Just Starting. . . Long Road!

Lee2015

USMA & USNA Mom
5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
342
We are just starting our research regarding ROTC scholorships. Generally, when should you start the application process? Do you select the college you want to attend first, get accepted, and then apply for the scholorship?

Thanks!
 
Start in May and apply for ROTC and your colleges at the same time. Take the Summer to write essays and visit colleges. If you have most / all your college applications done before school it will cut down on the extra work load in the Fall and hopefully get you in front of more ROTC scholarship boards. It also gives you more time to resubmit test scores or anything else that got "lost" or needs improved.
Good luck.
 
Also make sure you're getting physically fit as well (or if you're a parent, that your son or daughter is - though it doesn't hurt for parents either :wink:).

What I did was I went through the online application with my guidance counselor the first week of school and submitted it on September 11, 2009 (I chose that day for personal reasons to officially start my way to being an Air Force officer). Then went to my gym teacher, told her what I was doing and she started me on a good plan to build up to taking the PFA in mid-October (I was already in good shape, though some "specialized" training doesn't hurt).

All forms were submitted by the middle of November, which was also the same time I sent in college apps (goal was before Thanksgiving). Had my interview on December 2nd, but my package wasn't completed in time for the first board, so I just got my answer on Monday (waiting that long is a real pain).

I probably could've had the whole process done a little sooner, but there were intervals that I had planned out to get things done, and it looks like it worked.

My advice is start the process in May like aglages said, because that gives your more time to complete all of that and any other ROTC scholarship and academy applications. Also, in May you're still in school, so if you want to show guidance your online app before sending it in, that's a good time to do it.

Do not start after September - it gets hectic by then, and depending on where you live, it may be uncomfortably cold by the time you do the PFA (particularly for the run since most school tracks are outside).

You want to hit this with a running start and grab it by the throat. I waited until September for my own reasons, but I strongly suggest learning as much as you can now, and starting in May/June. Also, ask questions here along the way.
 
Good advice from aglages and eagle! For NROTC: I'd just like to emphasize - get it done Early Early Early!!! It is to your advantage to have your application submitted and reviewed by the very first board, if possible. I know that the slots for the NROTC unit at my son's #1 school were filled by December. He had everything in by the end of August, but by the time everything went through all the various channels and his application went before the board, there was no room left at school #1. Be warned, it takes quite a bit of time from the point when you submit a completed application to the point when it goes before the NROTC board in Pensacola. :thumb:
 
You know, I just realized from my last post that I use parenthesis too much :rolleyes:
 
HaHa Eagle 1 "You know, I just realized from my last post that I use parenthesis too much"!! I prefer the dash dash myself!!:wink:

Thank you all for your answers.:rockon:
 
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