SF Recommendation - SMART Award Probability

[HopefulWaiting]

So I got an email today saying Alberdeen has "certified your name to our HQ SMART point-of-contact and let them know that we are interested in becoming your sponsoring facility if you ultimately get selected for the SMART Scholarship."
I am curious, does this increase my chances of being accepted as a SMART scholar? Does anyone know a rough statistic about people who have a recommended SF and who get the award?

Thanks!

[jjm390]

So I got an email today saying Alberdeen has "certified your name to our HQ SMART point-of-contact and let them know that we are interested in becoming your sponsoring facility if you ultimately get selected for the SMART Scholarship."
I am curious, does this increase my chances of being accepted as a SMART scholar? Does anyone know a rough statistic about people who have a recommended SF and who get the award?

Thanks!

It certainly doesn't hurt! I have two facilities interested in me, and I was told "I hope you choose us" by one of them.

[DoD123]

Can you guys post your stats? Gpa?

Ultimately I believe it's up to the SMART forum to choose participants. So although you have a better chance of being awarded by being recommended I believe the SMART forum has the final say.

For example a Freshman who was recommended needs 4 full years of funding while a Senior only needs 1 year of funding. It's all about how much bang they can get for their buck.

[jjm390]

Can you guys post your stats? Gpa?

Ultimately I believe it's up to the SMART forum to choose participants. So although you have a better chance of being awarded by being recommended I believe the SMART forum has the final say.

For example a Freshman who was recommended needs 4 full years of funding while a Senior only needs 1 year of funding. It's all about how much bang they can get for their buck.

Sure: Computer Science PhD, GPA 3.47, Navy Veteran, 3.5 years requested.

Have had interviews with:
AFRL Munitions Directorate at Eglin AFB
SPAWAR Atlantic in Charlston
NAWCWD at China Lake
DFSC in Atlanta

[HopefulWaiting]

Can you guys post your stats? Gpa?

Ultimately I believe it's up to the SMART forum to choose participants. So although you have a better chance of being awarded by being recommended I believe the SMART forum has the final say.

For example a Freshman who was recommended needs 4 full years of funding while a Senior only needs 1 year of funding. It's all about how much bang they can get for their buck.

Yeah, I am a Biomedical Engineering PhD student, GPA: 3.3. I have 4 papers published thus far and have requested 3-4 years funding. So far I have interviewed with Aberdeen and Robins AFB.

[MaterialWorld]

Fellow PhD applicants:

Why do you want the SMART award? I'm genuinely interested because I felt like my interview went well (although I don't know how ASEE decides how to allocate funds) and if I'm accepted, I don't know what I'll do. I feel like I have a fairly decent resume and could win NSF or NDSEG, even though I didn't this year. I can apply next year, but if I won SMART I don't know what I'd do. I wouldn't want to leave that money on the table, but I also wouldn't want to give up the chance to win an NSF or NDSEG award and not have to commit a few years of service to the government.

I wouldn't mind working for the government as long as I'm doing meaningful research (and really wouldn't mind providing a service to my nation), but I have read other PhD awardees express discontent with the SMART program. Either the pay is not competitive or the research is too basic or technical to be a useful experience. I read the post that says "don't take it if you don't need it", but I would really want some sort of independent funding. So what motivates you PhD students to pursue a SMART scholarship?

[raero]

HopefulWaiting,

What was the consensus you got from the interview with Robins AFB in regards to recommendations for award or not?

[HopefulWaiting]

MaterialWorld:

I am interested in the SMART fellowship because my end goal (after graduation) is to work at a national/military research facility. SMART is the perfect segue from graduate school into a government research facility. Yes NSF or NSDSEG are great independent funding opportunities but for me they are ONLY funding. SMART is both funding AND an entrance into a government research facility.

raero:

I have not heard anything officially from Robins AFB. My interview went well, but I feel my educational background is not a perfect fit for the position available there.

[Guest22]

Can you guys post your stats? Gpa?

Ultimately I believe it's up to the SMART forum to choose participants. So although you have a better chance of being awarded by being recommended I believe the SMART forum has the final say.

For example a Freshman who was recommended needs 4 full years of funding while a Senior only needs 1 year of funding. It's all about how much bang they can get for their buck.

Sure: Computer Science PhD, GPA 3.47, Navy Veteran, 3.5 years requested.

Have had interviews with:
AFRL Munitions Directorate at Eglin AFB
SPAWAR Atlantic in Charlston
NAWCWD at China Lake
DFSC in Atlanta

Plug for AFRL/RW at Eglin. We (the SMART people) like it here as far as I know.

