SMART Scholarship Program vs Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams
Comparing two highly competitive STEM opportunities. SMART Scholarship Program is a scholarship while Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is a competition.
| SMART Scholarship Program | Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams | |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige Tier | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive | Tier 2 — Highly Competitive |
| Type | Scholarship | Competition |
| Organization | Department of War (DoW) | Lemelson-MIT Program at MIT |
| Acceptance Rate | Unknown - not publicly available | Approximately 8-10% (based on 8 teams selected annually; suggests 80-100+ applications per year, though exact applicant count not publicly available) |
| Applicants | Unknown - not publicly available | Estimated 80-100+ schools apply annually (extrapolated from 8 selections) |
| Deadline | Rolling | Rolling |
| Award | — | $7,000 |
| Cost to Apply | Free | Free |
| US Only | Yes | Yes |
| Grades | Appears to be for college-bound students (exact grade level unclear from available information) | High school students (9-12) |
| College Impact | Theoretical impact: A full DoD-sponsored SMART Scholarship would demonstrate significant academic achievement and military/government alignment, potentially valuable for certain college applications. ... | Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams is viewed very favorably in college admissions, particularly for STEM programs. Selection as an InvenTeam demonstrates: (1) exceptional innovation and problem-solving ability; ... |