Change Navy to Marine ROTC on App

dlee96

5-Year Member
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Apr 11, 2012
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Hi, I'm currently almost finished with my NROTC application. All I need to do is finish my essays. However, looking at my college majors, I do not like how you are basically locked into your major with NROTC.

I am planning on submitting my application as the Marine Option instead the Navy option (change of heart).

And am I correct to state that Marine ROTC is like Army ROTC in which you can change your major after receiving the scholarship with no repercussions? :confused:

Anyhoo, I have been working with Navy recruiters and have done an interview with a NAVY officer. If I change now, would I have to redo my interview with a Marine officer? And would this look bad to the boards or the chain of command?

And when would I do the PT test? Will ROTC contact me with the info? Thank you all!
 
Hi, I'm currently almost finished with my NROTC application. All I need to do is finish my essays. However, looking at my college majors, I do not like how you are basically locked into your major with NROTC.

I am planning on submitting my application as the Marine Option instead the Navy option (change of heart).

And am I correct to state that Marine ROTC is like Army ROTC in which you can change your major after receiving the scholarship with no repercussions? :confused:

Anyhoo, I have been working with Navy recruiters and have done an interview with a NAVY officer. If I change now, would I have to redo my interview with a Marine officer? And would this look bad to the boards or the chain of command?

And when would I do the PT test? Thank you all!

Your not quite correct regarding AROTC and changing majors. Any change in major needs to be approved. If you are changing majors within the same ADM, or from a lower to a higher ADM, you have a better chance at approval, if you change from a higher ADM to a lower ADM you run the risk of losing your scholarship.

I can't comment on the Marine Corps Option.
 
Oh my bad, I just spoke with the assistant PMS at Umich and he made it sound like it was a piece of cake. Huh, well thank you for your input!
 
dlee96: The USMC doesn't care what your major is but ... you do have to have a change authorized (agreed to and signed off) if you change. I am certain this is a process check to make sure you can still graduate in 4 years.

I do think that you would have to interview with a Marine Officer but I don't think the boards would know anything about that as the Navy and Marines hold separate boards.

Most (but not all) candidates do the interview and physical fitness test at the same time. One following the other. This isn't the case with everyone but it seems to be the norm.

Now for the real issue: Rather than focus on the course of study options, I think you need to think about how you would want to serve in the military. The Navy and the Marines have very different missions and operate in very different locales. A military officer in one branch has a very different life than an officer in the other. This is a broad generalization but sea or land based would be a great starting point to consider.

Good luck!
 
Thank you USMCGrunt, so should I contact my Navy ROTC coordinator/recruiter and tell them of my decision? I hope they won't be too dissapointed..
 
Oh they will be disappointed. You won't be the most popular person around the recruiting station. But yes, I would let them know of your decision.

To be clear, you haven't actually submitted your application as of now - correct?

I am not sure if you need to start over or if you can go back and elect the USMC path rather than the Navy path.
 
Marine Corp doesn't care about the major in the sense that scholarships are not awarded based on major. However, you still need permission to change your major if you are on scholarship. I'm told it's not too difficult as long as you will still graduate on time. But permission is definitely needed and I'm sure it's not painless and there are hoops to jump through.

You will probably need to interview again. The PFT is normally, but not always, given immediately after the interview. You need to do well on the PFT as this is much more important for the Marines than for Army. By the time you get to OCS you better be scoring a minimum of 270 to even have a chance of surviving OCS. Statistically, better than 285 is much more like it.

BTW - I wouldn't say you're locked into your major with NROTC Navy Option. What you are almost definitely locked into is your Tier. You can get permission to change majors but dropping a Tier is far far more difficult. If your major is a critical skill the Navy needs you may not be given permission. And once again, you must show you can graduate on time. In any case, the process is more difficult and permission less likely than it is for Marine Option.
 
@USMCGrunt
No, I haven't turned in my app yet. But the Marines and Navy share the same application so maybe things can be transferred. And also my teacher evals changed. For the Navy option, my math and english teacher already turned it in but now they want an english teacher and an "other" rec. Weird, but I am going to email my ROTC coordinator.

@kinnem
Thanks for your insight. Right now I'm probably around a 250 on the PFT. I can max the pullups and pushups, but I'm around a 24:00 run (haven't tried but my mile time is 6:30, I'm not the best runner)
 
@USMCGrunt
No, I haven't turned in my app yet. But the Marines and Navy share the same application so maybe things can be transferred. And also my teacher evals changed. For the Navy option, my math and english teacher already turned it in but now they want an english teacher and an "other" rec. Weird, but I am going to email my ROTC coordinator.

