Geting Started- NROTC
- Thread starter tro55
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2009
- Messages
- 38
Doing one's homework
I have resisted responding like this on several occasions before, but whether it is that I had a difficult job at work or whatever, I can no longer resist responding to inquiries like this one where a high school senior - despite the wealth of information available on the internet (including this site) - asks this kind of question.
If you obtain your dream, in a few years you will be responsible for driving multi-million dollar ships or flying multi-million dollar aircraft while being responsible for the lives of numerous personnel under your command. It does not bode well that you get on a site and say, "Here I am - spoon feed me." There are numberous videos; websites; 800 numbers. Read this blog. Do your homework! Then, if you have a second or third level question, ask away - there are lots of folks on this site who are eager to help. But take the initiative to do the preliminary work.
Otherwise, forget about being an officer.
I have resisted responding like this on several occasions before, but whether it is that I had a difficult job at work or whatever, I can no longer resist responding to inquiries like this one where a high school senior - despite the wealth of information available on the internet (including this site) - asks this kind of question.
If you obtain your dream, in a few years you will be responsible for driving multi-million dollar ships or flying multi-million dollar aircraft while being responsible for the lives of numerous personnel under your command. It does not bode well that you get on a site and say, "Here I am - spoon feed me." There are numberous videos; websites; 800 numbers. Read this blog. Do your homework! Then, if you have a second or third level question, ask away - there are lots of folks on this site who are eager to help. But take the initiative to do the preliminary work.
Otherwise, forget about being an officer.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2009
- Messages
- 884
Yes, it can be frustrating when a high school senior asks for help without searching through all the Q&A online...BUT....
Congratulations, you made the first step by finding this website. And, you are not the parent, but the student.
A few hints to nudge you in the right direction:
check out the websites for NROTC... google NROTC and find your way through the results until you find one that's official. You will find that website to be fairly easy to navigate.
Treat the NROTC application separate (sp? my spelling is off today...nothing looks right to me!) from the college apps. Get online, TODAY...right now and fill out the application. Order your test scores, request your transcripts to be mailed and once you hit submit you will find out who is reviewing your application.
If you have an NJROTC unit at your school or neighboring school, ask them for advice. They can help the application along it's journey.
After you've done the above (you need 5 schools to which to apply) check back here and let us know your progress.
Good Luck!
Congratulations, you made the first step by finding this website. And, you are not the parent, but the student.
A few hints to nudge you in the right direction:
check out the websites for NROTC... google NROTC and find your way through the results until you find one that's official. You will find that website to be fairly easy to navigate.
Treat the NROTC application separate (sp? my spelling is off today...nothing looks right to me!) from the college apps. Get online, TODAY...right now and fill out the application. Order your test scores, request your transcripts to be mailed and once you hit submit you will find out who is reviewing your application.
If you have an NJROTC unit at your school or neighboring school, ask them for advice. They can help the application along it's journey.
After you've done the above (you need 5 schools to which to apply) check back here and let us know your progress.
Good Luck!
I have also resisted the urge in the past and will continue to do so. Unlike your daughter and my daughter, this person is accessing this site to try to find answers for themselves. Perhaps he / she doesn't have the support structure that our children have? Could or would our daughters do the research and question asking that you and I are doing? Probably....eventually.....possibly not as well or thoroughly and perhaps without as much real life experience and insight. I would hope that at least in my daughters case that someone would have more tolerance for her than I sometimes feel for some of these naive posters.
I'm not attempting to be critical of your daughter (or mine). I'm just suggesting that many of the people on these type of college / ROTC sites are young people that are not as fortunate as our own and we should try to show some patience when providing guidance.....even if the answers are easy to find.
Excuse me as I step down from my soapbox.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2008
- Messages
- 608
Although I agree you should do your research before posing questions on such forums, I remember starting out the same way, knowing basically nothing and asking such questions. Thankfully, gracious people answered my questions and continue to answer my questions, and I have gained much from their input. As such, I agree with aglages in giving basic help and advice to start out and not be intolerant. If, however, they continue to ask such questions after being given appropriate direction, such a response can be made...
NROTC
If you are a senior in High School move past planning on applying for NROTC. The scholarship application process started months ago much like your college applications should have. If you want to go for the scholarship, get to the NROTC site and fill out the application and get everything in so that your app can be processed. Have your SAT/ACT scores, transcripts, urgent sent to NROTC, hound your teachers for your recommendations. Once things start getting processed you will get your interview done and then your application moves forward for further processing. Not that it is late to start the process but it is late in my opinion, but not impossible. The earlier you get things in, the smaller the pool you will be competing against and increased chances of selection.
You should already have your college apps in as well. Many colleges do rolling application process, meaning they select students as they get the apps in. Again you compete against a smaller field of choices, and these rolling app process is not like early decision. You are not locked in to schools and can then choose from the schools that accepted you. Example, last year my son had three acceptances by the end of November so we could work on the NROTC that we already had school a, b and c wanting us just waiting on the scholarship notification to finalize college choice.
If the plan does not work, go to a college with a NROTC unit, join and go college program. Work hard, get good grades, show the unit commanders you have what the Navy is looking for and get a three and a half year scholarship. It may even get back filled to the beginning of your school year so you get the four year scholarship anyway. Good luck and get going, as my son's JROTC Captain would say, "If you are on time, you are late". Go Navy!
If you are a senior in High School move past planning on applying for NROTC. The scholarship application process started months ago much like your college applications should have. If you want to go for the scholarship, get to the NROTC site and fill out the application and get everything in so that your app can be processed. Have your SAT/ACT scores, transcripts, urgent sent to NROTC, hound your teachers for your recommendations. Once things start getting processed you will get your interview done and then your application moves forward for further processing. Not that it is late to start the process but it is late in my opinion, but not impossible. The earlier you get things in, the smaller the pool you will be competing against and increased chances of selection.
