January 4, 2011 AROTC Board

[FloridaDad]

This was how I understood the process to work also.

I will try and speak to Colonel and get a better understanding of the board process. He was president of the board so he should have a good idea of the ins and outs.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

I will try and speak to Colonel and get a better understanding of the board process. He was president of the board so he should have a good idea of the ins and outs.

Yes, clarity would be good - even if on only this one part of the system. Have a great night, this old lady is off to bed.

 

[patentesq]

Where's the link regarding school selection? I could see that happening in May but now?

paradoxer, see post #161 on page 17 of this current thread (and the subsequent posts until folks lost interest).

 

[FloridaDad]

paradoxer, see post #161 on page 17 of this current thread (and the subsequent posts until folks lost interest).

School choices will help a little bit but most people put a good selection of State schools down. They will work the list based on score and maybe back fill at the end of the board season for programs that are under subscribed.

Another thing worth noting is some schools have significant numbers of in school scholarships. I was told one school nearby had in school (4 year) scholarships last fall.

 

[paradoxer]

My read on this, correct me

paradoxer, see post #161 on page 17 of this current thread (and the subsequent posts until folks lost interest).

School choice is very important but first you have to make the OML cut, without having a high enough score on the OML you won't ever have the school choice issue come into play. Which is why the 998/450 score scenario doesn't seem to ring true unless you would be selected after all three boards met and were filling a gap at a specific school. Or am I still missing something here?

 

[patentesq]

School choices will help a little bit but most people put a good selection of State schools down.

Not my DS, I'm afraid. He swung for the fence on school choices when he started down this path. He's not going to change his school choices at this point, though, because he already has an appointment to USMA (although if he is rejected at Princeton, and the AROTC board has yet to announce, guess which school is coming off the school choice list!).

As a parent, I was just trying to give him options to ensure that he is making the right choice wherever he decides to go to school. Looks like I may have inadvertently limited his choices for him. I simply gave him bad advice. Stuff happens.

 

[patentesq]

School choice is very important but first you have to make the OML cut, without having a high enough score on the OML you won't ever have the school choice issue come into play. Which is why the 998/450 score scenario doesn't seem to ring true unless you would be selected after all three boards met and were filling a gap at a specific school. Or am I still missing something here?

I wish I knew the answer. I'm a newbie on this particular subject.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

February 8th

Good morning.

After talking about the size of this thread last night, I had a thought. At the current 400-500 posts, 50 pages this has become a monster So, I am thinking once we get results(and a brand new thread to celebrate) I am going to come back and make an index of sorts for our posts. It will be one of the last posts so when in the future someone hits our little wealth of knowledge they will have a guide to what topics and the post #/page # to find this information. Yes, I will still be hanging out regardless of DS status after Jan results....I want to see each person (I have kept a list of every poster from our thread) and how their stories play out. NOT creeping on your famlies, promise, just want to account for everyone. Also, since our thread will break off when results are posted I think we should include a list at the end of this thread telling who got what and where they went with it....Does anyone have objections to this information being with our thread?

Have a good day all.

 

[czs21]

Ohio, I think that sounds like a great idea.

 

[patentesq]

No objection here (I'm personally hoping Ohio2015Parent gets a medal for starting a thread with the most views of all time!).

My only concern is that my DS will come across as uppity if he is LUCKY to obtain a lot of options before making his decision. In this process, my DS is either going to really hit the ball out of the park on this whole ROTC thing or fall flat on his face -- could go either way from what I'm gathering (with the "fall on face" scenario appearing to have a major edge).

My DS is just a normal kid who is working hard for this opportunity. I certainly hope all of my candor on this board and willingness to openly share our family's decisionmaking process for the benefit of others down the road will not someday be viewed with a cynical eye by those who may not, for whatever reason, obtain similar options.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

No objection here (I'm personally hoping Ohio2015Parent gets a medal for starting a thread with the most views of all time!).

My only concern is that my DS will come across as uppity if he is LUCKY to obtain a lot of options before making his decision. In this process, my DS is either going to really hit the ball out of the park on this whole ROTC thing or fall flat on his face -- could go either way from what I'm gathering (with the "fall on face" scenario appearing to have a major edge).

My DS is just a normal kid who is working hard for this opportunity. I certainly hope all of my candor on this board and willingness to openly share our family's decisionmaking process for the benefit of others down the road will not someday be viewed with a cynical eye by those who may not, for whatever reason, obtain similar options.

If they are jealous of his results (whatever they may be) they will get over it. Not being hateful, just realistic. You have shared a lot of insight into the entire process - and those pesky things outside of the process that impact it. We are all just trying to survive this experience with our DD/DS. Those who read this in the future will be just like we were on 1/4/11...hoping for results to be released soon and their DD/DS earns the prize.

 

[gojack]

My DS is just a normal kid who is working hard for this opportunity. I certainly hope all of my candor on this board and willingness to openly share our family's decision making process for the benefit of others down the road will not someday be viewed with a cynical eye by those who may not, for whatever reason, obtain similar options.

We parents are mostly just interested spectators as we watch
these young eaglets leave the nest,
your son sounds like a very impressive young man,
hopefully our sons can serve honorably together.

I'd hope that you hang around long enough to pass on
what you have learned to the 'next batch',
you posts so far have been insightful and well written
(for an attorney)

 

[dogdoc]

Sharing Information

Ohio2015 Parent,

I have no problems with sharing information once the board results are in. I am somewhat curious how some folks arrive at the number they report to be the likely score from the interview. Did your PMS share that with you? Because, I wouldn't have a clue as to what it might be for my son.

