What are my chances??

I am a senior in high school, currently finishing up my NROTC/AFROTC application, just need to put in the two essays for NROTc and my recruiter has already set up an appointment for my interview next Wednesday at 10 am which I AM REALLY REALLY NERVOUS FOR

I have a cumulative GPA of 3.44 WEIGHTED where I messed up badly in sophomore and junior year with C's in my AP classes. I took more AP classes than I can handle, which lowered my GPA badly. I think that if I would have stuck to honors classes and just a right amount of AP's, my GPA wouldn't be so low... so i'm really losing hope cause the competition is really high now a days.

My ACT score is 28 cumulative, with a 1530 SAT. I am retaking both...
I have about 400 hours of community service, I am president of two clubs in school, yearbook section editor, tutor for my local library, in mercury (which is ASB affiliated so a mini finance organization within ASB), worked the general elections as a touchscreen inspector. I have been volunteering at the same organization since I was a freshman in hs and am a Link Crew Leader. I am also a studio/data manager for yearbook and spend most of my time there editing sections of the yearbook since junior year. I played volleyball for two years freshman and sophomore, and on the swim team 10, 11, and going to do this year as well. Im continuing my exercise to stay fit

I know GPA plays a big role in the selection, but how are my chances? I know I could've done better and the only thing i can do now is continue with the application and work harder senior (even though that doesn't really change much except show consistency) plus nail the interview (IM REALLY NERVOUS HAVE I MENTIONED THAT ALREADY)

My top 5 choices:
1. USD
2. Purdue Univ.
3. UCLA
4. Loyola Univ. of Chicago
5. UCDavis

electrical engineering in USD, how competitive will it be to get into USD unit since San Diego is a naval base area

shaymitchell said:

I am a senior in high school, currently finishing up my NROTC/AFROTC application, just need to put in the two essays for NROTc and my recruiter has already set up an appointment for my interview next Wednesday at 10 am which I AM REALLY REALLY NERVOUS FOR

I have a cumulative GPA of 3.44 WEIGHTED where I messed up badly in sophomore and junior year with C's in my AP classes. I took more AP classes than I can handle, which lowered my GPA badly. I think that if I would have stuck to honors classes and just a right amount of AP's, my GPA wouldn't be so low... so i'm really losing hope cause the competition is really high now a days.

My ACT score is 28 cumulative, with a 1530 SAT. I am retaking both...
I have about 400 hours of community service, I am president of two clubs in school, yearbook section editor, tutor for my local library, in mercury (which is ASB affiliated so a mini finance organization within ASB), worked the general elections as a touchscreen inspector. I have been volunteering at the same organization since I was a freshman in hs and am a Link Crew Leader. I am also a studio/data manager for yearbook and spend most of my time there editing sections of the yearbook since junior year. I played volleyball for two years freshman and sophomore, and on the swim team 10, 11, and going to do this year as well. Im continuing my exercise to stay fit

I know GPA plays a big role in the selection, but how are my chances? I know I could've done better and the only thing i can do now is continue with the application and work harder senior (even though that doesn't really change much except show consistency) plus nail the interview (IM REALLY NERVOUS HAVE I MENTIONED THAT ALREADY)

My top 5 choices:
1. USD
2. Purdue Univ.
3. UCLA
4. Loyola Univ. of Chicago
5. UCDavis

electrical engineering in USD, how competitive will it be to get into USD unit since San Diego is a naval base area

Click to expand...

First, no need to be nervous. Just relax and answer questions openly, completely, and honestly. Perhaps with the exception of your GPA you look like a strong candidate and you should have a lot to talk about. BTW although C's in AP courses aren't great, they aren't bad either and your weighted GPA won't look too bad. Also, I wouldn't say you took too many APs. That may be the case, but you may have also done too many ECs (I lean towards the latter myself).

If your SAT is just Math and Critical Reading I would say that is excellent. If that 1530 includes writing then you have some work to do and should perhaps focus on the ACT which isn't too shabby.

From what some of us have been able to glean here, the average scholarship winner is very comparable to the average Naval Academy appointee. In fact, the NROTC scholarship winners are perhaps just a bit higher in each category shown on the academy's profile page... so you and others could use that to do your own comparison.

