NROTC Questions

ahuntedyeti

5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
90
Hello all,
I am a new poster here and have a few questions. First, is there a general time of the month when the selection board meets and how much longer after until applicants are notified? Second, what is the procedure/difficulty of switching from a tier 1 major to a tier 2 major and vice versa? Third, are all technical majors generally in similar demand by the Navy?

Here are some of my stats, if anyone would be kind enough to let me know where I stand in terms of getting the Scholarship it would be very appreciated.
3.94 GPA
4.04 GPA (10-12)
8 AP's
21st out of 295 class rank
Participated in Wrestling 9th, Track 9th, Ski/Snowboard 10-12th, and Cross country 12th
Member of NHS, FBLA, and President of Academic and Political Action club
Eagle Scout, 3 Term SPL
Highest equivalent Math score is 620 and reading is 650 (30 composite). Awaiting scores from this months ACT
90 volunteer hours logged 9-11th grades
Schools: USD, UCLA, USC, U of Washington, and UC Davis
Tier 1 Mech. Engineering selected, might change to Tier 2 Bio Engineering.
 
Hello all,
I am a new poster here and have a few questions. First, is there a general time of the month when the selection board meets and how much longer after until applicants are notified? Second, what is the procedure/difficulty of switching from a tier 1 major to a tier 2 major and vice versa? Third, are all technical majors generally in similar demand by the Navy?

Here are some of my stats, if anyone would be kind enough to let me know where I stand in terms of getting the Scholarship it would be very appreciated.
3.94 GPA
4.04 GPA (10-12)
8 AP's
21st out of 295 class rank
Participated in Wrestling 9th, Track 9th, Ski/Snowboard 10-12th, and Cross country 12th
Member of NHS, FBLA, and President of Academic and Political Action club
Eagle Scout, 3 Term SPL
Highest equivalent Math score is 620 and reading is 650 (30 composite). Awaiting scores from this months ACT
90 volunteer hours logged 9-11th grades
Schools: USD, UCLA, USC, U of Washington, and UC Davis
Tier 1 Mech. Engineering selected, might change to Tier 2 Bio Engineering.

Leadership looks good. Athletics look good. Academics look pretty good, SAT/ACT could be higher but may be enough to get by with everything else, especially if Calc and Physics grades are very good (assuming these were in the AP mix).

It's easy to change tiers now prior to being awarded a scholarship. Once the scholarship is awarded it is easy to go from Tier 3 to 2 to 1. Very difficult, if not impossible to go from Tier 1 to 2 to 3, and you must get permission to make the change. Of course, as I'm sure you know, 85% of scholarships will go to tier 1 and 2.

I'm sure the need for different majors varies from year to year but my own guess is that you can't go wrong with mechanical engineering in the Navy... but that's just my 2 cents based on no real evidence. Just seems like common sense to me.
 
Thank you.

I have an A+ in Calc currently and an A in Phys. Will they be asking for transcripts for this semester (I'm taking both now) if I do not have the scholarship by then? Thank you for clarifying the tier situation. I initially selected bio for my intended major but my interest in physics peaked and is slowly waning now and SonI wasn't sure if it would be best to switch majors now or after awarded the scholarship. Thanks again for the clarification.
 
I have an A+ in Calc currently and an A in Phys. Will they be asking for transcripts for this semester (I'm taking both now) if I do not have the scholarship by then? Thank you for clarifying the tier situation. I initially selected bio for my intended major but my interest in physics peaked and is slowly waning now and SonI wasn't sure if it would be best to switch majors now or after awarded the scholarship. Thanks again for the clarification.

Yeah, definitely switch now if switching from tier 1 to tier 2. You should be able to do it with a phone call.

Don't know if NROTC will ask for transcripts if a scholarship is awarded (as you can tell from my tag line we haven't had the pleasure :smile:). I do know if a scholarship isn't awarded before the end of the semester they will ask for the transcripts so they can update the application. Certainly the colleges themselves will ask for transcripts for both fall and this spring semesters to confirm good performance was maintained.
 
- 21st out of 295 class rank
Eagle Scout,
Math score is 620 and reading is 650
Schools: USD, UCLA, USC, U of Washington, and UC Davis
Tier 1 Mech. Engineering selected, might change to Tier 2 Bio Engineering.
You have a decent shot, but what is hurting you is the 620 Math. That's just really low for Navy Option NROTC, or the Naval Academy. USC and UCLA are both long-shots through Academic Admissions (maybe 10-20% chance), so I hope you didn't list it #1 on your list of schools. All you other schools are academic matches. However, understand that Scholarships for NROTC tend to go to applicants whose Academics make them matches for schools like USC, UCLA and other top 25 schools.

On the Scholar-Athlete-Leader scale of evaluation: scale, in comparision to other Scholarship applicant -- not in comparision to all students (Excellent, Good Plus, Good)

Scholar: Good
Athlete: Good, assuming you were Varsity.
Leader: Good Plus

I'm sure you already were aware of the Academic issues I pointed out, and perhaps the strength of the Leadership will gain you a high enough score to earn a scholarship. Good luck.
 
