The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

So April is right around the bend and I wanted to know if anyone has heard anything about a specific day that award notifications will go out. Last year it was April 9th. This said, semi finalist notifications came out 4 days earlier this year than last year. LMI seems to be on top of it this year and I was wondering if anyone heard on their visits a hard date?

The facility I interviewed with said April 15 (possibly).

I do know last Friday (March 15th) was the last day for labs to enter there selections into the SMART database.

simonk21 wrote:The facility I interviewed with said April 15 (possibly).

Oh man, I hope it ends up being earlier than that (because for graduate applicants, we have to decide where were going to grad school by April 15th)

Guest wrote:

simonk21 wrote:The facility I interviewed with said April 15 (possibly).

Oh man, I hope it ends up being earlier than that (because for graduate applicants, we have to decide where were going to grad school by April 15th)

Likely won't be before your decision deadline. The year I applied, I didn't get my acceptance notification until mid May (so I selected the grad school before knowing SMART results). I know a different contractor is running SMART now, but I believe they mentioned mid April for decision notifications.

Does anyone have an idea on the ranking of the labs this year? Or what disciplines are top priority?

Guest1234 wrote:

Guest wrote:

simonk21 wrote:The facility I interviewed with said April 15 (possibly).

Oh man, I hope it ends up being earlier than that (because for graduate applicants, we have to decide where were going to grad school by April 15th)

Likely won't be before your decision deadline. The year I applied, I didn't get my acceptance notification until mid May (so I selected the grad school before knowing SMART results). I know a different contractor is running SMART now, but I believe they mentioned mid April for decision notifications.

Welp, thats a big yikes for me then, because right now my decision is pretty dependent on whether I get SMART or not. Does anyone know if they would be able to tell people before the official letters come out in these type situations?

I emailed SMART and they said that they anticipate sending out awards early april!

Anxious But Excited wrote:I emailed SMART and they said that they anticipate sending out awards early april!

Did they give any additional information? The first two weeks of April is a very long time to be constantly refreshing my email...

Well, I haven't heard from any SF for an interview. So here's hoping that I hear back for an award. I wish I knew the odds of getting an award without an interview.

Chicka wrote:Well, I haven't heard from any SF for an interview. So here's hoping that I hear back for an award. I wish I knew the odds of getting an award without an interview.

While I have no idea what the odds are, it's definitely possible! Rooting for you!

My understanding is that some labs like to do interviews or try there best to do interviews, but don't always. Because a lab selects you as their top choice does not guarantee that you will receive a fellowship. It all depends on where the lab ranks in the grand scheme of the other labs (i.e. NSWC, NRL, Air force, Army, etc). The ranking is not well known, I have never seen anything regarding how they are ranked. I do know it depends on what the DoD needs are, which labs took someone last year, and available funding.

I was selected as a top choice for two labs. One emailed me wanting to do an interview over the phone. The other selected me and I only heard about being selected as a top choice from another lab because of my advisor.

I've had 3 interviews and all of them said April 1st. All 3 were different departments of the same SF though, so I'm sure they all heard the same date, it could possibly be that they're all wrong.

I unfortunately have not received an interview as of yet, I’m assuming that’s not a very good thing.

jaf1324 wrote:I've had 3 interviews and all of them said April 1st. All 3 were different departments of the same SF though, so I'm sure they all heard the same date, it could possibly be that they're all wrong.

What lab was that at?

Guest wrote:

Chicka wrote:Well, I haven't heard from any SF for an interview. So here's hoping that I hear back for an award. I wish I knew the odds of getting an award without an interview.

While I have no idea what the odds are, it's definitely possible! Rooting for you!

Well, thanks. I've been using all this energy that I have to apply for other scholarships. I tried reaching out to folks via LinkedIn, but it was hit and miss.

So. I'm dying from anticipation. Am I to understand that no one has been contacted from SMART yet? If not then what stage are we at right now? I was told by my SF that I was one of their top candidates. I hate the not knowing of what to expect next.

So I got word from an SF that interviewed me that award offers would go out on Friday, April 5.

I emailed SMART and they said notifications would go out April 5th.

does SMART still contact the candidates to conduct interviews?

Drakester wrote:does SMART still contact the candidates to conduct interviews?

Not anymore. Just the sponsoring facilities.

I got a call from SMART on the 21st about clarification of my semifinalist application. She asked if I had been contacted by any SFs to interview, how many interviews I had if contacted. I was also asked how I felt my interviews had gone and how I would rank my preferred facilities now based on the interviews. The lady I spoke to was clear that the phone call in no way meant that I was being offered a scholarship, of course. But at the end of the call, she told me that award notifications will be going out in the first two weeks of April. So. Much. Tension!

Dang, I wish we could have re-ranked our SF preference after interviews last year. I had an interview with an SF I hated but still somehow got assigned to them. It’s been hell since.

Bitter2018Scholar wrote:Dang, I wish we could have re-ranked our SF preference after interviews last year. I had an interview with an SF I hated but still somehow got assigned to them. It’s been hell since.

Can I ask which SF you are at?

MMGuest wrote:

Bitter2018Scholar wrote:Dang, I wish we could have re-ranked our SF preference after interviews last year. I had an interview with an SF I hated but still somehow got assigned to them. It’s been hell since.

Can I ask which SF you are at?

I had a similar thing happen - my SF was AEDC - not even on my list of choices (I was interviewed by others on my list and told I was a name they were putting forward to SMART... AEDC got me because I was their ONLY name submitted). Fortunately was able to eventually move somewhere else.