How to get help with the scholarship process

Luvmycountry

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:cool:My DS is awaiting both Navy and Army Schol. results. He is in high school NJROTC . He completed the entire application process on his own. There was nobody to say if his app. looked good or if he needed to tweak it anyway. So he submitted and hoped for the best.
I was recently told that each applicant is assigned a "high school processor" that can help you with the application process. So that we can help future ROTC cadets in his unit get familiar with the process, I wanted to understand who that is and how you solicit their help.
Also, some people posted on here that they knew their PMS interview scores. How do you get those? Neither PMS seemed forthcoming with results and we did not know it was proper to ask. Please clarify.
Thank you for your help. Even if it doesn't help my DS, it may help others who are starting the process.:cool:
 
Hi! To answer your interview Q, I stayed in close contact with my PMS Officer before and after the interview so he told me what score I got voluntarily (I did not ask). :) but I'm sure if you develop a good relationship with them your son can politely ask!
 
I believe the processor only handles things from the administrative side.I only spoke to mine when I needed to change my ssn. The pms never told me my score either, he just told me he thought the interview went well.

For future reference, I've found that oftentimes this forum was one of the more useful resources to rely on.
 
Thank you. I agree. I wish I had known about this forum earlier on. I will definitely pass it on to the future cadets interested in scholarships.
 
Our DS was not in JROTC, but he had assistance from his ALO. For the AF, if the candidate is also applying to an SA they will be assigned an ALO/BGO/FFR. They are an amazing resource. We did not read our DS's essays until after his ALO signed off on them.
~~ Putting that out there for you to inform future cadets that are applying both routes.

At our DS's high school the JROTC instructor assisted the cadets in JROTC. They gave them the info, but it was up to the student to ask for assistance.

Finally, for future candidates on this forum or lurking. Please be smart when it comes to asking for people here to read your essays. I say this for many reasons.
1. Do you want a kid that is going through the process reading your essay...sorry, that is my cynicism regarding people lifting portions of a better essay.
2. This is like asking the blind to lead the blind. They have no experience either when it comes to what are some of the basic ground rules.
3. Many posters are going to tell you the same thing. Take it to your APENG or Lit teacher. They may give overall suggestions, but they are most likely going to say take it to your teacher.
 
Somewhere on this site, and I think our friend Clarkson posted a link, there is a PMS Interview Worksheet you can review. It really is pretty strait forward. It gives you a certain amount of points for each section depending on whether or not your kid has certain qualities (like "played varsity sports", "was team captain yes or no"). If I remember correctly, there was only one section that was on the "subjective" side. If you find the form you can pretty much tell how your kid would have done. The subjective section's point value isn't so high it would be a show stopper... though I believe there is a "I recommend this candidate for a scholarship... yes or no" question at the end. That certainly would be. But chances are, your kid would have been a hard "yes" unless he showed up for the interview late and in a wife beater and jeans.

As for assisting the applicant, my kid didn't get any guidance from anyone in the big green machine other than me... and I'm certain I didn't offer anything any helpful parent couldn't provide. (The Army should run an applicant prep school like the USMC option program does. My kid was reporting every few Saturdays and meeting with Marine Officer Recruiters, doing interviews, PT tests, and packet updates like you wouldn't believe.)
 
this forum was one of the more useful resources to rely on.


If you (or your DS) spend time combing through this forum it walks you step by step through the entire process. I have had two sons successfully go through. One went through the service academy process and got an LOA before senior year of high school even started, and the other got his ROTC scholarship on the first board. They would not have made it through without the advice given to me by a dad in town whose son also went through the year before my son. He said:
1.) spend a lot of time on serviceacademyforums.com
2.) have your son retake the ACT over and over until he receives the bfe/scholarship award letter

Advice I personally would give though for people relying on on serviceacademyforums.com is that some answers are provided by young kids starting out on the process and their answers are presented as fact not opinion. Spend some time looking at who is posting the answers. Long time posters and frequent posters know their stuff. On the other hand, things change EVERY year, so I would gather information from here but also call to verify. Your DS/DD can always call cadet command or admissions.
 
Thanks to all that responded. It was helpful information. This has been a roller coaster ride!! Hold on....
 
Vista is spot on both issues, especially how every year the process seems to be tweaked a little bit.
 
It's my understanding (from reading this forum) that the interviewer is not supposed to inform the applicant of their score on the interview. However, that doesn't mean that they don't do it. Therefore, I personally wouldn't ask.
 
