Better or Worse for ROTC

dlee96

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
260
Hellos to all SAF'ers, I would like to know how one's choice for their major affects the chances for receiving a ROTC scholarship.
I have read on various forums that the different services favor certain majors. For example, I read that the chance of receiving a 4-year NROTC scholarship is higher when your decided major is ENGINEERING.
Can anyone explain why this is?
 
First off every branch has their own criteria.

ROTC is generalization, you need to specify even further regarding which branch besides your NROTC comment. Army, Navy and AF all have different systems.

N/AFROTC offer @80-85% of all scholarships to STEM majors. It is driven from HQ that this is what they are placing an emphasis on for their future missions.

They don't need a French Art History major, nor do they need a ton of marketing majors. They need engineers and STEM majors because of technology.

It is all about the budget and dollars and cents. I can take a STEM major and put them in Public Affairs, but I can't take a French major and put them in maintenance. Best bang for your buck. In the AF world yrs ago it was explained as this:
You can take a pilot and make them a Maintenance officer, you can't take a maintainer and make them a pilot.

I can't speak for the Navy, but I can tell you AF really places an emphasis on STEM.
Type 1; 5% of all scholarships, only 5% of that 5% goes to non-tech majors.
Type 2: 20% of all scholarships, only 5% goes to non-tech---if I recall correctly
Type 7: 75% of all scholarships, the bulk of non-tech come from here.

WARNING to posters and lurkers Class of 17, do not think of gaming the system. In other words, apply tech to get the scholarship and change majors once in college. AFROTCHQ will require approval. No approval and you are stuck in that major. Chances of approval in this current DOD budget is slim to none.

Army from what I have gathered through this site is still easier to obtain a non-tech major, but they are changing it now towards tech majors.

The other reason why I asked what branch is because AF does not care which college as long as it is on their list, they care about the major. Navy and Army does when it comes to that college list and major.
 
Hellos to all SAF'ers, I would like to know how one's choice for their major affects the chances for receiving a ROTC scholarship.
I have read on various forums that the different services favor certain majors. For example, I read that the chance of receiving a 4-year NROTC scholarship is higher when your decided major is ENGINEERING.
Can anyone explain why this is?

Just think of all the mechanical, electronic, hydraulic, and even nuclear systems aboard a ship, sub, or airplane and you have your answer.
 
I'm not sure why it is, other than the fact that Navy and Air Force have both learned over time that the demand in the field is higher for officers who have a technical degree background, than for those who don't.

85% of Navy ROTC - Navy Option national scholarship awards are for Tier I (Engineering) or Tier II (Math/Science) majors, and 15% for all other majors.

Army didn't care until recently, and I can't tell how much they value STEM over other majors, but there isn't a quota.

NROTC - Marine Option doesn't have a quota for STEM either.

Air Force also awards the huge majority of its 100% Tuition award to Engineers. The half tuition awards are much more plentiful, but I still get the idea the majority of those are still STEM.
 
The full tuition or no cap tuition for AFROTC is Type1 and you are correct.

Less than 20% of AFROTC applicants get a scholarship. 5% of those awarded get a Type 1. 95% of Type 1 go to STEM. Non-tech chances are 5% of 5% of 20% awarded. Statistically it is less than 1%.
 
The full tuition or no cap tuition for AFROTC is Type1 and you are correct.

Less than 20% of AFROTC applicants get a scholarship. 5% of those awarded get a Type 1. 95% of Type 1 go to STEM. Non-tech chances are 5% of 5% of 20% awarded. Statistically it is less than 1% chance.
 
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