Interview calls

Answers to various questions regarding the SMART Scholarship application process. Includes many tips and statistics.
Guest

Re: Interview calls

Post by Guest »

Oh interesting! I thought everyone got it. It said something like we are reviewing apps and a rep from SMART may call you Monday-Wednesday next week to ask you questions about your application. Maybe only people with multiple interviews received this because I heard they asked one other person about reranking their facilities after their interviews.

Guest0323

Re: Interview calls

Post by Guest0323 »

I didn’t get any email last Friday. I had interviews with 2 different SFs (around 2/24 and 3/3). No email or phone calls received after those interviews.

Guest

Re: Interview calls

Post by Guest »

Maybe it only went to people who got picked by more than one facility. When you get the scholarship they only put you with one facility and a lot of peoples preferences change after their interviews.

Nervous

Re: Interview calls

Post by Nervous »

Does anybody of all of the participating SF's this year will have funding for at least one SMART scholar?

I am afraid that place I got interviewed at is not well known and does not have much significance to the DoD.

Nervous

Re: Interview calls

Post by Nervous »

^ (It should say "Does anybody know if all of the SMART SF's get at least one scholar")

ilovecorpsehusband

Re: Interview calls

Post by ilovecorpsehusband »

Oh wow. Honestly, by the sounds of it (and not that I would know by any means lol), it's geared more towards those that had listed specific facilities as a preference with combination of their interviewing SF's. Personally, I said on my app that I have no "specific preference," so I think that may have had an impact? I'm just guessing here guys. Though, I'm scared -- does not getting the email/call foreshadow anything...?

Guest0323

Re: Interview calls

Post by Guest0323 »

I know this forum represents a very small % of applicants. But if I’m doing the count correctly, so far, there’s only 1 who got a call from SMART Rep to rerank the SF preferences, then another 1 got email last Friday to just give a heads up that SMART may call this week. Did I count that correctly? Were there more who had received a call or email? By the way about that email from Friday, did that email come from a facility or from SMART rep?

notpoggers

Re: Interview calls

Post by notpoggers »

I think I can shed a little light on this.
I received an email about a week ago (aye) from the scholarship letting me know I may or may not be receiving a phone call to "[collect] pertinent information form eligible semifinalist applicants." Additionally the email stated that award notifications typically come out first week of April.
Now I've had a couple phone interviews, and one with a facility that I interviewed with last year (I was denied the scholarship and I was told by multiple representatives that last year the scholarship's budget was cut substantially) told me that a phone call is likely an indicator of bids from more than one SF. They essentially want you to rank which location or service branch you would like to work for. This essentially seals your scholarship.
What this means for people who haven't gotten an email is that you either have only gotten one bid placed on you, or none. It's almost certain that some people who haven't gotten any interviews or any emails will get the scholarship, so don't worry too much about it.

Guest0324

Re: Interview calls

Post by Guest0324 »

Sorry I didn’t get the last sentence, do you mean to say it this way?
It's “not” certain that some people who haven't gotten any interviews or any emails will get the scholarship, so don't worry too much about it.

seagull

Re: Interview calls

Post by seagull »

notpoggers wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:11 am
I think I can shed a little light on this.
I received an email about a week ago (aye) from the scholarship letting me know I may or may not be receiving a phone call to "[collect] pertinent information form eligible semifinalist applicants." Additionally the email stated that award notifications typically come out first week of April.
Now I've had a couple phone interviews, and one with a facility that I interviewed with last year (I was denied the scholarship and I was told by multiple representatives that last year the scholarship's budget was cut substantially) told me that a phone call is likely an indicator of bids from more than one SF. They essentially want you to rank which location or service branch you would like to work for. This essentially seals your scholarship.
What this means for people who haven't gotten an email is that you either have only gotten one bid placed on you, or none. It's almost certain that some people who haven't gotten any interviews or any emails will get the scholarship, so don't worry too much about it.
Wow... I had no idea. Thank you for providing very insightful info. I'm so much more nervous now :")) bc I've only been contacted by one SF! Is there still a chance other SFs are bidding on you but won't tell you? Maybe I'm just in denial...

seagull

Re: Interview calls

Post by seagull »

* I also should have mentioned that I listed 'no preference' on my application -- if that even means anything.

HOPEFULLYSELECTED

Re: Interview calls

Post by HOPEFULLYSELECTED »

I got a call last Monday from a SMART rep who asked me to re-rank my list. She said 4 interviews was a lot, so I hope that's a good sign.

HOPEFULLYSELECTED

Re: Interview calls

Post by HOPEFULLYSELECTED »

Also, one SF said I was one of six names they submitted to sponsor, but after they submitted the names it was our of their hands. Another SF said they were looking forward to having me as a candidate. I'm trying not to read too much into each of those statements. But, I really hope those are good signs. (The third SF was trying to sell me on their location, but didn't seem to have read my resume because he thought I was a grad student. And, the fourth SF rep said he was new and wasn't really sure how it all worked).

Post Reply