Things You Should Know About AFROTC Scholarship

Phyzix

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
77
Hello SAF,

I see a lot of posts about scholarships especially "chance" threads. I'm not sure if this thread is necessary however, I feel like it'd be useful to clear up some things. I'm speaking only on behalf of AFROTC and its scholarship process.

Application:

The official application website is: http://www.afrotc.com/scholarships/application
The deadline to apply is December 1st so if you are currently a senior, unfortunately you are out of luck. Just to clear this up - DO NOT wait until last minute to apply.

Applying for the scholarship takes more than a week ideally.

Process:

Now, this is where everyone typically gets confused. After filling out the first application, the Air Force will verify your eligibility and give you access to the files which include your Counselor's GPA form and PFA form.

1. The Counselor's GPA form is a form that your counselor fills out that includes your unweighted GPA and whether or not you took AP classes. Now note, Air Force ONLY considers stats from freshman to junior year. The only thing that counts senior year are your test scores.

-The counselor will also be asked to release a general profile of your school including number of AP classes, GPA scale (7 or 10 points), % that go Ivy, etc. You can see it has a huge effect because a more competitive school will theoretically be harder to achieve a higher GPA.

2. PFA: This is your physical fitness test. The test will be composed of 1 minute pushups, situps, and a 1.5 mile run. A school administrator will monitor you and fill out the form. This should be straight forward and the file attached as instructions as well.

3. You will be asked to upload your transcript and report your GPA. Note that it is preferred you use PDF.

4. You will be asked to report AND upload your SAT/ACT scores. Note that you do NOT need to send scores unless you absolutely have to. All you have to do is send a screenshot of your scores on a PDF file. Your SAT/ACT score is BEST SITTING ONLY. Meaning they do not take the highest scores from each section from each try aka superscoring. Whatever your highest test score in one sitting is, you use it. They will only allow you to upload your highest (for example, you try to upload a 29 ACT AND a 1250 SAT because you want them to evaluate you using both, they'd only allow you to upload the 29 ACT.)

5. Extracurricular activities also are from freshman to junior years. What the Air Force is looking for is sports and leadership. They want to see that you can maintain grades while taking on leadership positions. Playing a sport will demonstrate your fitness as well - however, being a captain of a team sport would be more beneficial. Fill out the activities list with brief descriptions.

6. Interview. Once you submit all your files, you will be reviewed by the scholarship technician to see if everything is valid and you are eligible. (You need I believe 26 ACT and 1160 SAT) SAT only counts critical reading and math. The interview will be scheduled through e-mail at the closest detachment.

-The interview if you may notice varies. However, one thing they do want to look for is leadership and maturity. They will ask situational questions or about your leadership position. Make sure you bring a resume - which is a nice typed out paper of your GPA and extracurriculars. Please be ready to expect the unexpected and dress nicely. Slacks, button up and tie will do. Also, ask questions such as "What is the avg CGPA for [insert major] selected for SFT?"

7. The board results listed on the website is actually for the very last board. There are many boards so if you manage to make it to the first one, you have a chance of being re-boarded if you are competitive enough. Basically, don't procrastinate to the last board.

Factors:

A lot of people do not know some things about the AFROTC scholarship.

1. The first thing is that it's a 2+2 scholarship. When you enroll in AFROTC, you compete for SFT (Summer Field Training) in the summer of your sophomore year. They will evaluate you based on GPA, Commander's Ranking, AFOQT, PFT, etc. Anyways, if you do not make SFT then your scholarship will be revoked and you will be disenrolled.

2. There are three types of scholarship.
Type 1—Pays full college tuition, most fees and a book allowance. Approximately five percent of our four-year scholarships are Type 1—mostly in technical fields as deemed needed by the Air Force (careers with a scientific basis such as engineering, chemistry and meteorology).

Type 2—Pays college tuition and most fees up to $18,000 and a book allowance. Approximately 15 percent of our four-year scholarship winners will be offered a Type 2 scholarship (again, mostly in technical fields). If a student attends an institution where the tuition exceeds $18,000 per year, then he/she pays the difference.

