It can happen either way. Some battalions will wait until the student is enrolled in their ROTC program, then evaluate the cadets to see who yhey will offer a 3 year scholarship. Some battalions will seek out a student that had listed their school and that they are very interested in and use the 3 year scholarship as an incentive to attend their program. You really need to talk to all the schools he listed directly to find out what their policy is regarding the 3 year scholarships. Some schools may not have the funds to even offer a 3 year, it all depends on the budget and how they fill their quota of cadets.
January 4, 2011 AROTC Board
- Thread starter Ohio2015Parent
- Start date
Ohio2015Parent
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Various calculations lend to the "assumption" of January 25, but the results do come out over a period of days so, yes, luckily my job allows me flexibility in my schedule. My bosses know typically I will stay over if needed, but not next week.
I work retail and have to take the pros with the cons - like right now I only works about 2 days a week....and Christmas shoppers really should be more Christ like rather than Grinch types
but those cons are acceptable to me.Many of the "experts" have agreed, typically 3 weeks after the posted end date of a board (January's ended Friday 1/7/11) so adding a day for MLK the date falls to Tuesday, Jan 25. Of course, things do change (understatement of the year) so really until the letter arrives in the mail I guess its still a crap shoot
I was informed that I was not boarded for round 2. But the PMS told me if I didn't receive a 4 Year Nat. for the 3rd board, he would offer me on internally. So through all the chaos it will all be okay in the end.
Somebody earlier wanted me to post what worked for me:
-4.1 W GPA (fresh and soph unweighted, then switched to weight last two years)
-1750 Sat 610 Reading 560 Math
-3 year football starter
-Captain of Football Team - Earning All County, Conference, North (h.m.), Coaches Association Academic All-state honors
-Tough as Nails Award winner
-2 year church league basketball (intramural)
-2 sport letterman (football and cheerleading - mascot haha)
-English student of year as a junior
-NHS
-Principal Advisery Committee
-Leadership Seminar
-Mentoring program w/ local police dept - becoming a volunteer cop
-Never missed a day of high school (may sound silly, but it shows rain or shine, sickness and in health - I go to school)
-Youth Football Camp Volunteer
-Athletic Department Distinguished Honor Roll (3.8 gpa or above)
-AP GOV, ECON, USH
-ACP (dual credit) Composition and Speech
Thats all that comes of the top of my head. If any future cadet or anybody wants to talk about the process or ROTC - feel free to pm me. I am not one to shy away from talking about ROTC as I am counting down the days till I arrive on campus. I know it may be hard to find information, but I am open for discussion.
Good Luck for future cadets and anxious parents awaiting the 2nd board - I was counting down the days until I relieved the great news. 
Somebody earlier wanted me to post what worked for me:
-4.1 W GPA (fresh and soph unweighted, then switched to weight last two years)
-1750 Sat 610 Reading 560 Math
-3 year football starter
-Captain of Football Team - Earning All County, Conference, North (h.m.), Coaches Association Academic All-state honors
-Tough as Nails Award winner
-2 year church league basketball (intramural)
-2 sport letterman (football and cheerleading - mascot haha)
-English student of year as a junior
-NHS
-Principal Advisery Committee
-Leadership Seminar
-Mentoring program w/ local police dept - becoming a volunteer cop
-Never missed a day of high school (may sound silly, but it shows rain or shine, sickness and in health - I go to school)
-Youth Football Camp Volunteer
-Athletic Department Distinguished Honor Roll (3.8 gpa or above)
-AP GOV, ECON, USH
-ACP (dual credit) Composition and Speech
Thats all that comes of the top of my head. If any future cadet or anybody wants to talk about the process or ROTC - feel free to pm me. I am not one to shy away from talking about ROTC as I am counting down the days till I arrive on campus. I know it may be hard to find information, but I am open for discussion.
Good Luck for future cadets and anxious parents
awaiting the 2nd board - I was counting down the days until I relieved the great news. 
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Chip, congrats on getting the 4-year AROTC Scholarship!!!! If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to swing this?
My DS has been proceeding along with what we understood was the correct path --> on-line app on AROTC website, interview with local PMS, PT test, wait for results, etc.
And now we sit and wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
But you're not the first person to post here about "internal" AROTC scholarships. How did you swing this? Did you visit the AROTC unit and simply develop a relationship with the PMS at your prospective school? While I do not want to diminish the excellence and initiative that you have displayed in securing your award (it is actually in the FINEST traditions of the U.S. Army officer corps, so kudos to you!
