ROTC scholarship at Virginia Tech

I live in North Carolina and have a desire to go to VT. I want to join ROTC there and plan on applying for all 3 services scholarships when i get out of school for summer (currently a junior, rising senior). I just want to serve my country and dont care what branch I do so in. Although I would prefer the air forceI would do whichever ROTC gave me a scholarship because the out of state tuition for VT is not possible for my family and I. I was wondering do you have a better chance of getting a ROTC scholarship for a Senior Military College? Also can I apply for an ROTC scholarship and put VT as a choice for a college before I apply for the college so I know i wouldn't be waisting my time if I get accepted but cant afford it? Also does VT take into account that you are trying to join the corps of cadets for admissions and Financial aid? Thanks for any insight any one may have!

I can only speak from the Air Force perspective. Maybe people with more personal experience can give you advice on the Navy/Army track.

1) You will NOT have a better chance of getting an AFROTC scholarship if you plan on attending an SMC. Scholarships are competed for nationally, without regard for what college you're going to.

2) Once you're awarded your AFROTC scholarship, you can use it at any college. Yes you can put VT down as your top college choice before applying to VT.

3) VT does take into account that you're applying as a cadet. Officially, they are not given preference. But unofficially, everyone knows that its easier to get in as a cadet. As far as financial aid goes, the first 100 out-of-state cadets who accept their admission to VT are awarded an Emerging Leader Scholarship worth $1500/semester for four years. That's the only University financial aid that's directly tied to being in the VTCC.

If you have any more detailed questions on AFROTC/VTCC feel free to PM me. I'm a rising senior this fall.

Don't forget that VT has an early application process, so do that if it is your top choice school!

Yep november 1st is the date. Can I start my app and update my sat/ act scores later because im taking the act this saturday and my sat score (1510) isn't too good. But it was my first time taking it.

VT superscores so they will update it for you. However, if you submit for AFROTC, and less things have changed, once you are boarded you cannot submit anymore. Again, sim. to the college admission process. They also superscore and will take the best superscore for review. That means if the ACT score is better than the SAT, they will take the ACT and vise a verse.

Good luck. You do need to get that SAT up to even be competitive, especially since the scholarship you need would be at least a Type 2 because as an OOS student you would have to transfer a 4 yr Type 7 to a 3 yr Type 2.

Additionally, VT is very competitive, I believe their mean SAT is on par with the median SAT for AFROTC scholarships and that is hovering @1280.

Finally, it is really important to understand engineering at VT is very difficult. So difficult they tell freshman on their 1st day look left, look right one of you will not graduate as an engineer. To be successful you need to have that math/science foundation.

VT has other majors besides technical which they are known for, so keep an open mind. The problem is for an AFROTC scholarship it is not tied to the school, but the major. If you elect to change it from a tech major to a non-tech, you must get their approval. You cannot accept a tech scholarship and think you can just switch to business if it is too hard or you don't like engineering. It will be their decision to decide if you can, and in this day and age for ROTC, I would not bet that they will say okey dokey.

Good luck.

VT waives the application fee (about $60) if you indicate Corps of Cadets. More important, check and see if North Carolina is a member of the Academic Common Market. If so, you might qualify for in-state tuition on the basis that NC does not have a college with a Corps of Cadets. That is worth a call or email to the Corps of Cadets recruiting office. They started to suggest it for us, but our state is not in the Academic Common Market.

I would also suggest you look at Texas A&M. They also have a way for OOS Corps of Cadets members to get in-state tuition.

hopefully my ACT will be better, I am reviewing for it right now actually, haha. I understand how hard engineering is. Is computer science part of the engineering program at VT? I know it counts as a technicial major. I dont even meet the minium requirments for an AFROTC scholarship as far as my SAT scores go. Im hopeful I will be able to secure an army ROTC scholarship though, because if I dont get an ROTC scholarship I have to go in state and I really want to go to a college senior military college. To bad north carolina doesnt have one... But i have been told that the VT admissions is a little more "foregiving" if are applying and plan on being part of the corps of cadets, is that true? But if nothing works out with ROTC ill go in state, hopefully to NC STATE, and do ROTC there! Apparently it is the biggest ROTC program in NC which is a good thing!

unfortunetly NC is only part of the ACM if you are persuing a higher education degree. But i will call the Corps of Cadets to see if there is anything i can do to get instate tution at VT if i get accpeted and dont get an ROTC scholarship. Thanks for bringing to my attention that this is possible. Should i call them closer to when I start applying or should I just call them ASAP?

sjbd94 said:

Should i call them closer to when I start applying or should I just call them ASAP?

