AFROTC Scholarship Question

Fqt16

New Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2015
Messages
3
Hello everyone, I was just wondering if anyone knows how many scholarships the Air Force offers for the first board and if I have a better chance of getting one from the second. I was denied but was somewhat surprised because I thought I was fairly competitive. I have a 1370 SAT (CR+M), 3.79 unweighted (4.39 weighted) GPA, a bunch of extracurriculars including 20 hours per week of work with a leadership role, tutoring, yard work projects I started, some other stuff not too important. The only thing I'm worried kept me from getting a scholarship was the fitness test, I got about an 11 minute mile and a half which isn't great, but then about 70 push-ups and sit-ups. I'm just wondering if I have a better chance of getting a scholarship from the next board and if it's the not so great mile and a half time that may have kept me from getting a scholarship. I don't think it was the interview as I believe it went well, I was there 50 minutes longer than it was supposed to have taken because I was talking with the guy about calculus and physics. Also, I applied for a tech major (aerospace or aeronautical I don't remember exactly which). Thank you for your help and reading this long post. I am just trying to figure out what to change in order to be more competitive and hopefully earn a scholarship from the next board in March.
 
okay...here goes.

1. Did they state you will be reboarded or did they say that at this time, we are unable to offer a scholarship with no reference to reboarding...
~ In years past the latter meant it was over, you will not be reboarded.
~ If it stated reboarded, do not read anything into it because all it could mean is you maybe straddling between a type 2 and a type 7, they need to see a larger pool size before they commit.

2. Was your 1370 best sitting or superscore? Big difference because HQ AFROTC only uses best sitting.
~ I get you feel the need to say your cgpa, but so much more goes into it for AFROTC than just the cgpa on your transcript.
~ They have their own algorithm that they use because there are more than 2000 HSs in the nation.1 HS could use a 7 point scale, no weight for honors, and 4.5 for AP/IB. Another could use a 10 pt scale, 4.5 for honors and 5.0 for AP/IBs. They also look at the school profile...% that go Ivy, 4 yr Private/OOS, 4 yr IS, 2 yr JCC or straight into the work force.
~~ It would not be fair to ding the kid that is top 15% with a 3.6 uwcgpa/4.1 wcgpa on a 4.5 max scale, tons of APs attending a school where 25% go Ivy compared to the kid that has a 3.9 uwcgpa/4.45 wcgpa, ranked 15% and 0% go Ivy. One HS is saying they do not hand out As like candy on Halloween.

3. I have seen via pms to me from candidates, even TECH, not get offered a scholarship when their stats were higher than the non-techs. The reason they were told when they called Maxwell was their intended major.
~ They want tech, and 80-85% will be tech when it comes to scholarships. However, they don't want 100% of them to be 1 or 2 intended majors. IE. You placed aero whatever. They can't assume you will switch to Chem or Mech E. They have to take you at your word.
~~ Yes, they get that many will apply for rated, but they still have a long term manning aspect that they are looking at too. There have been years where cadets that applied in HS, got the scholarship, only to find out later on that because of their major, the AF considered it critical manning and would only take the top 25% or less, nationally, for the rated board...the rest were going to be flying a desk tied to their engineering major.

4. You state employment in a leadership capacity, but nothing about sports. Nothing about leadership positions in school...NHS, SGA, JROTC, Orchestra, Band, etc.
~ Job and leadership is great because it shows you can juggle your academic schedule and outside responsibilities.

However, to be honest you also need to understand that 95% of USAFA candidates will apply for AFROTC as plan, whereas, 95% of AFROTC candidates will not apply for USAFA as plan B.
~ SAs are geocentric at 1st (Congressional District, Senator) and than moves to national level. AFROTC starts and ends with national. If they have 900 scholarships and the top 900 are all from Texas, than so be it.
~~ AFROTC is not like A/NROTC. They do not spread the wealth among their detachments. The scholarship is tied to the cadet and their major, not to the school/unit. A/NROTC is tied to the school/unit. If 1 AFROTC unit has 100% on scholarship and another has 0%...oh well.

5. What to change?
~ I will leave that for more current posters. The last I knew the only thing you could change at this point is your SAT/ACT
~~ AFROTC does not consider anything from your senior year, be it academic cgpa, ECs, or awards. They only look at what you have on file at the end of your junior year, except a new SAT/ACT.
~~ I believe your PFA is locked. 11 min 1 1/2 mile is not great, but it is also not horrible, you are looking at @ 7:15. You would be mid pack. IOWS, I don't think it was the PFA. Not only because it wasn't a fail, but it is a very small % of the WCS.

To end this novella, here is my opinion, and with $2.07 you can get a small coffee at Starbucks.

If they stated you will be reboarded, and your 1370 is best sitting, I am thinking you are on the cusp between types they are thinking about when they offer you a scholarship which type.
If you have 0 ECs besides a job and yardwork projects that you started, added with the run, than I think those are your DINGS, and even with a 1370 a type 1 is probably not on the table.
AFROTC and USAFA do not "talk" when selection boards meet. AFROTC may offer a type 1 and USAFA may say you don't make the cut. USAFA may offer an appointment and AFROTC may say you don't make the cut.