), it seems to me that getting "chummy" with the PMS defeats the entire purpose of this whole "national competition" thing.We did speak with the PMS of one of the Ivy League schools to which my DS is applying. He said that he did "recommend" my DS for the AROTC scholarship, because my DS's academic credentials are slightly ABOVE the average of non-ROTC students who matriculate at that school. But nothing was said about an "internal" scholarship. I have advised my DS not to waste the PMS's time until he actually receives an offer of admission at that school. Did I give him bad advice?
One of the schools to which my DS HAS been accepted is Penn State University. But the only contact we've had with the AROTC unit there is checking out the BN's website. Should we be visiting the main campus and getting "chummy" with the PMS and talk to him about an "internal" scholarship? When you click on the link about scholarships on the Nittany Lion AROTC webpage, the user is directed to the GoArmy website.
Candidly, it really doesn't sit well with me that there is a "back channel" path for 4-year scholarships, because I think everyone should be on an "even-playing-field" in this process. But if that's what it takes for my DS to get the Army to notice and take an active interest in him, then maybe that's what we have to do. I do think that this scholarship-application process is an EXCELLENT learning experience for my DS -- I repeatedly remind him that "Life ain't fair, so just get used to it." However, he was fortunate to obtain a maximum score on his AROTC interview (200/200) at our local ROTC school and that was forwarded to AROTC in connection with his national application, so at least someone within the AROTC bureaucracy knows he has the personality to lead troops someday.
My DS has similar credentials to your's, which are excellent (although my DS's GPA and SAT scores are higher). I especially LOVE the "never missed a day of high-school" credential (my DS certainly can't claim that)! Too bad the U.S. Post Office doesn't hand out scholarships, because you'd be PERFECT!
Any advice you can provide for securing an "internal" scholarship at this point would be very appreciated by not only us in the patentesq household but probably scores of households across America who read these posts.
One experience
We did a campus visit (13 hours from home) during spring of the junior year and part of the visit was meeting with the ROO; basically each party "interviewed" the other. At the end of the visit DS was told if he had an acceptable ACT score (results unknown at that point) ROO would choose him for a three year scholarship if he was not awarded nationally (at this university if you get a three year scholarship the school will kick in for the fourth year). The official interview was done at a local school because of timing and distance. Since the school visit there have been a few emails between them. I'm not sure that there is a chummy relationship but it did allow for the parents and student to be "interviewed" and an impression formed.
Other bloggers will tell you that the number of these school based scholarships vary greatly depending on the school. Hope this helps a bit.
We did a campus visit (13 hours from home) during spring of the junior year and part of the visit was meeting with the ROO; basically each party "interviewed" the other. At the end of the visit DS was told if he had an acceptable ACT score (results unknown at that point) ROO would choose him for a three year scholarship if he was not awarded nationally (at this university if you get a three year scholarship the school will kick in for the fourth year). The official interview was done at a local school because of timing and distance. Since the school visit there have been a few emails between them. I'm not sure that there is a chummy relationship but it did allow for the parents and student to be "interviewed" and an impression formed.
Other bloggers will tell you that the number of these school based scholarships vary greatly depending on the school. Hope this helps a bit.
Ohio2015Parent
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January 20th
It is snowing in Ohio, again. Our city freaks out about 4-6 inches like the blizzard of death is coming.
Patentesq, I can only speak of my DS experience, but he did personally visit each college and AROTC program he listed on his scholarship application. Granted, all schools are within 2-4 hours of our home so traveling wasn't an issue. DS met with each BN's ROO and had "mini" interviews with them. His official 3 panel member interview took place at his now 1st choice school last summer. I know from your post that you and DS plan to visit a lot of schools soon and approached this decision differently - but DS has even stayed in the dorm with his potential 1st choice BN and is going back again this weekend (yeah, we're gonna do some snow driving tomorrow...)So, I think Chip may have followed more of our path - but, no, no one has offered my DS a campus scholarship from AROTC, even though his stats are maxed in two SAL areas and his 1st choice ROO also recommends him and wants him too. I hope other posters will chime in with how their DS/DD approached the selection of schools/AROTC BNs for their applications. Maybe ClarksonsArmy can give us some feedback from a ROOs POV?
Chip, again, congrats on you scholarship and good luck next year, please keep posting and sharing your insight to the process - we need more candidates on here to help all of us parents!
It is snowing in Ohio, again. Our city freaks out about 4-6 inches like the blizzard of death is coming.
