The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

Hey all,

I applied for a follow-on award this year and made it to the semifinal round. I read this section on the ASEE site earlier this year:
a. Type 1 Follow-On Awards. Phase 1 SMART Scholarship Program Participants who wish to pursue an additional degree request a type 1 follow-on award. In order to receive a type 1 follow-on award, a SMART Scholarship Program Participant must reapply to SMART for a separate award, score in the top 50 percent of applicants for the new award cycle, and be recommended for a follow-on award by the SMART Scholarship Program Participant’s assigned Sponsoring Facility.

I'm assuming semifinalists are at least the top 50%. When I became a finalist, I figured this will probably mean I get an award, right? Last week I emailed LMI, however, and they said "The information previously provided by ASEE is not accurate, as follow-on awards are not guaranteed". However, LMI's own website shows this information in the knowledge base. I let it go, waiting to hear about rewards, and as a lot of you are aware, there is a very ambiguous rejection email, which says that awards are continuously given out over the next few weeks. Now, I'm concerned about how the process actually works. Did my supervisor just not select me inadvertently? The way I understood, if they gave approval, it would go through. Anyone else getting pretty frustrated about this?

Again, it's not a huge deal--I can re-apply next year, but I'm also still slated for an internship this summer, and why would they be setting up that internship if I'm not even getting the follow-on award? It's all very messy.

When I applied for my follow-on award SMART (then run by ASEE) was pretty clear whenever we corresponded that my award was not guaranteed. According to them I went through the same selection process as everyone else. Meaning even if my supervisor approved I might not get it.

FollowOn wrote:When I applied for my follow-on award SMART (then run by ASEE) was pretty clear whenever we corresponded that my award was not guaranteed. According to them I went through the same selection process as everyone else. Meaning even if my supervisor approved I might not get it.

Yeah, I guess I'll wait the few weeks just in case--assuming this is just so that if someone declines the offer they just pick the next one on the list. Now I just have to figure out why I'm scheduled for an internship this summer...