If you participate in ROTC Can you still study abroad?
- Thread starter sjbd94
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Army strongly encourages language/culture and study abroad over the summer. They may even pay for the trip, but during the school year is going to raise some eyebrows, but if it's requirement for a AROTC approved major, it's a definite go.
Read CULP1 and CULP2 and clarksonarmy's blog
Pima
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It is doable, but most cadets won't do it because at least for AFROTC, it can impact you when you go for a board. Boards will use your rank in the unit for the OML. If you are overseas, you are not going to have a job in the unit, no job and you are less competitive, which means you may not have an OML high enough to get SFT. Don't get SFT and you will not be commissioned into the AF.
That board occurs your soph. yr., spring semester. Hence, your fall semester is going to be important to be at your school. If selected for SFT, you need to be at the school because you will need to get medical issues done and do what is called a bag drag. Hard to do overseas.
Your jr yr spring semester is going to be important because it is the last time before you meet your career board in the fall of your sr yr. Hence, again you will want to be at your school so you can have a job.
As you can see there are going to be limited times that won't risk or jeopardize your career in ROTC.
As I said it is doable, but you will need to time it out. I know our DS's friend did it, and I believe they did spring jr yr. (Only this yr did they push career assignments to sr yr, prior to that it was spring jr yr)
Honestly, you will see the world with the military. We lived in the UK for 3 yrs, on top of that Bullet did TDY's to Germany, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, Korea, Qatar, and Iraq. That was on top of living in CA, NM, ID, NC, AK, KS and VA.
That board occurs your soph. yr., spring semester. Hence, your fall semester is going to be important to be at your school. If selected for SFT, you need to be at the school because you will need to get medical issues done and do what is called a bag drag. Hard to do overseas.
Your jr yr spring semester is going to be important because it is the last time before you meet your career board in the fall of your sr yr. Hence, again you will want to be at your school so you can have a job.
As you can see there are going to be limited times that won't risk or jeopardize your career in ROTC.
As I said it is doable, but you will need to time it out. I know our DS's friend did it, and I believe they did spring jr yr. (Only this yr did they push career assignments to sr yr, prior to that it was spring jr yr)
Honestly, you will see the world with the military. We lived in the UK for 3 yrs, on top of that Bullet did TDY's to Germany, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, Korea, Qatar, and Iraq. That was on top of living in CA, NM, ID, NC, AK, KS and VA.
There is also the issue of fulfilling the requirements of what is effectively a Major and a minor (Military Science) within the four years.
Take a Bio major at Baylor, the school I am familiar with. it takes 124 hours to graduate at Baylor.
- Bio pre-requisites: 34 hours (Math-6, Chem-16, Physics-8, Geology-4) or 38 hours if Pre-Calculus is needed.
- Bio courses: 31 hours (24 prescribed, 7 hours of upper division BIO electives)
-School requisites: 37 hours (English-12, Foreign Language-10, PoliSci-3, Religion-6, Liberal Arts/Social Science electives-6) assuming 3 Foreign language classes rather than 4 to get thru Intermediate).
total Requisites: 102 hours
ROTC Classes + Labs: 24 hours
TOTAL: 126 hours
It seems the only way a semester away would work with a Bio major and Military Science Minor is to have a semester Abroad which contained 6 LA/SS hours plus another 7 hours of biology Upper Division electives. That would seem highly unlikely for a semester abroad program.
Take a Bio major at Baylor, the school I am familiar with. it takes 124 hours to graduate at Baylor.
- Bio pre-requisites: 34 hours (Math-6, Chem-16, Physics-8, Geology-4) or 38 hours if Pre-Calculus is needed.
- Bio courses: 31 hours (24 prescribed, 7 hours of upper division BIO electives)
-School requisites: 37 hours (English-12, Foreign Language-10, PoliSci-3, Religion-6, Liberal Arts/Social Science electives-6) assuming 3 Foreign language classes rather than 4 to get thru Intermediate).
total Requisites: 102 hours
ROTC Classes + Labs: 24 hours
TOTAL: 126 hours
It seems the only way a semester away would work with a Bio major and Military Science Minor is to have a semester Abroad which contained 6 LA/SS hours plus another 7 hours of biology Upper Division electives. That would seem highly unlikely for a semester abroad program.
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A 8 week/8 credit summer semester abroad - 2 semesters of a foreign language in one summer. That lightens up your regular school year class-load.
e.g. Bard College Intensive Summer Language Program
Harvard Summer Programs
e.g. Bard College Intensive Summer Language Program
Harvard Summer Programs
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Pima
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sjbd94,
If I am correct and my memory serves me right you want the AFA or ROTC at VT, but have not decided a branch. If it is AFROTC at VT, pm nic, he is a rising sr at VT in AFROTC. He will be able to give you the best info.
At our DS's school, about 10% do it, but they did it spring jr yr. That was under the old system where career field boards met in spring jr. yr, thus, it was a no harm no foul situation since boards base their results on the previous semester. The new system is career boards will meet in the fall of SR yr., hence, you will want to be active in your unit through your jr. yr. Leaving studying abroad to your sr. yr.
I understand that desire, our DD who is not ROTC wants to do it, and she will as a jr., but she is not going into the military, this would most likely be her one opportunity to live abroad. That is not going to be true for you.
