Not happy with the Sponsoring Facility

[Guest]

I made the final cut! I'm super psyched, but....the sponsoring facility is totally whack! It's out in the middle of nowhere....and I mean NOWHERE (imagine tumbleweeds and dirt)! I read the handbook and it said you could request a change in SF after you accept the award, but what about before? I seriously spent ALL afternoon researching the sponsoring facility, surrounding cities, community, population, etc. There's no diversity, no entertainment, etc. I'd cry if I had to go to that place. Seriously!

Don't get me wrong, I'm completely grateful for getting nominated, and I REALLY need this opportunity.....but.....it's seriously in the middle of NOWHERE! I can't see myself living there for that long. Anybody know of anyone who requested a change and actually got it?

Thanks.

[Guest]

I doubt you can request a change before the award is givin, and your request after accepting the award is likely to not get approved. Its sorta like the military, you have to go where you are needed. You would have to give a good reason for them to consider it and honestly thats not a good reason. :/ but congrats?

[Guest]

did this place happen to be kirtland?

[Guest]

You could always reject the award and give you're spot up to someone that would be a little more grateful. SUCK IT UP. It's a whopping couple of years.

[current participant]

Pretty much you will have to go on at least one summer internship with this "middle of no where" sponsoring facility before you can even think of changing. Plus, there has to be something really wrong with the place or your job there has to be way off of what you are qualified to do in order to even be considered for an award. I tried, but I didn't really have a good excuse. Just suck it up, it's a guaranteed job for a few years in a crappy economy. And you'll have no student loans. Let me guess..... you are getting your BS degree somewhere warm/big city type right? Life could really suck more, so be grateful. Be nice to the program and they are very VERY cooperative in return.

[Tristan]

This may be a late reply as you may have accepted/denied already, but I was in a similar boat. I'm coming from Charlotte NC (pop 700,000) to Warner Robins GA (pop 50,000) and while it did feel small at first, it did have some upsides and now I can say I'm looking forward to going back next week for my 2nd internship. Granted, I'm not a city person, but I wasn't used to being in a low population area at first, but I did adjust.

If you really don't like it there, you could transfer to another facility in a few years. As I understand it, it's easier to move around once your already employed by the DOD.

[Guest]

How long do the summer internships last? Are they all summer long or only for something like 4-6 weeks? I ask because I am considering applying for the scholarship but if I have to be gone all summer long then it makes me consider applying to more local colleges so that I could spend some time with family and friends over the next four years. If anyone could clear that up I would really appreciate it.

[guest]

8-10 weeks i believe, depending on sponsoring facility