Can I get an AFROTC scholarship?

[Packer]

Unweighted.

[Pima]

They use the unweighted, but they place weighted classes into the equation. The reason for this is as I explained before we do not have a national gpa system.
For example:

Our kids HS in NC required that the student take the honors class before they could take the AP in all Math and Science classes. In other words you can't take AP Bio unless you already took Honors Bio.

It is very difficult for a student to have tons of STEM APs, almost impossible.

However, our kids HS in VA allows the student to select AP over Honors, but there is a caveat...unless you were in TAG, you would not be able to take it until your jr. yr., because the 1st APs they offer start with Chemistry and Calc or Stats.

Additionally NC scale was 7 pts on a 5.0 scale, VA is 10 pts on a 4.5 scale.

This is why with your transcripts the school will send their own profile, which will include not only the scale, but what classes needed pre-reqs.

Not everyone's cgpa will change, but some do.

[Pima]

Non

Thanks for posting the stats, I guess I missed that, but also was shocked that they have already published it.

I am curious to see how many took them up on their offer, especially since the AFA class was so small this yr.

The reason for my curiosity is long time posters will remember that for 2 yrs the ISSP was halted along with OCS, the reason why was those class yrs had so many acceptances and such a high retention rate there was no need and no money left in the pot for 3 yr scholarships.

It will be interesting to see if AFROTC learned from that lesson, and now held back more scholarships so they can have an IS board this yr., or are they just going to say the pot is empty like they did 2 yrs ago.

This was a drastic jump from 11 because I recall it was only 911 offered, and it has been officially announced some dets will be closing in the near future, I think the number I read or heard was @30 units nationwide.

The importance for every candidate to comprehend is it does change yr to yr depending on AF's long term strategic manpower needs. They may feel that the yr groups they had to cut were already cut and now they feel in 5 yrs to meet their manpower they need to open up the pipeline some more.

Think of scholarships like ECON101, it is all about supply and demand. When the supply is low, and demand is high the AF can set tight parameters. Conversely, when the supply is high and demand is low, that is when you see them loosen up the parameters, such as waivers, cgpa, SATs, etc.

The board will enter knowing the exact amount of scholarships being offered for FY13. They award points to the candidates, anybody scoring above that line gets a scholarship, anybody below doesn't. Here's the problem for some though and the reason why people tell candidates to submit early.

A candidate can accept the scholarship in January, hold onto it until I-Day at the AFA. That money is now spoken for, because AFROTC believes you will use it, thus there will be less scholarships available to award for late boards.

FWIW, place this in the back of your mind, but don't panic if you are re-boarded. It is more about the board wanting to see a larger pool before awarding the scholarship. In other words it can mean you are between a Type 1 and a 2, or a 7 and a nothing, you just have to ride it out.

[Non Ducor Duco]

I'm not sure if those stats have been put out for the general public yet since there is nothing on their site, but according to pv123 they come directly from AFROTC headquarters and idk how anyone could make that up. AFROTC must be updating their website slowly though cause this wasn't on there when I applied.

Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Meteorology, Nuclear Physics, and Nuclear Engineering are highly desired majors for AFROTC cadets. Scholarship applicants selecting these majors might receive priority in the scholarship selection process.

It seems that the Air Force has become more interested in Nuclear power which is great, they had a different set of highly desired majors last year that didn't interest me at all. I had already decided on Nuclear Engineering by the time my interview came around but I didn't think that I would be able to utilize that degree in the Air Force. Hopefully that will not be the case. Anyone applying this year how is interested in engineering but has not yet settled on a specific field should look into it. It is in high demand and, with many of the engineers now in the field retiring in 5-6 years and public opinion having become more positive towards Nuclear power, the demand will continue to grow. Just something to think about if interested. Just be sure to research it and do some thorough soul searching before picking it because it's not something to take on lightly and certainly not solely to get a scholarship.

[Pima]

Non Ducor I wasn't doubting the stats at all, I was just curious of what the acceptance/activation rate will be like come this fall, including how many will convert Type 7's to Type 2 3 yrs., because that can impact what is left in the pot for IS.

I worry that posters will miss one big number; 13,000 opened files. Granted some will never complete the application, but there will be many that will and be immediately placed in the do not pass GO. do not collect $200.

To piggy back on your comment about nuclear programs being added recently, that is also why people tend not to like doing chance me threads. Every yr can be different, and the AF can tweak it which will have a ripple down effect.

Additionally, if this is a field you are interested in, but want to go rated, think long and hard about this before accepting the scholarship. Once you accept the scholarship you will need approval to change majors.

A few yrs back engineering was't as critically undermanned as it is now. Engineering majors were having no problem getting a rated slot. Now, certain engineering majors have been informed that they will not be able to compete for a rated slot.

Don't select a major to game the system. Select it because that is what you love, and what you are willing to do in the AF.

FWIW, the reason some cadets were selecting engineering from a rated perspective is you can not go to Test Pilot School with an engineering degree. It was for a long term career path, and not necessarily gaming the system.

I will say VAMOM's DS at VT, did not get a HSSP, he did get ISSP the following yr., the reason they said was because his intended major was Aero Engineering and they felt they had too many in that particular major. It actually worked against him for HSSP. He was a candidate posters swore that would def. get a scholarship, and most likely at least a Type 2, maybe a Type 1. He had it all, high cgpa, 1400+ SAT, NSMF, Magnet school in VA, 2 sports, school leadership, countless hours of volunteering. If I recall correctly he also was re-boarded, which lead many of us to believe with his stats, it was coming down to which Type he would be awarded. He really did not have any visible issue to any of us. He did to the AFROTC board...his intended major.