Patentesq, I can only speak of my DS experience, but he did personally visit each college and AROTC program he listed on his scholarship application. Granted, all schools are within 2-4 hours of our home so traveling wasn't an issue. DS met with each BN's ROO and had "mini" interviews with them. His official 3 panel member interview took place at his now 1st choice school last summer. I know from your post that you and DS plan to visit a lot of schools soon and approached this decision differently - but DS has even stayed in the dorm with his potential 1st choice BN and is going back again this weekend (yeah, we're gonna do some snow driving tomorrow...
)So, I think Chip may have followed more of our path - but, no, no one has offered my DS a campus scholarship from AROTC, even though his stats are maxed in two SAL areas and his 1st choice ROO also recommends him and wants him too. I hope other posters will chime in with how their DS/DD approached the selection of schools/AROTC BNs for their applications. Maybe ClarksonsArmy can give us some feedback from a ROOs POV?Chip, again, congrats on you scholarship and good luck next year, please keep posting and sharing your insight to the process - we need more candidates on here to help all of us parents!
Another anecdote
About two years ago when we began gathering information about Army ROTC scholarships two northern schools told us they never have enough applicants for the number of scholarships available. One of these schools now has more applicants than scholarships. Such changes so quickly. We also discovered that the farther north and east the university the chances increased for openings. While doing some online reading we discovered that the military was/is actually concerned about the lack of candidates from certain areas of the US and how there was concern about southern states having such large military populations and the biases both good and bad due to the ratio.
Clarkson can probably address this better since his school is certainly north and fairly east.
About two years ago when we began gathering information about Army ROTC scholarships two northern schools told us they never have enough applicants for the number of scholarships available. One of these schools now has more applicants than scholarships. Such changes so quickly. We also discovered that the farther north and east the university the chances increased for openings. While doing some online reading we discovered that the military was/is actually concerned about the lack of candidates from certain areas of the US and how there was concern about southern states having such large military populations and the biases both good and bad due to the ratio.
Clarkson can probably address this better since his school is certainly north and fairly east.
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- 1,580
I'm feeling like a totally INCOMPETENT parent right now. I took my DS on a massive college tour early this past summer, mainly because I wanted him to get a solid feel for the variety of schools that are out there (big vs. small, countryside vs. inner-city, etc.). We did not visit any of the ROTC units while we were there, because this was mainly about getting my son to figure out what kind of school he likes, and which ones he didn't like.
Two of the schools that we visited were USMA and Princeton. I recall sitting there and listening to the Princeton admissions officer give his little speech to the prospective students and recounting a story about one unsuccessful applicant who was the No. 2 piano player in the world. When that unsuccessful applicant called to question Princeton's admissions decision and explained "But I'm the No. 2 piano player in the world!", the response she received from Princeton was, "Well, we have already admitted the No. 1 piano player in the world, and we don't currently have a need for any other piano players. Thank you for your call."
On the trip home, I remember pulling over at a rest stop and looking my son square in the eye. I told him that if he is really serious about jumping into this league (would be the first in my family to do so), he needs at least a 32 on his ACT and that the path to USMA is a VERY, VERY, VERY long one. Well, when we returned home, he started working on his ACT every day, going to ACT prep class 4 hours a day for over two months. He also exercised hard every day to ensure that his CFA was competitive for USMA and ROTC. To my complete amazement, he has been very determined about this, and I have seen something in my DS that I previously had NO idea existed.
When the ACT score reports came out this fall, we learned that he received an ACT composite score of 34. This score places him in the top 1% of the nation and puts him squarely in the zone to gain admission at some very competitive schools. It was at that point that I suggested he might as well "swing for the fence" and apply to these top schools. I can tell you that he is not "the No. 1 piano player in the world", so I don't know what the result will ultimately be for Princeton. And I am also aware that the likelihood of striking out is much higher if you swing for the fence than if you simply go for a base hit. It would be personally sad for me if my DS was not able to serve his country as I did because of some bad advice that I gave him as a father. That is why I'm here on SAF, hoping to learn about this convoluted process and give my DS that opportunity.
So here we are. Applications filed and waiting. Haven't met with a single ROTC unit except for the required interviews. The crazy thing is that we are going to Florida tomorrow and are hoping for a BFE from USMA any day now, which if it arrives, will likely sit on the front doorstep under 6 inches of snow until we return. At least we'll hopefully learn something regarding AROTC on Tuesday via the Internet (thanks, ProudMom, for advising about Internet service in FL!).