Good luck with your interview! Be prepared with some meaningful questions of your own.

Your 28 ACT is a very fine score. I think that is top 10 or 11%. However, I think NROTC would look only at your Math and English sections...what were those?

Your GPA isn't as important as your class rank...what is that? How competitive is your school in sending students on to Top 100 4 year universities? -- this gives a context to your class rank.

As to college choices, USD might already be filled. It is one of the first to fill each year due to popularity of school/weather/Pacific Fleet next door/STA-21 and MECEP placements into that Unit. With your GPA and 28 ACT, UCLA is certainly a reach for you in Admissions, unless there are significant hurdles you've cleared in life, which counts a lot in UC admissions. The other four schools are probably matches with your stats. Remember you have to get in through Admissions in order to use any scholarship you are awarded, so I would think about putting UC Davis above UCLA as far as UC schools go... what if you get a UCLA NROTC scholarship but don't get in through Admissions? I would think it would be more doable to transfer an award from UC Davis to UCLA in the event you got into UCLA, vs. the reverse.

The Interview isn't a big part of the process, so don't be nervous. On the upside, it might give you the opportunity to connect with your Officer, and get some good tips and direction as far as your options, and the schools you've listed. You can change your school list order by contacting NETC.

I say just enjoy the interview.

My class rank is about 100 something out of 650 students

So if I get the scholarship, along with an admission from USD BUT the nrotc unit is filled, I would have to use that scholarship somewhere else?

Both the AFROTC AND NROTC scholarships are equally competitive correct?

kinnem said:

From what some of us have been able to glean here, the average scholarship winner is very comparable to the average Naval Academy appointee. In fact, the NROTC scholarship winners are perhaps just a bit higher in each category shown on the academy's profile page... so you and others could use that to do your own comparison.

Click to expand...

Any idea why this is, kinnem?

NROTC = National Competition

USNA = Competition at state and congressional district level

shaymitchell said:

So if I get the scholarship, along with an admission from USD BUT the nrotc unit is filled, I would have to use that scholarship somewhere else?

Click to expand...

That is correct. NETC won't offer you a Scholarship to USD if the unit has already filled its target by the time your file is reviewed. NETC would go down your rank ordered list and find the first Unit that isn't filled. If they are all filled, they will work with you to find a Unit that isn't filled. Of course you would then need to work with Admissions at that new school, assuming admissions season is closed, to submit a late application.

The same is true if you get a Scholarship assigned to a school, but you subsequently don't get in through Admissions. Again, you'd need to work to match a Scholarship to a school that 1) accepted you, and 2) has an opening.

AFROTC is completely different. You get your scholarship which is applicable to any school with an AFROTC Battalion, (Type 7 is the most common), and you decide where to use it.

Packer said:

NROTC = National Competition

USNA = Competition at state and congressional district level

Click to expand...

agree, plus USNA has recruited DI athletes, which as with most DI schools, have a different set of admissions criteria by which they are evaluated than are non-athletes. NROTC doesn't need to accomodate athletes.

dunninla's theory

ahuntedyeti said:

Any idea why this is, kinnem?

Click to expand...

Dunninla expressed a theory in a recent post about why NROTC scholarship awardees have slightly higher stats than USNA appointees:

I suspect we will be surprised to learn that NROTC scholarship awardees have higher average stats than do the Appointees to the USNA. There are two primary reasons: 1) NROTC does not have to accomodate DI athletes, and 2) NROTC does not have to accomodate geographic and/or MOC Principal Nominees.

This is purely an anecdotal observation: when I view the stats of NROTC awardees who have posted on this website in the past couple of years, their academic stats are significantly higher than the average academic stats posted on the USNA class profile page.

Click to expand...

I concur with the thinking here and have certainly seen it with respect to side load scholarships, although dunninla's point is broader than that. Also keep in mind that about equal numbers commission (as I recall) from NROTC as commission from the Academy, for whatever part that plays in this equation.