You should already have your college apps in as well. Many colleges do rolling application process, meaning they select students as they get the apps in. Again you compete against a smaller field of choices, and these rolling app process is not like early decision. You are not locked in to schools and can then choose from the schools that accepted you. Example, last year my son had three acceptances by the end of November so we could work on the NROTC that we already had school a, b and c wanting us just waiting on the scholarship notification to finalize college choice.
If the plan does not work, go to a college with a NROTC unit, join and go college program. Work hard, get good grades, show the unit commanders you have what the Navy is looking for and get a three and a half year scholarship. It may even get back filled to the beginning of your school year so you get the four year scholarship anyway. Good luck and get going, as my son's JROTC Captain would say, "If you are on time, you are late". Go Navy!
SAMom
10-Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 279
We are here to help!
I hope that some of these post have not been discouraging to you. We don't know know where you are in the process and we don't know how much research you have done already so I just want to say that please don't be discouraged from applying. Its not to late for anything the NROTC scholarships are still in the process and you have time to apply and take SAT and ACT tests. I can tell you one thing that if you are interested than you need to get on the ball and that application in this week. Not all kids do these applications alone and as one Academy Admissions Officer once said "most of the applications are parent driven". So on that note I am glad you are even considering and NROTC scholarship...but remember its very competitive so act now and act fast!
I hope that some of these post have not been discouraging to you. We don't know know where you are in the process and we don't know how much research you have done already so I just want to say that please don't be discouraged from applying. Its not to late for anything the NROTC scholarships are still in the process and you have time to apply and take SAT and ACT tests. I can tell you one thing that if you are interested than you need to get on the ball and that application in this week. Not all kids do these applications alone and as one Academy Admissions Officer once said "most of the applications are parent driven". So on that note I am glad you are even considering and NROTC scholarship...but remember its very competitive so act now and act fast!
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2009
- Messages
- 38
Being properly chastized, I have the following suggestions:
1. Do NOT rush your essays in your NROTC application - whether it is submitted this week or next, you have many boards in the future to consider your app (I put the list of boards on another thread yesterday - only two have already occured and since it takes about two weeks to get your completed app before the board, you would still likely be available for consideration by two boards before the winter break). Write your essays in Word or WordPerfect BEFORE cutting and pasting them on the application; spellcheck them; and have two sets of eyes (English teacher is good, as is a parent if they are grammarians) review them.
2. Line up your three references NOW. Make sure that they have the interest and inclination and time to write you a letter of recommendation. Remember that the third letter can be from a coach or nonteacher.
3. Send your ACT/SAT scores NOW to the NROTC. The program will superscore both (which is unusual for ACT but common for SAT among colleges), but it takes several weeks since the services "batch" scores from previous tests on a schedule for transmission as instructed by the recipient.
4. Once your application is completed expect to be interviewed within two weeks. Make sure you are available. There have been posted on this site the kinds of questions you can expect.
5. In selecting your five college choices (one of which must be a state school), consider the strength of the program; whether many mids come from your school if it is in a consortium; what the history of the battalion has been regarding the mids getting their first choice upon graduation; the environment on campus towards NROTC (since you will be wearing your uniform one day a week); whether the school kicks in extra $ benefits for mids; and the estimated time commitment weekly (which varies). You can find these out by calling the programs directly.
6. Carefully review the Tier 1, 2 and 3 majors, keeping in mind that only 15% of all scholarships (including language-related) are Tier 3, and that you would likely lose your scholarship if you try to change majors from Tier 1 or 2 to 3.
7. Lastly, perhaps the best presentation on NROTC (regardless of where you want to go) is the following link:
http://www.slideshare.net/robwong4/nrotc-guide-2010
Best of luck.
1. Do NOT rush your essays in your NROTC application - whether it is submitted this week or next, you have many boards in the future to consider your app (I put the list of boards on another thread yesterday - only two have already occured and since it takes about two weeks to get your completed app before the board, you would still likely be available for consideration by two boards before the winter break). Write your essays in Word or WordPerfect BEFORE cutting and pasting them on the application; spellcheck them; and have two sets of eyes (English teacher is good, as is a parent if they are grammarians) review them.
2. Line up your three references NOW. Make sure that they have the interest and inclination and time to write you a letter of recommendation. Remember that the third letter can be from a coach or nonteacher.
3. Send your ACT/SAT scores NOW to the NROTC. The program will superscore both (which is unusual for ACT but common for SAT among colleges), but it takes several weeks since the services "batch" scores from previous tests on a schedule for transmission as instructed by the recipient.
4. Once your application is completed expect to be interviewed within two weeks. Make sure you are available. There have been posted on this site the kinds of questions you can expect.
5. In selecting your five college choices (one of which must be a state school), consider the strength of the program; whether many mids come from your school if it is in a consortium; what the history of the battalion has been regarding the mids getting their first choice upon graduation; the environment on campus towards NROTC (since you will be wearing your uniform one day a week); whether the school kicks in extra $ benefits for mids; and the estimated time commitment weekly (which varies). You can find these out by calling the programs directly.
6. Carefully review the Tier 1, 2 and 3 majors, keeping in mind that only 15% of all scholarships (including language-related) are Tier 3, and that you would likely lose your scholarship if you try to change majors from Tier 1 or 2 to 3.
7. Lastly, perhaps the best presentation on NROTC (regardless of where you want to go) is the following link:
http://www.slideshare.net/robwong4/nrotc-guide-2010
Best of luck.