On the bright side, this is my first kid going through this process, and we've got other pumpkins lined up in the patentesq household who are also interested in serving our country (I claim full credit for that, at least).
Looks like we may have to get back on the road again. Ugh.
Two of the schools that we visited were USMA and Princeton. I recall sitting there and listening to the Princeton admissions officer give his little speech to the prospective students and recounting a story about one unsuccessful applicant who was the No. 2 piano player in the world. When that unsuccessful applicant called to question Princeton's admissions decision and explained "But I'm the No. 2 piano player in the world!", the response she received from Princeton was, "Well, we have already admitted the No. 1 piano player in the world, and we don't currently have a need for any other piano players. Thank you for your call."
On the trip home, I remember pulling over at a rest stop and looking my son square in the eye. I told him that if he is really serious about jumping into this league (would be the first in my family to do so), he needs at least a 32 on his ACT and that the path to USMA is a VERY, VERY, VERY long one. Well, when we returned home, he started working on his ACT every day, going to ACT prep class 4 hours a day for over two months. He also exercised hard every day to ensure that his CFA was competitive for USMA and ROTC. To my complete amazement, he has been very determined about this, and I have seen something in my DS that I previously had NO idea existed.
When the ACT score reports came out this fall, we learned that he received an ACT composite score of 34. This score places him in the top 1% of the nation and puts him squarely in the zone to gain admission at some very competitive schools. It was at that point that I suggested he might as well "swing for the fence" and apply to these top schools. I can tell you that he is not "the No. 1 piano player in the world", so I don't know what the result will ultimately be for Princeton. And I am also aware that the likelihood of striking out is much higher if you swing for the fence than if you simply go for a base hit. It would be personally sad for me if my DS was not able to serve his country as I did because of some bad advice that I gave him as a father. That is why I'm here on SAF, hoping to learn about this convoluted process and give my DS that opportunity.
So here we are. Applications filed and waiting. Haven't met with a single ROTC unit except for the required interviews. The crazy thing is that we are going to Florida tomorrow and are hoping for a BFE from USMA any day now, which if it arrives, will likely sit on the front doorstep under 6 inches of snow until we return. At least we'll hopefully learn something regarding AROTC on Tuesday via the Internet (thanks, ProudMom, for advising about Internet service in FL!).
On the bright side, this is my first kid going through this process, and we've got other pumpkins lined up in the patentesq household who are also interested in serving our country (I claim full credit for that, at least).
Looks like we may have to get back on the road again. Ugh.
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Chip, congrats on getting the 4-year AROTC Scholarship!!!! If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to swing this?
My DS has been proceeding along with what we understood was the correct path --> on-line app on AROTC website, interview with local PMS, PT test, wait for results, etc.
And now we sit and wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
But you're not the first person to post here about "internal" AROTC scholarships. How did you swing this? Did you visit the AROTC unit and simply develop a relationship with the PMS at your prospective school? While I do not want to diminish the excellence and initiative that you have displayed in securing your award (it is actually in the FINEST traditions of the U.S. Army officer corps, so kudos to you!
We did speak with the PMS of one of the Ivy League schools to which my DS is applying. He said that he did "recommend" my DS for the AROTC scholarship, because my DS's academic credentials are slightly ABOVE the average of non-ROTC students who matriculate at that school. But nothing was said about an "internal" scholarship. I have advised my DS not to waste the PMS's time until he actually receives an offer of admission at that school. Did I give him bad advice?
One of the schools to which my DS HAS been accepted is Penn State University. But the only contact we've had with the AROTC unit there is checking out the BN's website. Should we be visiting the main campus and getting "chummy" with the PMS and talk to him about an "internal" scholarship? When you click on the link about scholarships on the Nittany Lion AROTC webpage, the user is directed to the GoArmy website.
Candidly, it really doesn't sit well with me that there is a "back channel" path for 4-year scholarships, because I think everyone should be on an "even-playing-field" in this process. But if that's what it takes for my DS to get the Army to notice and take an active interest in him, then maybe that's what we have to do. I do think that this scholarship-application process is an EXCELLENT learning experience for my DS -- I repeatedly remind him that "Life ain't fair, so just get used to it." However, he was fortunate to obtain a maximum score on his AROTC interview (200/200) at our local ROTC school and that was forwarded to AROTC in connection with his national application, so at least someone within the AROTC bureaucracy knows he has the personality to lead troops someday.