[Guest22]

Can you guys post your stats? Gpa?

Ultimately I believe it's up to the SMART forum to choose participants. So although you have a better chance of being awarded by being recommended I believe the SMART forum has the final say.

For example a Freshman who was recommended needs 4 full years of funding while a Senior only needs 1 year of funding. It's all about how much bang they can get for their buck.

This is not how it works at all. A committee will rank all applicants. The top 50% will be sent to all sponsoring facilities, who then make selections. Each is allowed to pick a number of people, or perhaps a dollar amount of people.

Then they just start going down the list until they are out of money. In my experience, if they want you, they get you - how expensive the school you are at or how long you are there isn't as large a factor as you think it is.

At the end of the day, the person picking you is the SF - and they see it as a free hire. They aren't spending any money at all. SMART is the one dishing out the cash, and they aren't the ones making the final choice. SF's make the final choice.

[ktran]

Has there ever been an applicant that received the award but did not go through the phone interview process?

[neuRAO]

Received the following email from SMART:

Check this out from the other thread.

"Hello,

Sponsoring Facilities do not always interview individuals they are interested in funding. Some facilities choose to conduct interviews and others do not, so whether or not an applicant is contacted is not indicative of whether or not they can expect an award. Currently, it is expected that interviews will be completed this month, and award notices will also go out this month.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Thank you,

ASEE"

I'm unsure which sites interview and which do not but I guess this gives anyone who has not yet received a call some hope!

[RF_EE]

Has there ever been an applicant that received the award but did not go through the phone interview process?

I was selected by my Sponsor Facility without an interview. They just called me one day and asked if I was interested.

[ktran]

Thanks RF_EE. This still gives some of us hope in this waiting game.

[hopeful]

Will we get an email saying that a SF has picked us, if they really have picked us?

Is it possible that a SF picked us but we won't get an email notification?

Thanks,
-hopeful...

[jjm390]

Will we get an email saying that a SF has picked us, if they really have picked us?

Is it possible that a SF picked us but we won't get an email notification?

Thanks,
-hopeful...

It is my understanding from talking to the SMART program rep that called last week that it is entirely possible that a facility can recommend you for sponsorship without ever talking to you. I had 4 interviews, but was asked to rank 5 in my order of preference. I was only told by 3 of the facilities that they would recommend me. I never heard from one of them, and never had any further contact with the 5th after the interview. Of course being recommended does not necessary guarantee anything either. The SMART program office makes the final decisions, likely based on the needs of the sponsoring services.

Again, this is all my interpretation of what has been going on in my individual case. I am happy to share the information in hopes that you may find it useful!

[Guest]

Thanks so much jjm390.

I did 2 interviews, one said they would recommend me, but I wasn't sure if they were just telling me they would...

Who asked you to rank your preferences?

I'm just getting worried that no office recommended me, because I haven't heard anything post-interviews, at all. I haven't gotten any notifications of a recommendation, haven't had to rank offices, etc....

-hopeful

[jjm390]

Thanks so much jjm390.

I did 2 interviews, one said they would recommend me, but I wasn't sure if they were just telling me they would...

Who asked you to rank your preferences?

I'm just getting worried that no office recommended me, because I haven't heard anything post-interviews, at all. I haven't gotten any notifications of a recommendation, haven't had to rank offices, etc....

-hopeful

It was the SMART program office NAVY liaison that contacted me. He called last Thursday (May 8th).

[hopeful]

Thank you!

[sarah]

jjm390

Impressive. 5 SFs recommended you.
Would you mind summarizing your credentials? major, degree, university, gpa

[jjm390]

jjm390

Impressive. 5 SFs recommended you.
Would you mind summarizing your credentials? major, degree, university, gpa

Sure not sure if all is relevant, but here is what was on my application:

Degree pursuing: PhD in Computer Science: current GPA: 3.48 at CU Boulder
Already have MS, BS in computer Science
Have US Navy/DOE nuclear power plant operator certificate
Have already held Secret clearance.
I am a disabled veteran: 10 point preference

[sarah]

jjm390

That is an impressive resume! Congrads.
I hope there is room for less qualified applicants.

[jjm390]

jjm390

That is an impressive resume! Congrads.
I hope there is room for less qualified applicants.

Well, I can't be in 5 places at once, so there should be plenty of room. <grin>

Seriously though, I am pretty sure my case is not the norm.

Good luck!

[hopeful]

I got contacted to rank my preferences too!

But... it was so hard to choose!!! I would be happy with any of them!

[Waiting123]

So if you have been contacted to rank your preferences what is your chances at this point? Should those that have been asked to rank preferences expect to get awarded?