Chances for an apprehensive applicant

[FlyingIrish1992]

Hello, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to know my “chances” for receiving a four-year scholarship for either NROTC or AFROTC. I know that no one can really predict the outcome, but it’d be nice to hear what knowledgeable people think. It’s been 8 years since someone in our family received a ROTC scholarship, so our knowledge, by military standards, is very outdated. I understand that all branches are cutting back, and my parents and I are accordingly pessimistic.

Let me also mention that I did NOT simply apply for the money. Father and sister both did ROTC and I’ve seen that it’s an absolutely fantastic program. Instant group of great friends, invaluable leadership training, the chance to serve your country, etc. It would definitely be something I’d consider regardless of the scholarship. That being said, a four-year ROTC scholarship is the only feasible way I’ll be able to attend my dream school, so naturally I’m a little worried. My parents have already flat-out rejected the “still enroll and then apply for in-college ROTC scholarship” idea. We’ve been told these in-college scholarships are becoming virtually nonexistent due to budget cuts.

PROFILE:
Caucasian male (certainly not gonna help)
Listed Major: NROTC: Biochemistry (tier 2)
AFROTC: 1. Biochemistry (technical @ND I think), 2. Chemistry (technical), 3. Biomedical engineering (recently technical).
4.0 UW GPA,
33 comp. ACT (36E, 33M, 34R, 29S)
I did not take the SAT, but the above score corresponds to 1440-1480 SAT (800R, 740M)
Took all honors/adv/AP courses available at my school save 2 (total of 17)
AP Bio: 5
AP US History: 5

The following is copied from ROTC applications:

LEADERSHIP and EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
CROSS-COUNTRY (Fall)
• Varsity letter (9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grade)
• Team Captain (12th Grade)—Lead team practices; organize team outings and pre-meet spaghetti dinners
TRACK AND FIELD (Spring)
• Varsity letter (9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grade)
CURLING CLUB
• Club secretary (12th Grade)—Organize and take notes during meetings; inform students of upcoming events
• Active member (12th Grade)
METRO MATH LEAGUE
• Varsity team member (11th and 12th Grade)
SCIENCE BOWL TEAM
• Active member (11th and 12th Grade)
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
• Active member (11th and 12th Grade)

AWARDS
• Cross-Country Most Improved Award (9th Grade)
• Cross-Country All-Conference Honorable Mention (12th Grade)
• Cross-Country Christy’s Award—awarded to the runner who best exemplifies _____ Cross-Country (12th Grade)
• Academic Letter (11th and 12th Grade)
• Golden Scalpel—awarded to the student with the highest cumulative dissection-quiz score (10th Grade)
HONORS
• _____ High School High Honor Roll (9th, 10th,11th, and 12th Grades)
• _____ College Dean’s List (12th Grade)
NOTE: I’m participating in a dual enrollment program (taking 16 college credits per semester, not actually a college student)
DE classes @ local private college
• Philosophy, Theology
• Latin I, Latin II
• Calculus I, Calculus II

NATIONAL RAILROAD MUSEUM VOLUNTEER (100+ hours)
Train Conductor—July 2009 to Present
• Responsible for making sure that all passengers board and depart from the museum’s tour train safely
• Collect money and tickets for front desk
Tour Guide—July 2009 to Present
• Inform train passengers about the museum’s history, exhibits, and special events
Inventory Assistant—July 2009 to Present
• Record identification numbers of the items in the museum’s archives
STUDENT ASSITANT (200+ hours)—tutor students in Math, English, Science, Social Science, and Foreign Language in the Math Resource and Student Resource Centers during lunch periods; responsible for helping a student with minor autism
MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD and CROSS-COUNTRY ASSISTANT—volunteer as a referee and timer at local middle school track and cross-country meets; lead individual races of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon WPS Kids Run
MALAWI WELL PROJECT—helped De Pere High School raise money to build a well in Malawi, Africa
ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE—helped teach English to Spanish-speaking residents of Green Bay

EMPLOYMENT: Union Hotel & Restaurant (November 2010 to Present)
Dishwasher
Salad and Soup Preparer

INTERVIEWS
Went well, for the most part. Navy lasted approx. 40 min, AF lasted approx. 2 hours
Mentioned how I set up and participated in an independent-study chemistry class this year (schedule conflict would have otherwise prevented me from having a science). Hopefully interviewers took note. Hit it off pretty well with both. Side conversations about curling.

PFA
8:30 mile (max)
60 sit-ups (max)
61 push-ups (so close)

Colleges Listed on Application (if pertinent)
1. U of Notre Dame (biochem/chem)
2. Vanderbilt U (biomed. eng.)
3. Marquette U (biomed. eng.)
*accepted to 1 and 3, waiting to hear from 2

So do things look good, or should I start mentally preparing myself for a rejection letter?
Thanks!

 

[Jcleppe]

On paper you look to be a terrific candidate, the only caveat is that there are a lot of great candidates with similar resumes. Nobody has a crystal ball that can tell you for sure. I truely understand that the waiting can be painful.

As you know the AFROTC is truley a national scholarship not based on school selections, the NROTC is more tied to the schools you list. With the Navy a lot will depend on the schoalrship availability at the schools you have listed and how you stack up to the competition.

I have to ask one thing, is that really a 8:30 for the mile.

 

[FloridaDad]

Your school must be very weak athletically if you did CC and T&F, and your mile is 8:30.

Everything else looks good on paper though.

 

[jtoye]

Pretty sure AF PFA is a 1.5 mile run. 8:30 is at 5:40 mile pace

 

[Dad]

The PFA has a 1.5 mile run, not a 1 mile run. 8:30 1.5 mile is impressive.

Sorry, we cross posted.

 

[Jcleppe]

That would make sense, must have been a typo.

 

[FlyingIrish1992]

Oops haha sorry about that. Should say 1.5mi. thanks for the catch.

 

[Pima]

Your stats are great, but what I think is more important right now for you is to determine...do you want to serve on land or at sea.

Assume you get both scholarships to that dream school The fact is in 4 yrs you will serve AD for 4 yrs, and that is the least amount of time.

What is your career dream? If you don't want to serve on a boat for 6 months would you be happy? If you don't want to be stationed at Minot, ND, would you be happy?

Traditionally, the AFROTC and NROTC cadet have one thing in common. They want to fly.

However, they actually have 2 things in common...it is a hard path to get to UPT as an ROTC member. So now there you sit tied to a service branch, and no UPT. Which branch do you want to serve in for career option no.2. Remember there are no SWO's in the AF.

Good luck.

Now is the time to discuss the future and the what ifs for your career goals.

 

[FlyingIrish1992]

Thanks for the optimistic responses--it's making the wait a little less painful.

Pima, to answer your question: ultimately, I'd like to obtain an md/phd and work as a medical specialist/researcher (hopefully research in biomed. eng). I'm not exactly sure which branch would be more helpful in achieving this goal. But after long talks with my parents, I'm almost 100% sure which branch I'd choose if I found myself faced with that wonderful dilemma you described (getting scholarships for both).
I never envisioned myself as a pilot, but it is something I'll at least look into. Flying would, after all, be pretty amazing.

One other question I have: how does choosing a "lesser" technical major (chem, biochem, etc) as opposed to a more traditional technical major (all the engineering's, comp. science, etc) affect my chances of receiving a scholarship? Is there currently any "need" for chemists/biochemists in the military?