My DS has similar credentials to your's, which are excellent (although my DS's GPA and SAT scores are higher). I especially LOVE the "never missed a day of high-school" credential (my DS certainly can't claim that)! Too bad the U.S. Post Office doesn't hand out scholarships, because you'd be PERFECT!
Any advice you can provide for securing an "internal" scholarship at this point would be very appreciated by not only us in the patentesq household but probably scores of households across America who read these posts.
Those "internal" scholarships as you referred to it (aka campus-based) are onesie twosies and from what I understand, they are given to specific units for specific purposes (e.g. enhance new campus startup). Furthermore, once they are made available to the unit, they are awarded at the discretion of the PMS. Yes, getting to know the PMS is part of getting the award, but not everything about getting the award. The PMS may have a particular aspect of his unit's score s/he wants to improve (athletic participation, a specific EC participation, etc.) about his/her unit.
These campus-based scholarships are not all 4-year scholarships (3-yr AD are actually more typical) as well. The most important part of these scholarships are that the PMS looks for someone who wants to be at his/her school and has a particular thing in addition to ROTC that draws the student there.
Yup, I understand this makes it clear as mud as to how to get one. In goaliegirl's case, we didn't even know about these until it was offered. We were investigating the unit and in discussions were clear about goaliegirl's school decision (based upon hockey opportunities between the top couple of schools on the list) and when the decision was clear, the scholarship was offered.
What I'm saying here is that you don't find the campus-based scholarship, it finds you. Yes, it behooves your student to talk to the Cadre at the top choice school(s) and be clear in what is driving the school decision (and that shouldn't be the money, unless you clearly are in the poorhouse and even then it should not be the primary thing). Most importantly, don't bring up the subject of campus-based scholarships. If they have one, and the student fills the bill, s/he will get it.
jkcksoup
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Marist College ROTC
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Do not rely on "internal" scholarships. These campus based scholarships are sometimes available and sometimes they are not. The PMS may fully intend to give your DS this scholarship but find out in July that he/she has been awared $0 for campus based scholarships.
patentesq,
During the AROTC application for my younger son this year we had the benefit of having an older son who is in his 3rd year of college and ROTC. This gave us a better understanding of the process. We have a friendly relationship with the PMS and ROO at his school which helped us through the process.
First a brief history of the AROTC process over the past few years. When my older son applied the indivdual battalions made the selections. This made the process a little easier in my opinion. This was back in the fall of 2007. This was the last year they did it this way. The next year they transitioned to a centralized program. When we met with the PMS at our local college last year he told us that the scholarship program had tighted the reigns a bit because some schools had made more offers then they were supposed to, while the Army honored those offers the word was passed down that it would not be allowed in the future. This slowed down the campus based scholarships along with the fact that Cadet Command was now in full swing with the centralized selection process. This information came from discussions with my son's PMS.
Now jump ahead to my younger son. He sent his application, visited a only a couple of the ROTC programs, and talked a few times with the ROO's from the rest of the schools.
In none of these conversations was a campus based scholarship offer ever brought up. My older son's PMS did talk about them, what he said was that while they are possible, they are not a given and he would never promise one to anybody because things change and they may not be available.
If there is one thing I learned form my time in the service is that nothing is final until it is in writing. While some may say they have been offered a campus scholarship, it will only be a true offer once all the boards are final and all the offers have either been accepted or declined, even then it will be based on funds available and open slots. I wouldn't read too much into the offers you read about until they happen.
That being said, it is not a bad idea to get in contact with the ROO's from all the schools your son listed. Even better to put a face to the name if possible.
As far as which ROTC battalion is better then the other, I wouldn't be too concerned with that. All ROTC battalions have a curriculum to follow, some may have different methods but all have the single goal to commission officers.
My older son attends what some here have referred to as "A no name State School". Not in our state, but a state school none the less. I may get some flak for this but our advise to our son was to attend any school he wants for his undergarduate degree and pick the prestige school for his masters.
Again regarding ROTC battalions, my son's battalion has had 2 cadets finish in the top 1% and 5 finish in the top 10% in the past 2 years. 3 of them finished top of the class in Ranger School. My point is that a lot depends on the individual not the program as a whole. No matter what school he attends, if he works hard the oppertunity is there.
Campus based scholarships, if offered, will depend a lot on how the battalion fills it's quotas during the national scholarship process. The more competitive programs will have few if any to give. The less competitive programs may have one if the budget allows.