Thank you.
I took the latest ACT with an emphasis on the math portion. I took around 5 practice math tests and put in a solid 2 weeks of focus on math so I am fairly confident I brought it into the 30-32 range from a previous 27. Unfortunately I feel like my science score dropped several points from a 35 to around a 30-33 so my composite may not move but from what I understand they superscore on the NROTC app, correct? I appreciate your re-assurance on my leadership portion, which I thought would hurt me the most.
 
^ Eagle Scout counts for a lot in Academy and xROTC applications...
 
Thank you.
I took the latest ACT with an emphasis on the math portion. I took around 5 practice math tests and put in a solid 2 weeks of focus on math so I am fairly confident I brought it into the 30-32 range from a previous 27. Unfortunately I feel like my science score dropped several points from a 35 to around a 30-33 so my composite may not move but from what I understand they superscore on the NROTC app, correct? I appreciate your re-assurance on my leadership portion, which I thought would hurt me the most.

Yes they superscore. From NROTC web site:
SAT/ACT Math and English / Critical Reading scores can be from two different tests; applicants can combine best Math w/ best English / Critical Reading scores to achieve qualifying scores. (Navy and Nurse Option only)
 
^ Eagle Scout counts for a lot in Academy and xROTC applications...

I think Senior Patrol Leader carries some weight as well and so does that President slot (of whatever club it was).
 
Awesome. I was only worried since my interviewing AFROTC officer (applied for both programs) said he would have liked to see more leadership on my application.
P.S. kinnem, switched my major back to biology last night :thumb:
 
Awesome. I was only worried since my interviewing AFROTC officer (applied for both programs) said he would have liked to see more leadership on my application.
P.S. kinnem, switched my major back to biology last night :thumb:

Good. You gotta go with your heart otherwise you won't be successful, regardless of the scholarship. My DS switched from engineering to history for that reason. Doesn't mean he's totally out of the running for a scholarship (Dad said hopefully) but that the road is longer... making the eventual scholarship even sweeter. We're hoping to hear about a 2 or 2.5 year sideload scholarship later this semester. Actually, I'm sure we'll hear... it's just that it might not be good news :rolleyes:. But barring any injury I'm confident Advanced Standing is in the bag this spring. And injury is always a possibility. So far this fall semester we've been through a severely sprained ankle and now dealing with a ruptured sinus that leads to a bloody nose whenever he runs. Evidently one of his Boat Crew Club dives didn't go well.
 
Just throwing this out there: I was awarded a NROTC scholarship to Cornell. My test scores were not great by any means. Highest SAT Equivalent reading was a 680 and math a 650.

I will no doubt keep retaking SATs and ACTS until I improve my scores enough so I can actually get in to Cornell and/or USNA.

Everything on my application is where it needs to be, the only place I'm lacking are my test scores. You seem to be in a similar position, so keep working and good luck!
 
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At the risk of driving you crazy, I am going to offer a different take on your selection of major. First, there are very few if any jobs for new ensigns coming out of NROTC that require a specific major, so it isn't easy to say that one technical major is more in demand than any other. That being said, the Navy is definitely expressing a preference for certain technical majors, which is reflected in the tier categories.

Second, those tiers matter when it comes to scholarship selection, and they probably matter a great deal for most candidates. Your odds of getting a scholarship will not be as good if you choose to major in biology instead of mechanical engineering. It may well be the decisive factor.

Third, if you are getting good grades in AP calculus and physics, and have at least a 620 on your math SAT, you can successfully complete an engineering degree at any of the universities on your list. It will probably be harder than biology, and you may end up with a lower GPA than you would like, but if you stick with it you will succeed.

Which brings me to my final point. Everything in life is a trade-off. All things being equal, it appears that you would prefer to major in biology. But the Navy does not value a biology degree as highly as a conventional engineering degree. What do you value? Odds are that no matter where you go to school, what you major in, whether you end up in the miltary or a civilian job, you are going to find yourself in a situation where you are going to have to do something difficult that you would prefer not to do. I happen to believe that the opportunity to get a full scholarship to college, and to serve for at least a few years as a naval officer, is worth a great deal of personal sacrifice - perhaps even enduring four years as an engineering student. That is a call that you are going to have to make. It may be miserable. It may even suck. But it is almost certainly something that you can do.
 
Awesome. I was only worried since my interviewing AFROTC officer (applied for both programs) said he would have liked to see more leadership on my application.
P.S. kinnem, switched my major back to biology last night :thumb:

At the risk of driving you crazy, I am going to offer a different take on your selection of major. First, there are very few if any jobs for new ensigns coming out of NROTC that require a specific major, so it isn't easy to say that one technical major is more in demand than any other. That being said, the Navy is definitely expressing a preference for certain technical majors, which is reflected in the tier categories.

Second, those tiers matter when it comes to scholarship selection, and they probably matter a great deal for most candidates. Your odds of getting a scholarship will not be as good if you choose to major in biology instead of mechanical engineering. It may well be the decisive factor.

