3 Yr vs. 4 yr

[SoonerSteve]

What do you think the deciding factors are that determine whether a recepient receives a 3 year scholarship vice a 4 year scholarship?

 

[ArmyRetired]

What do you think the deciding factors are that determine whether a recepient receives a 3 year scholarship vice a 4 year scholarship?

I'm sure there are a lot of factors such as school selection, costs, etc. That being said, my son was offered both 4 year and 3 year scholarships to different schools. The 4 year offer was to a school where he also has two additional merit scholarships and he included that information with his application.

 

[nkoch03]

What do you think the deciding factors are that determine whether a recepient receives a 3 year scholarship vice a 4 year scholarship?

We were told from the PMS my DS did his interview with that the school had (for OOS scholarships) had only 1 - 4yr scholarship available and 8 - 3yr scholarships.

Just may be the way the army is going with the budget cuts since with 4 year scholarship the 1st year doesn't not have to be reimbursed if the cadet drops out before sophomore year.

Offering more 3 year scholarships probably allows MORE cadets to get some $$. I feel its better to give 1000 - 3 year scholarships than 750 4 year scholarships.

 

[Pima]

I agree I think with budget constraints, and the need to maintain the same level of incoming officers 3 yr scholarships are probably a better bang for their buck.

I am sure they have the stats that tell them how many cadets with 4 yr scholarships leave after 1 yr.

As far as offering more 3 yr compare to 4, I understand the logic you are saying, but like a pancake there are always two sides. There will be many great dets that will lose cadets simply due to their financial background.

For some a 45K a yr education, with only 20K in merit for the 1st yr is just not feasible, compared to the IS college.

 

[txpotato]

I can't help but think school choice plays into it. We made sure and chose schools where he was accepted and already had large merit packages. Five out of the seven were in-state public. Maybe not glamorous, but he received three 4 yr offers. The only 3 yr offer is to a school with a fabulous medical school. I'm wondering if many of their slots are to older cadets going there to med school?

In any case, when I read the "Do I Stand A Chance?" threads I'm floored that my kid is counted among these amazing young adults.

 

[jocomom]

3 vs 4 year AROTC scholarships

What do you think the deciding factors are that determine whether a recepient receives a 3 year scholarship vice a 4 year scholarship?

I had a friend working at Cadet Command who said that the move to the 3-year scholarships is a result of the excessive number of contracted cadets who drop out after their MS1 year with no obligation. In his words, "the Army is tired of pouring money down the drain and is looking to improve their investment."

My DS's unit is very small. Admission is highly selective and some who receive scholarships are not admitted. At the start of the year the unit had three 4-year scholarship cadets and several 3-year scholarship cadets in the 2016 class. They didn't contract until the end of October and by then one 4-year scholarship cadets had already dropped out. the top 2 of the 3-year cadets were offered in-unit scholarships and will contract soon now that the 2nd semester has started. They were able to obtain scholarship support for half of their MS1 year because they worked their tails off first semester.

 

[MichiganDad]

Ds received 3 year scholarship to his first choice. Of course, I would rather it be a 4 year, but I am greatful for this opportunity for him to follow his dream and do it at a great school. With this being said, my question is in regards to DoDMERB qualification and the 3 year scholarship. DS has already qualified medically and I thought that I read on a different thread that there is a chance that he may have to retake the medical exams? He completed his first medical exams in early December. If he doesn't sign commitment papers until the start of his sophomore year, will he need to requalify for the exam or is it still good until then?

Thanks everyone!

 

[goaliedad]

Ds received 3 year scholarship to his first choice. Of course, I would rather it be a 4 year, but I am greatful for this opportunity for him to follow his dream and do it at a great school. With this being said, my question is in regards to DoDMERB qualification and the 3 year scholarship. DS has already qualified medically and I thought that I read on a different thread that there is a chance that he may have to retake the medical exams? He completed his first medical exams in early December. If he doesn't sign commitment papers until the start of his sophomore year, will he need to requalify for the exam or is it still good until then?

Thanks everyone!

You take a DoDMERB exam once and only once. They qualify the candidate for the various programs (SA/ROTC) as those programs request the results from that exam.

IIRC, the exam results are good for 2 years from the exam date.

 

[MichiganDad]

Thanks goaliedad,

"IIRC, the exam results are good for 2 years from the exam date"? What does IIRC mean?

Sorry very new to this!

 

[Jcleppe]

I had a friend working at Cadet Command who said that the move to the 3-year scholarships is a result of the excessive number of contracted cadets who drop out after their MS1 year with no obligation. In his words, "the Army is tired of pouring money down the drain and is looking to improve their investment."

My DS's unit is very small. Admission is highly selective and some who receive scholarships are not admitted. At the start of the year the unit had three 4-year scholarship cadets and several 3-year scholarship cadets in the 2016 class. They didn't contract until the end of October and by then one 4-year scholarship cadets had already dropped out. the top 2 of the 3-year cadets were offered in-unit scholarships and will contract soon now that the 2nd semester has started. They were able to obtain scholarship support for half of their MS1 year because they worked their tails off first semester.

Your son's battalion sounds very similar to my son's.

Over the past 5 years and several conversations with the different PMS at my son's school they told me some of the things they consider. Passing the APFT and contracting is not the only issue they look at, they look to see if they believe the applicant will do well in academics.

in regard to the OP's question, there are cases, more then you might think where a new 4yr scholarship cadet shows up to school, passes the APFT and contracts on day one. Over the next couple semesters they find that either school is more difficult then they thought or in some cases the partys are easier then they thought. They finish the first year with just above the required 2.0 GPA.

While this GPA keeps their contract and scholarship valid to start their sophomore year they begin to realize that with such a low GPA they stand very little chance of making Active Duty and the prospects of 8 years in the Reserves or National Guard is not appealing to them.
Dropping the program and cutting their losses seems the best idea to them. These cadets leave the program not owing anything to the Army because they left before the start of their sophomore year. The Army is now out the money for that cadet with no return.

This is one of the reasons they are looking more toward the 3 year option. there have been a few articles lately from Cadet Command stating a shift to higher number of 3 year to try and not only get the best cadets but be able to keep them.

It seems from reading the current post regarding new scholarship awards that there have been quite a few 4yr awards along with the 3yr, although as a total there are more 3yr. Looks like they are following what they planned.

Even though there are fewer 4yr and more 3yr, there are still a lot more scholarships being offered then back before 2000. There used to be very few.