Type 7—Pays college tuition up to the equivalent of a public school’s in-state rate and a book allowance. If a student receives a Type 7 offer but wishes to attend a college/university where they do not qualify under the guidelines, the student can convert the four-year Type 7 scholarship to a three-year Type 2 scholarship. You cannot activate a Type 7 scholarship at a non-qualifying school and pay the difference.

3. Most scholarships about 80% are offered to STEM majors. To get a rough idea, here are the "Technical Tiers." Please do not choose a major just because they have a higher chance of getting a scholarship. Remember, majors are a huge factor but it's not the only one..

Technical–Tier 1
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Engineering

Technical–Tier 2
Aeronautical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Astronautical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Meteorology/Atmospheric Sciences

4. AFROTC is NOT college tied like NROTC. You can use the scholarship at any college (if you are going to a private/out of state, convert that Type 7 but it's only for 3 years remember, 2+1.)

5. After the scholarship, remember it is not over. There's still DoDMERB.

Summary:
I may be missing a few things here but this is just the gist of it. Just note that many of us can't chance you because there's so many variables and none of us sits on the board. Oh and a heads up, they manage to change the process every year I believe. For example, this year, everyone who is "re-boarded" goes to the last and final board rather than being carried to the next.

Also, AFROTC scholarships do not pay for room and board. So when selecting a college, make sure you go to one that you can manage to pay WITHOUT the scholarship because you never know. Always have a Plan A, Plan B, ETC.

Also, if you do get a scholarship, please try to not act like you're everything. Going into AFROTC, or any ROTC, there will be many non-scholarship cadets. It doesn't matter if you have a scholarship, your shot at SFT is the same as everyone else's.

Of course you can always earn a scholarship in college however this will be a little difficult (sometimes there may not be one ICSP because not enough money, etc.) The scholarship process itself is competitive especially with AFROTC. I believe they award the least amount of scholarships (if I'm correct.)

Correct me on anything if I'm wrong. And add anything that I'm missing. Thanks.
 
Hey Kinnem, let's sticky this post! :)

Thanks for taking the time to lay this all out phyzix!
 
The only thing I would add is that if you decide to switch majors from a technical to a non technical, you will need to get HQ approval. Chances are typically slim that they will approve it. Chances are strong of receiving approval if you want to go nontech to tech.
 
My son was "reboarded" is everyone reboarded after the first round if not selected for a scholarship? When is the next board? This is all new to me, first child going into college and interested in ROTC. Thanks for any info
 
Not everyone is reboarded. There were several posters that received the...we are sorry letter back in Dec. Those being reboarded will not know the answer until early April. I believe the reboarded candidates will be reviewed @ March 30th. Results usually take @ 10 days. If selected than they will send you for his DoDMERB exam. If he has any medical issues ,such as allergies, history of multiple concussions, asthma, etc they may than require more paperwork, so get in front of it now by getting any records you might need.

Good luck
 
Not everyone is reboarded. There were several posters that received the...we are sorry letter back in Dec. Those being reboarded will not know the answer until early April. I believe the reboarded candidates will be reviewed @ March 30th. Results usually take @ 10 days. If selected than they will send you for his DoDMERB exam. If he has any medical issues ,such as allergies, history of multiple concussions, asthma, etc they may than require more paperwork, so get in front of it now by getting any records you might need.

Good luck
Thank you very much. He is convinced he won't get anything. This might make him feel a little better that not everyone is reboarded. We will be waiting patiently for an answer. :)
 
The fact is some candidates will be on the cusp. Cusp between a type 1 and 2, 2 and 7, 7 and nothing. I don't know his stats, nor if you told me could I give you any feedback. I don't sit on the board.