Third, if you are getting good grades in AP calculus and physics, and have at least a 620 on your math SAT, you can successfully complete an engineering degree at any of the universities on your list. It will probably be harder than biology, and you may end up with a lower GPA than you would like, but if you stick with it you will succeed.

Which brings me to my final point. Everything in life is a trade-off. All things being equal, it appears that you would prefer to major in biology. But the Navy does not value a biology degree as highly as a conventional engineering degree. What do you value? Odds are that no matter where you go to school, what you major in, whether you end up in the miltary or a civilian job, you are going to find yourself in a situation where you are going to have to do something difficult that you would prefer not to do. I happen to believe that the opportunity to get a full scholarship to college, and to serve for at least a few years as a naval officer, is worth a great deal of personal sacrifice - perhaps even enduring four years as an engineering student. That is a call that you are going to have to make. It may be miserable. It may even suck. But it is almost certainly something that you can do.

I appreciate your insight, you bring up a good point but I could see the sword cutting both ways. Getting a degree I don't love could mean ending up in a field of work I do not enjoy as much as I could in another. Even though the deal is sweet, tuition and a career being handed to me may not be worth being unhappy.

On the other hand you may be right with the being able to handle a rigorous degree. The reason I've kind of waivered on the engineering thing is because of the rigor of my teachers course. It feels somewhat too easy and not AP enough. I feel like being a busy worker is what is earning me my high grade and the tests aren't hard enough. Math though is a different story. My teacher is known for being one of the best in preparing her students for college level math. It's not as fun a subject as bio but I'm good at it so although I may not pursue the engineering degree you suggest, math might be a good option.

I might do this: use the NROTC program to see if I can get a Bio scholarship and use the AFROTC program to see if I can get a math scholarship. My stats seem to hold up well as a tech major in the AF program. I dont necessarily have loyalty to one branch (Just my country :wink:)

Thanks again for your advice, it's given me something to think about!
 
I appreciate your insight, you bring up a good point but I could see the sword cutting both ways. Getting a degree I don't love could mean ending up in a field of work I do not enjoy as much as I could in another. Even though the deal is sweet, tuition and a career being handed to me may not be worth being unhappy.

On the other hand you may be right with the being able to handle a rigorous degree. The reason I've kind of waivered on the engineering thing is because of the rigor of my teachers course. It feels somewhat too easy and not AP enough. I feel like being a busy worker is what is earning me my high grade and the tests aren't hard enough. Math though is a different story. My teacher is known for being one of the best in preparing her students for college level math. It's not as fun a subject as bio but I'm good at it so although I may not pursue the engineering degree you suggest, math might be a good option.

I might do this: use the NROTC program to see if I can get a Bio scholarship and use the AFROTC program to see if I can get a math scholarship. My stats seem to hold up well as a tech major in the AF program. I dont necessarily have loyalty to one branch (Just my country :wink:)

Thanks again for your advice, it's given me something to think about!

Now that's an interesting approach to the problem. I'll be curious to see how that turns out. I'm (very semi-seriously) wondering if that's something one should bring up in an interview as indicative of creative problem-solving ability (tongue firmly in cheek). Good luck! :thumb:
 
Since I want to get a pilot slot I kind of need a high GPA so struggling with a major isn't really an option. It will be interesting now it plays out! I'm excited, hopefully I have something to celebrate by the holidays!
 
not to hijack the thread, but since you are deciding between AFROTC and NROTC realize that AFROTC does not superscore, they only use the best sitting. In your case, if you still get a 30, they will not give you the 32/33 that NROTC. It most likely will be the 2nd sitting since M went up to a better advantage, even though Science went down.

Secondly, you stated for AFROTC you are looking at engineering, but want to become a pilot. LY they decided EE's are now classified as a critical manning field, thus no EE's were offered a rated slot.

You don't know where manning will be in 4 yrs., those EE cadets went in thinking this was a good path to become a pilot and found out later it wasn't their cgpa that worked against them, but their major.

~~~~ I would check to see if the Navy has certain degrees that are classified as critical manning.


Additionally, AFROTC understands that engineering is a harder major, that is why they get an edge compared to non-tech when it comes to the cgpa. Tech usually has a 3.1 cgpa non-tech @3.3-3.4

I agree as others have stated Eagle Scout counts alot, but maybe they were more concerned about Athletics (AFROTC only counts to the end of 11th grade). I don't see any commitment/leadership there, and without knowing what your PFA results are, this might be where he was concerned.

PFA is for SFT and AFSC in AFROTC 15% of the OML for the boards.

I would take that ACT again and again, because for SFT in AFROTC, and maybe NROTC programmer too, it is part of their OML along with your college cgpa.

Good luck, I hope you get your dreams.
 
He did mention engineers having a little more lenience with their GPA. My PFT were decent. Maxed on push-ups, was strong on the mile, but my crunches were only a few above the minimum. Hopefully my New ACT scores will be to their liking.
 
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