2012 Applicants

[me123]

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3pgp4h/

Not funny nor particularly appreciated.

[Guest]

This is also bad news for applicants. A very selective scholarship could have just gotten a whole lot more selective.

At least we're not applicants for NASA's two-year astronaut training program classing up next year. Out of 6,300 applicants no more than 15 will be selected. Random, I know, but I found those odds pretty striking.

[GuestUSAF]

Anyone apply to SPAWAR Atlantic and hear anything back?

[NotAsCrazy]

I guess this forum has really slowed down. I used to check it every other minute. Now it's once a day. But I'm glad you guys are here. Without all these comments, I don't know how crazy I would have been about not hearing back for almost two months now!!!!!!

[smart_hopeful]

Without all these comments, I don't know how crazy I would have been about not hearing back for almost two months now!!!!!!

Ah, I remember all those passionate arguments about the exact definition of "few" in "few weeks". I don't think too many people expected the answer to be "at least seven".

[meimarrissa]

Without all these comments, I don't know how crazy I would have been about not hearing back for almost two months now!!!!!!

Ah, I remember all those passionate arguments about the exact definition of "few" in "few weeks". I don't think too many people expected the answer to be "at least seven".

this.

[gatsby]

Without all these comments, I don't know how crazy I would have been about not hearing back for almost two months now!!!!!!

Ah, I remember all those passionate arguments about the exact definition of "few" in "few weeks". I don't think too many people expected the answer to be "at least seven".

Indeed, we are almost to the point that it would have been more appropriate for them to say "a few months."

[applebee]

So if you guys don't get the SMART Scholarship, how do you plan on funding your graduate studies? Federal Student Loans?

Also, are there any other scholarships or fellowships that we can still apply to? I think the deadline for most has gone by already.

[HERRRO]

For those that know that an SF has put your name forward, did they tell you where you were on the list? I'm wondering if a budget cut is occuring if each facility would still get at least one student (so if you were #1 you could breathe easy)

[You Hate Me]

So if you guys don't get the SMART Scholarship, how do you plan on funding your graduate studies? Federal Student Loans?

Also, are there any other scholarships or fellowships that we can still apply to? I think the deadline for most has gone by already.

You should have been applying for other sholarships/fellowhips anyway instead of waiting to hear if you got SMART before applying for other funding.

[2012_UMD]

So if you guys don't get the SMART Scholarship, how do you plan on funding your graduate studies? Federal Student Loans?

Also, are there any other scholarships or fellowships that we can still apply to? I think the deadline for most has gone by already.

You should have been applying for other sholarships/fellowhips anyway instead of waiting to hear if you got SMART before applying for other funding.

Most of the scholarship deadlines have passed. I know that NIH has rolling deadlines, but I don't think many other sources do. If you're still eligible, you could take out a loan for Fall 2012/ Spring 2013 and apply again next year.

[smart_hopeful]

You really should try to avoid student loans by just about any means necessary. If you have absolutely no other option, borrow as little as possible, get a bunch of roommates, and live on Ramen noodles. Student loan debt is life-ruining dangerous if anything goes wrong, and in this economy even an advanced degree in a STEM field is no guarantee of a high-paying job.

I know this particular polemic is not strictly SMART-related, but you owe it to yourself to have good contingency plans in the event that you don't get the fellowship.

[bulldog]

You really should try to avoid student loans by just about any means necessary. If you have absolutely no other option, borrow as little as possible, get a bunch of roommates, and live on Ramen noodles. Student loan debt is life-ruining dangerous if anything goes wrong, and in this economy even an advanced degree in a STEM field is no guarantee of a high-paying job.

I know this particular polemic is not strictly SMART-related, but you owe it to yourself to have good contingency plans in the event that you don't get the fellowship.

This. This this this this this. I have thus far managed to avoid debt by getting a full ride for college and finding a PhD program where not only is my tuition paid, but I also get paid a decent stipend to be a student. I cannot stress enough the importance of minimizing your debt. People taking on way more debt than they could handle is a large part of why our economy has been tanking.

