What happens if you can't use scholarship?

jdarmy

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My son was awarded a ROTC scholarship at a State college, but has his heart set on a different ROTC college. If he checks the box to accept the scholarship, and then doesn't use it, what military obligation does he have?
 
No obligation.

He should accept the Award to State College, then begin the process of petitioning Cadet Command to transfer the scholarship to the college your son has been admitted into.

Search this Board for lots of thread about "transferring scholarship".

Bottom line is that it is hard to get, and really, really hard if the request would cost the Army more money... that is, if the cost of your son attending the other college is more than attending the school to which the scholarship has been awarded. It makes it even that much harder if the receiving school is not in the same Brigade and the original award college.
 
Sounds like he has two strikes agsinst him; 1) the desired school is more expensive than the awarded school, and 2) the desired school is not in the same Brigade and the original college. Wonder if they would transfer to the desired school for fewer year and no additional cost?
 
Sounds like he has two strikes agsinst him; 1) the desired school is more expensive than the awarded school, and 2) the desired school is not in the same Brigade and the original college. Wonder if they would transfer to the desired school for fewer year and no additional cost?

They have in the past transferred 4 year scholarships to more expensive school by switching the scholarship to a 3 year. That was before, it is getting much harder to do the transfer these days but it is worth the discussion. Call the school that he wishes to attend as well as the school he received the scholarship from, talk with the ROO at each school and see what your options are. In the meantime you can accept the scholarship and work through all the options, if it does not work out to transfer the scholarship you can then decline the offer.

I would have your son contact the school he wants to attend soon, ask about joining the battalion as a non contracted/scholarship cadet. Make sure you ask how big the new MS1 class might be and how many cadets they will be able to contract from that class. This will give your son an idea of how stiff the competition will be to become contracted. As a non contracted/scholarship cadet he will competing for the contracts the battalion has available, as a scholarship cadet at the school he was offered he will contract as a freshman providing he passes the APFT, at that point as long as he meets the requirements of the contract he will continue throughout the 4 year program.

It would be a good idea to look at plan B or even C, transfers like you are looking at are becomming very rare.
 
My son is an out of state MS I at a big state U. He was able to transfer his 4 yr scholarship from GA Tech (out of state), which was more expensive.

At the time (we knew absolutely nothing and weren't thinking of the cost difference), we got the impression that an important factor in the decision was with the battalion he hoped to transfer into. We also got the impression that the admission folks really wanted him and advocated on his behalf with the battalion. They were able to offer in-state tuition to my out of state son, which may have helped.

Bottomline, your son should get to work NOW, making contact with his desired battalion and that school's admissions office.

As I said, at the time we knew nothing. It took my son about two minutes to realize that a number of folks did him a favor (being the only out of state 4 yr scholarship MS I in his battalion). It is a motivating factor for him, particularly as he surrounded by many well qualified and deserving non-scholarship cadets.

Best of luck
 
What happens if you.....

My son was awarded a ROTC scholarship at a State college, but has his heart set on a different ROTC college. If he checks the box to accept the scholarship, and then doesn't use it, what military obligation does he have?

jdarmy

What does your DS not like about Penn State, I know a few students who are in ROTC there. It one of the top schools in the country for ROTC. These folks love it there. I would suggest he reconsider.

RGK
 
transfer awarded

the transfer approval just came through, first time.
 
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