For AFROTC, it is as competitive, and both offered the majority of scholarship to STEM candidates. The difference is AFROTC ties the scholarship to the cadet, not the unit. You can take it anywhere that accepts AFROTC scholarships.

~~~ The reason AFROTCHQ is asking to pick colleges for your application is more about manpower needs in the AF regarding AFROTC. If they are seeing a college getting lots of applicants on their list, they need to look at getting more personnel in, and it takes them 6-9 mos. to do that. It has nothing to with how many are on a scholarship. They couldn't care if 100% or 0% were on scholarship.

The one thing to be aware of regarding EE as a major. Currently, that is a critical manning field for the AF. If you want to be a flier you will not have that option. 5 yrs. from now, maybe, but beware your career field could be impacted.

It is actually a double edge sword, since it is a critical manning field, your chances of getting a scholarship or better, but if you want to fly, your chances or worst by taking the scholarship.

One other thing to understand about accepting an AFROTC scholarship, if you decide come next yr. after your fall semester you want to change majors, you must get AFROTC HQ approval. Typically changing it from a tech to another tech major is no issue, but since you told them EE, they may not allow it because for the umpteenth time it is a critical field and their long term manning planned on you entering as an EE in 18.

OBTW,

Forgot to telll you one big difference between AFROTC and NROTC selection when it comes to stats (PAR aka SAT/ACT) is AFROTC does not superscore your SAT or ACT. It is best sitting.

If 28 is your composite that you used a superscore method, it might not be the same score that they will use for board purposes.

28 is my composite not superscored im retaking it this weekend

I have my interview coming up in 3 days! How should I prepare? What are some key points I should think about and some things I should avoid saying?

Some things to think about for questions:

~ What was the last book you read that was not assigned?
~~~ They ask this to get you at ease, and find out something personal about you.

~ Do you think we should leave Afghanistan?

~ Are you applying for an SA or other ROTC scholarships? Why?
~~~ Most ROTC CC's get that an SA is plan A, and they will not feel angst over an answer of Yes, I am applying to the SA. It may become an angst when you say I am applying to all 3 ROTC scholarships. The underlying question may be; we have 1 that only wants our branch, and another that will take any scholarship, both are identical regarding stats, now it is my personal opinion of whom, I, as a CoC rank higher...the applicant who only wants my branch or the one that will take any branch?

Some things to avoid:

~ Blanket statements...I always wanted to be a pilot, SEAL, etc. since I was ~~~ Great, but the fact is they are training officers, not specific career fields.
~ Better answer is to state officer first, career path 2nd.

~ JROTC is a double edge sword and it will cut you if you assume that as a member of JROTC you understand the ROTC world.
~~~ Highlight your JROTC experience, but acknowledge it is a stepping stone, not an equal, thus it is an asset from a commitment level, but not a knowledge level, and your experience will be an asset from a team player perspective as a freshman.

Do yourself a favor, run any and every question through your mind. Read the newspaper for current events. Think about your career plans.

Once you have done that, sit down with the folks and talk about all of these things. It will allow you to feel the banter between an adult older than you, and at the same time, prepare yourself for questions that you never expected which your parents might ask.

~ If you don't get the scholarship, but are accepted to the school, will you still attend?


MOST IMPORTANT:
Understand they do this all the time, and understand the nerves issue. They aren't expecting you to be anything more than a 17/18 yo. entering a world that is new. They are your partners in your goal, the sooner you get that, the better you will do.

OBTW, you can wear khakis and a polo, just make sure they are pressed. It is not about wearing a suit or a uniform, it is about showing respect regarding the interview, aka Sunday best. DS wore khakis, button down collared shirt, boat decks to all of his interviews, including noms for the AFA. Got them all. Many kids worry that their attire will hold them back. You don't need to buy a suit.

I'm sorry but what is an SA?
in that question, is it asking whether or not I've applied to any other ROTC's?

I'm applying for AFROTC as well.

What if my career plans are wherever being an officer takes me?
I am interested in the field of electrical engineering, so that makes me career plans leaning towards engineering?
I also wanna learn more about naval aviation, so that one day, if given the opportunity, that i can fly.

SA= Service Academy

I want to include move the panel by letting them know that although i am female, that i am able to do as much as men can do in the service. I just want to be able to say in a way that does not offend them.

or should i now even mention something about that

not*

Shaymitchell: I would suggest that you do not make a statement like that. I think it goes into the category of "blanket statements" that Pima mentions.

Find a way to express your confidence without taking that particular stand.