 

[patentesq]

Ohio2015 Parent,

I have no problems with sharing information once the board results are in. I am somewhat curious how some folks arrive at the number they report to be the likely score from the interview. Did your PMS share that with you? Because, I wouldn't have a clue as to what it might be for my son.

dogdoc, if you call any of the ROOs on your DS's "school choice" list, they can quickly look on the computer and tell you what the interview score is. And they are very willing to help and provide that information. Don't bother calling CC for the information; they are overwhelmed right now.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Ohio2015 Parent,

I have no problems with sharing information once the board results are in. I am somewhat curious how some folks arrive at the number they report to be the likely score from the interview. Did your PMS share that with you? Because, I wouldn't have a clue as to what it might be for my son.

ROO told son he did well on interview, maxed 2 areas - roughly 140-180 pts out of 200 is my SWAG, he had no varsity letters so lost those points. The interview form is on the thread somewhere(link provided by gojack). It will make more sense once you have seen the form. If 250 pts are for GPA/SAT/ACT, my DS scored a 32ACT and 3.89 GPA(uw all honors/ap), figure he would get points here(230-250) Under the leadership 200 pts, he's an Eagle scout, student senate president, National Youth Leadership Staff member(scout program) and has other scout and school leadership positions so 175-200 pts here. He would then be in the 550-610 range prior to the board placing their final 350 points into the score. He used all of his application spaces to add information about his athletic conditioning to date and what scout activities he engaged in that were physically challenging(6 days canoeing in MN, 5 days sea kayyaking in outerbanks NC, 4 days hiking, high and low ropes courses + rappeling) hoping to pick up some points from the board for showing he isn't a couch potatoe My estimations are completely and truthfully my own SWAG. Not to be confused with informed, experienced parents.

 

[paradoxer]

As we sit here and wait

If 250 pts are for GPA/SAT/ACT, my DS scored a 32ACT and 3.89 GPA(uw all honors/ap), figure he would get points here(230-250)

I pulled out the notes from 2 years ago and read again what the ROO told me (guess I should've asked more than one ROO, just call me trusting - at least then). ROO said ACT/GPA = 250 points and that if you had a 3.0 or above and 24 or above there would be no way to gain more points in this category. I remember at the time asking specifically could a higher ACT score gain you more points and was told "no." DS was already at these limits so thought all was well.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

I pulled out the notes from 2 years ago and read again what the ROO told me (guess I should've asked more than one ROO, just call me trusting - at least then). ROO said ACT/GPA = 250 points and that if you had a 3.0 or above and 24 or above there would be no way to gain more points in this category. I remember at the time asking specifically could a higher ACT score gain you more points and was told "no." DS was already at these limits so thought all was well.

Thanks, didn't know it was 3.0 and 24 and up automatically get the full 250 for that area. I thought DS might not get all the points since he didn't have a 4.0 uw.

 

[dogdoc]

Hmm . .

I pulled out the notes from 2 years ago and read again what the ROO told me (guess I should've asked more than one ROO, just call me trusting - at least then). ROO said ACT/GPA = 250 points and that if you had a 3.0 or above and 24 or above there would be no way to gain more points in this category. I remember at the time asking specifically could a higher ACT score gain you more points and was told "no." DS was already at these limits so thought all was well.

I can only share with you what WE were told regarding the ACT score by our ROO this year. My son took the test twice, got a 29 the first time and a 30 the second. When we reviewed his app prior to submitting, noticed that only the 29 showed up. We were told to get that corrected prior to submission for the Jan 4 board because having a 30 would potentiallly put him in a higher cut-off category (30 and above) and could result in being considered, all other things being equal. Don't know if this was inaccurate information, but did think it was worth mentioning here. Take it for what it is worth.

 

[paradoxer]

Agree with this too

I can only share with you what WE were told regarding the ACT score by our ROO this year. My son took the test twice, got a 29 the first time and a 30 the second. When we reviewed his app prior to submitting, noticed that only the 29 showed up. We were told to get that corrected prior to submission for the Jan 4 board because having a 30 would potentiallly put him in a higher cut-off category (30 and above) and could result in being considered, all other things being equal. Don't know if this was inaccurate information, but did think it was worth mentioning here. Take it for what it is worth.

I'm not saying 30 ACT wouldn't be better as you still can get those points from the board and there a lot more points to be had from them. Possibly both pieces of information are true, possibly not. Was told that the PFT scores could be viewed the same way; basic points awarded but when reviewed by the board a 5 minute mile tells you something about the applicant - 1/2 gazelle.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

I can only share with you what WE were told regarding the ACT score by our ROO this year. My son took the test twice, got a 29 the first time and a 30 the second. When we reviewed his app prior to submitting, noticed that only the 29 showed up. We were told to get that corrected prior to submission for the Jan 4 board because having a 30 would potentiallly put him in a higher cut-off category (30 and above) and could result in being considered, all other things being equal. Don't know if this was inaccurate information, but did think it was worth mentioning here. Take it for what it is worth.

Welcome to the club, you are now officially one of us. The ROOs are great sources of information, but I think the confusion happens because we don't understand the ENTIRE process like they do. I'm liking the SWAG concept right now, simply because I've got nothing else to go on. I do remember hearing that areas can be maxed out(we were told DS can't get more academic points or leadership points)so his application is weak on varsity sport involvement. This was why he used the two write in areas to focus on his "weakness" and address it. The boards 350 points maybe where the higher GPAs, mulitple sport letters and other scores come into play. FloridaDad, another poster, might have information for us - he has some social contacts with some highly in the know types and might be able to share some information with us.