The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

So I'm weary of a particular portion of the Amendment Request:

"I understand that, if denied or if I default on any term or condition of this Service Agreement Amendment, I may be dismissed from the
program and be responsible for the prompt refund of all federal funds expended under my award including all stipends, tuition, approved related
educational fees, health insurance allowances, book allowances, internship support payments, and any other financial assistance provided by the
United States under my award, plus interest on that amount from the date of the award at the prescribed rate under Section 3717 of Title 31,
penalties and all other amounts associated with collection."

Does this fall under the "specific terms of the SMART Service Agreement amended"? Has anyone consulted with, say, a lawyer on this by chance? I'm just wondering how everyone else has viewed it.

Thanks for posting the document link, and for your thoughts, good to know either way.

questions wrote: "For me, the DoD was the most corrupt organization I've ever had to work for and I'm glad that I'm out, despite any consequences that might arise later on."
-- That sounds scary!!

Yeah, That's not an exaggeration. It was messed up.

questions wrote: I'm wondering how they ask for payment, can they put you on a payment plan? Do they ask right away, or do you have some time (months, years?) before they ask for the money back?

The short answer is that nobody knows for certain how this is going to end up for those of us who withdrew. However, if you believe section 5.16 of the most recent revision of the handbook (I personally don't trust anything in the handbook anymore), you can google:

Volume 5,
Chapter 28 of DoD 7000.14-R

It's a lot of documentation, but it does let you know what your options are for repaying a debt to the government, challenging a debt, negotiating a lower repayment based on income, health, etc. That type of thing. It's worth the read. Personally, I felt somewhat better after I read it. However, it doesn't give you anything concrete.

Also, they refered to this document when I withdrew:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/2192a

Wish I had more info for you. Good luck.

That's too bad about your situation... but it does sound like you had no other choice.

I'm wondering how they ask for payment, can they put you on a payment plan? Do they ask right away, or do you have some time (months, years?) before they ask for the money back?

"For me, the DoD was the most corrupt organization I've ever had to work for and I'm glad that I'm out, despite any consequences that might arise later on."
-- That sounds scary!!

questions wrote:I'm considering withdrawing from the program, are you happy with your decision to withdraw? Have you been asked to repay the money yet? Why not work for them and not have to owe anything? Is working for them that bad?

I withdrew from the program a few months ago. I can't say whether it's worth it for you to do the same. Personally, if I had any other choice, I would have stayed in the program. I had no desire to leave, and I did everything I could to stay as long as possible. My sponsoring facility created a situation where I didn't have a choice. From the very beginning, they lied about what I would be earning. Despite perfect performance reviews, I never received a pay raise in the time I was there (I was supposed to receive 2 in that time period). Therefore, I was a GS7 the entire time I was working for them. I have a family to support and I was going into debt. Personally, I never would have accepted the scholarship had I known I was never going to get a raise. In addition to that, I was never assigned a task that was related to my degree, and the people I worked with were terrible. Mentorship was non-existent. Everyone agreed that I had been lied to repeatedly, but nobody wanted to do anything about it.

If you can stay, I would definitely recommend staying in the program. I hate that I had to leave and it's very likely that this will end up in court. For me, the DoD was the most corrupt organization I've ever had to work for and I'm glad that I'm out, despite any consequences that might arise later on.

I'm considering withdrawing from the program, are you happy with your decision to withdraw? Have you been asked to repay the money yet? Why not work for them and not have to owe anything? Is working for them that bad?

Just to give you a heads up - I'm a 2011 cohort that recently withdrew from the program. I tried the same thing that you're doing - submitting the 2011 withdrawal form because it doesn't say the whole "scholar may be responsible for the entire reward amount" thing.

They didn't accept it when I submitted it. However, there was a compromise that I thought was agreeable. If you use the SMART Agreement Amendment Request (which I think can be found at the ASEE website), Section 2 lists the types of amendments, and one of them is withdrawal.

The reason why I could live with it is because this form has a couple phrases that are much more in favor of the scholar. First, the amendment request starts off by saying:

"Changes approved pursuant to this Service Agreement Amendment Request modify only the specific terms of the SMART Service Agreement amended. The remainder of the SMART Service Agreement remains in full effect"

To me, that means that nothing else about the original agreement is changed by the amendment request. I'm not a lawyer, but it's a hell of a lot better then signing something saying that you "may" owe them your first-born child.

It does require you to initial a statement that says:

"I understand that if I fail to make a prompt refund, the United States may collect such amounts as indebtedness to the United States".

That amount, truthfully, hasn't been decided yet. We still don't know how everything's going to shake out when they come looking for their money. I do know this: "such amounts as indebtedness" is not a solid number. It is something that can be argued. Personally, I think it's much better than signing something saying that you may be responsible for the entire award amount. Just my 2 cents.

P.S. Honestly, I really hate the fact that they constantly go back and change the documents. I have serious doubts as to the legality of it, but I guess I don't have to worry about it anymore. Good luck.

Guest wrote:I have been trying to create an account to let me PM you but the site has not been letting me do so...

If it still doesn't work, can you host it somewhere and share the link? Like a dropbox link?

I have been trying to create an account to let me PM you but the site has not been letting me do so...

qwerty wrote:

Guest wrote:RPI CSE,

I found a hardcopy of the form from 2011. I will scan it in today or tomorrow and send it your way.

If possible, could you send to me too? I tried to PM RPI CSE for it but for some reason my PM will not leave the Outbox.

I still haven't received any PMs with a copy, if someone does have it, could you send it our way? Thanks!

Guest wrote:RPI CSE,

I found a hardcopy of the form from 2011. I will scan it in today or tomorrow and send it your way.

If possible, could you send to me too? I tried to PM RPI CSE for it but for some reason my PM will not leave the Outbox.

Guest wrote:RPI CSE,

I found a hardcopy of the form from 2011. I will scan it in today or tomorrow and send it your way.

Thank you!

RPI CSE,

I found a hardcopy of the form from 2011. I will scan it in today or tomorrow and send it your way.

Guest wrote:I have the thumb drive but it is in my parents attic in storage. If nobody else posts I will next time I get there ... but it may be a month or so.

So far nothing by way of PM, but I have a little while before I am ready to withdraw, so that would be great if you could!

I have the thumb drive but it is in my parents attic in storage. If nobody else posts I will next time I get there ... but it may be a month or so.

Guest wrote:Was it in the conference pack?

I was able to find a physical copy from a fellow 2011 cohort that I should be able to scan, but I was hoping that someone would have a digital copy. I can't find my little 256 MB that they gave us but I think, and could easily be wrong, the digital is on there.

Was it in the conference pack?

So I am going through all of my documentation and I can't find my Withdraw from Program Request form from 2011. If anyone has a copy and would be able to send it to me, that would be wonderful. I need the 2011 version because it mentions the fact that our pay back is prorated.

If anyone can help, or knows where I can find this, that would be amazing.