AROTC Majors

usarmystrong97

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Dec 28, 2013
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Hello all, I am a senior in high school and was recently awarded the 4 year army rotc scholarship to The Citadel, and I selected civil engineering as my major. If I get to school and decide that I do not want to study this, am I able to switch majors without losing my scholarship? Also, do certain majors offer any benefit over another while in the Army? Business has been extremely interesting to me after an economics class I took in high school. I am torn between the two. Anyways, thanks in advance for the replies!
 
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I'm also a four year who selected civil engineering. From what I've gathered, you can switch within the discipline (like engineering.) If you want to switch disciplines, you talk to someone in your unit and you need them to approve. I think that's what the instructions said. I could be wrong.
 
You can change, but keep in mind that when they assess you as a cadet to decided active/NG/AR and branch, majors now matter. STEM (science, tech, engineering, math) now give you a considerably higher number of points on the OML. Just keep that in mind.
 
Hello all, I am a senior in high school and was recently awarded the 4 year army rotc scholarship to The Citadel, and I selected civil engineering as my major. If I get to school and decide that I do not want to study this, am I able to switch majors without losing my scholarship? Also, do certain majors offer any benefit over another while in the Army? Business has been extremely interesting to me after an economics class I took in high school. I am torn between the two. Anyways, thanks in advance for the replies!

Your selected major will fall into one of the four ADM categories. Engineering is in ADM4, if you switch majors within the same ADM you should be fine, if you switch to a major that is in a lower ADM you will need Brigade approval and a sign off from Cadet Command. Switching to a lower ADM can have an impact on your scholarship, they may approve your switch but you may not be able to keep the scholarship, it will be up to Cadet Command.

If you listed Engineering as your major on your application, I hope you gave it a lot of thought, Brigade will not be excited to get your request to change if your looking at a lower ADM. The Citadel is a competitive school for scholarships.
 
I'm completely fine with majoring in engineering, I was just wondering how strict they are about your major. Also, it gives you points on the oml?
 
I was just wondering how strict they are about your major. Also, it gives you points on the oml?

Pretty strict.

While it doesn't give you extra points, it allows you to get the maximum points. The maximum number of points an ADM2 or 1 can receive on the OML is 96, the max for ADM3 is 98, the max for ADM4 is 100.
 
http://www.rotc.armstrong.edu/Documents/Scholarship Regulations/CC Reg 145-1.pdf

Go down to Appendix B, there you'll find the regulation on changing majors. Should be all the information you'd need

AXXIF...you realize you posted a link to a horribly out of date reg...the current CCR 145-1 doesn't have an appendix B. jcleppe...your info is not correct either.

Here's what the current 145-1 says about change of major:

(1) One Change of Major. The PMS may grant one change of major with retention of scholarship benefits for all academic disciplines, except nursing and language scholarship Cadets and for Cadets changing from a major that requires five years to complete.
(2) Second Change of Major. For a second change of major, the PMS may grant the change with retention of scholarship benefits, if the scholarship Cadet stays within the same academic discipline classification.
Example: mechanical engineer to civil engineer.
(3) Third Change of Major. HQ USACC is the approval authority for any other requests for a second change of major and for Cadets who require more than two changes. All requests must be processed through brigade for the Commander’s endorsement/recommendation.
 
(1) One Change of Major. The PMS may grant one change of major with retention of scholarship benefits for all academic disciplines, except nursing and language scholarship Cadets and for Cadets changing from a major that requires five years to complete.
(2) Second Change of Major. For a second change of major, the PMS may grant the change with retention of scholarship benefits, if the scholarship Cadet stays within the same academic discipline classification.
Example: mechanical engineer to civil engineer.
(3) Third Change of Major. HQ USACC is the approval authority for any other requests for a second change of major and for Cadets who require more than two changes. All requests must be processed through brigade for the Commander’s endorsement/recommendation
.

this should be a sticky... great info.
 
I can only imagine that a third change of major would just about push a parent over the edge. Which may be why HQCC is required to review same, to help protect continually stressed out parents.

Thanks for a good post that hopefully we will not need to look at later.
 
AXXIF...you realize you posted a link to a horribly out of date reg...the current CCR 145-1 doesn't have an appendix B. jcleppe...your info is not correct either.

Thank you for correcting my info, I did not realize there were a couple opportunities to make changes before it goes up the chain.
 
I tried digging around and couldn't find an answer, maybe someone here can help. Is there a different process to change your major before you actually attend the school. I need to change mine now, so I wonder if there's an easier way than waiting until I get to school.


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I know if you were coming to Clarkson when you show up in the fall I'd ask you to fill out an enrollment form. At that time you would list what you want to major in. That is what I'd count as your first choice of major. You might want to double check that with the school you plan to attend, but I can't imagine they are going to worry about what major you listed on your app this early in the game.
 
I have not officially accepted my scholarship, so I didn't know if there would be a way to change it before I did. In my mind it would make the process easier to change it before I am actually obligated. That was just my train of thought though. Thank you I will do that!


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I know if you were coming to Clarkson when you show up in the fall I'd ask you to fill out an enrollment form. At that time you would list what you want to major in. That is what I'd count as your first choice of major. You might want to double check that with the school you plan to attend, but I can't imagine they are going to worry about what major you listed on your app this early in the game.

Just curious, since it seems that changing majors from what the applicant listed on their scholarship application, is it fair to say that the Army isn't recruiting STEM majors in the same way the Navy and AF do at this time. Since an applicant could put Engineering as their major on the application and then change to say English when they arrive at school, would CC even be looking at what the applicant lists as their intended major.

Thanks for all the info, should be a required read for applicants.....either that or just read you Blog.
 
We are definitely not using the same process as Navy and AF yet. I'm sure there are programs out there that make it a little more painful to show up with a scholarship that says engineering and then change to business, but it's not a show stopper and it doesn't make you lose your scholarship. The Army is looking for STEMs, but we definitely need/take more non STEMs than the other branches. Of course I'm at a school where about half of our Army ROTC Cadets are STEM, so we aren't the norm and we don't get too excited if one or two can't hang in the STEM world.

Scottlyn...I wouldn't open up that can of worms. Accept the scholarship, show up at your new school/program, and be prepared to request a change of major if they ask you to. I would also encourage you to talk to the Battalion soon to get their take on your dilemma. I may be totally off base.

And, oh by the way, accepting the "conditional" scholarship offer won't obligate you. Once you meet all the administrative requirements, sign your contract, and take your oath (and spend a year in ROTC) then you will be obligated. Before that time there is no obligation.
 
Thank you as well clarkson; I knew it was old when I saw Ft Monroe, but did not think much of it, much to my current dismay. Do you happen to have any knowledge of an online location where the current CC Regs are? Give me something to read while working out before August :D
 
Two years ago, as a contracted Sophomore, DS (AROTC) changed his major from Chem E to Chem. Chem was/is on a lower tier than Chem E.

DS was prepared to have his request denied. Since the change would need to be approved by a bunch of strangers at the Brigade level, he couldn't win them over with his charm and good looks.

In his case, he had high GPA, maxed out APFT, and loved ROTC...still does.

Bottomline, follow Clarkson's advice and best of luck.
 
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