2012 Applicants

[arghh2]

If you people are going to argue about something that is not directly related to anything about 2012 Applicants, please create another topic and discuss it there.

Unless you're a vet and therefore have preference to place your arguments in whatever forum you wish.

[smart_hopeful]

Nothing that is said in this forum will alter any policy or any decision one iota. Nothing that is said in this forum will affect any of our chances in any way whatsoever. SMART and DoD will do what they will do. Literally the only thing this forum can do is give us a chance to share information and commiserate about our shared goals. We might as well be pleasant about it.

[bulldog]

Has anyone heard anything (interviews or updates) from either USAMRIID, Dahlgren, or Natick?

[DexyDean]

If you people are going to argue about something that is not directly related to anything about 2012 Applicants, please create another topic and discuss it there.

I would like to agree with this person right here.

[AZGeologist]

I would like to agree with this person right here.

The question was not meant to spark a debate but take a census of how many vets applied. Which has direct applications to the 2012 applicants.

[Arghh]

The question was not meant to spark a debate but take a census of how many vets applied. Which has direct applications to the 2012 applicants.

That is fine and completely legitimate. However, if a debate does start, it should continue to be on-topic for this thread. Otherwise, it would be much appreciated if it were discussed in another topic on this forum.

Nothing that is said in this forum will alter any policy or any decision one iota. Nothing that is said in this forum will affect any of our chances in any way whatsoever. SMART and DoD will do what they will do. Literally the only thing this forum can do is give us a chance to share information and commiserate about our shared goals. We might as well be pleasant about it.

I agree with this. We're all stressed and frustrated; let's not make it worse by making assumptions about each other or groups of people, especially in a thread that is about sharing information and commiserating. If you want to argue or attack something that does not directly relate here, please move to another topic and let this one focus on just the applicants and information regarding them.

Anyway, did any geoscientists or atmospheric scientists apply? If so, did you hear anything?

[Mitts]

Did anyone else apply for Eglin AFB? Just curious to see if any information has been given yet from them.

I have not heard from Eglin. Did you get a phone interview?

Yes. I interviewed with the munitions directorate and their warheads group. I am a phd student in ME. What about you?

I did with AAC, I am pursuing BS in EE.

[tdmichael]

I'm an ATM and like others have only received the two emails.

[smart_hopeful]

Well, I guess this wasn't the week. I had some hope it might be, since there was all this email/phone activity about whether we'd still be able to accept. Some of the emails people had posted here emphasized the need for response "as soon as possible". Oh well.

Today is day 40 of our wandering in the wilderness, for those keeping track.

[WestToEast]

Anyway, did any geoscientists or atmospheric scientists apply? If so, did you hear anything?

I'm geophysics and I got an interview and a tour

[jmuuuuu]

Has anyone heard anything (interviews or updates) from either USAMRIID, Dahlgren, or Natick?

I interviewed with the NSWC in Dahlgren, and it sounded really positive in the interview, but I haven't heard anything from them since this who fiasco started; haven't asked them anything either. I figured they have better things to do than answer emails from a nervous college student.

[Guest22]

Did anyone else apply for Eglin AFB? Just curious to see if any information has been given yet from them.

I'm a current scholar at Eglin. It's a good location. I think I remember from the POC there that they made several selections, but of course at the end of the day they don't know who they will get, because of funding cuts. It's unfortunately not a good year for new scholars.

Best of luck to you.

[Guest25]

Nothing that is said in this forum will alter any policy or any decision one iota. Nothing that is said in this forum will affect any of our chances in any way whatsoever. SMART and DoD will do what they will do. Literally the only thing this forum can do is give us a chance to share information and commiserate about our shared goals. We might as well be pleasant about it.

I beg to differ. When they reduced the funding of current scholars, they raised a god-awful ruckus and the policy was reversed.

[2012_UMD]

Nothing that is said in this forum will alter any policy or any decision one iota. Nothing that is said in this forum will affect any of our chances in any way whatsoever. SMART and DoD will do what they will do. Literally the only thing this forum can do is give us a chance to share information and commiserate about our shared goals. We might as well be pleasant about it.

I beg to differ. When they reduced the funding of current scholars, they raised a god-awful ruckus and the policy was reversed.

They reversed the policy because people called, emailed, and contacted lawyers who sent letters of complaint. Policy-makers are not taking their cues from this forum.

[SadlySmart]

Good news.. I posted a bit ago about my contact letting me know that only 1 student would be given a spot instead of the original plan of 5. I was not the 1 top student. I received an email saying that this decision is being looked into and more students may receive offers after all. No more information will be goven until the ASEE official announcements. I have hope again! Woo ;)

[In_Stitches]

Good news.. I posted a bit ago about my contact letting me know that only 1 student would be given a spot instead of the original plan of 5. I was not the 1 top student. I received an email saying that this decision is being looked into and more students may receive offers after all. No more information will be goven until the ASEE official announcements. I have hope again! Woo ;)

Congrats! It sounds to me like things are moving on the other end. Here's to hoping we hear something before f-ing July!