It is important to understand that is a Whole Candidate Score (WCS). There are specific %s given to PAR(academics/SAT), PFA, EC and interview.
~ We all as parents/candidates want to believe our HS is extremely competitive, but the fact is the scholarship is national. There will be candidates that attend HSs that USNWR, Money, Fortune, etc rank as the top 100 schools in the nation. There are nearly 2000 HSs in the nation.
~~ This is why they look at the school profile. Part of that profile is % that go Ivy, 4 year, 2 year and workforce. Being top 15% and 0% go Ivy is different than being top 15% and 25% go Ivy. It is also why they look at point scale. A candidate where the school uses a 7 point scale would be a 3.6 at 93, and the same kid that uses a 10 would have a 3.6. A 7 pt school would have an 85 as a 3.2, and it could be a 3.4 for a 10 pt.
~~~ Another reason why long term posters do not place much weight into the chance me my cgpa is X. YZ.

Some majors are considered critical manning, and they may get the scholarship for that reason. They will never announce that for the candidates.

Things change every year. AFROTC type 1,2 and 7 have a mean avg of 29-31 best sitting A few years back it was 28-31.

Don't throw in the towel, but be realistic. If he is requesting a nontech scholarship with an ACT of 28, than be prepared that a type 7 is probably the best result. If he wants to go OOS than discuss how you will pay the 1st year if he converts to a 3 year type 2. Plus, understand that max for type 2 tuition is 18k. Many colleges have no problem increasing costs by 5-10% per year. Type 2 18 cap has been the same since 2008 or 09.

If he wants non tech and non rated understand last year the selection rate for SFT (see 2+2 above) was 17%. How will he attend if he is disenrolled?

Just putting this all out there so you understand that as difficult as this period is waiting, it doesn't get any easier.

Best wishes, hopes and thoughts.
 
The fact is some candidates will be on the cusp. Cusp between a type 1 and 2, 2 and 7, 7 and nothing. I don't know his stats, nor if you told me could I give you any feedback. I don't sit on the board.

It is important to understand that is a Whole Candidate Score (WCS). There are specific %s given to PAR(academics/SAT), PFA, EC and interview.
~ We all as parents/candidates want to believe our HS is extremely competitive, but the fact is the scholarship is national. There will be candidates that attend HSs that USNWR, Money, Fortune, etc rank as the top 100 schools in the nation. There are nearly 2000 HSs in the nation.
~~ This is why they look at the school profile. Part of that profile is % that go Ivy, 4 year, 2 year and workforce. Being top 15% and 0% go Ivy is different than being top 15% and 25% go Ivy. It is also why they look at point scale. A candidate where the school uses a 7 point scale would be a 3.6 at 93, and the same kid that uses a 10 would have a 3.6. A 7 pt school would have an 85 as a 3.2, and it could be a 3.4 for a 10 pt.
~~~ Another reason why long term posters do not place much weight into the chance me my cgpa is X. YZ.

Some majors are considered critical manning, and they may get the scholarship for that reason. They will never announce that for the candidates.

Things change every year. AFROTC type 1,2 and 7 have a mean avg of 29-31 best sitting A few years back it was 28-31.

Don't throw in the towel, but be realistic. If he is requesting a nontech scholarship with an ACT of 28, than be prepared that a type 7 is probably the best result. If he wants to go OOS than discuss how you will pay the 1st year if he converts to a 3 year type 2. Plus, understand that max for type 2 tuition is 18k. Many colleges have no problem increasing costs by 5-10% per year. Type 2 18 cap has been the same since 2008 or 09.

If he wants non tech and non rated understand last year the selection rate for SFT (see 2+2 above) was 17%. How will he attend if he is disenrolled?

Just putting this all out there so you understand that as difficult as this period is waiting, it doesn't get any easier.

Best wishes, hopes and thoughts.
How do you find out about the profile of your school?
 
6. Interview. Once you submit all your files, you will be reviewed by the scholarship technician to see if everything is valid and you are eligible. (You need I believe 26 ACT and 1160 SAT) SAT only counts critical reading and math. The interview will be scheduled through e-mail at the closest detachment.
.

Thank you for this very helpful post. My DS's first choice is Norwich. He is on the fence about applying for the 4 year because his SAT is mediocre at 1140. Otherwise, from what I can surmise, he appears to be very qualified as a non STEM candidate. My question is.... should he bother? Or should I be advising him to spend his time working on applications for merit scholarships? He believes he has a better shot at a three year scholarship. Thoughts?
 
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