AFROTC SFT

Stevenson

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2014
Messages
59
Hello,

So I'm planning on doing AFROTC but I'm still waiting on the scholarship. The thing is I'm in quite a sticky situation and would like to see how my plan B works. If I were to win the scholarship, I'd attend a more prestigious college, a UC. Yes, I understand it's 2 years and then SFT selection will determine next 2 years of scholarship, but if I were to have 2 years paid, I can push out the rest of the years.

However, I was wondering if I were to go to community college, how would the selection process be like? Would it change since it's a CC? I'm wondering because if I don't receive a scholarship, this would be my second option as it is a financial saver.

Well I'm not going to underestimate college but community college is somewhat "easier" than the big universities and competing for a transfer spot at a bigger university gives the students a reason to achieve high GPA. In that case, would the GPA at CC carry less weight?

I believe there's a cross-town agreement with a college near the CC. I'm just wondering if my chances of SFT would be lowered because I attend a CC. Obviously if I do get selected for SFT and also transfer to a more prestigious or bigger university, the environment and pace would be overwhelming. However, that I will adapt to. I made it into many great colleges, but unfortunately financially my parents can't afford it.

My parents do not qualify for any financial aid and their income bracket is ~$70,000. However, they continuously support 3 families, one in Vietnam and at the end of the day they don't keep much. Also, I feel bad because I barely see them due to their work and if I attend an expensive college, it would be worse for them.

Oh and also, if I do make it to SFT on a non-scholarship, do I get anything afterwards? Maybe a small scholarship? Stipend?

Thanks guys.
 
Rule community college out if you want to do ROTC. It only applies to 4 year universities that either hosts a Det. or are in a cross town agreement with a university that has a Det.

If you do make it through SFT without a scholarship you will start to receive a stipend of somewhere around $350 per month.
 
Also to add...

I don't know your exact situation but it is pretty uncommon at least in my experience to have parents paying for college. Student loans and scholarships are something that are very common.
 
Well... according to: http://www.csus.edu/afrotc/Cross-Town-Schools.html

Consumnes River College is on that list. And as far as loans go, they're unsubsidized and I'd have to pay interest in school. Additionally, the expected family contribution is approximately 30,000 which is nearly impossible for my parents at this current moment. I got re-boarded for the AFROTC scholarship, so I'm waiting until results come out but I'm just trying to get my plan B and C up and running.
 
Regardless of what college you go to the selection process in the same. Grades from community college is seen as the same as grades from a top tier university. You will actually have a competitive edge over top tier university cadets as your grades at CC are usually solid A,B,Cs which translate as 4,3,2 on a GPA scale. Top tier universities have all switched to translating + and - into the GPA system such as 4.3,3.7,3.3,etc. Thus if you have a 92 in one class, you get a 4.0 at CC while at a top tier university you will get a 3.7! The points will accumulate and it will make a difference. AFROTC also divides selection by major tiers and rated application Nursing, Nonrated-nontech, Rated-nontech, and Tech. Tech has the highest selection rates as the Air Force needs cadets with STEM backgrounds and rated is the second highest as the Air Force needs rated officers. Nonrated-nontech is the expendable section and Nursing is a wildcard in my view.

I was in the same situation as you with my family here supporting another back in Vietnam. Going into college I didn't think of university only CC to keep costs low. I was fortunate enough to get a full ride at a CC which I highly suggest you to look for. A full ride at a CC is usually attached with a learning program which links you with like minded students. Air Force will NOT offer a scholarship to a CC student. You may apply for a scholarship while being a CC student but you must show that you are applying for a 4 year university right after you receive the scholarship. Regardless if you have a scholarship you start receiving a $450 monthly stipend after you contract after SFT.

Rule community college out if you want to do ROTC. It only applies to 4 year universities that either hosts a Det. or are in a cross town agreement with a university that has a Det.

If you do make it through SFT without a scholarship you will start to receive a stipend of somewhere around $350 per month.
Some community colleges have a cross town agreement with several detachments. For those that do the students must apply to a 4-year university to become a POC. Stipend continues to stay at $450 for POCs despite of the rumors of lowering it down to $350. Whether or not you have a scholarship does not affect the amount of stipend you receive.
 