[smart_hopeful]

I beg to differ. When they reduced the funding of current scholars, they raised a god-awful ruckus and the policy was reversed.

You have a good point, at least as regards internal SMART policy.

But in the case of hiring preferences, it really is true that nothing said here can affect the result even in theory. Veteran hiring preferences at DoD isn't just some changeable internal policy, it's actually the law. It would take an act of congress and a presidential signature to change it, either for greater or lesser preferences. Even if congress did want to change the rules (and they definitely don't), there's no way anything could get through the glacial legislative process in time to affect us.

[me123]

Has anyone heard anything (interviews or updates) from either USAMRIID, Dahlgren, or Natick?

I interviewed with the NSWC in Dahlgren, and it sounded really positive in the interview, but I haven't heard anything from them since this who fiasco started; haven't asked them anything either. I figured they have better things to do than answer emails from a nervous college student.

Right. I did not see how my trying to contact anyone could do any good whatsoever and might do harm.

[naysayer]

So people have been contacted? I guess if you weren't contacted by this point (like me) the answer, for all practical purposes: nay

[seanp]

Hey guys, this is the email from the resident expert in charge of SMART at ARDEC, NJ that i got today. I emailed her last friday. Hope it helps!

Good morning. The last update I received from the SMART Program
Office was this past Thursday. The message I received stated that there
have been massive budget cuts to the program, and each DoD agency is
still in the process of making their selections. DoD is hoping to have
all selections finalized sometime tomorrow, though I would not be
surprised if that gets pushed back again.

I know all the candidates are on pins and needles. If I hear anything
further on my end I'll let you know.

Regards,

[2012_UMD]

So people have been contacted? I guess if you weren't contacted by this point (like me) the answer, for all practical purposes: nay

Not at all. There have been no official announcements. If you made it to the second round, then you're still in the running.

[bulldog]

Hey guys, this is the email from the resident expert in charge of SMART at ARDEC, NJ that i got today. I emailed her last friday. Hope it helps!

Good morning. The last update I received from the SMART Program
Office was this past Thursday. The message I received stated that there
have been massive budget cuts to the program, and each DoD agency is
still in the process of making their selections. DoD is hoping to have
all selections finalized sometime tomorrow, though I would not be
surprised if that gets pushed back again.

I know all the candidates are on pins and needles. If I hear anything
further on my end I'll let you know.

Regards,

Assuming selections are made tomorrow (Tuesday), it should take, what, another week (?) before notifications are actually sent out?

[Random1313]

Hey guys, this is the email from the resident expert in charge of SMART at ARDEC, NJ that i got today. I emailed her last friday. Hope it helps!

Good morning. The last update I received from the SMART Program
Office was this past Thursday. The message I received stated that there
have been massive budget cuts to the program, and each DoD agency is
still in the process of making their selections. DoD is hoping to have
all selections finalized sometime tomorrow, though I would not be
surprised if that gets pushed back again.

I know all the candidates are on pins and needles. If I hear anything
further on my end I'll let you know.

Regards,

Assuming selections are made tomorrow (Tuesday), it should take, what, another week (?) before notifications are actually sent out?

HA! More like another month

[smart_hopeful]

Assuming selections are made tomorrow (Tuesday), it should take, what, another week (?) before notifications are actually sent out?

I'm pretty dubious about that assumption in the first place, but even if DoD does make their final selections tomorrow it doesn't necessarily move things along that much. Remember DoD's selection is not supposed to be the final cut - they send their recommendations and SMART picks "approximately 2/3" of them or whatever, and those are the recipients.

This year is atypical, so maybe DoD is doing all the pruning themselves and are then going to tell SMART "here's the list, mail it out". I wouldn't be stunned if that happened, since the budgetary crisis and transitioning of SMART to that research directorate may mean that the final cut is now a moot point.

If I had to make a wild guess as to our chances, I'd say this week is possible but unlikely, the next two weeks are somewhat plausible, and there's a long tail of probability trailing off into the summer.

[bulldog]

Assuming selections are made tomorrow (Tuesday), it should take, what, another week (?) before notifications are actually sent out?

I'm pretty dubious about that assumption in the first place, but even if DoD does make their final selections tomorrow it doesn't necessarily move things along that much. Remember DoD's selection is not supposed to be the final cut - they send their recommendations and SMART picks "approximately 2/3" of them or whatever, and those are the recipients.

This year is atypical, so maybe DoD is doing all the pruning themselves and are then going to tell SMART "here's the list, mail it out". I wouldn't be stunned if that happened, since the budgetary crisis and transitioning of SMART to that research directorate may mean that the final cut is now a moot point.

If I had to make a wild guess as to our chances, I'd say this week is possible but unlikely, the next two weeks are somewhat plausible, and there's a long tail of probability trailing off into the summer.

Someone way back who wouldn't identify him/herself but at least pretended at knowing something did suggest the last week of May/first week of June...