The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

Hi,

I'm applied for the SMART scholarship this past fall like many of the people here. I have a few questions that I hope someone here can answer:

Do any of the following things increase one's chances for an award?
1. Length of time until graduation.
2. Past summer R&D internships with the DoD.
3. Major - if your major is uncommon do you have better chances?

Does wanting to eventually go back to school to get a PhD decrease my chances? I know people who have gotten their PhD part time while working at the DoD, and that is what I want to do. I didn't say that specifically in my essay, I just said that my ultimate goal education-wise was to get a PhD. I know the point of this scholarship is to retain employees, so I wasn't sure.

Also, I don't know about anyone else but I had some trouble filling out the SF-86. If there is confusion will you be declined, or will they give you a chance to clear things up? In the instructions they said that you should try not to list people in multiple sections, but I didn't really have a choice because I've lived in 6 different places in the past 7 years. I had to use the entire extra section just to list all my address changes because I've gone home during the summers, and like many college students, I've had a different apartment/dorm every year. I still used at least 7 different people, I hope that will be enough. I'm pretty sure I filled out everything correctly, but I'm still nervous.

I called and emailed the SMART security office to figure this stuff out but they never picked up or returned my emails.

Any thoughts?

I think I may be able to help with a few of your questions. Past summer R&D internships with the DoD will definitely help your chances. Really any research experience will help your chances. I don't think they will mind if you are going for your PHD or masters as long as its only part time. In fact they will probably encourage it, cause I'm pretty sure I've heard that the government gives you 100% tuition reimbursement for part time graduate school. I also don't think the SF-86 will affect their decision because they are only using it as a way to make the security checks easier once you get to that point.

Awesome, thanks for the reply. Would anyone know if they take fall grades into account?

When the requested that we send in Fall Transcripts they noted that they were not due until the end of February. And they plan to make finalist aware in the next week, so I would say that it does not weigh heavily on your chances. It may help once the finalist go on to get reviewed by the facilities.

Matthew,

I think you may be confused a bit. Transcripts were due Yesterday, unless something has changed. To quote the email they sent out with fingerprinting.

"TRANSCRIPTS: If you were enrolled in college coursework for the Fall of 2009 you need to send ASEE an official transcript containing that coursework by February 1, 2010. Transcripts should be mailed to: "

Therefore, I imagine they will be taking a look at them in conjunction with all other artifacts submitted. If you haven't gotten in your fall grades by now, I am not sure if they will or will not take them. I only have the same information as an applicant as everyone else got sent. Still, that is is verbatim for what we all got emailed.

Well, I guess I must have read the email wrong. No worries though because I had mine sent in right away.

Hi all

I was wondering if anyone got the SF 87 forms yet? They said that finalists would get them in early february. I guess if I haven't recieved them by now I am not a finalist then...but I was wondering if anyone else had any sf-87 forms sent....

thanks

nope don't give up hope yet it is only the 5th but I havn't gotten one and I don't think anyone else here has either because someone would have posted up.

Thanks Jilt..

I was waiting for the SF-87 forms because they said they would send them in early february (first week of february I thought) and since I didn't hear anything in the first week I thought I was unofficially rejected.

I guess I am a pessimist. Hopefully I hear something positive...

Good luck to you all and keep me posted..

I don't think anyone has heard back jilt.... Least not yet. They JUST NOW locked out the changing of user preference in locations. They have 3400 applicants according to Smart Guide. Somehow I think we will not be notified on the prescribed schedule (one way or another). Once others start posting confirmation, then we will know. My guess at this point, no one has heard back....