2020 Semifinalists

[DanSMART]

I just read the article. It only says they were selected. It may be that they were told by a sponsoring facility that their names were submitted, but that’s still not a guarantee. SMART has been pretty steady with their notifications in my experience (this is my 4th time applying as a Ph.D student). This forum is always flooded with reply’s as soon as the notifications go out too.

The sponsoring facility I spoke with is nearly 100% positive that I’ll get the award this year. Their submission by the SFs deadline was on the 18th, so it’s not really possible that they would have finalized their decisions over at SMART yet. The letters always come out the first or second week of April.

Hang in there everyone.

[Guest]

I just read the article. It only says they were selected. It may be that they were told by a sponsoring facility that their names were submitted, but that’s still not a guarantee. SMART has been pretty steady with their notifications in my experience (this is my 4th time applying as a Ph.D student). This forum is always flooded with reply’s as soon as the notifications go out too.

The sponsoring facility I spoke with is nearly 100% positive that I’ll get the award this year. Their submission by the SFs deadline was on the 18th, so it’s not really possible that they would have finalized their decisions over at SMART yet. The letters always come out the first or second week of April.

Hang in there everyone.

4 times!!!!! This is my 1st time applying and I’m in a PhD program. I don’t think my heart could handle 4 times.

[DanSMART]

It all comes down to the needs of the DoD and it just so happens they only need a few chemists. This is my last shot, but I finally have a facility that pulled through. It’s such an easy application; after the first time, you just submit the same thing the next year.

[NerdGoggles]

Do you think COVID-19 is interfering with the interview process?

[Coastie]

I’m pretty sure the interview phase is over. Appeared to end on March 18th when the SFs selections were due.

[NerdGoggles]

So has everyone been able to interview? I am biting my nails here

[Guest]

I didn’t interview.

[shyboy]

Ya'll gave me a heart attack! I agree, once those emails start rolling in, we'll definitely know. Thanks to the person who dropped the awardee link! I know what I'll be obsessively refreshing this week!

Next week is officially the first week in April... Last year the email came on a Friday. Good luck everyone!

[aqzws]

Does anyone else think awards will be announced this Friday? It sounds like they were announced Friday April 5th of last year.

[coastie]

I sure hope so! it does seem like they come out on a Friday. If not this Friday, then probably by next Friday.

[ballkn143]

No interviews
First time applying.
Second-year Comp Sci Student.

[Pixdex]

Hello everyone!,

I'm a sophomore pursuing a BI in Computer Security. I have pretty strong academics, but little to no experience in the field or on research projects. This is my first time applying and the wait is absolutely killing me! I have not received an interview, but i'm still remaining positive.

Good luck to everyone who applied!

[Cburgappl]

Hey all,

Does any one know of someone getting this scholarship with no interviews? I was notified of being a semi-finalist but have only heard radio silence up until now. The only thing holding my hope together is that I was a research associate/intern fr 4 months at my first choice SF this past summer, so I can only hope they chose me without an interview

Good luck to all! Hope to hear from ya'll with some good news!

[mixolydianSSF]

Hey everyone,

I'm a EE major transferring from a California Community College to Cal Poly SLO. I've gotten 4 interviews. 2 were from different squadrons at my top choice facility (Edwards AFB). The other two were from facilities that I did not select, Picatinny Arsenal in NJ and Camp Pendleton in CA.

Last week, I also received an email and call from SMART asking if I wanted to update my rankings. I said no (I want to keep Edwards AFB as my first choice) but that the interviews with Camp Pendleton and Picatinny definitely increased my interest in them. I figured this was the best thing I could say to keep all my options open. I was a little confused why they reached out to me to clarify this, especially since several other semifinalists I know did not receive such an email or call. However, my guess is that my name (maybe!) was submitted by multiple facilities and they wanted to clarify if my interviews had changed my opinions. That's my hope anyways. They also told me (as others have mentioned) that awards would be announced in the first half of April. So now I'm bitting my nails like everyone else.

Did anyone else receive such a call?

[mixolydianSSF]

Hey all,

Does any one know of someone getting this scholarship with no interviews? I was notified of being a semi-finalist but have only heard radio silence up until now. The only thing holding my hope together is that I was a research associate/intern fr 4 months at my first choice SF this past summer, so I can only hope they chose me without an interview

Good luck to all! Hope to hear from ya'll with some good news!

And to answer your question, I know two people who have received the SMART scholarship (one in 2019 and one in 2017). Both were interviewed by facilities that they had not ranked but were ultimately selected by their top facility which did not interview them.

Similarly, my brother was interviewed by his top choice. He was eventually informed that his interview was successful and that they wanted to submit his name to SMART. However, he was also told that another squadron at the same facility that had not interviewed him was also considering him.

So I think both of these demonstrate the it is fairly common to be considered and get an offer even if you have not been interviewed by that particular facility.

[guest8]

I'm a 2nd year Math major. I was selected for two rounds of interviews with TRAC-FLVN. On March 18th I received the email that I wasn't selected as a candidate for their center. The interviewer did mention that there was a possibility other facilities would email me with their interest in an interview...so maybe the March 18 deadline was pushed back?

[bgodthebrave]

Did anyone have NGA as their first preference? Did you receive a call from them?

[rocknrollguest]

Did anyone have NGA as their first preference? Did you receive a call from them?

Do you mean the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency? If so, I think I chose them and then reached out to them and they told me that if I wanted to be considered I would need to have put them as my first choice—which I did not. Haven’t heard back since.

[CS_Semifinalist]

Hope everyone is doing well. Rumor has it tomorrow is the day, if anyone has more insight into this would love to hear. Good luck to everyone!

[bgodthebrave]

Did anyone have NGA as their first preference? Did you receive a call from them?

Do you mean the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency? If so, I think I chose them and then reached out to them and they told me that if I wanted to be considered I would need to have put them as my first choice—which I did not. Haven’t heard back since.

Yes National Geospatial Intelligence Agency- never had an interview, but I was lucky enough to see the NGA at my university's job fair, and I told them I was a semifinalist. Did they contact you first or did you reach out to them? I sent an email to the HR lady I met there at the job fair but never got a response

[questyguesty]

CCDC Soldier Center (Army Research Lab) in MA was my top choice and never heard anything. I even reached out to them about two weeks before the selection deadline with an updated resume and statement of interest, still did not hear anything.

I'm terrified for tomorrow. Maybe there's a chance. Maybe not. I don't know.

[aqzws]

Last years winners found out on Friday April 5th at 9 am CT.

[Guest]

Hope everyone is doing well. Rumor has it tomorrow is the day, if anyone has more insight into this would love to hear. Good luck to everyone!

I heard this too. Last year, the date was Friday, April 5 so tomorrow seems likely if everything is on the same timeline this year.

[rocknrollguest]

Did anyone have NGA as their first preference? Did you receive a call from them?

Do you mean the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency? If so, I think I chose them and then reached out to them and they told me that if I wanted to be considered I would need to have put them as my first choice—which I did not. Haven’t heard back since.

Yes National Geospatial Intelligence Agency- never had an interview, but I was lucky enough to see the NGA at my university's job fair, and I told them I was a semifinalist. Did they contact you first or did you reach out to them? I sent an email to the HR lady I met there at the job fair but never got a response

Hi there! I reached out to a few employees there and only one of them responded that. I have a feeling they didn’t interview, and just selected based on candidates that selected them. Hopefully everything works out with you and you get selected to work with them!

[Guest379]

Where exactly on the portal should we be looking for the final rejection/acceptance notification? Is it found simply by logging your credentials into SMART’s main web page or is there a separate awardee type site? Thanks!