[smart_applicant_189]

You really should try to avoid student loans by just about any means necessary. If you have absolutely no other option, borrow as little as possible, get a bunch of roommates, and live on Ramen noodles. Student loan debt is life-ruining dangerous if anything goes wrong, and in this economy even an advanced degree in a STEM field is no guarantee of a high-paying job.

I know this particular polemic is not strictly SMART-related, but you owe it to yourself to have good contingency plans in the event that you don't get the fellowship.

This. This this this this this. I have thus far managed to avoid debt by getting a full ride for college and finding a PhD program where not only is my tuition paid, but I also get paid a decent stipend to be a student. I cannot stress enough the importance of minimizing your debt. People taking on way more debt than they could handle is a large part of why our economy has been tanking.

Not necessarily true. Some student loan payments are tied to your income. See http://www.ibrinfo.org/what.vp.html

[reason]

I've got my fingers crossed for anyone who really needs this scholarship. Good luck to you all.

On another note, some humble advice: if you can help it, don't be distraught by student-loan-debt-will-ruin-your-life fear mongering. Try to owe as little debt as possible? Derp. Can't help it? That stinks. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Something tells me people on this forum, those short-listed for a selective, merit-based scholarship, have a fighting chance at a comfortable life.

[Fort_Bragging]

For those that know that an SF has put your name forward, did they tell you where you were on the list? I'm wondering if a budget cut is occuring if each facility would still get at least one student (so if you were #1 you could breathe easy)

So, this post will likely cause a little ruckus, but I just had to brag a little. I jist hot an email from a higher up thst, though they couldn't tell me that notices would go out any time soon, I was the top choice at my SF and they expected that SF to get funded. Top student + facility expected to get funded = high likelihood of support. Woohoo!

To further piss you guys off, I don't want to tell you who I contacted in case them getting a flood of emails would get me in trouble. Or the SF. But, I'd advise to be polite yet persistent, and little nuggets of information will leak out.

[Random1313]

Total guess, but I think award announcements will be sent on Thursday, May 31 around 2pm EST. Why?

-The last few posts give the appearance that the DOD has provided ASEE with enough information for them to start to finalize the process.
-If they wait until June / July, they will start to go past many university deadlines for Fall registration; therefore, very few people would still be in a position of being able to accept.
-I don't think it's likely they will email this week because they may have reduced staff... a lot of people in government jobs tend to take leave just before a holiday (next Monday).
-Based on past correspondence, it seems they like to email between 1200 and 1500 EST.

6.5 hours. We'll see

[Guest Who]

For those that know that an SF has put your name forward, did they tell you where you were on the list? I'm wondering if a budget cut is occuring if each facility would still get at least one student (so if you were #1 you could breathe easy)

So, this post will likely cause a little ruckus, but I just had to brag a little. I jist hot an email from a higher up thst, though they couldn't tell me that notices would go out any time soon, I was the top choice at my SF and they expected that SF to get funded. Top student + facility expected to get funded = high likelihood of support. Woohoo!

To further piss you guys off, I don't want to tell you who I contacted in case them getting a flood of emails would get me in trouble. Or the SF. But, I'd advise to be polite yet persistent, and little nuggets of information will leak out.

This would all be well and fine, as people appreciate knowing who has heard from anyone for any reason, except there was no need to present it as you did. Personally, I don't care that you know/think you will be getting it or that you won't tell from whom you heard. It doesn't make me mad at all. But to write something simply for the purpose of pissing people off is base. There is a thing called tact, which you clearly lack--you are either 1) trolling, in which case you are a d*** or 2) you are just a d***. Either way, the affliction is likely permanent.

To add something actually (pseudo)constructive, I, too, am hoping that gatsby's assessment of award notifications is correct. Fortunately for most people, I think everyone is over the compulsion of checking their email and the forum every 10 minutes any time someone suggests we may hear something. Good luck once again to everyone.