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JMHO
For technical type questions, emails work better than phone calls
you can write it carefully and review what you want to ask before you send it
and you have a record of what is said, by both parties.
The person responding has time to give you a well thought out response, and is never put 'on the spot'.

A well written email where you introduce yourself with a couple of thoughtful questions lets them know
you are interested in attending, and puts you on their prospective cadet list - include you mailing address.

NCST is the biggest ROTC in the state. The one thing you need to understand is how each branch operates their system.

As nick stated, AFROTC is done from a nationalistic approach, and they allow you to take it anywhere you want that accepts AFROTC scholarships. In other words if 100 go to VT and 0 go to NCST they don't care.

A/NROTC do not operate that way. They both have X amount of scholarships awarded to the school. So you are also competing against the candidates from that school from a nationalistic approach.

VT maybe a reach for you, and I hate to say, but even IS NCST maybe a reach with the SAT scores. Shoot for @30 ACT comp. Both of these schools are very competitive. They are the safeties for the state flagships many times. For NC it would be UNCCH, so that is how you need to view VT. Plus side VT's big OOS pull is not NC, but NJ/PA, and school's look for diversity. They don't want every OOS student from NJ/PA, they want national. That means you maybe competitive just because you are from NC and not NJ/PA.

You need to place that into the equation. Is it a match, reach or safety? Nothing is worse than getting admitted with no scholarship or getting a scholarship, but not admitted.

You also should understand that the scholarship is not just about academics, but it is the WHOLE candidate. That is why it is called the Whole Candidate Score. Everything counts for a score, highest score wins. You can have a 4.0 uwgpa with 9 APs, and a 2400 SAT, but no EC's and buts the PFA, will most likely result in you not getting a scholarship.

When the look at the PAR (Prior Academic Record), it will encompass more than just the gpa and SAT, it will take into consideration your school profile, course curriculum rigor and class rank. 4.0 uwgpa with 0 AP's when they offer 10 will hurt you compared to the kid with a 3.5 uwgpa and 10 APs. They will view as you took the easier path.

4.0 uwgpa and the school send 10% to Ivy, 50% to 4 yr, 20% 2 yr and 20% workforce, will hurt you compared to the 3.5 from a school that sends 50% to Ivy, 40% to 4 yr and 10% to 2yr/technical. The school profile is saying to them your school is not as competitive.

Run a 18 min 2 mile, and only do 30 sit ups, 24 push ups will hurt you because it says you are not physically fit.

No outside of school activities will hurt you because it says you most likely are about hitting the books, and biggest hurdle for freshman is they have problems with time management since for the 1st time Mommy and Daddy aren't there to remind you to hit the books.

It is the whole picture. So, it is important to make sure you have filled in all of the squares, not just one area.

I know that this might seem frightening to you, but remember the ball is in your court and will be there until you decide you are done playing with it.

PS. The reason I know about VT and NCST is because DD goes to VT, not ROTC, and DS graduated from a NC HS and many of his friends attend NCST.

Also understand that VT is great because they have the CoC, but trust me as an AFROTC Mom, once at NCST you will become involved in ROTC and that will become your life. It is not if VT has only cadets attending there. They do have their dorms and are more hard core, but still it also has many students who are not associated with ROTC just like NCST.

I hope you road trip it to VT, because college is about everything, not just ROTC. NCST and VT are night and day, not only architecturally, but also in their surroundings and weather. The college looks like Hogwarts, it is in a small town, and it snows there every yr. compared to NCST where it is in an urban atmosphere, modern structures and snow is a rarity usually.

