2012 Applicants

[Guest111111]

Does anyone think tomorrow is going to be the day??

The odds become increasingly greater as time progresses.

[2012_UMD]

Does anyone think tomorrow is going to be the day??

Nope.

[secondThat]

Does anyone think tomorrow is going to be the day??

Nope.

I second that.

It's too early for them. I bet that they won't tell us the results until summer (after school ends). It's only a month away, for us quarter system people. And for semester system people, it's even sooner... sigh~~~

[WestToEast]

Does anyone think tomorrow is going to be the day??

Nope.

I second that.

It's too early for them. I bet that they won't tell us the results until summer (after school ends). It's only a month away, for us quarter system people. And for semester system people, it's even sooner... sigh~~~

Or for those of us who go to school in the south, tomorrow is the last day of finals... so yeah, summer it is!

[smart_hopeful]

The odds become increasingly greater as time progresses.

"If I stay at this blackjack table a little longer, my luck will change!" ;)

Today I got a call out of the blue from my contact at the SF that interviewed me. He didn't tell me anything this forum doesn't already know - he doesn't know when the notifications will go out, and his contact at the SMART program doesn't know when either. Anyway, he told me I was ranked highly by his facility and he expects me to get the award if the budget pans out anything like it was supposed to - which it might not. He seemed to be concerned that the delay would force people into declining SMART because university deadlines had forced them into other funding commitments. I'm fortunate enough not to be in that position, but at least SMART knows they're going to start hemorrhaging some people if they don't get their act together soon.

[detroitsaab93]

I am already done with finals and am about to start my summer class this Tuesday...

I also applied for a summer hire program that my SF does but this year they are way behind also due to budget issues...

I will be surprised when or even if I get called/emailed about either the summer hire or scholarship.

[Aaarrghh]

I'm fortunate enough not to be in that position, but at least SMART knows they're going to start hemorrhaging some people if they don't get their act together soon.

That's exactly the problem though, SMART doesn't have anything to do with it. They need to get the money from their funding organization, the DoD. Their hands are tied as well.

[SMARTless]

I'm fortunate enough not to be in that position, but at least SMART knows they're going to start hemorrhaging some people if they don't get their act together soon.

That's exactly the problem though, SMART doesn't have anything to do with it. They need to get the money from their funding organization, the DoD. Their hands are tied as well.

I'm not sure why we keep getting reminded that the SMART office proper is waiting on the DoD. My frustration is with the entire process, regardless of who is to blame. The point is the ire, and "SMART" (in my mind) includes all parties involved especially the bad person holding this up.

[smart_hopeful]

I'm not sure why we keep getting reminded that the SMART office proper is waiting on the DoD. My frustration is with the entire process, regardless of who is to blame. The point is the ire, and "SMART" (in my mind) includes all parties involved especially the bad person holding this up.

I agree. As a technical matter the distinction is a little spurious anyway - SMART is a DoD program. "Waiting on SMART" and "waiting on DoD" are pretty much synonymous from an org chart standpoint. It is of course also true that ASEE runs SMART and the delay isn't ASEE's fault. This would be an important distinction if we were going to egg the guilty organization's building, so so far I don't think we've gone that nuts yet.

[LostInTheSauce]

I could be tempted to slap some bologna slices on their black SUV's. Just sayin'...

[gatsby]

I could be tempted to slap some bologna slices on their black SUV's. Just sayin'...

I second that motion.

[Guest]

I'm not sure why we keep getting reminded that the SMART office proper is waiting on the DoD. My frustration is with the entire process, regardless of who is to blame. The point is the ire, and "SMART" (in my mind) includes all parties involved especially the bad person holding this up.

I agree. As a technical matter the distinction is a little spurious anyway - SMART is a DoD program. "Waiting on SMART" and "waiting on DoD" are pretty much synonymous from an org chart standpoint. It is of course also true that ASEE runs SMART and the delay isn't ASEE's fault. This would be an important distinction if we were going to egg the guilty organization's building, so so far I don't think we've gone that nuts yet.

I guess as someone who already works for the DoD, I see it as a necessary clarification. Not that it really matters why the scholarships are held up (I'm as frustrated as the next person), but the point is that from an "org chart standpoint" SMART and DoD are NOT synonymous. That's the problem. When the funding agency gets the money and when all the programs get their cut of the pie are two entirely different things, and it's impacting all of DoD, not just the SMART program. Either way, you are correct in that it is just arguing semantics, we're waiting for DoD, but as someone who deals with this as part of their every day job I see the distinction very clearly.

[NDSEG]

NDSEG anouncements went out

[2012_UMD]

NDSEG anouncements went out

Correction: The NDSEG rejection letters just went out. The announcements have been going out for the past two three weeks.

