Switching army rotc to nrotc

Boejipen

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Hi, I have a question about the ROTC program. I will attend a community college in August and plan on joining the ROTC. The school only offers Army ROTC and I plan on transferring to a 4 year university that offers ROTC and NROTC. There is no military contract obligation the first two years, unless on scholarship or SMP (National Guard or Reserve) contract and I am not on either of them. I would like to know if it is possible to switch over from the ROTC to the NROTC because I plan on enlisting into the Marine Corps.

(note) I am joining the Army ROTC because my school does not offer NROTC.
 
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Hi, I have a question about the ROTC program. I will attend a community college in August and plan on joining the ROTC. The school only offers Army ROTC and I plan on transferring to a 4 year university that offers ROTC and NROTC. There is no military contract obligation the first two years, unless on scholarship or SMP (National Guard or Reserve) contract and I am not on either of them. I would like to know if it is possible to switch over from the ROTC to the NROTC because I plan on enlisting into the Marine Corps.

(note) I am joining the Army ROTC because my school does not offer NROTC.

I guess the big is whether you would feel behind switching from the army style of learning (preparing you for LDAC) to the naval side of things. I believe after junior year NROTC cadets go on their summer cruise, meaning you would be kind of behind the learning curve of your peers. Personally I know of nobody that has switched, but I am not saying it can not be done.
 
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Hi, I have a question about the ROTC program. I will attend a community college in August and plan on joining the ROTC. The school only offers Army ROTC and I plan on transferring to a 4 year university that offers ROTC and NROTC. There is no military contract obligation the first two years, unless on scholarship or SMP (National Guard or Reserve) contract and I am not on either of them. I would like to know if it is possible to switch over from the ROTC to the NROTC because I plan on enlisting into the Marine Corps.

(note) I am joining the Army ROTC because my school does not offer NROTC.

To move into NROTC in your junior year you have to be offered Advanced Standing, that is not a guarantee for cadets that have completed the first two years of NROTC. I highly doubt a person that has not done even one year of NROTC would be offered Advanced Standing. AROTC doesn't count much toward Advanced Standing for NROTC.
 
Hi, I have a question about the ROTC program. I will attend a community college in August and plan on joining the ROTC. The school only offers Army ROTC and I plan on transferring to a 4 year university that offers ROTC and NROTC. There is no military contract obligation the first two years, unless on scholarship or SMP (National Guard or Reserve) contract and I am not on either of them. I would like to know if it is possible to switch over from the ROTC to the NROTC because I plan on enlisting into the Marine Corps.

(note) I am joining the Army ROTC because my school does not offer NROTC.

Even if you can get into NROTC (and I think they do have a program intended for folks who transfer in after 2 years which requires you spend x weeks in a summer catch up program) you would need to work your tail off to meet Marine PT standards to be eligible for OCS the following summer. For example, will you be in good enough shape to run 3 consecutive 6 minute miles? Marine OCS candidates can, or they come within seconds of it. Not saying it can't be done but the odds seem extremely long.

Something that sounds a bit more realistic and probable to me is to do AROTC, and this summer/fall apply for an NROTC scholarship. You must have less than 30 credit hours to qualify, but if you get the scholarship, hopefully that will give you the financial wherewithal to transfer after only a single year in your local CC. You can still use your plan as a backup if the scholarship doesn't come through.

Another option for any of these approaches is to apply to the Marine Platoon Leaders Course which will require 6 weeks over 2 summers, or 12 weeks over 1 summer (and you get paid) and leads to a commission as a Marine officer if you are successful. Your not even committed to the Marines at the end of this course (your choice, unless you take financial aid). 2 years of AROTC followed by 2 summers of PLC seems the likeliest plan to me.

Seems to me like that's 3 plans you can work in parallel which should increase your overall odds of success.

Good luck, and Semper Fi! :thumb:
 
Even if you can get into NROTC (and I think they do have a program intended for folks who transfer in after 2 years which requires you spend x weeks in a summer catch up program) you would need to work your tail off to meet Marine PT standards to be eligible for OCS the following summer. For example, will you be in good enough shape to run 3 consecutive 6 minute miles? Marine OCS candidates can, or they come within seconds of it. Not saying it can't be done but the odds seem extremely long.

Something that sounds a bit more realistic and probable to me is to do AROTC, and this summer/fall apply for an NROTC scholarship. You must have less than 30 credit hours to qualify, but if you get the scholarship, hopefully that will give you the financial wherewithal to transfer after only a single year in your local CC. You can still use your plan as a backup if the scholarship doesn't come through.

Another option for any of these approaches is to apply to the Marine Platoon Leaders Course which will require 6 weeks over 2 summers, or 12 weeks over 1 summer (and you get paid) and leads to a commission as a Marine officer if you are successful. Your not even committed to the Marines at the end of this course (your choice, unless you take financial aid). 2 years of AROTC followed by 2 summers of PLC seems the likeliest plan to me.

Seems to me like that's 3 plans you can work in parallel which should increase your overall odds of success.

Good luck, and Semper Fi! :thumb:

I guarantee you that the majority of Marine OCS candidates do NOT run an 18-minute 3-mile.
 
I guarantee you that the majority of Marine OCS candidates do NOT run an 18-minute 3-mile.

I'm sure you're right. I was relying on my experience with the candidates I know. But in any case its the goal to strive for.
 
kinnem's suggestion is great... do AROTC, and apply for an NROTC scholarship while in freshman year of college. NROTC is the only ROTC that offers that path. However, you need to be able to transfer into the 4 yr. college offering NROTC after just one year of JC... is that likely to happen? I suppose if you get mostly As there are a lot of schools with NROTC that could take such a JC transfer.

Here's the thing though.. I don't recall reading that Marine Option NROTC has the path of awarding scholarships to college freshman who are not in NROTC .. it might not.
 
kinnem's suggestion is great... do AROTC, and apply for an NROTC scholarship while in freshman year of college. NROTC is the only ROTC that offers that path. However, you need to be able to transfer into the 4 yr. college offering NROTC after just one year of JC... is that likely to happen? I suppose if you get mostly As there are a lot of schools with NROTC that could take such a JC transfer.

Here's the thing though.. I don't recall reading that Marine Option NROTC has the path of awarding scholarships to college freshman who are not in NROTC .. it might not.

Good Point so I did some additional research to make sure. This is from
http://www.nrotc.navy.mil/scholarship_criteria.aspx#marine

Students w/ more than 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college credit upon application or students already enrolled in NROTC College Program are not eligible for four-year NROTC Scholarships; these students should see professors of naval science at host university's NROTC unit to discuss other scholarship opportunities

Seems like that path is open to Marines as well.
 
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