My younger son applied for the scholarship this year and listed all smaller state schools from Florida to Washington State. He received the scholarship offer on the first board to 5 of the schools. A couple of the schools told him that they had an excess of 50 applicants who had listed their schools and only 2 were selected at one and only 1 at the others. This was only the numbers for the first board, you can only imagine the numbers now, and none of these schools were considered the most competitive. No one should count on a campus based scholarship, but it doesn't hurt to keep in contact in case one is available. ROO's can promise anything but until it is in writing it is still just a promise, I'm sure you remember that in the military things seem to change daily.
Some applicants apply only to schools that they figure they have the best chance to receive a scholarship. Some apply to the schools they really want to attend (Dream Schools) and if they get the scholarship then great. I feel that the kids need to go to a college they want and feel they will succeed at or their experience will not be a good one. During our conversations with a couple PMS they all stressed to pick the college you want, do not pick a school based on the ROTC program.
Your son looks to have great stats, depending on the schools he should have a great chance and it sure looks like th USMA is clearly in the mix. Good luck and have a great trip to Florida. Hopfully the weather is better for you, when we went Dec. 10th the temp was 36 degrees and windy, I guess we didn't need the bathing suits. I never new Pensecola got that cold.
During the AROTC application for my younger son this year we had the benefit of having an older son who is in his 3rd year of college and ROTC. This gave us a better understanding of the process. We have a friendly relationship with the PMS and ROO at his school which helped us through the process.
First a brief history of the AROTC process over the past few years. When my older son applied the indivdual battalions made the selections. This made the process a little easier in my opinion. This was back in the fall of 2007. This was the last year they did it this way. The next year they transitioned to a centralized program. When we met with the PMS at our local college last year he told us that the scholarship program had tighted the reigns a bit because some schools had made more offers then they were supposed to, while the Army honored those offers the word was passed down that it would not be allowed in the future. This slowed down the campus based scholarships along with the fact that Cadet Command was now in full swing with the centralized selection process. This information came from discussions with my son's PMS.
Now jump ahead to my younger son. He sent his application, visited a only a couple of the ROTC programs, and talked a few times with the ROO's from the rest of the schools.
In none of these conversations was a campus based scholarship offer ever brought up. My older son's PMS did talk about them, what he said was that while they are possible, they are not a given and he would never promise one to anybody because things change and they may not be available.
If there is one thing I learned form my time in the service is that nothing is final until it is in writing. While some may say they have been offered a campus scholarship, it will only be a true offer once all the boards are final and all the offers have either been accepted or declined, even then it will be based on funds available and open slots. I wouldn't read too much into the offers you read about until they happen.
That being said, it is not a bad idea to get in contact with the ROO's from all the schools your son listed. Even better to put a face to the name if possible.
As far as which ROTC battalion is better then the other, I wouldn't be too concerned with that. All ROTC battalions have a curriculum to follow, some may have different methods but all have the single goal to commission officers.
My older son attends what some here have referred to as "A no name State School". Not in our state, but a state school none the less. I may get some flak for this but our advise to our son was to attend any school he wants for his undergarduate degree and pick the prestige school for his masters.
Again regarding ROTC battalions, my son's battalion has had 2 cadets finish in the top 1% and 5 finish in the top 10% in the past 2 years. 3 of them finished top of the class in Ranger School. My point is that a lot depends on the individual not the program as a whole. No matter what school he attends, if he works hard the oppertunity is there.
Campus based scholarships, if offered, will depend a lot on how the battalion fills it's quotas during the national scholarship process. The more competitive programs will have few if any to give. The less competitive programs may have one if the budget allows.
My younger son applied for the scholarship this year and listed all smaller state schools from Florida to Washington State. He received the scholarship offer on the first board to 5 of the schools. A couple of the schools told him that they had an excess of 50 applicants who had listed their schools and only 2 were selected at one and only 1 at the others. This was only the numbers for the first board, you can only imagine the numbers now, and none of these schools were considered the most competitive. No one should count on a campus based scholarship, but it doesn't hurt to keep in contact in case one is available. ROO's can promise anything but until it is in writing it is still just a promise, I'm sure you remember that in the military things seem to change daily.
Some applicants apply only to schools that they figure they have the best chance to receive a scholarship. Some apply to the schools they really want to attend (Dream Schools) and if they get the scholarship then great. I feel that the kids need to go to a college they want and feel they will succeed at or their experience will not be a good one. During our conversations with a couple PMS they all stressed to pick the college you want, do not pick a school based on the ROTC program.
