NROTC Scholarship Questions!

[Chlobear]

Hey everyone! Sorry I have a lot of questions but I've been stressing out over this for what seems like ages! I was finally able to submit my NROTC scholarship app in the first week of January (it got held up A LOT by a massive amount of technical issues and some unfortunate delays in my school sending out my letters of recommendation and final grades etc.) and I got my interview in shortly after. I've been waiting ever since then, and right now the portal says "The NSTC selection/placement office has received your application" and below it says "no decision has been made on your application" and a bunch of other info. I've been checking a lot of previous threads and I know I shouldn't expect anything just yet because it's still fairly early, but I have a few questions anyway.

So a few weeks ago I got an email saying I'd received an AFROTC scholarship and of course I'm really excited about that (!!!), but Navy is my first choice. I know the scholarship boards look for slightly different qualities if they're Air Force or Navy, but considering I got good news regarding the AFROTC scholarship, does that say anything about my chances for the NROTC scholarship? I've seen some threads saying sometimes recruiters will know what's up before you get any news via snail mail or portal (both are notoriously slow), but is it too early on to try to give my recruiter a call to see if he knows anything, and would that actually be helpful?

Another question I have has to do with the DODMERB. I think I've seen people mention in other posts that if NROTC is going to award a scholarship, they'll request the physical from DODMERB. When I log in to check my medical status on the DODMERB website, the only agencies I see that have requested anything so far are AFROTC (which I expected) and the USAFA. Nothing yet from USNA or NROTC--does that mean anything bad? I had to get a remedial for a slightly elevated heart rate, and the remedial showed everything healthy and good to go (this was about a week/two weeks ago so I'm officially triple Q'd), so that might have something to do with it, but it's odd that both AFROTC and USAFA sent me a request for a remedial letter and have checked out my physical, while no indication NROTC or USNA have. Can anyone weigh in on what that might mean?

 

[kinnem]

No idea why USNA hasn't taken action on DoDMERB. NROTC will not take any action until they've decided to award you a scholarship. One thing I've learned over the years on this is don't read anything into anything. Everything just is and there isn't necessarily any relationship to anything else. For NROTC a lot might depend on whetther you chose Marine Option or Navy option. Each option is looking for different qualities. Navy is probably more like Air Force than Marine option is.Aside from that, your guess is as good as mine.

 

[Chlobear]

Yeah it's really tough to try to not read into these things when you stress about them for so long! Also just to add some info I'm doing Navy option for NROTC. I guess the biggest confusion is why it appears only Air Force has checked anything (I think USNA is supposed to request medical status at some point regardless of appointment or not?) and whether my recruiter might know anything. I suppose the best I can do is wait From what I've heard in general the boards this year seem really slow with decisions compared to last year.

 

[kinnem]

I think your correct on USNA. I wonder if they requested it and found the AF outcome they went with that and it just doesn't show up on the portal? You can try the recruiter but I doubt they would know anything. Can't hurt though. I know the waiting is hard. It was when we went through it and got a negative reply from NROTC. DS started as a college programmer and won a scholarship during his sophomore year. If you're dead set on Navy being first choice that might be a viable plan B for you although it would be hard to walk away from that bird in the hand. Wishing you good luck and I hope Navy doesn't pass over a good thing here.

 

[Larry321]

Unlike USMA that gives you a nice big green check-mark and indicates "qualified" on your portal, USNA (portal) simply refers you to check DoDMERB for your medical status. For USMA my essays triggered the medical (turned it all around in 4 weeks and done). A week (or two) after my USNA interview I could see that USNA requested medical from DoDMERB. A week before getting the AROTC scholarship the medical status was requested. How long ago did you complete the interview for USNA? and.... I'm pretty sure your NROTC status is the same for all of us still waiting so don't worry about that one.

I love the line "don't read anything into anything." by Kinnem.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Chlobear]

Thanks for the replies guys! They've been super helpful. Congrats to your son @kinnem! There are so many great routes to take (like your son did) so it is amazing to already have the AFROTC in hand while I'm waiting for NROTC news. Navy just did a better job of convincing me that they would give me more opportunities for medical research, so really hoping for NROTC scholarship! Also, @Larry321 my USNA interview was in November--that was really awesome and I got my CFA in soon after that, which finished up my app (I had Presidential and was just waiting for MOC nom). My ROTC interview was actually around the first or second week in January. The recruiter was super slow and delayed it so I just arranged it with one of his higher-ups hahaha! My dad is a Marine and he said maybe USNA hasn't requested DODMERB yet because they can already see the AF outcome (like @kinnem said), so I'm thinking that's probably what's going on right now. Thanks!