I married Bullet when he was a 1st Lt. 9 mos later I was in the UK. Our first 2 children were born there. I was 27 when I returned stateside. If doing a semester abroad is about experiencing that life, in the military you will experience it. If it is for educational experience than that is something else.
People want to believe that ROTC is just an additional class and wearing a uniform a couple of times a week. It isn't. It is more than that. To be successful you need to plug in.
ROTC is about creating military leaders. You can go to an SA, Harvard, or 2nd tier college it won't matter in the AD world from an educational perspective. What will matter is that you absorbed and comprehended what is required to be a leader in the military. Colin Powell is the ultimate example.
Somewhere in your military life you will be forced to choose between your desires and the military needs. To be successful in the military you will live by one statement.
SERVICE BEFORE SELF
I am not saying not to explore a semester abroad. I am saying that when you get to that unit to explore the ramifications if you do.
This is why I always say do a campus visit and meet the CC for a one on one. Ask questions that will impact you personally. I.E. How many cadets do a semester abroad? Out of that pile, how many get their 1st career choice?
Think about it, what if they say 10% do it, but only 1% get their career choice. Would you be willing to live 4 yrs AD in a career field you didn't want for that 1 semester?
Just me being Janie Raincloud, but that is me, I would want to know not from this site, but from the actual colleges on my list what the chances are regarding me personally.
If I am correct and my memory serves me right you want the AFA or ROTC at VT, but have not decided a branch. If it is AFROTC at VT, pm nic, he is a rising sr at VT in AFROTC. He will be able to give you the best info.
At our DS's school, about 10% do it, but they did it spring jr yr. That was under the old system where career field boards met in spring jr. yr, thus, it was a no harm no foul situation since boards base their results on the previous semester. The new system is career boards will meet in the fall of SR yr., hence, you will want to be active in your unit through your jr. yr. Leaving studying abroad to your sr. yr.
I understand that desire, our DD who is not ROTC wants to do it, and she will as a jr., but she is not going into the military, this would most likely be her one opportunity to live abroad. That is not going to be true for you.
I married Bullet when he was a 1st Lt. 9 mos later I was in the UK. Our first 2 children were born there. I was 27 when I returned stateside. If doing a semester abroad is about experiencing that life, in the military you will experience it. If it is for educational experience than that is something else.
People want to believe that ROTC is just an additional class and wearing a uniform a couple of times a week. It isn't. It is more than that. To be successful you need to plug in.
ROTC is about creating military leaders. You can go to an SA, Harvard, or 2nd tier college it won't matter in the AD world from an educational perspective. What will matter is that you absorbed and comprehended what is required to be a leader in the military. Colin Powell is the ultimate example.
Somewhere in your military life you will be forced to choose between your desires and the military needs. To be successful in the military you will live by one statement.
SERVICE BEFORE SELF
I am not saying not to explore a semester abroad. I am saying that when you get to that unit to explore the ramifications if you do.
This is why I always say do a campus visit and meet the CC for a one on one. Ask questions that will impact you personally. I.E. How many cadets do a semester abroad? Out of that pile, how many get their 1st career choice?
Think about it, what if they say 10% do it, but only 1% get their career choice. Would you be willing to live 4 yrs AD in a career field you didn't want for that 1 semester?
Just me being Janie Raincloud, but that is me, I would want to know not from this site, but from the actual colleges on my list what the chances are regarding me personally.
If you decide on AROTC, Study Abroad is something that is encouraged by some battalion's. 3 cadets from my son's battalion have completed Study Abroad. This is something my younger so who will begin school this Fall has already talked to the PMS about and has been encouraged to do so.
The one thing to remember about the cost and whether the Army will pay for it. Study Abroad needs to be required for you Major, such as International Affairs, if so the army will pay the equivilent of the Semester tuition. There is an odd catch to this, if you are an in state student the Army will pay the amount od one semester in state tuition. If you are out of state they will pay the amount of one semester of out of state tuition. The out of state students benefit from this. The PMS has said they are trying to get this changed but it is slow, my son's battalion tries to supplement what they can for in state cadets.
If your major does not require a Study Abroad then you are on your own for the cost.
The cadets that did Study Abroad were able to complete the minor in Military Science, it did not hurt them on the OML, in fact it added some points for the Leadership and EC's
Talk to you PMS and your advisor at school. If your major requires a Study Abroad then you should have no problem.
Remembet this info is for AROTC, I have no idea how it works with the other branches.
Good Luck
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We've had cadet study abroad. All they do is set up a plan to fulfill their requirements for our class while they are there. I would tell you that you should plan to avoid studying abroad you junior year if you are in AROTC. That's when you will be getting ready to go to camp. AFROTC is probably going to want you to avoid your sophomore year (prep of field training). Not sure what the navy does, but I'm sure they probably have a similar culminating event to prepare for.
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Good advice. I can't imagine the ROTC department at any school telling you that it's a bad idea to study overseas- just make sure you time it right. I was at a presentation that the Superintendent of VMI spoke at last month in Boston- approximately 35% of the Cadets will have a study abroad experience. (That % fits my son's room- one roommate was on exchange at the Hungarian Military Academy and one in Australia; both are on ROTC contract).
Marist College ROTC
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Study Abroad
It is very easy to combine Study Abroad with ROTC during your first 2 years of ROTC. About 30% of our cadets pursue this option.
It is very easy to combine Study Abroad with ROTC during your first 2 years of ROTC. About 30% of our cadets pursue this option.