Your son looks to have great stats, depending on the schools he should have a great chance and it sure looks like th USMA is clearly in the mix. Good luck and have a great trip to Florida. Hopfully the weather is better for you, when we went Dec. 10th the temp was 36 degrees and windy, I guess we didn't need the bathing suits. I never new Pensecola got that cold.
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- Jan 14, 2011
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This is unrelated, but maybe someone has an answer:
I called the contact number for CC about a week ago concerning a scholarship update (when there was a slight glitch that made it seem as though results could be found out--but also to confirm the schools listed had been changed to relfect my application).
Well I just got called back from Ft. Monroe and the number they left to call back at was disconnected when I immediately called back! I do know that CC has moved to Ft. Knox, so is there some different number to call now? Why would I get a return call from Monroe if CC isn't there? Has anyone else received a return call from calling CC?
I called the contact number for CC about a week ago concerning a scholarship update (when there was a slight glitch that made it seem as though results could be found out--but also to confirm the schools listed had been changed to relfect my application).
Well I just got called back from Ft. Monroe and the number they left to call back at was disconnected when I immediately called back! I do know that CC has moved to Ft. Knox, so is there some different number to call now? Why would I get a return call from Monroe if CC isn't there? Has anyone else received a return call from calling CC?
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Jcleppe, thank you so much for taking the time to write such an informative post. It is worthy of "sticky" status.
Note to Parents/Applicants: Do NOT rely on old SAF posts in your quest for clarity in this process. The game has changed. I expect many ROTC instructors are learning "on-the-fly" as well.
Clearly.
Note to Parents/Applicants: Do NOT rely on old SAF posts in your quest for clarity in this process. The game has changed. I expect many ROTC instructors are learning "on-the-fly" as well.
Clearly.
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We received a call from JoAnn Butler a few minutes ago. She said that she was just "slipped a note" that my DS had called. The call of my DS was actually placed in December (to make sure his packet was complete for the Jan. 4 board). The Caller ID said "Ft. Monroe".
I do have to say that Ms. Butler responds very well to emails. She is one of only 6 staff personnel responding to THOUSANDS of inquiries.
But the best way to find out about your "school list" is to call the scholarship officer from an ROTC unit of a school on your list. They all have computer-access to your application and can confirm the information you seek.
Of course, you can always call Ft. Monroe to obtain the same information -- if you don't mind waiting until March to have your call returned.
Chip, I don't in any way want to rain on your parade, however, I've learned in life that the best of intentions and plans sometimes do not work out. The PMS you spoke to undoubtedly would like to allocate his/her 4 year campus-based scholarship to you, based on what your PMS knows at that moment. Yet, in eight weeks time when you and he/she learns of the 28 Feb 2011 Board results, the budget from Cadet Command or your PMS' Region may have shifted. The PMS' battalion may no longer have the budget... it may have been shifted to another Battalion within the Region. Just sayin' you don't have a scholarship until you recieve the offer in the mail from Cadet Command, or from your PMS. Your PMS might get hit by a truck tomorrow, or be reassigned to Korea, or meet ROTC applicant Steve Stunning, the greatest potential future General in the history of the US Army, and slide your verbally committed scholarship to Steve ... just as happens in college football with verbal offers.chip said:
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The internal scholarships are not based on funding - From what I understand the PMS is given two additional scholarships to use at his discretion because the program is one of the top performing in its brigade.
Not too mention the PMS has $200,000 given to him by the school, and he can allocate those funds however he pleases.
And like I said, the internal scholarship is just the backup plan. Ive been told by 2 PMS that they would be surprised if I didn't get the Nat Scholarship.
I understand it's not good to put my hopes on a PMS's verbal offer, but I think it's useless to come up with scenarios that only lead to pessimistic thinking. It's easy for future cadets to become frustrated and pessimistic with the fact their future isn't in their hands. But I think it's best to remain positive, have confidence in myself and my accomplishments - show leadership qualities. It is not like a efficient leader to dwell on something he or she cannot control.
Not too mention the PMS has $200,000 given to him by the school, and he can allocate those funds however he pleases.
And like I said, the internal scholarship is just the backup plan. Ive been told by 2 PMS that they would be surprised if I didn't get the Nat Scholarship.
I understand it's not good to put my hopes on a PMS's verbal offer, but I think it's useless to come up with scenarios that only lead to pessimistic thinking. It's easy for future cadets to become frustrated and pessimistic with the fact their future isn't in their hands. But I think it's best to remain positive, have confidence in myself and my accomplishments - show leadership qualities. It is not like a efficient leader to dwell on something he or she cannot control.