Well... according to: http://www.csus.edu/afrotc/Cross-Town-Schools.html

Consumnes River College is on that list. And as far as loans go, they're unsubsidized and I'd have to pay interest in school. Additionally, the expected family contribution is approximately 30,000 which is nearly impossible for my parents at this current moment. I got re-boarded for the AFROTC scholarship, so I'm waiting until results come out but I'm just trying to get my plan B and C up and running.
You are right! Although you will fill out a form 48 that has you lay out all of your classes until you graduate. You need a plan of what degree you want and how to get there your first year. Your advisor will sign off on it.
 
Regardless of what college you go to the selection process in the same. Grades from community college is seen as the same as grades from a top tier university. You will actually have a competitive edge over top tier university cadets as your grades at CC are usually solid A,B,Cs which translate as 4,3,2 on a GPA scale. Top tier universities have all switched to translating + and - into the GPA system such as 4.3,3.7,3.3,etc. Thus if you have a 92 in one class, you get a 4.0 at CC while at a top tier university you will get a 3.7! The points will accumulate and it will make a difference. AFROTC also divides selection by major tiers and rated application Nursing, Nonrated-nontech, Rated-nontech, and Tech. Tech has the highest selection rates as the Air Force needs cadets with STEM backgrounds and rated is the second highest as the Air Force needs rated officers. Nonrated-nontech is the expendable section and Nursing is a wildcard in my view.

I was in the same situation as you with my family here supporting another back in Vietnam. Going into college I didn't think of university only CC to keep costs low. I was fortunate enough to get a full ride at a CC which I highly suggest you to look for. A full ride at a CC is usually attached with a learning program which links you with like minded students. Air Force will NOT offer a scholarship to a CC student. You may apply for a scholarship while being a CC student but you must show that you are applying for a 4 year university right after you receive the scholarship. Regardless if you have a scholarship you start receiving a $450 monthly stipend after you contract after SFT.


Some community colleges have a cross town agreement with several detachments. For those that do the students must apply to a 4-year university to become a POC. Stipend continues to stay at $450 for POCs despite of the rumors of lowering it down to $350. Whether or not you have a scholarship does not affect the amount of stipend you receive.

Thanks so much Alpha! SAME! My family is supporting my dad's side in Vietnam and unfortunately, money doesn't come in easily with uneducated parents. Also, how do they know what major you go in as for SFT? I got into Electrical Engineering at the universities I applied to. However, when you're in CC don't you take pre-engineering classes? So technically you won't have a declared major until you are accepted to a 4 year university? I will most likely go for a tech major and maybe try for rated although it is highly competitive.
 
Thanks so much Alpha! SAME! My family is supporting my dad's side in Vietnam and unfortunately, money doesn't come in easily with uneducated parents. Also, how do they know what major you go in as for SFT? I got into Electrical Engineering at the universities I applied to. However, when you're in CC don't you take pre-engineering classes? So technically you won't have a declared major until you are accepted to a 4 year university? I will most likely go for a tech major and maybe try for rated although it is highly competitive.
You have to have a specific degree in your Form 48. Different degrees are more valuable than others. I'm sure they would make you pick one or be accepted into the 4 yr school before they sent you off to SFT.
 
You have to have a specific degree in your Form 48. Different degrees are more valuable than others. I'm sure they would make you pick one or be accepted into the 4 yr school before they sent you off to SFT.

Thanks! I understand. I am currently aiming for electrical engineering or computer science. I applied as an EE for the scholarship and the universities so if I do get a scholarship from AFROTC then I'll go EE. Also, when exactly is the SFT selection? Will I receive the 4 year university decisions before SFT selection? I know CC is 2 years and it's also 2 years before SFT.
 
Electrical Engineering is a technical major so you will be in the Tech category. For CC you will be in nontech as you will be in preengineering or liberal arts degree. Unless you can get an engineering associates degree you will be a nontech. You must be in the engineering school to be considered an engineering major. My friend was in the liberal arts school as he was attempting to enter the engineering school which has a separate application. He stated intent to be an engineering major but wasn't by the time SFT selections came by thus he was nontech and wasn't selected. Now electrical engineering is a pretty serious major and I hope you have a general interest in engineering. I fell into the engineering hole as I did it for my mothers insistence and it left me with a huge dent in GPA which could have impacted my SFT selection if I haven't switched my major. A good pro is that if you really enjoy engineering the Air Force will do its best to throw money towards you. Most if not all engineering majors in my det have scholarships. Only ONE cadet in my det has a nontech scholarship. If you cannot get a scholarship this year you will have a good chance the following year!