Somewhere on this site, and I think our friend Clarkson posted a link, there is a PMS Interview Worksheet you can review. It really is pretty strait forward. It gives you a certain amount of points for each section depending on whether or not your kid has certain qualities (like "played varsity sports", "was team captain yes or no"). If I remember correctly, there was only one section that was on the "subjective" side. If you find the form you can pretty much tell how your kid would have done. The subjective section's point value isn't so high it would be a show stopper... though I believe there is a "I recommend this candidate for a scholarship... yes or no" question at the end. That certainly would be. But chances are, your kid would have been a hard "yes" unless he showed up for the interview late and in a wife beater and jeans.

As for assisting the applicant, my kid didn't get any guidance from anyone in the big green machine other than me... and I'm certain I didn't offer anything any helpful parent couldn't provide. (The Army should run an applicant prep school like the USMC option program does. My kid was reporting every few Saturdays and meeting with Marine Officer Recruiters, doing interviews, PT tests, and packet updates like you wouldn't believe.)


Here is the link to Clarkson's Blog Post. Open link for "Here is the checklist..."

http://goldenknightbattalion.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/the-interview/
 
Beat me to the punch Dan...thanks.
Here is another oldie but goodie that breaks down the scores your file will receive. I haven't updated it in a couple years, but it should be close to what is currently used.
http://goldenknightbattalion.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/the-whole-person-score-what-is-it/
If you are looking for help with the Army ROTC scholarship process I can't emphasize enough that you find a good, helpful recruiting officer (ROO) at one of the Battalions. I don't think I ever expounded on this before, but (and this is only conjecture) a ROO at a big, popular or exclusive school probably doesn't have to work his high school applicants as hard as a ROO at a small, not nationally recognized school (like Clarkson), the same probably holds true for SMCs. If you aren't getting help or a response from the ROO at Powerhouse U. try the guy from Clarkson, he'll point you in the right direction while he's telling you how you should also consider the #8 on the most underrated schools in the nation. http://www.businessinsider.com/most-underrated-colleges-in-america-2013-6
 
Beat me to the punch Dan...thanks.
Here is another oldie but goodie that breaks down the scores your file will receive. I haven't updated it in a couple years, but it should be close to what is currently used.
http://goldenknightbattalion.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/the-whole-person-score-what-is-it/
If you are looking for help with the Army ROTC scholarship process I can't emphasize enough that you find a good, helpful recruiting officer (ROO) at one of the Battalions. I don't think I ever expounded on this before, but (and this is only conjecture) a ROO at a big, popular or exclusive school probably doesn't have to work his high school applicants as hard as a ROO at a small, not nationally recognized school (like Clarkson), the same probably holds true for SMCs. If you aren't getting help or a response from the ROO at Powerhouse U. try the guy from Clarkson, he'll point you in the right direction while he's telling you how you should also consider the #8 on the most underrated schools in the nation. http://www.businessinsider.com/most-underrated-colleges-in-america-2013-6

+100 Clarkson!:thumb:
 
Beat me to the punch Dan...thanks.
Here is another oldie but goodie that breaks down the scores your file will receive. I haven't updated it in a couple years, but it should be close to what is currently used.
http://goldenknightbattalion.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/the-whole-person-score-what-is-it/
If you are looking for help with the Army ROTC scholarship process I can't emphasize enough that you find a good, helpful recruiting officer (ROO) at one of the Battalions. I don't think I ever expounded on this before, but (and this is only conjecture) a ROO at a big, popular or exclusive school probably doesn't have to work his high school applicants as hard as a ROO at a small, not nationally recognized school (like Clarkson), the same probably holds true for SMCs. If you aren't getting help or a response from the ROO at Powerhouse U. try the guy from Clarkson, he'll point you in the right direction while he's telling you how you should also consider the #8 on the most underrated schools in the nation. http://www.businessinsider.com/most-underrated-colleges-in-america-2013-6

A small price to pay! :biggrin: And you might change your mind about where you want to attend! :thumb:
 
Thank you so much for the help. The ROO at Embry Riddle (1st choice on schol. list) contacted him the day after the school accepted him. He might very well be a good resource. The only one in our area is at school where he did not apply (they do not have his major) but the ROO there did his interview. The ROO at Embry mentioned a 3 or 3/12 year after his first semester if the national one does no come through.
 
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