Chip,
My my post and those of others are not scenarios, they state pretty much how the system works.
I sure do not want to come ascross as being negative....but...a lot of perspective cadets read this forum. Blanket statements like this can raise hopes and lead to decisions that may not be in their best interest. Not to mention a flood of calls to unsuspecting PMS's asking for one of their 2 extra spots.
PMS's are not just given 2 additional scholarships. Consider the fact that there are approx. 242 ( I am probably off on the total number ) AROTC units nation wide, if everyone, even just the top performing were given 2 additional scholarships that would add a lot of scholarships above what is given at the national level.
I'm curious about the $200,000.00 you say is given to the PMS by the school. Are you saying that every PMS gets that amount or just the PMS at the school you spoke with. I'm sure every PMS would love to receive that amount since most that I have talked with have their units cleaning stadiums, taking tickets, and doing just about anything they can do to raise money for their battalion. Most private schools will pay a cadets room and board, but I have never heard of a PMS just getting 200k to do with what they want.
Regarding the battalions, we have gone through this process with 2 son's, during the visits and conversations with all the PMS's we have had, everyone of them said they were one of the top performing battalions in their brigade, and there are a lot of brigades.
The post above by Marist College ROTC is a very good source, a straight from the horses mouth sort of thing.
Again I'm not being negative or throwing out senarios, I just want to make sure others don't get the wrong ideas.
My my post and those of others are not scenarios, they state pretty much how the system works.
I sure do not want to come ascross as being negative....but...a lot of perspective cadets read this forum. Blanket statements like this can raise hopes and lead to decisions that may not be in their best interest. Not to mention a flood of calls to unsuspecting PMS's asking for one of their 2 extra spots.
PMS's are not just given 2 additional scholarships. Consider the fact that there are approx. 242 ( I am probably off on the total number ) AROTC units nation wide, if everyone, even just the top performing were given 2 additional scholarships that would add a lot of scholarships above what is given at the national level.
I'm curious about the $200,000.00 you say is given to the PMS by the school. Are you saying that every PMS gets that amount or just the PMS at the school you spoke with. I'm sure every PMS would love to receive that amount since most that I have talked with have their units cleaning stadiums, taking tickets, and doing just about anything they can do to raise money for their battalion. Most private schools will pay a cadets room and board, but I have never heard of a PMS just getting 200k to do with what they want.
Regarding the battalions, we have gone through this process with 2 son's, during the visits and conversations with all the PMS's we have had, everyone of them said they were one of the top performing battalions in their brigade, and there are a lot of brigades.
The post above by Marist College ROTC is a very good source, a straight from the horses mouth sort of thing.
Again I'm not being negative or throwing out senarios, I just want to make sure others don't get the wrong ideas.
A sincere question...
Why not bring it up?
Sincere answer...
It could appear to call into question your motivation for contacting the unit. The PMS/ROO will be able to see that you have applied for a national scholarship, will see your submitted packet to assess your chances for the national scholarship, knows where his/her school ranks in your application, and is assessing you as a candidate when s/he talks to you. If you discuss what makes X university a place where you want to be and what you want to accomplish while at X university (particular things unique to X university are particularly nice) and express an interest in learning about what X university's ROTC unit does that you might be interested in participating in, the PMS will know that you are going to be a contributor that s/he doesn't want to let slip through his/her grasp. If s/he is concerned that X university will run out of national scholarships by the time your application floats to the top (it happens) and has a campus scholarship, they will bring up the subject.
Bringing up the subject does not enhance your image in the PMS'/ROO's mind even if the answer gives you a sense of where things may play out. Not worth the information if it costs you the objective.
In my own communication with the the PMS, it was made clear that goaliegirl could have applied to a local school where she would have enough other financial aid outside of ROTC to fully fund her education, but that wasn't her objective (no hockey here) and the school wasn't on her list, nor did she even apply and I fully supported her decision. It was clear that there were multiple objectives to achieve (ice time and a supportive ROTC unit) with finances left to tip a close decision if a national scholarship came along. Little did we know at the time that there were campus-based scholarships.
Point here that several posters have made is to select schools where you want to be (for your objectives) regardless of the ROTC scholarship and things have a way of working themselves out. If finances are a concern, choosing schools where you will be in the top quintile of applicants will enhance your chances for school FA and the National Scholarship. Fishing for scholarships is not a strategy that will yield much of a catch.