How Many AROTC Applicants Received Contact Initiated by a PMS

A

armynavy

5-Year Member
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Jan 21, 2010
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I have read a few threads in which people posted that they had unsolicited contact from a PMS at one of the schools that they placed on their scholarship application. The posts implied that the PMS was interested in the applicant. Several have even indicated that they heard from PMSs at the schools that they ranked highly on their application.

My son talked to cadet command just before the board to ensure that they had everything and he was told that his score was very high, which led us to believe he would emerge from the board in good shape. However, he has not received one call or email from any PMS at a school on his application list. Only the PMSs at two schools that were not on his application made such contact.

What should he make of that? He has a competitive file, but he is only applying to top-45 national or liberal arts schools. No safeties. Could it be that only PMSs at less competitive schools are making these contacts and that the PMSs at competitive schools do not feel that they need to do anything special to get the applicant?
 
In my son's case, since he proactively contacted PMSs of five of the schools on his list, we don't know whether they would have contacted him or not had he not made an initiative. On the other hand, an officer of a school that used to be on the list but got dropped 3 weeks ago sent him email and left a voice message.

Meanwhile, two schools on the list are my son's safety schools: his SAT score is well over 300-400 points (out of 2400) above their average for the class of 2014 enrolled student body. He did not initiatie a contact with these PMS. He never heard from them. I have the feeling that the PMSs may feel that my son has listed their schools as safeties, and won't take him seriously.

By the way, in case this matters: On my son's school list, there is not a single school where his SAT wouldn't put him within top 10-15% or so of the enrolled class of 2014 student body. This was necessary for him since his GPA is a bit weaker than his SAT standing - his SAT has to make up for the GPA. Five schools out of my son's list of seven are within the USNWR top ~50 range.

I hope this gives you some data points to consider.
 
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I've been contacted by five of seven schools on my list, not counting the school I interviewed at. But most of my schools are public or private schools in my state
 
My son heard from 3 of his top 5 schools. I don't know if you would consider them top 50 schools or not.
University of Michigan
Penn State
Purdue
All wanted to know how much interest he had in attending their schools. Michigan sent an email requesting a response. PSU scheduled a telephone "interview".

Last year my daughter had 6 different colleges than my son and only heard from one. She was awarded a scholarship to her top five. I wouldn't read too much into it. I think it just depends on the schools and the individual PMS.
Good Luck to you and your son! :thumb:
 
My son received two separate phone calls over a several month period from his first choice and emails from his second and third choices. First choice school was encouraging him to spend the night, attend classes, PT, etc., which he is doing Nov 11 and 12.
 
We have been a tad disappointed reading posts that say their child has been contacted by the schools on their slection list as well.
Our son has been contacted by #4 and #6 (4 is private, 6 is not), and he has yet to complete the admissions application for school 4.
We are hoping that because he actually interviewed at his top choice school, they know his strong commitment and the school will act on that.
I centainly understand your "thread reading" and know completely the feeling of "ah...what's wrong with my child applicant that he/she is not being contacted??" Trying to not look at it as any indicator...
 
Son was awarded the scholarship to 5 out of his top 6 schools.

He made first contact to his #1 school (Wake Forest), so we'll never know if anyone would have contacted him.

Of the remainder, the 2 smallest schools (Gettysburg & Dickinson) share a battalion and the Gettysburg affiliate might be drying up due to little participation. Therefore, the ROO (not the PMS) for the battalion contacted Son and asked to be kept abreast his preferences.

The ROO at Elon contacted Son by phone. However, he did so very late in the game...like 3 months after the board.

Never heard from U of Md. We assumed that huge battalions don't really need to do much recruiting. Plus, they might have seen that UMD was #6 on the list figured he was a lost cause anyway.
 
Don't read into it. I was contacted by a few battalions. Some I was offered a scholarship to, some I wasn't. I would just make sure to be proactive in contacting the first choice battalion.
 
One school's recruiting officer sent a facebook friend request,
Freaked S out a little, he views facebook as a private place - just him and his classmates :shake:
I explained (AGAIN) that with his very distinctive name he was easy to find.

He also received several form 'welcome' letters from 4-5? schools on his list.
His list changed frequently, so some were from previous school choices.
His application was completed quite early.
I would guess having your info in the system early would result in more contact attempts.
Summer break has to be a little slow for ROTC cadre too.
 
