luck with it if you decide to apply, if not, happy trails, finish your current track and you'll be golden.

CH Sir,

Firstly: many thanks for the awesome reply! I really appreciate all the advice you have given me. I have a few clarifications to some of your statements, and a few requests for you to clarify, if you would be so kind.

I am enrolled in UMUC currently here in Europe since Fall 2010, and I am 15 classes from finishing my BS in their Cybersecurity undergraduate program. I will be transferring to UMUC Adelphi, MD (the US branch of UMUC) this coming Spring. I will finish at the end of Dec 2012 with my BS, and will be immediately (read: Spring 2013) entering a dual-Masters program with UMUC (Cybersecurity Policy/Info Technology). From what I read below, you are saying I CAN apply this year for the SMART to run from Fall 2012 (the SMART 12 starting semester) to Spring 2015 (totaling 2.5 years) to run a concurrent BS to MS program?

As for my major, I appreciate the advice, but I am very interested in the emerging Cybersecurity field, and would be very interested in working on research in this area for my next career. The dual-MS program will (hopefully) improve my chances at a SMART award, as I feel it broadens my prospects. Also, having accomplished the DOD security clearance right before I retired doesn't hurt I imagine.

As for the GI Bill: if I was honored with a SMART award, I would cease utilizing my GI Bill benefits, and instead save them towards a possible Doctorate after I begin a new career....maybe getting ahead of myself, but I am addicted to education at the moment.

As for staying in the DC area...it is really East Coast I would prefer, but I did 20 years AD USAF (AMMO), and I was a military brat before that, so my life has been the DOD. I am used to going where the mission dictates.

As for being able to afford to live on the SMART award and pay the bills: not a problem as I made sure I had ZERO debt before I retired, so between my retire pay and the SMART pay, I would have no issues with living costs.

And finally, as for the resume: Dad is a retired GS14 with US Army Corp of Engineers, I have USAF friends who write USAF-level award winning packages...so I may be okay there too....

Again, thanks for taking the time to help me out with great advice....I did send the SMART folks an email as well with a few questions....but I have started my application for this year and will probably apply. Any further assistance will be appreciated!!

Regards,
ammokeith

Ammokeith:

A couple of things.

First, before you get too far in, check to make sure whether the courses you are taking for your current course will transfer to a school you want to go to stateside. I have over 157 semester hours between CCAF and an online engineering school. Some schools will accept all CCAF credits, some will only accept some CCAF and none wanted to accept my online courses because it's a nationally accredited school.

Also, for an engineering program, you have to complete certain math and science courses to be considered eligible to transfer in. If you don't have them, you will have to complete them first or enter as a freshman student and start from square one.

I had one school that didn't want to accept any of my credits and the University of California told me they would accept my CCAF credits, but I would have to complete a pre-engineering course at a community college because they wouldn't accept my online courses. They also said I couldn't apply as a freshman student because I had already completed college courses.

Just letting you know about some of the fun that you might run into.

Second, I would suggest that you look into changing majors to computer science or comupter engineering (preferable), they also do cybersecurity, but will get you farther in the long run.

IRT the GI Bill, unless something changed with the GI BIll rules, your GI Bill reimbursement payments will be reduced by whatever amount of other tuition reimbursement you get, i.e., getting your school paid for by SMART will reduce your tuition reimbursement to zero (you don't get to double-dip).

I don't know whether or how your BAH and VA book stipend would be impacted - you're going to have to contact the VA and/or the SMART program office on that one.

In regards to your Masters, yes, you can apply for a straight-through BS/MS program.

Finally, in regards to staying in the DC area, you have to have a sponsoring facility. If your sponsoring facility happens to be in the DC area, you can stay there.

All that said, since you just retired, you're doing this at the right time. I applied to SMART last year and got selected for an award, but I had to turn it down because I couldn't cover my salary, so paying the mortgage had to take priority. Don't wait until you get established in your new life to finish up school.

Best advice is find somebody who is good with resumes - not somebody from the TAP program, see if you can track down a US civil service electrical engineer/computer engineer/scientist - they're the types that do hiring for the SMART program, so one of them can best help you get your resume and research interests squared away.

Then, get on to applying for schools ASAP, get a hold of their admissions departments and chew on their ears until you find out everything you need to know. You've got just over a month before they start closing the application windows. If you can get to know somebody who's willing to help you out at a couple of the schools you're interested in, take advantage of it.

Good luck with it.

Greetings,
I have been considering applying this year to this program, and have a few questions I hope some of you kind folks can assist me with? I am recently retired from USAF, and am in my junior year of a Cybersecurity BS. I receive 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. I am moving from the UK back to VA end if this year.
1. I understand that I can utilize GI Bill and SMART scholarships at the same time, but does anyone know what this really means as far as funding goes? Does SMART pay all my tution fees or will the VA? Will I be eligible for the SMART pay and book stipend as well as the GI Bill housing allowance and book allowance?
2. I will finish my BS Fall 2012, and would like to immediately enter a Masters program, will I be able to apply to SMART for the 3 years I require to complete a Masters, or will I have to re-apply for a graduate award?
3. I would like to stay in the Wash DC area, as a Cybersecurity graduate, I see on USAJOBS that there are many IT related positions, but does anyone know if it will be likely that I can remain in DC area?

Many thanks for any and all assistance!