Army ROTC Scholarship to West Point

Maxhawk8

5-Year Member
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Apr 18, 2010
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I have a problem that I was hoping someone could help me with...

I have an application in to West Point for the second go-round and have joined Army ROTC in college in the interim. Initially when I joined they had offered that I would be eligible for a 3.5 year Army ROTC scholarship, something that my ROTC battalion has funds allocated for right now. The problem is because I was forthcoming about my intentions to attend West Point, they won't award me any scholarship money. As of right now I'm a 3-year scholarship advanced designee, meaning if for whatever reason West Point denies me, I will have a back up option here with ROTC. They are concerned that if I were to get into West Point, the Army would suddenly charge me for the tuition they paid for this year, hence the hesitancy to upgrading me to a 3.5 year scholarship. I was under the impression that this was something fairly common and that West Point and the Army look favorably upon ROTC cadets transferring to the academy, especially since you are commissioning one way or the other.

I understand that there could obviously be worse situations but I would deeply grateful if someone could find an answer for me.
 
They are concerned that if I were to get into West Point, the Army would suddenly charge me for the tuition they paid for this year, hence the hesitancy to upgrading me to a 3.5 year scholarship.
Who is "they" and why wouldn't /couldn't "they" get an answer for you before suggesting that the Army would charge you for 1/2 a year of freshman ROTC tuition?

The answer is that you will not be charged for 1/2 of a freshman year's tuition whether you enter WP or even if you walk away from the Army altogether after the "free" 1/2 year of freshman tuition and before you begin your sophomore year.
 
My apologies, I was referring to my ROTC battalion not wanting to upgrade me to a 3.5 year scholarship despite the availability of funds for fear I would be on the hook for a half-year of tuition if I was accepted to West Point. They think that if I transfer from ROTC to USMA while on scholarship that I would owe the Army money.

How should I go about resolving this? If I don't get into West Point ill stay with ROTC it doesn't make sense to me, to not be on scholarship.
 
How should I go about resolving this? If I don't get into West Point ill stay with ROTC it doesn't make sense to me, to not be on scholarship.
Take the money. Tell your battalion that you'll take the 3.5 year scholarship. If you receive an appointment to WP you won't start your sophomore year at your current college/battalion and won't incur a ROTC obligation. If you don't receive an appointment you will already be on an AROTC scholarship and ready to go for your sophomore year at your current college/battalion. Win/Win

Hopefully your battalion cadre will determine on their own that this is a question that may be asked again by another cadet and is worth their time to determine an answer.
 
This is what I was thinking. Accepting a scholarship however entails "contracting" with the Army. Does anyone know if you owe the Army back money when you transfer to West Point from ROTC while on scholarship.
 
This is what I was thinking. Accepting a scholarship however entails "contracting" with the Army. Does anyone know if you owe the Army back money when you transfer to West Point from ROTC while on scholarship.
You do not owe the Army money when you "transfer" to WP before your sophomore year. All ROTC scholarship recipients contract. However contracted cadets do not incur a financial obligation until the first day of their sophomore year.
 
You can accept an appointment while on a ROTC scholarship. Even past the freshman year mark.
This is how it was explained to me:

An appointment to West Point trumps all other military contracts. They are, in effect, set aside and only ever brought up again if you leave West Point and do not commission.
 
They are, in effect, set aside and only ever brought up again if you leave West Point and do not commission.
However, after the first year they can/will be brought up again if you are in ROTC beyond your freshman year when you enter WP. You owe nothing if you leave ROTC before you begin your sophomore year and if you leave WP before your junior year.

In theory you could accept (and contract) for a four year ROTC scholarship, leave ROTC before your sophomore year and enter WP for two years and leave there before your junior year and owe the Army no active duty time or money. In theory...
 
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