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Freaked S out a little, he views facebook as a private place - just him and his classmates :shake:
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HaHa! Good reality check. It's not as 'private' as he thought it was if he was easily found.

Facebook is a great networking tool. Time to tighten it up and make use of it in a positive way. The US Army and DOD uses facebook extensively - even Adm Mullen has a facebook page. :smile:
Many ROTC battalions have a facebook page - and most college have several.
 
Want to freak him out even more? Our friend is Govt DOD, but high up there (MS not GS), he will tell you that they actually "get" people because once they join groups then they can look at their page.

For example, join a det FB page, that means they can look at you too. Pictures of your kid at a hs drinking something that looks like beer can raise flags.

Too many kids think that they are smarter than the older society. That we don't know how to see things. They actually don't get the fact that we know backdoor ways into the world.

FB and Myspace are not as anonymous as kids think.

My kids were shocked to find out I could find pictures of them without even being their friends on these sites. These sites are like the game 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon. All I need is one friend of theirs and I can find out everything they have done or thought in the past yr.

Our DD who is not ROTC, flipped when I proved this to her. It took me a grand total of 5 minutes. All you have to do is put the kids name in on FB search and lo and behold their page comes up. In many cases it says private, but pics are open to view. From there hit the pic and you can get in because not everyone tagged has a secure lock, and even if they do, you could join a group, and thus go in that way.

All one kid needs is a picture of them holding a beer at a party and having comments about how drunk they got to say GAME OVER.

Try it, I bet in 5 minutes you can get into their page without ever asking to friend you or their password. It really isn't that hard. If candidates join det/BN sites on FB, they open themselves up to review in a much higher personal way.
 
Daughter was phoned by PMS at schools #1 & 2....Montana State and Michigan. She rec'd a letter from a school not even on her list...the University of Portland. Long story short, she ended up at Portland but it was a tough choice between there and Michigan.
 
I think U of Portland must send a fair amount of unsolicited letters, they offer full room & board if a candidate receives the 4 year Army ROTC scholarship. My son received a letter 2 weeks ago and the school is not on his list...
 
Rebel91 said:
I think U of Portland must send a fair amount of unsolicited letters, they offer full room & board if a candidate receives the 4 year Army ROTC scholarship. My son received a letter 2 weeks ago and the school is not on his list...
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I would assume so...as a smaller school, I don't know how well known they are outside the Pacific NW. I know we had never heard of them before receiving the letter. The room and board was definitely a great hook that got us looking into the school. After doing our homework and then a school visit, the school was put on my daughters list. The rest is history...:thumb:
 
Lots of private schools provide room and board for scholarship winners (Clarkson and St Lawrence to name two).

Facebook, twitter, wordpress blogs, those are my secret weapons. I've never friended a prospect until I have corresponded with them, but I know ROOs who will blanket friend on Facebook. It's a good technique, and the obvious lesson learned should be that we are looking, as Pima said, so make sure your facebook page doesn't contain anything that would disqualify you.

We are salesmen, and that's where we can reach our customers (along with discussion boards).
 
I did, and I am actually going to interview with the PMS at Penn State tomorrow, as well as the head of NROTC.
 
AROTC scholarship

My son's packet went before the 25 October 2010, board. Has anyone received notice that they were awarded a scholarship from this board?
 
abbyglover1 said:
My son's packet went before the 25 October 2010, board. Has anyone received notice that they were awarded a scholarship from this board?
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Not yet. Results will supposedly be released sometime before Thanksgiving.
 
My son received the email below on the 28th of October. Does anyone know what it means?

Application_Process
...
From:
"train2lead@usacc.army.mil" <train2lead@usacc.army.mil>
...
Add to Contacts
To: abbyglover1@bellsouth.net
FOLLOW-UP NOTICE
U.S. Army ROTC 4-year College Scholarship

Your application for a four-year Army ROTC Scholarship has been processed and is considered complete.
You will be informed of your final selection status no later than May 30th.

For more information about Army ROTC, contact a Professor of Military Science at any of the universities
listed in your application booklet, or visit armyrotc.com.

You can also e-mail your questions to train2lead@usacc.army.mil.

Cadet Command Form 115-la, SEP 01
 
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