AROTC Major switching

B

Bryce Dively

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Feb 12, 2015
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Hello All,

I am currently an MS1 in Army ROTC this year, majoring in Electrical Engineering. I got a 4-Year scholarship with my major of Engineering listed on the application. I really wanted to do engineering before college, it interested me in high school. I took a few pre-engineering classes in high school and loved them, but it was nothing like the real thing. I am looking to change my major, but I am not sure if I would lose my scholarship. I would most likely switch to either International Affairs or Math. I have read some places that I need to go through the whole brigade command and it still might not be approved, but some places say that I can get my first one approved through my PMS. Right now I am just mainly worried about if I switch out of Engineering, I will lose my 4 year scholarship. If anyone has information on a situation similar, it would be great to hear it.

Thanks!!
 
Are you sure your scholarship was engineering specific? My son had engineering listed on his application but he ended up studying something different. My advice would be to talk with the cadre to see what they say.
 
I don't think Army really cares too much about major, and certainly not to the extent AFROTC and NROTC do. I'm also confident that the paperwork needs to go up to brigade and its always possible you MIGHT lose the scholarship. In any case, have a chat with your cadre so you can get the facts and make an informed decision.
 
Your cadre can authorize one major change, but only one. Any additional changes have to go through Brigade.
 
If you're sure you want to go Active Duty and you decide to switch majors, it may help you down the road to major in Math as it's still a STEM major. With International Affairs, being a non-STEM major, you'd be "penalized" when accessions rolls around. I'm not really sure how that works out in the end and wouldn't want to speculate. Others are more up to speed on that and will probably be along shortly. Good luck to you.
 
My DS switched from ChemE to Chem four years ago at the beginning of his MSII year. Held on to the scholarship, I believe the approval was made at the Brigade level.
 
My DS is an AROTC 4 year winner and a MS I majoring in Environmental Engineering and he was told by the PMS he is allowed one major change and the PMS must approve and send to Fort Knox on form 104R for approval. Hope this helps.
 
When I was doing recruiting in 2013 we did have categories/levels for different majors engineering (STEM) to Int affairs (non-STEM) could pose an issue. However, this situation happens a lot with freshman in college especially pre-med or engineering. Kids start off gung ho about what they think they "want" to do and reality sets in regarding difficulty, time constraints and actual enjoyment of material.
 
Aglahad said:
When I was doing recruiting in 2013 we did have categories/levels for different majors engineering (STEM) to Int affairs (non-STEM) could pose an issue. However, this situation happens a lot with freshman in college especially pre-med or engineering. Kids start off gung ho about what they think they "want" to do and reality sets in regarding difficulty, time constraints and actual enjoyment of material.
Click to expand...

A Blast from the past......how are things going.
 
My son has a 3 year AROTC scholarship. Prior to arriving at his school of choice he decided to switch from Mechanical Engineering to Civil. When he asked CC he was told that was fine but no engineering, no scholarship.
 
DS had Engineering on his 4 yr scholarship award and decided during his 1st term in engineering (ME) that it was not where he wanted to be when he commissioned and beyond.
He talked to his cadre. I was surprised at how supportive his PMS was. PMS actually got the university to bypass the 30 credit minimum required to transfer schools within the university now.
 
I wonder if there is a difference in the 4 year v 3 year scholarship on whether one can change the major?
 
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