I agree that gt might be a reach but I am pretty confident I can get into Nc state. I have 2 friends that got in no problem with scores a little under 1550 and hardly any ec's. I am a varsity athlete in 2 sports have a job and member of NHS. Also I know my score would improve because the 1510 I got was my first time around. I was looking at texas a&m recently and was wondering how it compares as far as getting accepted and how the corps of cadets is different? Thanks for all the info

http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshmen/gettingin/waysAdmitted/default.aspx

The above link tells you how to get into Texas A&M. The best way for out of state to get in is as an academic admit (30 ACT or 1300 SAT and top 25% of class). If you don't make that you can still get in but it goes through an admissions review panel and they will look at your whole package and compare it to everyone else that is in that pool.
If you get in and join the Corps of Cadets they will make sure you get in state tuition. Contact the Corps of Cadets and they can give you an idea of your prospects for getting in. I am pretty sure the CoC works with admissions.

Does VT also make sure you get in state tution if you join the corps of cadets?

sjbd94 said:

Does VT also make sure you get in state tution if you join the corps of cadets?

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Nope. I wish they did

isnt it ture though that if you get any scholarship from a school they give you in state? I mean VT is closer to home and would be way more accesible to go, but if i dont get an ROTC scholarship or in state tution, there is no way I could afford it unless they give great aid. I just really want to go to a school with a corps of cadets and a Civilan student body. So my only 2 options are VT and A&M... hopefully something can work out!

sjbd94 said:

I just really want to go to a school with a corps of cadets and a Civilan student body. So my only 2 options are VT and A&M... hopefully something can work out!

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Two other SMC's have Corps with civilians. They are Norwich University and North Georgia College and State University. You should check them out.

If I were you I would contact the top 5 schools, and their ROTC depts. Ask to do a school visit where you talk to them one on one. At that appointment discuss what the avg SAT/gpa scores are for incoming scholarship cadets. This will at least give you a ballpark of where you stand.

It will allow you to also work on your shortcomings and highlight your successes regarding your packet.

Please always remember ROTC scholarship cadets are the minority, and not the majority. I know I have said that before, but it really needs to be ingrained in your mind.

This yr is expected to be like last yr for scholarships due to the economy PLUS the DOD budget crunch. Gone are the yrs of an endless pot of gold. Understand scholarship or no scholarship it won't matter once there regarding your success.

Good luck.

OBTW one thing to also remember is: IF finances are an issue and you decide to go way far away, how will that impact you for coming home?

Every SR in HS can't wait to fly the coop and believes that they won't want to come home until T-Day. The majority change that opinion within 6 weeks their freshman yr. They don't realize that many kids go home over 3 day weekends or when the FB team has an away game. Dorms clear out and now they are there by themselves.

This occurs in college, even VT with a Corps. 4 hour car ride is different than a 4 hr flight, plus taking a bus or train to get to the airport.

Trust me, I am a Mom with 2 in college. They couldn't kick me fast enough to the curb on move in day, but both were back in the house by Columbus day because everyone cleared out for the 3 day weekend.

Place this into consideration. Talk it out with the folks before you apply. Think about what you will do if everyone goes home for the weekend. ROTC cadets are not SA cadets, they may have mandated drills on weekends, but that isn't every weekend. Last October I brought DD home from VT for Columbus Day and the person that took her back was an NROTC cadet.

I am only trying to stress that you look at the school as much as you look at the fact that they have a CoC. The quickest way to fail is if you hate the school. If you are a kid who isn't into going to big FB games, maybe Norwich is a better fit than VT or A &M. If you are a kid that wants a small school with under 5K than Norwich or GSC is a better fit than NCST. If you want to be far enough away, but close enough to catch a train, maybe VT is better than GT. Much has to do with your personality too.

I agree. Texas am is very far away and I really don't want to be that far away. Ft isn't to bad only 5 hours who'd is doable. I want to go to a big school but will really have to make hard choice if I get accepted to all of them. But im hoping it kinda gets chosen for me by what I get accepted to. I have considered the citadel but they don't have any majors I want but it is the closet to me. Vmi is the same distance as vt too me but I want to go to a big school with a CoC, good at sports, and just have a small balance so it really comes down to gt and texas am. Are there any other schools that have very strong rotc programs in my area that I should look at though?

Sure there are, but it depends on the branch.

Honestly, you need to understand that you will owe many yrs after graduation, and it will be Full Time. Don't select a school or a branch just for the sake of it. Select it because at 21/22 you are willing to serve 24/7/365 days a yr. You are willing to move to Korea or North Dakota for 2-3 yrs.

Devil is in the details.