USNA and NROTC

jebdad

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Does USNA know whether or not an applicant is also applying for NROTC scholoarship? How would they know this?

At this stage in the game, DD has no interest in attending a civilian college and says she would rather self prep at an academy prep school if it came to that and reapply. In the spring, she met up with a friend who is a mid who started out as NROTC and they applied and got accepted to USNA after two years of college. This mid told her that the NROTC route was just not "military" enough and the opportunities in the summers were not as numerous as at the academy. Those comments have really stuck in her head and she does not want to apply for NROTC.

I do recall that at a parent briefing during her CVW they said that applying to NROTC will look good for her USNA application as it shows a comittment to being an officer in the Navy.
 
USNA board is not held at the same time as NROTC boards, nor with the same personnel, USNA is all about the WCS on the slate for the nom. NROTC is too, but it has the college major/school variance in the equation minus the nom aspect.
NROTC helps because it will be part of the ECs for the WCS. It illustrated to them that you have not given up on becoming a Navy Officer. Plus, it will show up on their records since they would have a NROTC nom.

I get where she is coming from, but most appointments come out in March, hence the term March Mass Mailing. Meanwhile, starting in October all of her friends will start hearing from their safeties. November, their ED colleges. February EA results, and maybe RDs too.

If she places all of her eggs into just USNA, than she can be hurting herself more than she understands as a 17 year old.
~ Plus what happens if she isn't picked up, but goes to self prep and not picked up the following year. From what I understand those credits are not accredited and that means she will be entering as a freshman a year later.

Just because a friend says it wasn't "military" enough for her at her college doesn't mean every unit is the same. Maybe she should look at an SMC for NROTC. I.E. at VT, a state university that is an SMC, ROTC cadets/mids must live in the CoC dorm. They are awaken by a cannon every a.m., Must be in the Corps and in ROTC. Arrive prior to the civilian students. Have limitations on what is allowed in your room your freshmen year....think no fridge, microwave, TV. Quite hours and lights hour, plus room checks. Than you also need to add in FB games in uniform and doing push ups for every touchdown. That means if they win 42 to 38, they did 7, than 14, than, 21, than 28, than, 35, than 42..or 117 push ups.
~ I do not know what state you are from, but TAMU has a great deal regarding tuition. From what I understand, if she agrees to be in the Corps of Cadets (CoC), she will get IS tuition rates, and financially that is huge, even if she doesn't get an NROTC.
~~ NROTC scholarships are national from the get go. USNA started geo-centric {MOC). There are many that get a scholarship, but a TWE from USNA. If you are from a state where MOCs talk regarding noms. Aka spread the wealth, she might only have 1 chance on a slate before entering the national pool. NY, VA, MD, TX, CO quickly come to mind regarding spreading the wealth. Florida, California and Pennsylvania are also co,petitive, just not sure if the MOCs talk and spread the wealth.

~ DS was AFROTC, attended an ACC college, ROTC was just Part Time. He lived with his peers, and was a typical college kid. He was a military brat and wanted to be a civilian in college.

I wish her the best of luck, but she needs to see an appointment to any SA is equal to admissions to an Ivy.

I would suggest as a parent you ask her to join this forum, and let her start with either the 2nd time roller coaster thread, or threads regarding appointment stats.

Good luck, God Bless and thank you and your family for wanting to defend this great nation
 
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Pima was on point. :thumb:

Also, just to add, your daughter's BGO will ask her if she is also applying for other SAs and what ROTC programs. According to USNA1985's sticky post, this is a required BGO topic. So in short, yes USNA will know if your DD is pursuing NROTC or not.

To echo Pima above, NROTC units vary very much by different colleges. I visited two NROTC units at two large state universities, but one had over 100 MIDN and the other had barely 30. Obviously, these are very different environments. Each individual's experience is unique, so I would encourage your daughter to still apply for NROTC because in the long run, both USNA and NROTC make great naval/Marine officers. Good luck!
 
"not military enough" -- What does that even mean?

Leadership and discipline aren't defined by how few inches you had to sit on at meals, what kind of trash you had to memorize over the summer, how many room inspections a week you had as a freshman, or how many mandatory PT days you have a week.

And things like not being able to drive and not having a fridge in your room are seriously overrated. "Look how hard I am, I don't have the basic privileges I had back in high school."

In brief: Don't knock NROTC midshipmen because they have more freedom. Freedom is a good thing, and the lack of freedom does not equate to discipline.


NROTC should not be overlooked as a solid Plan B.
 
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I am not sure if having his freedoms limited is what the mid was referring to. I think it was the mere volume and intensity of military immersion at the academy versus the limited ROTC comittment at his university. As others have pointed out, it may have been that particular unit. The intent of my post was not to diminish ROTC, but to help DD make a wise decision on whether to seek NROTC and the impact that not seeking it could have on her USNA application.
 
USNA most likely will know if she applies to NROTC, as was mentioned, the BGO's do ask. Also, there is some coordination between the two applications, as when both my kids started working on their NROTC apps, their USNA apps were already completed and there were several application items that NROTC already had because they were able to access them from their USNA application files. It made filling out the NROTC application very streamlined.

I don't think there is any "spreading the wealth" between USNA appointments and NROTC scholarships like there is with MOC noms in competitive states as PIMA mentioned. Many USNA appointees are also NROTC scholarship winners.
 
Many USNA appointees are also NROTC scholarship winners.[/QUOTE]

True. DS was both appointed to USNA as well as 4 year NROTC scholarship recipient.
 
Question

I have a question... If I am currently entering my freshman year of college on a three year Army ROTC scholarship that doesn't take effect until sophomore year, would I be able to switch to NROTC? It has always been my dream to be in the Navy as an officer, however it was the Army that offered me the scholarship this year. Could I apply to NROTC during my freshman year and get a three year scholarship from the Navy?
 
First, USNA does know whether you've applied for a ROTC scholarship. BGOs ask and USNA also receives "official" notification (although I'm not clear on how this happens).

Second, I understand and respect the OP's position because I had largely the same view at age 17. For me, it was "all or nothing" in that I applied to two SAs but not for a ROTC scholarship. This is NOT to denigrate NROTC and I think more than a few mids and grads rather wished they'd gone ROTC. But saying you want USNA and not ROTC is, IMO, no different than saying you want ROTC but not USNA.

Third, in order to get an NROTC scholarship, you must major in a technical major while this is encouraged, but not required, at USNA. Those who don't want to do that might not find ROTC a viable option.

It is true that USNA looks slightly more favorably on those who apply to ROTC. However, I've had many candidates who didn't apply to ROTC receive USNA appointments. And honestly, I'd rather someone NOT apply to ROTC if he/she isn't interested in that program simply to "check a box." It's a waste of everyone's time.

Bottom line: If you're not applying for an ROTC scholarship, be prepared to explain your reasons to both your BGO and to MOC nom committees. It's that simple.
 
"Third, in order to get an NROTC scholarship, you must major in a technical major while this is encouraged, but not required, at USNA. Those who don't want to do that might not find ROTC a viable option."



A couple of weeks ago DS emailed his NROTC officer and addressed the topic of majors (outside the technical field,) and changing majors. This is the response he received:

"For majors you can pick whatever you want. The program doesn't frown upon switching majors, but to do so you would have to request it with the Naval education training command while your in college BEFORE you switch majors. This number will be available to you once you start the scholarship."

Has policy changed, or should DS inquire further?
 
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