NROTC...a couple of questions?

futureplebe

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The Navy makes it sound like you only have to take a couple required classes, and do a couple cool things in the summer, and they'll give you $180,000 to go to the school of your choice....but I know that's not really the case.


How often do you have to get up early for PT? I was talking to someone that went to a state school that did ROTC, and he made it sound like it wasn't that often, like only a couple times during the week. Then someone who goes to USC (but isn't in ROTC, so I'm trying to validify his response) says he sees his ROTC friends up and about doing PT or something every day during the week. But he does not have first hand experience with ROTC, but I figured people would have on here.

Not that I don't want to do PT, but let's get real here, waking up at 6 every weekday in college would blow, and I know thats what they do at the service academies, God love em.


How much time commitment is ROTC? I know it is significant, but I am getting conflicting answers. Some say it is a breeze, and you don't have to give much time into it, it is just like your campus job that other kids have.
Yet other kids say it is a huge burden, socially and academically, with the required classes and events/meetings.
Any input on this part?






Thanks, that's really all the questions I have for now, but I'm sure more will come up.
 
Arizona State

How much time commitment is ROTC? I know it is significant, but I am getting conflicting answers. Some say it is a breeze, and you don't have to give much time into it, it is just like your campus job that other kids have.
Yet other kids say it is a huge burden, socially and academically, with the required classes and events/meetings.
Any input on this part?


Thanks, that's really all the questions I have for now, but I'm sure more will come up.

I don't know about other colleges, but as an up coming ASU Midshipmen, I've been told by our CO that we have PT at 6 am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Friday being for those who cant meet the minimum physical requirements. Tuesday morning we have drill practice. I have 2 classes that are directly connected with the NROTC program: One class is on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:30 and the second class is a lab from 4:40 pm to 6:40 pm on Thursdays. I'm sure different colleges have different schedules as how much PT and Drill they do during the week.

In my opinion though, I like the idea of waking up early and getting ready for the day by doing PT which will get me up for my early classes. I don't think that it would hurt socially since I could care less what people think of ROTC kids. And compared to Annapolis and the other Service Academies, wearing a uniform once a week with a "normal college experience" is in my humble opinion way better than a 24/7 military-like Academies :yllol:
 
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Last year my son was a mid 4C at RPI and I think his PT was 4 times a week; however, he's Marine-option so there was an extra PT session just for the Marines. His naval science classes were at 6 a.m. - this may have been because a number of the NROTC students also played football (my son included) and this allowed them to attend football practice in the afternoons. He had two mandatory field exercise weekends, and I know there were some other activities he participated in on weekends, but it never sounded onerous. There were two military balls to which guests were invited and one or two other "dine-in" formal dress dinners for just the mids.

He's not someone who likes to get up early either but just accepted it as part of the requirements. His roommate was Army ROTC; having an ROTC roommate is helpful because you're not dealing with someone who's partying until dawn.

He's very sociable and never complained that it interfered with that aspect of his life.He became very tight with guys and girls both in and outside the unit.

My son had a great year both academically and socially, and just returned from four weeks at CORTRAMID, the Navy's career orientation training for midshipmen. He took the midnight watch on a fast-attack sub, sailed on a cruiser, piloted a trainer, got a wild ride in a helicopter, and tackled the OCS obstacle course at Camp Lejeune. In the end, your experience is what you make of it.
 
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