NROTC, HPSP, what?

ryebread17

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Hello, my name is Ryan, and I am an admitted freshman for University of California - Berkeley's Fall 2012 Semester. Around September/October last year, I found out that I was accepted for the NROTC Scholarship there for Nuclear Engineering. Originally my plan was to use the NROTC Scholarship, graduate, go to the Navy Postgraduate School or some other institution to receive my masters while on active duty. However, I'm considering a different option: the HPSP Scholarship. I went to CalDay and I became very interested in BioEngineering, which I think would better help me for a career in medicine. Either way, my tuition is covered with my dad CalVet bill. It will cover tuition for public California schools, but it won't cover books, room & board, or give me a stipend. The NROTC Scholarship: I'm sure you all already know its benefits. However, there are a lot of things that I have questions about and would like clarified:

  1. Should I use the NROTC Scholarship at all for my Undergrad? If I use it, I'll have to be a part of all unit activities and classes on top of trying to receive a high GPA for medical school, plus my major would be locked in one of the Tier 1s (doesn't include BioEngineering or any common Pre-Med Majors). If I use my dad's CalVet bill, I can major in whatever I feel like while pursuing Pre-Med, although there will be no stipend or book allowances.
  2. How do I get the HPSP Scholarship? Are there minimum criteria? Like for the NROTC Scholarship, I needed a minimum SAT/ACT test score, GPA, and show that I'm involved/active in school. Is applying for the HPSP scholarship like that?
  3. Are there limited slots for the HPSP Scholarship? How competitive is it?

Thank you in advance for those who help me decide! :)
 
Hello, my name is Ryan, and I am an admitted freshman for University of California - Berkeley's Fall 2012 Semester. Around September/October last year, I found out that I was accepted for the NROTC Scholarship there for Nuclear Engineering. Originally my plan was to use the NROTC Scholarship, graduate, go to the Navy Postgraduate School or some other institution to receive my masters while on active duty. However, I'm considering a different option: the HPSP Scholarship. I went to CalDay and I became very interested in BioEngineering, which I think would better help me for a career in medicine. Either way, my tuition is covered with my dad CalVet bill. It will cover tuition for public California schools, but it won't cover books, room & board, or give me a stipend. The NROTC Scholarship: I'm sure you all already know its benefits. However, there are a lot of things that I have questions about and would like clarified:

  1. Should I use the NROTC Scholarship at all for my Undergrad? If I use it, I'll have to be a part of all unit activities and classes on top of trying to receive a high GPA for medical school, plus my major would be locked in one of the Tier 1s (doesn't include BioEngineering or any common Pre-Med Majors). If I use my dad's CalVet bill, I can major in whatever I feel like while pursuing Pre-Med, although there will be no stipend or book allowances.
  2. How do I get the HPSP Scholarship? Are there minimum criteria? Like for the NROTC Scholarship, I needed a minimum SAT/ACT test score, GPA, and show that I'm involved/active in school. Is applying for the HPSP scholarship like that?
  3. Are there limited slots for the HPSP Scholarship? How competitive is it?

Thank you in advance for those who help me decide! :)

The HPSP program, according to their website requires that you already be accepted to a medical, dentistry, or optometry school. I have no direct knowledge of the program but I have no doubt that the slots are limited and extremely competitive. I'm sure that you will need to submit the scores for whatever GSATs are required for medical school along with college transcripts, recommendations, etc.
 
I'm thinking of doing the same thing except for army instead (taking an HPSP scholarship for med school over an ROTC scholarship for undergrad)

if your ultimate goal is to become a doctor, then go the HPSP route, but if becoming a Navy officer is a higher priority then take the NROTC scholarship. If you want a career in medicine and the Navy then take both.

I would ask on the Student Doctor Network forums in the military medicine section as well, they also have a ton of helpful people there
 
Thank you kinnem, I'm trying to find out more about specific things they're looking for.
Thanks Djiang, this forum looks really helpful.
And rkrosnar, any reason why?
 
You want to be a physician in the military? I would advise you NOT to do ROTC if that is your ultimate goal. If you want more input go to the military physician sub forum on student doctor forum. Almost every physician there (resident, attending, fellow etc) will tell you to do the FAP or HPSP (FAP preferred) AFTER you graduate from college.

ROTC is a huge burden on your pre med courses and not worth it when you can get your loans paid back if you do direct entry into HPSP/FAP.

As I type this my senior AROTC pre med roommates nods in approval. If he had to do it all over again he would have just gone into direct entry.

HPSP isn't all that hard to get (info relayed to me from AMEDD recruiters) the problem is actually getting into med school. HPSP doesn't mean anything without a med school admission. To do this you will need the least amount of distractions while in college and consequently spend a lot of time on your pre rqs, research, clinical experience , MCAT studying etc.

EDIT: With the CalVet money the choice is easier, books and room are a drop in the bucket compared to some tuitions
 
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I tend to agree with Aglahad, Don't take the NROTC route, if medicine is your main focus, use the CalVet and go direct entry after med school.

On the other hand if you want to spend 4 years in the Navy before trying for Med school then take the NROTC, that will be the much tougher route to med school though.
 
