thanks Jcleppe, we are finding the rotc stuff for son #2 far more confusing than the S.A. stuff for son #1 at USNA.
We knew what S.A was looking for with regards to stats but cant figure out rotc. i almost feel llike it would be easier for him to get into USMA than his other choices + ROTC. But he prefers the ROTC option.
He is looking at Georgetown (#1 choice), U of Illinois (in state), U of wis, U of Mich, U of Virg, Vandy, Northwestern (in state but cross town), wash u, U Penn and Princeton.
act: composite 35 (not superscored)
national Merit
GPA: UW 3.7, W: 4.2
boxing, wrestling, hockey
lots of volunteer
club(s) president
NHS, Scholastic bowl, Model UN
BUT he wants liberal arts major (history, journalist, lit) so this may pose a problem.
(colorblind so limits options)
Any advice?
Given the set of schools selected and the stats presented, I'd say he has a decent (nothing guaranteed) shot at a first board offering. Every year is different, but he has a chance to get into any of the units if he is first board.
That being said, first board offering (where all the most competitive schools are in demand) has many candidates with resumes that look like his. And that is what makes it a crap shoot.
Many of the schools on the list are considered high-cost and will likely get only a 3-year offer. Not sure where your finances are, but be prepared for such an outcome. And in that year, lots of things can happen, so look at the scholarship to a high-cost school as a bonus.
Of all those schools, only UIUC is a high-probability choice. All of the others (OOS admissions requirements are often higher than in-state at those OOS publics on your list). And I say this from an admissions AND ROTC perspective.
Being from the midwest, I can see that his list is populated by big, big-name schools. With that, often comes the large lecture hall for the first two years of the experience - not exactly the best environment for a liberal arts type major. Not that there are many top tier smaller liberal arts colleges (where he might find more inspiring smaller classes with more professor time) with ROTC.
And from your moniker, I am assuming here that he has played higher level hockey (AAA) at the U16/U18 level. Does he have any desire to play at college. D3 has a few liberal arts schools with ROTC. Not necessarily low-cost publics where 4-year scholarships are more plentiful, but if you are going to take a crap-shoot, do it at a place that has things other than ROTC, because the college experience is more than class and ROTC.
And the ROTC units LOVE varsity athletes. Clarkson will probably will chime in to agree, as we have had this discussion before.
So I'll throw a couple of reachy type LACs with AROTC and D3 hockey out there - Colby College (ME) and Amherst (MA). Amherst is as competitive as Princeton for admissions, but being from the midwest may be a big advantage in admissions. Colby should be a bit less competitive, but is a highly ranked school.
IMHO, these top LACs actually offer a better undergraduate experience than the Ivy League schools for the student that wants a smaller environment. Not everyone wants or can take advantage of this environment, but for those who do, there is nothing better.
Hockey aside, I'd say the best school on his list for the aspiring liberal arts major would be Georgetown. Unfortunately, from an ROTC scholarship perspective, it is probably the most competitive. Seems like we have a whole host of folks here to want to be in that BN. Very popular for the ones who want to study International Relations.