Seeking Advice...

I have accepted a 3 year AD Army ROTC scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Up to this point I am undecided. I am hesitate on picking a major because I want something that I'm not only interested in, but also something that will help make me more qualified come branch selection.

Some ideas that I won't/can't do are: Engineering, Social Sciences, and anything un-marketable like History or English.

I am looking to be career military. So far my ideas for branches are Aviation and Medical Service (for MEDEVAC).

Is there a course of study that will in fact make me more qualified for these branches? What about a major that is good for all branches Our recruiting director explained to me something about ADMs. I understand that STEM is very important. I have been looking at something in the medical field but I am still unsure.

I realize that a major isn't everything, but I'm just trying to get some kind of idea.

Any advice will help. I really appreciate it.

Read your award letter carefully.

It should stipulate whether your Award is for Engineering, Technical, or something else.

You are supposed to major in some discipline that falls within that Academic Discipline Mix (ADM).

VOLforLIFE151 said:

I have accepted a 3 year AD Army ROTC scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Up to this point I am undecided. I am hesitate on picking a major because I want something that I'm not only interested in, but also something that will help make me more qualified come branch selection.

Some ideas that I won't/can't do are: Engineering, Social Sciences, and anything un-marketable like History or English.

I am looking to be career military. So far my ideas for branches are Aviation and Medical Service (for MEDEVAC).

Is there a course of study that will in fact make me more qualified for these branches? What about a major that is good for all branches Our recruiting director explained to me something about ADMs. I understand that STEM is very important. I have been looking at something in the medical field but I am still unsure.

I realize that a major isn't everything, but I'm just trying to get some kind of idea.

Any advice will help. I really appreciate it.

Click to expand...

No major is going to give you a leg up on getting Aviation or Med Service. I work with TONS of med service officers and their degrees are totally random. Also, you don't just get a degree in the "medical field". The only undergrad degree for medical purposes is nursing (totally separate scholarship) and a SMALL number of schools offer ultrasound, RT, dietitian and radiology tech bachelors degrees. PT/OT are masters level and above. Going to medical or PA school is an entirely different route that has nothing to do with being a pilot. You have to choose.

Also know that there is a good chance if you get med service it won't be for aviation purposes. There really aren't that many slots

Aviation is also the hardest branch to get.

Good luck

I agree with Aglahad both are paths, at least for AF that is how it works.

You either go down the pilot path and later request to go to Med school or you go to med school and later request to go to UPT. Either way there is no guarantee you will get both paths.

VOLforLIFE151 said:

I have accepted a 3 year AD Army ROTC scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Up to this point I am undecided. I am hesitate on picking a major because I want something that I'm not only interested in, but also something that will help make me more qualified come branch selection.

Some ideas that I won't/can't do are: Engineering, Social Sciences, and anything un-marketable like History or English.

I am looking to be career military. So far my ideas for branches are Aviation and Medical Service (for MEDEVAC).

Is there a course of study that will in fact make me more qualified for these branches? What about a major that is good for all branches Our recruiting director explained to me something about ADMs. I understand that STEM is very important. I have been looking at something in the medical field but I am still unsure.

I realize that a major isn't everything, but I'm just trying to get some kind of idea.

Any advice will help. I really appreciate it.

Click to expand...

I agree with Dunninla, you need to check your Scholarship Award to see which ADM is listed.

It is not an issue to go from a lower ADM to one that is higher, the issue comes up when you try to go from a higher ADM to one that is lower. This need approval and could result in the loss of your scholarship.

There are a lot of cadets that feel they want to make a career out of the Army before they even start ROTC. Even if you still feel that way once you start in the regular Army, just realize that the decision is not always in your hands. There are promotion boards, if you don't make it through your time in the Army is over, and not everyone makes it through. Just this year 1100 Captains were given their pink slips, I'm sure they wanted to make the Army a career as well.

My point is you should always have a plan B, even if you major in liberal arts you should use your time in the Army to get your masters.

Don't blanket discount some majors because you think they are not marketable. If you were to major in something you see as highly marketable realize that if you are able to branch aviation you will spend a minimum of 8 years in the Army before you would get out and look for work in the field of your major.

Your major will have no effect on branching Aviation, my son was a History major and branched Aviation. A degree in Aeronautics does not give you a leg up, son finished in the top 15% at flight school ahead of a couple Areonautical Engineers.

Choose a major that goes with what you might like to do when you get out of the Army.

+1 Jcleppe.

Your major has nothing to do with handling the stick. Either you can land it perfectly or you can't and any degree you earn has nothing to do with that fact.