NROTC Marine Option Scholarship

My name's Elizabeth and I go to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. I'm a freshman this year and this upcoming Spring semester I'm going to do NROTC Marine Option. I don't have a scholarship but I will be trying for one. I was wondering just how competitive it is to receive a three or two year scholarship from the Marine Corp.

My stats
Major: Mechanical Engineering
GPA: 3.0-3.1
PFA: Three Mile Run: 22:45
Push ups 1 min: 40
Sit ups 1 min: 45
Dead Arm hang: 1:05
I'm taking the ACT soon and hoping to score a 25 or better.

As I recall there was on average about 1 NROTC-Marine Option side load (meaning awarded while you are a college student participating in NROTC without a scholarship) per Unit last year. This year there could be 1-2, or 0-1, or none.

I think your GPA is fine for MO, but the focus will be on your PT and your demonstrated leadership abilities that surface during your first semester, or first two semesters. Why are you taking the ACT when you're already in college? Does Marine Option ask for that? I would be surprised if they do.

Thanks for the information. Do you know what my PFT score is equivalent to on a 300 scale for females? Also, does it help in any way that I'm a female and that I've had two family members in the Marines. I'm taking the ACT because I need to improve on my test scores because my SAT wasn't that good. So I'm allowed to take the ACT to see how I do on that, and if it's good enough I can use that in place of my SAT. Also, Does having a tech major play any role in receiving a scholarship?

liz_merski said:

1) Do you know what my PFT score is equivalent to on a 300 scale for females? 2) Also, does it help in any way that I'm a female and that I've had two family members in the Marines. I'm taking the ACT because I need to improve on my test scores because my SAT wasn't that good. So I'm allowed to take the ACT to see how I do on that, and if it's good enough I can use that in place of my SAT. 3) Also, Does having a tech major play any role in receiving a scholarship?

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1) As to the Standards, always remember Google is your friend -- that's how I got this info:

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/marine-corps-fitness-requirements/usmc-pft-charts#2 Notice you have TWO minutes for the crunches, but you have listed ONE minute. How many can you do in two minutes?

2) Honestly it might help a little bit, but not much. You are competing against other NROTC-MO mids in your Unit and across the country based on what YOU have shown to your leadership there.

3) I don't think so. MO mids don't have to take Calculus or Calculus based Physics as the Navy Option mids do, so Tech apparently must not be very important to them (nor is it to Army, btw). Also, 85% of Navy Option scholarships must be for STEM majors, and a similar requirment does not yet exist for Marine Option.

Don't forget there is another way for a college student to qualify to be commissioned as an Officer in the Marine Corps -- Platoon Leaders Class. Don't know anything first hand about PLC, but it is generally described here (can't vouch for its accuracy either) http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/marinetrng/a/marineplc.htm and here: http://www.marines.com/becoming-a-m...rams/four-year-colleges/platoon-leaders-class

dunninla said:

As I recall there was on average about 1 NROTC-Marine Option side load (meaning awarded while you are a college student participating in NROTC without a scholarship) per Unit last year. This year there could be 1-2, or 0-1, or none.

I think your GPA is fine for MO, but the focus will be on your PT and your demonstrated leadership abilities that surface during your first semester, or first two semesters. Why are you taking the ACT when you're already in college? Does Marine Option ask for that? I would be surprised if they do.

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Your run time would yield an 89 by the charts. Marines use a flexed arm hang, not a dead arm hang and crunches for 2 min (as dunninla pointed out) and not situps... so its hard to tell what your score would be. Here is where you can find the scoring charts: http://www.military.com/military-fitness/marine-corps-fitness-requirements/usmc-pft-charts.

I know last fall a total of about 22 sideload Marine Option scholarships were awarded nationwide. Don't know what it was this past spring. The board hasn't met yet for this semester.

Dunninla is right about the engineering. MO doesn't care what your major is so they won't award any points for it. Leadership and ECs are important. The do require the SAT/ACT scores and the GPA is important. As I recall from what I saw about last fall's awards your GPA is a bit lower than the average (about a 3.5 as I recall) but then that is an average so folks below that would appear to be awarded a scholarship.

I'm wondering why you're enrolling in NROTC in your spring semester. Have you discussed it with the PNS at Embrey Riddle? You will have missed the initial Naval Science course which is more about customs, courtesies, etc which you can probably make up but are also fundamental. Also, if you have less than 30 credit hours it seems to me you could apply for the high school scholarship now, but it would require you to not enroll in NROTC this spring. Personally I would rather see you enroll as a college programmer but that may not be the wisest decision for you. I would certainly discuss it with the cadre. Of course if you have already discussed this with them then you can disregard my opinion.