2012 Applicants

[miked]

Rejected!

Dam thought I had that thing due to being a veteran and all. Truth be told, I dont want to work in GOV anyway. Just greedy$$$$

[guest118]

You are all an amazing, brilliant group of people with so much to offer a corporation that will value your services! The best of luck in all the future endeavors and may all the funding you need happen. To a peaceful summer...
Cheers!

[Guest]

How many retention applicants are still going for their degrees and/or leaving their agency?

I'm a retention applicant pursuing my masters degree. Was accepted by the school and another small scholarship. Have to decline everything now because I didn't get SMART (the graduate school only accepts government funding). Will now seriously consider leaving my job.

[guestUF]

Congrats to the other 129 and I am truly sorry for all who did not receive the scholarship.

I applied last year for my masters, civil engineering - protective structure emphasis, and was denied.

This year, applied for 3 year PhD and was accepted. It probably helps that my SF works closely with my research group and my project specifically (they are making my test specimens).

The commitment might make me decline the offer though. My spouse has been working her way up to partner in her firm and this would force us to move, or live apart for 3 yrs, 3 yrs from now. It is going to be a tough decision. The whole way this year's awards have been handled have rubbed me the wrong way as well. Not sure I want to limit my options once I complete my PhD. Luckily, I have funding in place through my advisor either way.

[Guest]

How many retention applicants are still going for their degrees and/or leaving their agency?

I'm still going for my degree. I was planning on going either way, this was more a way for my SF to retain my services (by paying me salary and having SMART pay my tuition) than anything else. My supervisor said he would look into any other ways for them to support me, but the understanding is that I will be leaving my agency.

[BrightSide]

Asked for 2 years of B.S. funding and didn't get accepted...but congrats to everyone who did!

To everyone else, I would say look into co-op opportunities in the future if you haven't already. I've heard of co-op positions paying up to 25 dollars an hour, and some employers will also pay partial tuition and other benefits.

Moreover, if you co-op for the government, you are also elligible for appointment into a full-time position after you graduate if a spot is available.

Also check out General Electric's graduate leadership development programs (EEDP, OMLP, IMLP...). They have great opportunities for graduating students interested in earning master's degrees in engineering, information science, and supply chain management. (Also great co-op opportunities in R&D and manufacturing. I am working my 4th semester with GE and love it!)

[accepted]

I got my acceptance letter this morning as well. I am getting my BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering, only need one year of funding. But that does show that it was not only PhD students who received offers.

To those who received the rejection letters, don't lose hope! As I've seen it says that potentially 20 more awards will be given, not sure if that even includes people who may not accept. I suspect that after the long delay in award notifications there will be a lot of awardees who will at least have a difficult time with this decision as many have probably pursued other options, had other opportunities present themselves, or just lost interest after this huge waiting game.. Though not sure beginning another waiting game really helps :/

Congrats to all that got it, and to everyone good luck with everything in the future :)

[loans]

loans it is then...

[missmath]

Wow, what a bummer. After such a long wait, this email is a big let down. I received it at 11:13AM Pacific Time.

Dear _______,

This message is to inform you that you were not chosen as one of the 130 Round 1 Finalists for this year's award competition. Please note, a second round of up to 20 additional awards may be issued this month. Your application may be reconsidered for an award at that time. ASEE will keep you apprised of your status as new information becomes available. We appreciate your interest in the SMART Scholarship Program.

Thank you,

The ASEE SMART Scholarship Program Team

This isn't even a very nice rejection letter. Where's the "We regret to inform you that..." pleasantry!

[guest118]

130 scholars is the best the government can do??!! All these cuts from an administration that touts their "love" of STEM and wants to US to focus on that education.....Hello! best and brightest here...

[Detroitsaab92]

I am one of the people that hope some of the 130 reject their award and I get one. I was really looking forward to getting this award. :/

[AnonLoser]

How many retention applicants are still going for their degrees and/or leaving their agency?

I'm still going for my degree. I was planning on going either way, this was more a way for my SF to retain my services (by paying me salary and having SMART pay my tuition) than anything else. My supervisor said he would look into any other ways for them to support me, but the understanding is that I will be leaving my agency.

All I can suggest is to be creative with your SF and show passion and dedication. Show how the new skills will benefit the agency's mission etc. Filling your slot might be harder if you leave completely. Best of luck to you and keep going for your education. The other side of it is this keeps you open for more opportunities after graduation.

As positive as this sounds, I'm still licking my wounds this evening from my rejection.

[PhysicsApplicant]

Got denied as well. I was very excited to have been notified I made it to the final round as well, but the news about budget cuts was disheartening, which proved to be true. Unfortunately that was probably the only reason why the people here including myself didn't get accepted. There is always next year and more loans I guess...

[Was_just_a_lurker]

Received my rejection as well. Have felt support from this group throughout the wait, but really let myself think that I'd get funded. Shouldn't have counted on it, but was told by two different SFs that I was their pick and am graduating from a top engineering school, literally top of my class with much work and leadership experience. Was looking for graduate funding.

Am confused and disheartened but have other options. Clearly the DOD is not interested after all. Perhaps my interviews and supposed "picks" were just fulfilling some pre-hiring interview minority quota with no intention to follow through.

Just wondering, are any of you 'SMART funded' scholars female or minority?

[Chris Moulder]

Also check out General Electric's graduate leadership development programs (EEDP, OMLP, IMLP...). They have great opportunities for graduating students interested in earning master's degrees in engineering, information science, and supply chain management. (Also great co-op opportunities in R&D and manufacturing. I am working my 4th semester with GE and love it!)

