Hope everybody is doing great! I just wanted to receive some feedback regarding the actual process of applying and on the scholarship. I am a Mechanical Engineering Major with a 3.90 GPA at the moment of applying.
I have several doubts/concerns:
1. To actual recipients: What is your opinion?
2. Open to everyone: What is your personal opinion regarding the scholarship
3. Where do interns reside during the internship period? (Hotel, Apartment, House, actual base, etc.)
4. What probability is there to actually work for the MDA?
5. Any other fact/insight/info
Thanks for everything! Best regards!
2015 Application Process
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recipient
Re: 2015 Application Process
Run away, quickly.lagares7 wrote:1. To actual recipients: What is your opinion?
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undergrad
Re: 2015 Application Process
Would you give some insight on your Run away? Thanks for your help!recipient wrote:Run away, quickly.lagares7 wrote:1. To actual recipients: What is your opinion?
Re: 2015 Application Process
The SMART Scholarship gives young people an opportunity to accurately assess the Federal Government. It has brilliant people doing meaningful work that you will enjoy working for and be inspired everyday. And, right down the hall in the same organization will be the biggest moron you've ever met that will have you sharpening pencils...
You will be frustrated by the folks who are paid to take care of you, but you will get paid.
If you don't want to take money from the Federal Government because you like student loans or have lots of money from elsewhere than this program isn't for you.
I do recommend finding the person at MDA you think you'll be working for and meet them before you apply. Not that hard to role up the org. chart of a DOD organization. If you can't, I wouldn't want you on-board. If you do, you'll be able to assess if the program is for you - you want to work for the guy doing meaningful work that's a great mentor...
Larry
You will be frustrated by the folks who are paid to take care of you, but you will get paid.
If you don't want to take money from the Federal Government because you like student loans or have lots of money from elsewhere than this program isn't for you.
I do recommend finding the person at MDA you think you'll be working for and meet them before you apply. Not that hard to role up the org. chart of a DOD organization. If you can't, I wouldn't want you on-board. If you do, you'll be able to assess if the program is for you - you want to work for the guy doing meaningful work that's a great mentor...
Larry
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Guest
Re: 2015 Application Process
With all due respect, Larry, it's not nearly as simplistic as he is making it.Larry_52 wrote:The SMART Scholarship gives young people an opportunity to accurately assess the Federal Government. It has brilliant people doing meaningful work that you will enjoy working for and be inspired everyday. And, right down the hall in the same organization will be the biggest moron you've ever met that will have you sharpening pencils...
You will be frustrated by the folks who are paid to take care of you, but you will get paid.
If you don't want to take money from the Federal Government because you like student loans or have lots of money from elsewhere than this program isn't for you.
I do recommend finding the person at MDA you think you'll be working for and meet them before you apply. Not that hard to role up the org. chart of a DOD organization. If you can't, I wouldn't want you on-board. If you do, you'll be able to assess if the program is for you - you want to work for the guy doing meaningful work that's a great mentor...
Larry
The SMART scholarship does NOT give young people an opportunity to accurately assess the federal government. It shows young people just enough of the good stuff to get them to sign up, and then will allow them to see the rest. It's at this point of no return that threats of repayment start. Don't ever think about getting out until your committment has been repaid, because you'll be browbeaten like you wouldn't believe. I've never seen such strongarm tactics used in negotiations, but the SMART Program Office takes the cake when it comes to keeping their scholars in line. They'll consistently treat you like scum. If any disagreement arises between the scholar and the sponsoring facility, the student is treated as guilty until you can prove yourself innocent. Sometimes even that is not sufficient. Don't be scammed by Larry saying you will be frustrated by the folks who are paid to take care of you. They don't see it that way. They're paid to keep scholars in the program and moving from Phase 1, to Phase 2, to Phase 3. They're not paid to take care of you, and they won't. They'll do everything in their power to make sure you stay in the program.
Larry is right, there are some of the dumbest, most ill-equipped (in terms of life skills) people who have found a way to leech taxpayer dollars until they get to retirement age at which point they will continue leeching taxpayer dollars. These people will likely not be shown to you when you're investigating your possible sponsoring facility and deciding if you are going to take a job with them. In fact, they might be your boss right after you've taken enough money from the government that it's no longer feasible to back away.
I visited with several people from my sponsoring facility and was given a day-long tour before I chose to accept (an opportunity that isn't actually afforded to many scholars in the program). Talk about bait and switch. I showed up for my first internship 9 months later. Everyone who was on the tour was gone or in other departments. I met my boss (who had somehow missed the tour the previous summer... not sure how that happened... hmmmmmm) and he was a real piece of work. Talk about a guy who LOVED bureaucracy to the point that bureaucracy was the point of his existence, and the science was something he would do if he found time (which he usually didn't).
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larry
Re: 2015 Application Process
Obviously I was too subtle in my answer... As I couldn't agree more with the prior poster.
I've worked for the federal government since 1977 and worked for brilliant people and for idiots. The challenge is maximizing your time with brilliant while not going insane working for an idiot. It can be done, especially if you manage your career. Finding a great mentor is a good start.
As a SMART Scholar, I wouldn't advise jumping in unless you've had a previous paid internship at the facility that you are trying to get a Scholarship with. And, indeed, that's one of the recommendations I've consistently made on this forum and at the SMART meetings in the Pentagon. I don't think the facilities should be signing up for students who haven't previously worked at the facility. You might try monitoring the OPM Pathways program, and/or finding the right scientist where you want to work and ask them how they currently hire summer interns. Become one of them - that will give you a good look at the inside of "the beast".
