GT AFROTC

[PeterK]

I will be starting my USAFA application next month but I will also be applying to Boston University and Georgia Tech. I plan on majoring in Computer Engineering/ Computer Science and I know that Type 1 scholarships are offered more to people of this major.

How different is the application process for AFROTC compared to the USAFA? Obviously it is less stringent (no nominations) but I wondered how much overlap there was between the two. Also, I have a solid academic record, Eagle Scout, varsity athlete, what are the chances I can get a full ride for AFROTC? How many are given?

I think I am competitive in admissions for USAFA, Boston U, and GT but the latter two are pretty costly.


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[Rocko]

The application process is a bit different but essentially you will provide the same information on the ROTC application as you do for the USAFA.

As for your chances at a "full ride" nobody can tell you that. First and foremost you must be accepted to the Universities you list. I am not familiar with
Boston, but I do know that GT is VERY competitive.

Also understand that the ROTC scholarship only pays tuition. Room and board are not covered. So it in essence never is a full ride.

Another thing to consider is if you can afford the tuition WITHOUT the scholarship. There are no guarantees that you will hold that scholarship for all 4 years. If for some reason you lose the scholarship you would then need to pay the full bill in order to graduate from that school

My DS was accepted to GT. We are OOS and the only way he was going to consider accepting was if he was offered scholarship money from the school to lower the costs. He didn't get any scholarship offers and his AFROTC scholarship was a type 7. Yesterday he turned down their offer.

In my mind you need to consider how important going to a specific school is. My DS applied to a wide range of schools. If it is very important that you only attend those two schools then my suggestion is plan to pay the full tuition, apply for the ROTC scholarship and hope for the best. If you are flexible then I'd consider applying to some schools that have much more affordable tuition. In State schools and also schools like Texas A&M are good choices. Texas A&M is also a very good engineering school and offers IS tuition to OOS students if you receive an ROTC scholarship so any of the scholarship types can be used there.

Good luck in your journey over the next year as you traverse the application process. Sounds like you are on the right track!

 

[PeterK]

The application process is a bit different but essentially you will provide the same information on the ROTC application as you do for the USAFA.



As for your chances at a "full ride" nobody can tell you that. First and foremost you must be accepted to the Universities you list. I am not familiar with

Boston, but I do know that GT is VERY competitive.



Also understand that the ROTC scholarship only pays tuition. Room and board are not covered. So it in essence never is a full ride.



Another thing to consider is if you can afford the tuition WITHOUT the scholarship. There are no guarantees that you will hold that scholarship for all 4 years. If for some reason you lose the scholarship you would then need to pay the full bill in order to graduate from that school



My DS was accepted to GT. We are OOS and the only way he was going to consider accepting was if he was offered scholarship money from the school to lower the costs. He didn't get any scholarship offers and his AFROTC scholarship was a type 7. Yesterday he turned down their offer.



In my mind you need to consider how important going to a specific school is. My DS applied to a wide range of schools. If it is very important that you only attend those two schools then my suggestion is plan to pay the full tuition, apply for the ROTC scholarship and hope for the best. If you are flexible then I'd consider applying to some schools that have much more affordable tuition. In State schools and also schools like Texas A&M are good choices. Texas A&M is also a very good engineering school and offers IS tuition to OOS students if you receive an ROTC scholarship so any of the scholarship types can be used there.



Good luck in your journey over the next year as you traverse the application process. Sounds like you are on the right track!

Thanks! Hopefully I could combine enough scholarships with the ROTC to corral the money to afford GT.


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[Pima]

The biggest differences for the processes are:
1. The AFA will allow you to update your packet with info for your senior year. I.E. you become FB captain your senior year. AFROTC only allows you to update your SAT/ACT for your SR year, otherwise what you end with regarding ECs, APS, cgpa, class rank at the end of your junior year will be what they will review.

2. SAT/ACT are not super scored. It is best sitting. Meanwhile, the scores for a scholarship are about the same as an appointment.

As for the type 1 scholarship which will pay whatever the cost of the tuition is, AFROTC only awards 5% of all scholarships to this type. When you do the math from the candidate pool it is really only 1%. Typically 5000 are boarded, 900 are awarded, which equates to 45 get a Type 1. Only 15% are awarded a type 2. The majority get a 7.

3. The AFROTC board is national. AFA starts from a geographic centric perspective, and eventually will go to a national level for some.

There are many candidates because of these three things that will be awarded an appointment, but get the AAt this time we are unable....letter.

Finally, although the scholarship is for four years, it is conditional. If not selected for summer field training (SFT) between your sophomore and junior year AFROTC can disenroll you, resulting in the loss of the scholarship. As Rocko stated make sure you can afford to attend without the scholarship.
~~~~FWIW, AFROTC says you need to maintain a 2.5 cgpa to keep the scholarship, but the fact is to be competitive for SFT you need to be at the 3.0+ cgpa.