This. After my commitment, I accepted a direct hire (normal worker, not EEDP etc) position with GE Aviation. Aviation's program has since changed, and all young new hires can go on program, however, I don't see any direct hire postings for those without experience. GE has been great, and it is definitely one of the best decisions that I have made. Sikorsky would also get my vote if you have an opportunity there. Remember, most large organizations have development programs for their top-tier new hires.

[Bummer]

Received my rejection as well. Have felt support from this group throughout the wait, but really let myself think that I'd get funded. Shouldn't have counted on it, but was told by two different SFs that I was their pick and am graduating from a top engineering school, literally top of my class with much work and leadership experience. Was looking for graduate funding.

Am confused and disheartened but have other options. Clearly the DOD is not interested after all. Perhaps my interviews and supposed "picks" were just fulfilling some pre-hiring interview minority quota with no intention to follow through.

Just wondering, are any of you 'SMART funded' scholars female or minority?

I'm sure that if any women or minorities were funded, they were highly qualified and deserving. What are you implying?

[rejected]

Does anybody know how many applicants were accepted last year or the past few years vs. this year? Wikipedia says there were 297 awards in 2010. What about last year?

Also, I am a little bit offended that SMART made no attempt to apologize for the two month delay. Even one sentence saying something like "We are very sorry for the long delay" or a statement that the delay was due to budgetary issues or waiting for bills to pass would have been nice. The delay has been a burden to all of us, some much more than others (having to decline other awards/jobs, school acceptance deadlines, etc.) and some apology for this would have been appreciated. More so since they significantly reduced the amount of acceptances and gave a lot of people false hope (people thought they had a better chance than they did based on previous years).

[Lurkish]

Just wondering, are any of you 'SMART funded' scholars female or minority?

Yes, I'm female and I'm getting funding.

[Disgusted]

Does anybody know how many applicants were accepted last year or the past few years vs. this year? Wikipedia says there were 297 awards in 2010. What about last year?

Last year 290 awards were given...

Also, I am a little bit offended that SMART made no attempt to apologize for the two month delay. Even one sentence saying something like "We are very sorry for the long delay" or a statement that the delay was due to budgetary issues or waiting for bills to pass would have been nice. The delay has been a burden to all of us, some much more than others (having to decline other awards/jobs, school acceptance deadlines, etc.) and some apology for this would have been appreciated. More so since they significantly reduced the amount of acceptances and gave a lot of people false hope (people thought they had a better chance than they did based on previous years).

Agreed. From the very beginning ("oh, we're extending the application period and dropping the requirement to two letters instead of three"), through months of ridiculously little-to-zero communication, up to a curt and impolite dismissal letter... the whole thing has been quite unprofessional. Here's another retention candidate that's had enough of this kind of nonsense from the DOD. Anybody else hiring?

[Guest4Today]

Received my rejection as well. Have felt support from this group throughout the wait, but really let myself think that I'd get funded. Shouldn't have counted on it, but was told by two different SFs that I was their pick and am graduating from a top engineering school, literally top of my class with much work and leadership experience. Was looking for graduate funding.

Am confused and disheartened but have other options. Clearly the DOD is not interested after all. Perhaps my interviews and supposed "picks" were just fulfilling some pre-hiring interview minority quota with no intention to follow through.

Just wondering, are any of you 'SMART funded' scholars female or minority?

Yes, I'm hispanic. I also have a 4.0 Master's GPA, a 4.0 PHD GPA, completed all my PHD coursework, passed my qualification exam, have completed 50% of my PHD research and been published by IEEE. I have 20 years of engineering experience with 15 of those years in technical leadership positions. It's a highly competetive award and the competition is stiff. I think they picked the most qualified, in their best opinions. I don't know if there was a minority quota or if that played into the equation at all... But I doubt it...

[smart_hopeful]

I don't know if there was a minority quota or if that played into the equation at all... But I doubt it...

If there was, you'd have probably gotten the fellowship. Chin up though, government and industry both are generally quite keen to hire qualified minority applicants. You'll have no trouble finding a good job when you graduate.

[hopeful_evenmore]

I just got the email, its text matches that which was just posted. I received the scholarship.

While I'm elated and grateful, honestly I'm also a little sad after all this. I wish we could all have gotten it - I think we deserved it. Thanks everyone for being a great support system in this long, long wait.

Congratulations to you smart_hopeful! Thank you for your posts, too. They were very encouraging. All the best to all of us.

[DoneWithWait]

Howdy y'all. I got my acceptance letter today and am overjoyed. I requested 3 years towards a B.S. in mathematics. I wanted to give my condolences to everyone who did not receive scholarship. SMART really jerked everyone around this year with the delayed calendar and should have at least apologized for all the stress that they caused. If it is any consolation, I believe at some point the scholarship is no longer about whoever has the most gold stars but about who can be utilized the best for the SF's purposes. Anyway, to those of you who are applying next year, best of luck, I mean that sincerely. And to those who have decided to pursue employment or funding else where, best of luck to you to.
And let's not go making accusatory statements that the government is enlisting our help to kill innocent civilians. That statement is full of malicious rhetoric and is really offensive.

[We-all-win]

And let's not go making accusatory statements that the government is enlisting our help to kill innocent civilians. That statement is full of malicious rhetoric and is really offensive.[/quote]

Hmmm... Smart enough to be accepted, but not smart enough to realize that anything the DoD might need a bright mathematician for will serve to make attempts at killing easier. You'll likely assist with encryption or ballistics so you'll be a couple degrees removed from the killing, but knowing that, to err is human, there will always be collateral damages. Check back in with us in six years and let us know how benign your role as a number cruncher has been. If you're lucky you'll still be as ignorant or gullible and will still believe this isn't blood money.

[Guess]

As a rejected retention participant, I have to say that I now consider myself a free agent. My agency has been gracious enough to allow me to continue to work on my Ph.D. part-time, but as I approach the completion of my degree, I will certainly be looking at outside opportunities.