[sighhhh]

NDSEG anouncements went out

Correction: The NDSEG rejection letters just went out. The announcements have been going out for the past two three weeks.

Even though I knew that my NDSEG rejection letter is on the way to my mailbox, actually seeing it is more heartbreaking... It's going to be the same for the SMART. I know my rejection is coming, but I'll still cry when I get it... sadness....

[Guest]

NDSEG anouncements went out

Correction: The NDSEG rejection letters just went out. The announcements have been going out for the past two three weeks.

Even though I knew that my NDSEG rejection letter is on the way to my mailbox, actually seeing it is more heartbreaking... It's going to be the same for the SMART. I know my rejection is coming, but I'll still cry when I get it... sadness....

well in that case, there's always a chance they just won't tell us. They could just do the "slow fade" and stop responding to all communications.

[Batumi]

Huhm. Guess not today then =/

I think they have probably lost all their funding. I mean, first trying to shirk their responsibilities toward prior year awardees, then delaying the announcements... All signs point to absolute brokeness. Today is the day I stop checking this forum and stop paying any attention whatsoever to the scholarship.

[smart_hopeful]

I think they have probably lost all their funding. I mean, first trying to shirk their responsibilities toward prior year awardees, then delaying the announcements... All signs point to absolute brokeness. Today is the day I stop checking this forum and stop paying any attention whatsoever to the scholarship.

That's extremely doubtful. Detailed published DoD budget figures are available online (I linked them a few pages back), and while SMART's parent agency has a reduced budget, the reduction is nowhere near absolute brokeness.

[2012_UMD]

I think they have probably lost all their funding. I mean, first trying to shirk their responsibilities toward prior year awardees, then delaying the announcements... All signs point to absolute brokeness. Today is the day I stop checking this forum and stop paying any attention whatsoever to the scholarship.

That's extremely doubtful. Detailed published DoD budget figures are available online (I linked them a few pages back), and while SMART's parent agency has a reduced budget, the reduction is nowhere near absolute brokeness.

I'm going to agree with you, partly because I just don't want the alternative to be true. But, even though it's possible that the DOD tanks the whole program, I severely doubt it. It'd makemore sense to tank the NDSEG program since SMART recruits employees. Likely, this year's and future awards will look different than what we applied for or they'll reduce the number of awards, but not outright cancellation.

[In_Stitches]

At this point, I'm telling anyone who asks about this fellowship that there is just no end in sight to the wait. I say, "I should heat back before June, but it may take even longer." Ugh.

[me123]

Does anyone think tomorrow is going to be the day??

I don't know about "the" day but it will be "a" day.

[alsowaiting]

I'm going to agree with you, partly because I just don't want the alternative to be true. But, even though it's possible that the DOD tanks the whole program, I severely doubt it. It'd makemore sense to tank the NDSEG program since SMART recruits employees. Likely, this year's and future awards will look different than what we applied for or they'll reduce the number of awards, but not outright cancellation.

I would argue the opposite - precisely because SMART recruits employees, it's a bigger liability. The onus is not only on the scholarship office to provide funding, but also the sponsoring lab or office for a few years once you're done with school. Given current staff hiring freezes and downsizing, I can't imagine that's an easy commitment to make, especially when everything in DC is so driven by the fiscal year schedule and "until next year" mentality, which makes it more difficult to do longer-range planning.

For what it's worth, I think DOD does a better job at that kind of internal long-term, strategic thinking and personnel development investment than many of the other federal agencies. But it's still a long way from being perfect.

[smart_hopeful]

As far as I understand the program, the obligation is more "awardees are required to follow DoD instructions after graduation" than "DoD is required to hire awardees". If there were serious hiring freeze problems resulting in no DoD jobs being available, functionally SMART would be pretty much another NDSEG, except with the advantage from DoD's point of view that it's students are at least available to be "drafted" if money appears. If I were a bigwig in the Pentagon, I'd rather save SMART.

But who knows? Government is an inscrutable creature, government budgets doubly so.

[Guest]

As far as I understand the program, the obligation is more "awardees are required to follow DoD instructions after graduation" than "DoD is required to hire awardees"

You'll find both attitudes amongst the SMART program employees and SFs. That's why you see some weird hiring mechanisms mentioned over on the Recipients forum, and why SMART scholars are often less than pleased with the options extended to them during this time of a hiring freeze.

The SMART Program officially holds the motto: "DoD is required to hire awardees". This could be done in order to keep the SFs on the hook for their original commitment. It sends some mixed messages which results in some unhappy scholars, but it keeps the wheels from coming off the program. If the SFs knew that they didn't REALLY have to hire the students at graduation, it would be very detrimental to the SMART Program.

[Realtalk]

Hahaha I take it from the silence on a Monday that our collective wills to hope for a prompt answer have been broken. You win, DOD. We've stopped holding our breath.