Best
Larry
I've worked for the federal government since 1977 and worked for brilliant people and for idiots. The challenge is maximizing your time with brilliant while not going insane working for an idiot. It can be done, especially if you manage your career. Finding a great mentor is a good start.
As a SMART Scholar, I wouldn't advise jumping in unless you've had a previous paid internship at the facility that you are trying to get a Scholarship with. And, indeed, that's one of the recommendations I've consistently made on this forum and at the SMART meetings in the Pentagon. I don't think the facilities should be signing up for students who haven't previously worked at the facility. You might try monitoring the OPM Pathways program, and/or finding the right scientist where you want to work and ask them how they currently hire summer interns. Become one of them - that will give you a good look at the inside of "the beast".
Best
Larry
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undergrad
Re: 2015 Application Process
Larry, I really appreciate your help and advice. Is there any possibility that, if I found the right person, I could tour the facilities that I aspire to work with? Thanks for all your help!larry wrote:Obviously I was too subtle in my answer... As I couldn't agree more with the prior poster.
I've worked for the federal government since 1977 and worked for brilliant people and for idiots. The challenge is maximizing your time with brilliant while not going insane working for an idiot. It can be done, especially if you manage your career. Finding a great mentor is a good start.
As a SMART Scholar, I wouldn't advise jumping in unless you've had a previous paid internship at the facility that you are trying to get a Scholarship with. And, indeed, that's one of the recommendations I've consistently made on this forum and at the SMART meetings in the Pentagon. I don't think the facilities should be signing up for students who haven't previously worked at the facility. You might try monitoring the OPM Pathways program, and/or finding the right scientist where you want to work and ask them how they currently hire summer interns. Become one of them - that will give you a good look at the inside of "the beast".
Best
Larry
Best Regards!
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larry
Re: 2015 Application Process
I would argue that any organization that thought it would hire future employees without having them visit (at the very least) their first line supervisor and see the bench where they are going to be working shouldn't be hiring.
Put it another way: be very leary of any organization or company that wants to hire you "sight unseen".
Put it another way: be very leary of any organization or company that wants to hire you "sight unseen".
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Guest
Re: 2015 Application Process
I am a current recipient.
1. To actual recipients: What is your opinion?
2. Open to everyone: What is your personal opinion regarding the scholarship
3. Where do interns reside during the internship period? (Hotel, Apartment, House, actual base, etc.)
4. What probability is there to actually work for the MDA?
5. Any other fact/insight/info
1. That is a tough question. I took the scholarship for financial stability both during grad school and in the future. There have been several pay-delays over the past couple of years. Each time this happens it has been quite a financial and emotional burden. That said, it has been ok in general and is quite a prestigious award. Perhaps the final answer will depend much on how the hiring process goes and how much I like my job in the end. (I know the job after the internships and I expect that I will like it).
2. I'm happy to be part of it but I wish there weren't so many setbacks and presumed changes in the management. They have run us through the mill several times on contractual changes. (I'm not sure if they can even do that legally?)
3. You are on your own. If you are at a location where there are many interns you have a chance at sharing a temporary place. I was always the only intern ... with an SF in the DC area I always broke just about even.
4. I would say there is a good probability. Not many folks outside of AL have a very high opinion of the area. That said, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to where they place you. My own research is very relevant to several SF. I listed them on my application but in the end was picked by a place that I had not heard of. (I liked the mission of the SF and chose to accept the scholarship).
5. a) Don't expect everything to work out as planned. There are bound to be some hiccups along the way. b) In my experience, you have a great chance of finding rewarding work in in the DoD as a scientist or engineer if you have a PhD or MS but it is much much more difficult if you have a BS. c) Once you're in the gov't, try to make it better :)
1. To actual recipients: What is your opinion?
2. Open to everyone: What is your personal opinion regarding the scholarship
3. Where do interns reside during the internship period? (Hotel, Apartment, House, actual base, etc.)
4. What probability is there to actually work for the MDA?
5. Any other fact/insight/info
1. That is a tough question. I took the scholarship for financial stability both during grad school and in the future. There have been several pay-delays over the past couple of years. Each time this happens it has been quite a financial and emotional burden. That said, it has been ok in general and is quite a prestigious award. Perhaps the final answer will depend much on how the hiring process goes and how much I like my job in the end. (I know the job after the internships and I expect that I will like it).
2. I'm happy to be part of it but I wish there weren't so many setbacks and presumed changes in the management. They have run us through the mill several times on contractual changes. (I'm not sure if they can even do that legally?)
3. You are on your own. If you are at a location where there are many interns you have a chance at sharing a temporary place. I was always the only intern ... with an SF in the DC area I always broke just about even.
4. I would say there is a good probability. Not many folks outside of AL have a very high opinion of the area. That said, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to where they place you. My own research is very relevant to several SF. I listed them on my application but in the end was picked by a place that I had not heard of. (I liked the mission of the SF and chose to accept the scholarship).
5. a) Don't expect everything to work out as planned. There are bound to be some hiccups along the way. b) In my experience, you have a great chance of finding rewarding work in in the DoD as a scientist or engineer if you have a PhD or MS but it is much much more difficult if you have a BS. c) Once you're in the gov't, try to make it better :)