The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

Is an Sf86 still required if you already have an existing clearance? It depends. There are multiple different kinds of clearances. A contractor security clearance is not the same as a DoD clearance and many places will not take it. At Edwards, contractor clearances and those initiated by another se...

If the facility is more than 50 miles away from your residence, then you will recieve a $1200/week stipend from SMART in addition to your monthly award stipend.

I'm a 2009 Cohort. Most of my information comes from orientation, personal experience, the handbook, working for the DoD, and several hours of recruiting. Currently, the only official poster is SMARTGuide, and they have not posted in quite a while. There are also several other recipients who post pr...

Army Corps will definitely be your best bet.

Average for 2009 was 3.73, and it has gone up every year.

There was some gossip about a 3.5 limit, but I haven't heard anything substantial on it.

I don't know the point system, but I would say significant.

Everything seems to go out at different times. Interviews occur over 1-2 months. It takes up to two days for the first round of offers to get out, and there will be additional offers after the first round. It is also very likely that the submission date will get pushed back. Try not to work about an...

Like RUChmE said, it will probably take longer, and I doubt you'll be denied.

Anyone that knows you from a professional or academic background is good. A well written letter is always a plus, but as long as it's positive, I would not worry about it unless you're afraid that it will be horrible. I think a test case could be: Did their homework questions generally use decent gr...

From the handbook: If a Participant receives SMART funding for an academic institution from which the Participant previously earned a degree, the grades for the previous degree will not be included in calculating whether the Participant meets the academic requirements of the Program. And there is no...

You should definitely include it. I did.

Your GPA is a little low, but your experiences are good. I don't recall the number of physics apps, but I know Mech, EE, and Aero are the strong majority.

There are definitely positions for you, you just have to be luck enough that someone relevant sees your application, and you must have very good recommendation letters. Your first step is to determine what facilities focus on IT and put those down as your top choices. I know the NSA has been taking ...

GS8 is pretty standard for entry level BS. I'd imagine you could go in a GS9 or 10. However, because of the steps, those all overlap pretty significantly. You will also have the locality adjustment. Pay will very significantly between facilities too...just because. eg: Edwards entry level with good ...

They generally take a degree from any ABET certified program. However, as you may have suspected, your degree course does not align well with the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields that the scholarship is for. Biological research is probably as close as you'll get. I wou...

Then you might just want to ask the application team. smart@asee.org
Let me know what they say.
-Chris

I wasn't able to find the posts, but I know there is a bunch of information in the SMART scholarship handbook: http://smart.asee.org/assets/File/2010% ... ndbook.pdf

I can't find it on their website anymore, but the link still works.

For an undergrand, I would ask: Do they have a clear idea of what they are interested in, and did they provided enough detail to prove that they know what they're asking for if we place them in a position related to those interests? For a PHD candidate, I would almost go straight to the executive su...

This sounds similar to a follow-on award. Basically, you have to make it past the 50% cut, and then work with your supervisor to make sure that they select you. It's described in a little more detail around here somewhere, but I'll have to look for it another day.

Pretty sure we didn't have this question, but the basic idea is to give anyone reading your application some insight on your future interests and possibly connect you with an associated program that they are working with. I would assume that you don't need too much detail. Probably enough to show th...

If you have been accepted into an ABET program, but are still at another school, you are fine. No one is really over qualified for the scholarship. It's all based on DoD needs. If someone has 12 years of practical experience in a related application, but only recently got their degree, I think the l...

So what about those goign to school full time and not working at all? I am unfortunately going on leave without pay from my command and somehow the money will still show up in my acct from SMART. Not sure I believe it yet. Has anyone else's command done that? SMART will still pay you. All students ...

I am a current DoD dual status employee meaning I have to remain in the National Guard in order to maintain my DoD position. Does retention work for dual status as well? So do you still have to go to work everyday while on retention or do they allow you enough time to go to school, how does this en...

Your GPA is about average for those admitted. You don't have much to set you apart, but a lot comes down to what the bases need. Given the benefits, I would apply.

Yes, the documentation (http://smart.asee.org/assets/File/(SMAR ... elines.pdf) is correct. It's $1200/week + $2083 monthly stipend that you normally receive. The only catch is that your home address that SMART has on file must be greater than 50 miles away from the base.