If your financial situation is extremely dire that you do not expect to afford 5 years of school I suggest you to apply for the Air Force Academy while you are in AFROTC. It's something I never knew about AFROTC but each detachment can nominate five cadets to the AFA. The best thing about the Air Force Academy is that once you're in you are set for a career in the Air Force (And tuition is paid for). At a young age I was very hesitant in the AFA but going through AFROTC I regret not pursuing the academy route a little more deeper.
 
Electrical Engineering is a technical major so you will be in the Tech category. For CC you will be in nontech as you will be in preengineering or liberal arts degree. Unless you can get an engineering associates degree you will be a nontech. You must be in the engineering school to be considered an engineering major. My friend was in the liberal arts school as he was attempting to enter the engineering school which has a separate application. He stated intent to be an engineering major but wasn't by the time SFT selections came by thus he was nontech and wasn't selected. Now electrical engineering is a pretty serious major and I hope you have a general interest in engineering. I fell into the engineering hole as I did it for my mothers insistence and it left me with a huge dent in GPA which could have impacted my SFT selection if I haven't switched my major. A good pro is that if you really enjoy engineering the Air Force will do its best to throw money towards you. Most if not all engineering majors in my det have scholarships. Only ONE cadet in my det has a nontech scholarship. If you cannot get a scholarship this year you will have a good chance the following year!

If your financial situation is extremely dire that you do not expect to afford 5 years of school I suggest you to apply for the Air Force Academy while you are in AFROTC. It's something I never knew about AFROTC but each detachment can nominate five cadets to the AFA. The best thing about the Air Force Academy is that once you're in you are set for a career in the Air Force (And tuition is paid for). At a young age I was very hesitant in the AFA but going through AFROTC I regret not pursuing the academy route a little more deeper.

Thanks. I know EE is hard, and I don't underestimate it. I really wanted to do an engineering but didn't know which one to do! However, I really enjoy electronics and circuits so I decided to go for EE. As far as CC go, I'll enter in as a non-tech? So what happens exactly when I get into a 4 year as an EE?

I considered the AFA. I know it's more military-like than the college-like life of ROTC. However, I did consider it but it was too late when I found out about it. But thanks for your information, I will greatly consider.
 
To add to Alpha's excellent answer SFT takes place the spring of your sophomore year. Your numbers are sent in mid February and results come out between March and April. Computer Science is a tech degree also. The CC route may be difficult if the nontech explanation is true from Alpha. If your packet gets sent in as a nontech and nonrated the selection rate is around 20%. If you have the stats and want to be an engineer than the AFA would be the way to go.
 
Thanks. I know EE is hard, and I don't underestimate it. I really wanted to do an engineering but didn't know which one to do! However, I really enjoy electronics and circuits so I decided to go for EE. As far as CC go, I'll enter in as a non-tech? So what happens exactly when I get into a 4 year as an EE?

I considered the AFA. I know it's more military-like than the college-like life of ROTC. However, I did consider it but it was too late when I found out about it. But thanks for your information, I will greatly consider.
Once you are considered an EE in your university you are considered a Tech major for the Air Force. I had the same problem that I found out about the Academy the beginning of senior year which was the time I should have completed my nominations and application. Since then I never bothered looking at the application thinking AFROTC was my only choice. Just wanted to point out unless you're 23 it's never too late to apply for the academy. Being able to get a nomination from AFROTC is great especially coming from CA (I assume you're from CA) where nominations from MOC are extremely competitive. If having a career in the Air Force is important to you and being debt free from college is important consider the AFA if your scholarship doesn't go through.
 
Thanks so much guys for your help! I guess there's a lot of factors to consider especially if Alpha is correct about going in as non-tech. I need to find more information on that.

But thanks for your time guys it really helped me and I learned more about the process.
 
I would say look into your CC and talk to the unit. Every state has a different approach to transferring from a CC to a state university. In VA it is automatic acceptance if you carry a special specific cgpa. Our DS had friends that went this path. They trained with the host unit and attended classes at their CC. Even when the rate was @60% those cadets were picked up because to get that automatic transfer their cgpa had to be a min. of 3.2. Most of them carried even as higher cgpa because they didn't want to be on the cusp. Closer to 3.4, and because they carried a higher cgpa, even if they were considered nontech they were competitive because of the cgpa.

The question might be for you is if they consider you prefer engineering, hence a nontech, and you don't ask for rated that can hurt you for selection compared to the cadet in the four year university that is classified as tech going non rated.
 
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