[ESCzr]

Fortunately for most people, I think everyone is over the compulsion of checking their email and the forum every 10 minutes any time someone suggests we may hear something. Good luck once again to everyone.

So I only discovered this forum yesterday after a couple months of only sharing agony with one other person who i know has applied, but I think that is probably a good thing as now I find myself checking it entirely too often. Might have saved a substantial amount of productivity...

Regardless, here's to hoping today is the day. At this point I'm almost past whether it's a yes or a no - I'm just tired of the anxiety and uncertainty. And explaining to people that no, I still don't know if I'm going to grad school.

[currentfed]

Has anyone checked the awards page recently (https://smart.asee.org/award)? I just realized that I hadn't tried to log in for a couple of weeks, as I was busy drowning in apathy and despair. It's still the same error message for me, but I thought I would check in with all of you. Maybe Mr. Braggart could log in?

For those of you who haven't been reading this thread obsessively, last year people were able to log onto the awards page slightly before the award notifications went out. Being able to log on seemed to be an accurate prediction of whether the individual would recieve the award. Of course, they won't necessarily use the same system this year, but...

[2012_UMD]

So, this post will likely cause a little ruckus, but I just had to brag a little. I jist hot an email from a higher up thst, though they couldn't tell me that notices would go out any time soon, I was the top choice at my SF and they expected that SF to get funded. Top student + facility expected to get funded = high likelihood of support. Woohoo!

To further piss you guys off, I don't want to tell you who I contacted in case them getting a flood of emails would get me in trouble. Or the SF. But, I'd advise to be polite yet persistent, and little nuggets of information will leak out.

Wow, dude, not cool. As I said way back, I interviewed at the Army Geospatial Center in Alexandria. I was told, too, that I was the top candidate by an Army contact and that this SF was "expected to get funded." I, too, am comforted by this statement. However, bragging about it without supplying information is just plain mean and useless.

For everyone else, if you know that an SF has recommended you, I don't think that it is an unfair question to ask where you are on their list. If you find out that your the one or two slot, you can have a little more hope.

[official]

I'm really glad that you received some sort of notification from your SF but you should really be mindful of what you post. Publishing something with the intention of angering other applicants in this forum reveals a lot about your character. If you are going to be in a work environment where you are making contributions with a team, I would seriously suggest an attitude adjustment. Trust me, a little humility goes a long way.

To everyone else, I would encourage all of you to be careful about what you post online. I have only recently discovered this site, and I was really taken aback by some of your posts. You all are delusional if you don't think that someone from either ASEE or DoD is monitoring these sites. Bashing an agency that is potentially paying for your tuition and providing you with a stipend on a website specifically for that agency is not a good idea. Some of the people posting on this site are disgustingly selfish. I understand that a lot of people's grad school decisions are dependent on this scholarship, but some of you need to realize that these budget cuts are pretty serious. It wouldn't kill you to think about how our country as a whole will be affected instead of spending all your time complaining about how your award notification is delayed.

[HOPEISH]

What do you guys think the likelihood is of no awards going out this year?

[smart_hopeful]

What do you guys think the likelihood is of no awards going out this year?

Here's the high and low points from what I see.

Evidence for no awards:

• Known DoD/SMART budgetary problems
  SFs indicating uncertainty about program status
  Near-complete communications blackout
  Paycheck problems on the recipient side
  Known DoD initiative to reduce civilian workforce

Evidence for awards:

• ~$70M NDEP budget in congressional 2013 NDAA
  An email from SMART replying in the negative to a student question about cancellation
  Some SFs making calls to check on funding status of some students
  SMART website still promoting August 2012 application re-opening date

In total I think there is a nontrivial possibility of no awards this year. But it's substantially more likely that there will be awards this year in somewhat reduced numbers.

[Guest]

As the guest who has contacts within SMART and originally said "last week of May/First week of June" I would just like to clarify that the 1st week of June was intended to signify the week that begins June 4th.

Updated prediction: next week. The "last week of May" is now out...

Have a nice weekend everyone, but be ready to pounce on your email next week. You will not be disappointed.