The only thing you really need to keep in mind is that if you need that scholarship to attend your dream school, re-think that dream school. AFROTC scholarship is a 2+2.
~ Guaranteed for the 1st 2 years, and if selected for Summer Field Training the summer of your rising junior year, and graduate, your scholarship will continue. If they don't select you, than they can dis-enroll you from the program.
~~ The board has no idea which cadet is scholarship and which is not. IOWS, the slate is wiped clean as soon as you start college.

I am not trying to be debbie downer. I am trying to be Rita realistic.

Good luck, and thank you for wanting to defend this great nation.
 
If you are reboarded, most likely you are on the cusp from a type of scholarship which means Type 7 or Type 2, which also means Type 7 or none. It really just depends on who is on the 2nd board. Just be happy you have a chance and wait it out!

Your PFA is decent. Number wise is pretty good. I hope you didn't pick a technical major just for the scholarship, since you didn't seem to remember what major you applied for.

Anyways, good luck regardless. I'm sure PIMA or someone will add on since... they're freaking experts.

Edit: PIMA beat me to it with hella info :)
 
Thank you for your replies. It does say I will be reboarded. Test the 1370 was best sitting and I chose the tech major because it's what I wanted, I just don't remember if I put down aerospace or aeronautical because the schools that I applied to have aerospace/aeronautical as a major. I have a couple other EC's and sports with school but only one or two had a leadership role so that may be it. Regardless, thank you for your replies, at least now I have a better idea about the process.
 
Just for you and other candidates, it is important to understand the break down of numbers. Although I do not know last years numbers, but 2 years ago the breakdowns went as follows.
5000+ were boarded.
900 +/- were awarded a scholarship
or
18% overall

Of the 900 awarded:
5% go to Type 1.
~ 45 NATIONALLY.
~ Of that 5%, only 5% will go to non-tech OR 2 maybe 3 out of the original pool of candidates. 0.0006 % chance or if it makes you feel better 0.003% awarded.
~ My pea brain seems to recall that 1330 is the avg best sitting SAT score, but it might be 1350.

15% go to Type 2.
~@135
~ Again, the majority go to tech. This time though, statistically chances are higher, but still low, usually @15% go non-tech.
~ Pea brain thinks 1310 is the avg, but it might be 1330

80% go Type 7
~@720
~ This is where the bulk of non-tech will come from, but again, the majority will be tech. Not swearing, but I believe it is now 25% that are non-tech.
~ Pea brain thinks the avg SAT was just shy of 1300.

Now a couple of more things.
1. The scholarship is not what I or many of us here will call a true 4 year scholarship. It is a 2+2. Not selected as a sophomore for summer field training (SFT), and chances are they will disenroll you from the program.
2. The 2.5 cgpa min. to maintain the scholarship in my opinion is a bunch of BS. The avg cgpa for tech majors regarding SFT is 3.0/3.1, non-tech is 3.3/3.4
~ There has never been a 100% selection rate for SFT. In the past 2 years it has ranged from 58% to 90% overall. You have no clue what the rate will be in 2018.
3. Type 2 is 18K limit and has not been increased since 2008 or so. Think about this wisely when you select your school for matriculation. Most colleges will increase costs by 5-10% per year. Even if tuition is 15K this year when you apply it might be 16.5 when you start as a freshmen, by your junior year at that pace you are now underwater.
~ With sequestration in effect for at least 5 more years and the military squeezing every penny they can, don't assume they will increase that limit. Just for giggles. DS as an AS400 (2012) had a stipend of 550 per month. (100=250, 200s=350, 300s=450, 400s=550)... just illustrating that they cut stipends years ago and have not at this point increased them. Nor has the book allowance.
4. The scholarship is a Whole Candidate perspective. Do not read that my SAT or cgpa in HS is above the avg and thus, I am a shoe in. Those scores/grades are only 60% of the score. Thus, you could have a 1500 and not get a top tier scholarship because in their eyes with no ECs, you are book smart, and have yet to illustrate that you can juggle both academics and other things. ROTC will take time away from the books.

Finally, and most importantly. ROTC scholarship cadets are the minority. The cadre could not give 1 iota if you are or are not on scholarship. The slate is wiped clean the minute you step foot on campus. Cadets do not discuss it. Typically there are only 3 ways a cadet will know they are on scholarship:
1. The 1st and the 15th. That is payday (stipend) for cadets, and as college kids by the 10th they are broke, so on the 14th they are excited to have some money.
2. Sometimes there is a delay in paying tuition and they will spend a lot of time checking in with the NCOIC to see where they stand getting it paid.
3. 200 yr is huge. It is not just about getting an SFT slot it is about financially being able to stay if they don't and lose that scholarship.

Best of luck to everyone.

I hope this long post will give you insight for your future as an AFROTC cadet. Thank you for your desire to defend this great nation.
 
Back
Top