DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship vs Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences
Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship is a scholarship while Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences is a summer program.
| DoW STEM Scholarships - SMART Scholarship | Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences | |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige Tier | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive | Tier 1 — Elite |
| Type | Scholarship | Summer Program |
| Organization | Department of Defense (DoD) | MD Anderson Cancer Center, School of Health Professions |
| Acceptance Rate | Approximately 8-18% depending on year; recent data shows ~600 awards annually from ~4,000-5,000 applicants | Approximately 5-10% based on estimated 60-120 applications for 6 spots (highly competitive but not as selective as top national programs like RSI or TASP) |
| Applicants | 2024-2025 cycle: estimated 4,000+ applicants; historically 2,000-2,655 per year | Estimated 60-120 annually (exact numbers not disclosed by MD Anderson) |
| Deadline | Rolling | Rolling |
| Award | — | $7,200 |
| Cost to Apply | Free | $0 |
| US Only | Yes | No / International |
| Grades | Currently enrolled undergraduate, master's, or doctoral students (NOT high school students) | High school seniors only (current seniors during spring semester before program start) |
| College Impact | SMART Scholarship is HIGHLY REGARDED in college admissions and professional circles. For undergraduates: Demonstrates exceptional STEM commitment and achievement; counts as major merit-based scholarsh... | This program has SIGNIFICANT positive impact on college admissions, especially for students pursuing health professions. Admissions officers view it as: (1) Evidence of serious commitment to healthcar... |