Campus Scholarships

Jcleppe

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Feb 10, 2010
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After reading a couple threads over the past week or so it looked like there were going to be Campus Scholarship available this year after all.

I was talking to my younger son this afternoon just after their ROTC Orientation, he is a MS2. A fellow MS2 cadet that is on a 5 year Engineering program was given a 4 year Campus Scholarship today to cover his remaining 4 years in school. This cadet had applied for the National Scholarship but was not awarded, he completed his first year as a walk on.

It is nice to see that Campus Scholarships are still available for those that excel and work hard. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues.
 
I was very worried when finding out the cuts in funding for ROTC. I was an MS1 last year who didn't receive a National Scholarship.

The cadre then notified me that a 3yr campus based scholarship could potentially be available. I didn't think there would be, considering that only one MS1 was on scholarship at the time. Also, the fact that all the MS2's,MS3's and MS4's always joked about how anyone could walk into the ROTC building and walk out witha scholarship that day.

None the less, I worked hard throughout my MS1 year trying to prove to the cadre that I deserved the scholarship. When the end of the year came, the OML was finalized and three people were awarded 3yr scholarships. I was one of those three.

My main reason for posting this is in hopes that other MS1's who are in a similar position work hard if they weren't awarded a scholarship. Even if you didn't appear to the CC board as stellar "on paper" you can prove it to your cadre.

All in all, I'm grateful that I was awarded a scholarship. When I first began my career as a cadet, I was nowhere near what I am now AND I still have three years left.

Good luck to all!
 
Great story, Congratulations. Wow 3 Campus Scholarships awarded from your school.

Hearing from my son about the epic failures of 2 of the 4 year scholarship cadets from last year that were at his school, I have to believe that campus scholarships like those being awarded this year can only increase the caliber of cadets. Along with the SMP cadets that compete and receive contracts, it can only be a positive.

Before anyone jumps on me let me say that I do not think all 4 year scholarship awardees are unworthy, my son a 4 yr, I just believe that a balanced system can only be a good thing.

I see you up in my neck of the woods, PLU is a great school.
 
I would assume that each ROTC: Navy - Navy Option, Navy - Marine Option, Army, and Air Force would each have a different approach to Campus based scholarships (called side-load in Navy and Marine option). It would be helpful if each poster noted which ROTC they're part of.
 
My post was regarding AROTC, I assumed the next post was the same since they refer to MS1 and MS2's. and so on.

Will be interestin to see how the other services compare this year with Campus or Side Load Scholarships.
 
To my knowledge Navy doesn't have campus based scholarships. There are side load scholarships available via a formal application process and national competition. Personally that's too bad as I've no doubt DS would easily win a campus based scholarship. The Alumni Association gave him a small scholarship this past spring as the MIDN who best exemplified Marine Corps values, he was on the Deans list both semesters, and his PFT scores are perfect. Winning a National competition is much more doubtful in my mind.
 
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That's what I thought, now we just need the Airforce to chime in and we have the Trifecta. Thanks Kinnem.
 
At UCSB, the scholarships officer informed me that there will be NO scholarships available for the class of 2015. I may transfer to USC (not contracted anyway), and the scholarship officer told me that the unit will request for more scholarships.
 
At UCSB, the scholarships officer informed me that there will be NO scholarships available for the class of 2015. I may transfer to USC (not contracted anyway), and the scholarship officer told me that the unit will request for more scholarships.

Is it USC that will request more scholarships or UCSB? UCSB may be at their limit for contracts for the class of 2015, if you transfer to USC make sure they have contract slots open for your class or you may find the same situation there.
 
Is it USC that will request more scholarships or UCSB? UCSB may be at their limit for contracts for the class of 2015, if you transfer to USC make sure they have contract slots open for your class or you may find the same situation there.

USC's scholarship officer informed me about this. UCSB has a new scholarship officer (previous officer got me in to UCSB as a sophomore), he's not sure about the situation. The temporary UCSB scholarship officer told me that there will not be any scholarships
 
AFROTC has both campus based and national (aka ISS). Campus based can vary from 2 to 4 yrs depending on how much money they have in the kitty.

ISS is sim. to what people would call a Type 2 3 yr scholarship. It maxes out at up to 18K a yr for tuition. Beware if tuition is 13K, they are only going to give you 13K, you can't use the other 5K for R &B. Conversely if it is over 18K, you have to come up with the remainder of the balance.

There is never a guarantee that either the campus base or the national will award any scholarships every yr. If I recall correctly Class of 13's ISS board was cancelled. I believe 14 too, but I know 15 did have ISS. It comes down to a couple of things. 1 is making their manpower numbers. Scholarships are really recruitment tools. 2. How much was left in the kitty from LY and the next yr budget. Budgets run Oct 1st to Sept 30th ---the cadets applying this yr would be in the FY13 budget, not FY 12. If next yrs budget is bigger, which they know in Oct. than it is a factor regarding ISS.

For example: Let's say that 90% of the scholarships awarded are activated for 2016, that means they probably are meeting their manpower needs for that class, and there is no money left in the pot for the 16's TY.

It also could be what happened for 13 they know historically a certain percentage will reject, and they also need to look at the AFA side too for manpower needs of the AF. If both are over the historical amount of acceptances and even if there is money left, it is now about shrinking the class size to be in line when it comes to commissioning that class. They need to wait to see if cadets drop at a faster rate than historically. Unfortunately for 13 they didn't drop at a faster rate, thus they did not offer ISS that yr. (2011).

It is a 2 prong perspective that they need to place into consideration. Remember AFROTC is like NROTC all commissioned cadets will go AD upon graduation. There is no Reserve or Guard option.
 
Talked to my son this morning, his battalion had a contracting ceremony yesterday. The battalion awarded a 4 year campus scholarship to one of the new freshman MS1's and he was contracted yesterday.

Looks like it really depends on the battalion when it comes to campus scholarships, my son's battalion has awarded two 4 yr and one 3 yr scholarship this year.

Good luck to all the new MS1's
 
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