@kinnem
Thanks for your insight. Right now I'm probably around a 250 on the PFT. I can max the pullups and pushups, but I'm around a 24:00 run (haven't tried but my mile time is 6:30, I'm not the best runner)

Better look up the test. There are no pushups. Assuming you can max the crunches I'm guessing you're score estimate is probably about right. Try here: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/l/blfitmale.htm

EDIT: Ignore the minimum requirements to pass. Those are for enlisted. No way you will get a scholarship by hitting the minimums. I'm sure based on your comment you can do better anyway, but didn't want you thinking you got it made! :biggrin: :thumb:
 
Weren't you just recently on another thread asking about getting an Educational Delay for Medical School for AROTC.

You might want to do some research about educational delays with the Marine Corps Option and how Medical school works.
 
Weren't you just recently on another thread asking about getting an Educational Delay for Medical School for AROTC.

You might want to do some research about educational delays with the Marine Corps Option and how Medical school works.

Marines don't have medical personnel. If he wants to go medical, he needs to choose Army, Navy, or AF.
 
dlee96, I have some questions for you. Besides being a Marine Officer vs. a Navy Officer, what is your career path? Will you be able to take that career into the civilian world? What is it about the Marine option that interests you that the Navy isn't offering and visa versa? Just curious.
 
@tazz5213
Well my current desired career path is to graduate from a university (paid for by ROTC), apply for the ed delay, go to med school (out of my pocket, so I don't accrue more years), undertake a military residency if possible and serve honorably. After the military, I plan to work as a MD and advance the health of third world countries through free medical treatment (if possible).

I've always had an affinity towards land, being on a ship for months at a time is not my thing (I realize that Marines may have to do so as well, but much less so than the Navy).

Also, NROTC essentially locks me into a major/tier and switching out of that is nigh impossible (from what I hear). With the Marine Option, I've been told it is much much easier to transfer majors as long as you can still graduate in 4 years (w/ okay from CO). I enjoy having the option of easily changing my major, b/c college is a time for discovery and to be locked in before college even starts is simply naiveté IMO.

Now taking into fact (for me) that the Marine Option doesn't offer ed delays for med school, I am banking on an Army ROTC scholarship.

So:
Plan A=Service Academies
Plan B=AROTC
Plan C=NROTC Marine Option
Plan D=AFROTC
Plan E=University with loan (hopefully sideload ROTC scholarship)
Plan F=Community college then transfer
Plan G=Enlistment + GI bill (or whatever it's called now)

Basically:
1)College w/ Army ROTC
2)Apply for Ed Delay
3)Med School (no HSPS/USUHS, just MY $$)
4)Military Residency (or civvy if cheaper)
5)4-8 years of service
6)civvy MD
 
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I am confused. Why don't you attend whatever college you want, on your dime, then apply for med school and the HSPS scholarship? The cost of an undergrad education is a fraction of the cost of med school. Why would you choose to pay the higher of the two yourself? If you need an ROTC scholarship to pay for undergrad, how do you ever plan to foot the bill for med school four years later?

If you consider the fact that getting an educational delay is far from guaranteed, your plan really doesn't make sense.
 
Now taking into fact (for me) that the Marine Option doesn't offer ed delays for med school, I am banking on an Army ROTC scholarship.



So, bottom line is, you want to be a doctor, Well the Marine Option wouldn't have worked for you in the long run anyway considering the Marine Corps (still part the of the DEPT OF THE NAVY) do not have Doctors. Keep in mind that even if you planed on going the route of ROTC, it's never a guarantee of getting a medical slot, as only about 23 slots open up per graduating class. (7 slots if you went to the Academy). Typically newly commissioned officers go to the fleet.

Which ever direction you take, I wish you luck!
 
I certainly would not be banking on the ed delay slot. I suspect you'll be attending med school after serving your AD obligation no matter what branch you go to. Certainly an ed delay for med school with USMC is highly unlikely. Your chances with Navy would be better.

One thing I don't understand is why, if you're set on this path, would you be thinking you might want to change your major to a different Tier? I would certainly expect that you'd be majoring in some sciences. What am I missing?
 
I tend to cringe when cadets (or potential cadets) say:

"I'll just get an Ed delay for med school"

"I'll just use the HPSP for med school"

Please understand, I'm not a nay sayer or a negative nancy. What makes me rare is I'm an ROTC trained clinician (not a physician). People who go through ROTC AND earn an Ed delay for med school OR HPSP are the exception, not the rule.

Many of my colleagues had NO military affiliation prior to being accepted to med school, earning the HPSP scholarship, or becoming physicians. Please have a STRONG plan B and C, which doesn't include winning a Ed delay or HPSP. You can always apply for medical programs after your initial contract as a regular officer.
 
Wow thanks for opening up my eyes. From what I read, it sounded like an ed delay was given to any qualified applicant. But I guess not.

So this is primarily @MabryPsyD:

If I were to go through ROTC and serve right after (no med school yet) and apply to med school after service, what would that entail? Would I have to retake the premed courses to show my most current GPA? What would the process be? I'm sure I would have to retake the MCAT but what else?

Thanks again all!
 
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