You want to be a physician in the military? I would advise you NOT to do ROTC if that is your ultimate goal. If you want more input go to the military physician sub forum on student doctor forum. Almost every physician there (resident, attending, fellow etc) will tell you to do the FAP or HPSP (FAP preferred) AFTER you graduate from college.

ROTC is a huge burden on your pre med courses and not worth it when you can get your loans paid back if you do direct entry into HPSP/FAP.

As I type this my senior AROTC pre med roommates nods in approval. If he had to do it all over again he would have just gone into direct entry.

HPSP isn't all that hard to get (info relayed to me from AMEDD recruiters) the problem is actually getting into med school. HPSP doesn't mean anything without a med school admission. To do this you will need the least amount of distractions while in college and consequently spend a lot of time on your pre rqs, research, clinical experience , MCAT studying etc.

EDIT: With the CalVet money the choice is easier, books and room are a drop in the bucket compared to some tuitions

Thank you for your answer! So the bolded above are the main parts of the HPSP scholarship application looks for? Do extra-curriculars like frats or teams/clubs count towards it too?
 
Thank you for your answer! So the bolded above are the main parts of the HPSP scholarship application looks for? Do extra-curriculars like frats or teams/clubs count towards it too?

As I said above, a HPSP scholarship is not a possibility until you get into med school.

Do those clubs and other ECs help a potential applicant get into med school? Yeah they are positives on any resume, but this isn't undergrad applications we are talking about. ADCOMS from med schools want see strong grades, GPA, research MCAT score and clinical experience.

GPA and MCAT are the top two priorities, then probably clinical experience and research. Frats, sports and clubs are near the bottom. Leadership experiences can never hurt.
 
Aglahad-

Sorry for distracting from the discussion topic. But dude i've gotta ask, who is your avatar? I feel like i've seen it before, but I just can't think of who it is...sorry, it's just been on my mind every time I read one of your posts
 
It's Skeletor from Masters of the Universe... The He-man cartoon.
 
yeah the main things you gotta focus on for med school is at least a 3.6 GPA and a high MCAT score. Research experience and extracurriculars come after
 
It's Skeletor from Masters of the Universe... The He-man cartoon.

AHA! That's where it's from. He-man was a few yrs before my time, but I caught it sometimes when they were showing the older(and IMO better) cartoons. Thanks, not knowing has been bothering me
 
As I said above, a HPSP scholarship is not a possibility until you get into med school.

Do those clubs and other ECs help a potential applicant get into med school? Yeah they are positives on any resume, but this isn't undergrad applications we are talking about. ADCOMS from med schools want see strong grades, GPA, research MCAT score and clinical experience.

GPA and MCAT are the top two priorities, then probably clinical experience and research. Frats, sports and clubs are near the bottom. Leadership experiences can never hurt.

yeah the main things you gotta focus on for med school is at least a 3.6 GPA and a high MCAT score. Research experience and extracurriculars come after

Ahh ok I see. Thank you! So considering that my major right now is Nuclear Engineering, are there any suggested majors that I should be in order for a stronger application? Just because I've Engineering majors tend to have no lives trying to maintain even a 3.0. I know people can major in English/Psychology/History or anything else and still be Pre-Med, just as long as they fulfill the pre-requisites.
 
Honestly you can major in anything. I've read statistics that say around 50% of accepted majors did not major in a science related field. In my opinion nuclear engineering seem like you are biting off more than you can chew if your ultimate goal is medicine (Nuke is not going to be easy on your GPA or your life in general). ADCOMS might question why you didn't just go into engineering instead. A lot of people major in bio and chem but history, psych, poly sci are all viable. What matters is for you to do well in your pre med classes and get 30+ on the MCAT.

Pre med classes usually are:

1 year general BIO
1 year general CHEM
1 year organic CHEM
1 year Physics
Sometimes a English or math class

Recommended not required: A/P, Biochem etc

If you fulfill those requirements and study hard for the MCAT you will be fine. Obviously taking more advanced Bio or chem courses might help a little on the MCAT but not enough to justify taking them (i.e Genetics, Microbiology, Histology etc) Unless you are passionate about engineering, don't do it.The bonus points you get for the major are minuscule compared to the effort in keeping a 3.5+ gpa.
 
I've heard that med schools are looking more for well-rounded people in terms of education now, so majoring in liberal arts could actually give you an edge in admissions

the only thing is you won't be as prepared for the MCAT as bio or chem majors so you'll need more outside studying for it

btw has anyone heard anything about FAP? apparently it's like HPSP except you get paid back money after med school but i'm not sure if it still exists
 
I've heard that med schools are looking more for well-rounded people in terms of education now, so majoring in liberal arts could actually give you an edge in admissions

the only thing is you won't be as prepared for the MCAT as bio or chem majors so you'll need more outside studying for it

btw has anyone heard anything about FAP? apparently it's like HPSP except you get paid back money after med school but i'm not sure if it still exists

I think FAP is a better deal than HPSP. Student doc has a lot of threads on it if you want to learn more.

Honestly the MCAT tests on the basics I think I saw a histogram that showed liberals arts majors actually doing better than chem/bio majors on the bio/physical science sections. Less intense majors= more time to study for the specificity of the MCAT.
 
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