The Unofficial SMART Scholarship Forum

Hello all! I'm applying for the program this year and I'm trying to decide the best locations for me to select. I'm a Computer Science/Big Data double major with an interest in Cybersecurity, and I would obviously like to intern (and eventually work) somewhere that matches my educational background, specifically with Cybersecurity. Right now, my list includes: Air Force Life Cycle Management Center- Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division (AFLCMC/HNC) at the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. While these two are very good choices, I'm having a problem deciding if I want to leave my home state (Virginia), and I wanted to know if any recipients or other applicants are interning at places in or close to Virginia and working in the Cybersecurity field. If there're no facilities that really apply, I'll obviously go out of state, but I would like to at least have more choices closer to D.C. Any other non-Virginia facilities are also more than welcome!

NSWC Corona Division has a new cybersecurity division that might be a good fit. It's located in southern California about an hour inland from LA.

Honestly, it doesn't really matter what you put down. I put down 3 facilities on the east coast and I got chosen by a different facility on the east coast. Sometimes the facilities just find you based on what your preferences are. I was told that the search criteria for scholars from my facility was that they chose facilities on the east coast. So do not think you will get put where you want. But it you severly detest your placement then you can just turn down the scholarship. I got lucky in that I thought where I got placed was way cooler than the facilities I had originally wanted. Don't think too hard about it.

The search criteria that the sponsor facilities use varies widely. Some will be places you never considered who found you based on your research interests. Some use your geographical preferences as Recipient indicated.

However, you should still spend some thought in putting down your top choices as some of the facilities can be incredibly selective. I know of at least one facility who only considers applicants who named them as their first facility choice/preference.

It's still all kind of a crapshoot though, so don't stress too much about it.

So here is some advice....

Get some research in with your degree.....It really does help.
Look at other commands such as NGA, DIA, NRO, NSA (yes all three letter commands). But at the end of the day what will make you stand out from others is the data research.