NROTC Scholarship Questions/Worries

NROTC_HOPEFULLY

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
48
Hello All,
This is my first post and I have some questions about NROTC scholarships. I applied for an NROTC scholarship and had a completed application on ~October 11. If I had been awarded a scholarship, would I have heard by now?

I would appreciate an appraisal of my chances; here are my stats:

Info: CR = 770 M = 750, Class Rank = 2/193. Science Fair Awards for 9/10/11 grades and Varsity Soccer 11th, Tennis 10th and 11th.
SAT Subj = 800•3
AP = 5•3

I recently sent in an update with Senior Q1 grades (As and a B in AP English (not my favorite class...)), a new SAT score of CR = 720 and M = 800 (since I heard that math is the most important on these boards), and two leadership positions--Captain Math Team and Treasurer Math Honor Society (before I had none).

School Choices:
1st College Choice: Yale University
2nd College Choice: Rice University

Do I stand a chance of receiving a scholarship? When might I be notified if I receive one? I applied to Yale SCEA and was hoping to hear back soon, but maybe I am not competitive (?).

Sorry if this is redundant, and thanks for reading.
 
Hello All,
This is my first post and I have some questions about NROTC scholarships. I applied for an NROTC scholarship and had a completed application on ~October 11. If I had been awarded a scholarship, would I have heard by now?

I would appreciate an appraisal of my chances; here are my stats:

Info: CR = 770 M = 750, Class Rank = 2/193. Science Fair Awards for 9/10/11 grades and Varsity Soccer 11th, Tennis 10th and 11th.
SAT Subj = 800•3
AP = 5•3

I recently sent in an update with Senior Q1 grades (As and a B in AP English (not my favorite class...)), a new SAT score of CR = 720 and M = 800 (since I heard that math is the most important on these boards), and two leadership positions--Captain Math Team and Treasurer Math Honor Society (before I had none).

School Choices:
1st College Choice: Yale University
2nd College Choice: Rice University

Do I stand a chance of receiving a scholarship? When might I be notified if I receive one? I applied to Yale SCEA and was hoping to hear back soon, but maybe I am not competitive (?).

Sorry if this is redundant, and thanks for reading.

You certainly have a good chance with those SAT scores and class rank. I assume your CGPA, based on what you mentioned about last quarter is equally strong. Athletics I would say is a bit weak as is leadership, but they're not terrible either. Navy likes strong academics.

How did your interview go? What feedback did you get there?

From watching these boards I believe very few people have been notified of NROTC scholarships yet. Probably only the very very best have heard. If you were not awarded a scholarship out of the first board(s) you will automatically be reboarded so do not give up hope. The award fewer scholarships early so they can get a better look at the pool of candidates they are working with.

I'm assuming you've confirmed, via your portal, that your package is complete and the application is board ready? If so, then you will just need to exercise patience at this point. You may not hear until April on a scholarship, but hopefully you will not need to wait that long.
 
Similar situation with DS. He has similar stats as yours and had everything completed by the end of September. In mid- or late-October, his portal status was updated to include SAT scores, school choice, etc. Since then, it has said "no decision has been made...". I heard a rumor that there was a board in mid-November, but this info is not released publicly, so who knows. Perhaps we will see a status change soon. From reading past posts on this forum, patience is clearly required for this process! I just hope we don't have to be patient until April!
 
I would suggest you keep in contact with your NROTC recruiter (I assume you have one... he is the person who asked you to run your application by him to review it before you hit SUBMIT). He is also the one who arranged your Officer Interview.

Beyond that, I think it would be helpful for you to speak directly with the Professor of Naval Science at both Yale and Rice. Either they, or a member of their staff would probably be willing to look in their system to let you know if everything is in order.

Oh, one last thing. What is your intended major? NROTC has a madated 85% quota for Tier II (STM) and Tier III (Engineering) combined. Tier I (non-STEM) scholarship awardees are typically complete physical/leadership studs with family military connections, or Diversity.
 
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Portal/Interview etc.

I think my interview went pretty well, although it was my first ROTC/college type interview and I didn't give him a resume or transcript (even though I should have and even though I brought them). I don't think I mentioned anything about the money, although I might have said something along the lines of "the scholarship would provide good motivation" or something.

"I'm assuming you've confirmed, via your portal, that your package is complete and the application is board ready?"

Yes: "The NSTC Selection/Placement Office has received your application.
Missing Items
All required items have been processed.
Selection Status
No decision has been made on your application."

My major was Chemistry (or maybe physics, but pretty sure chemistry). I might have put electrical engineering or something similar for my second or third choice, but I could be thinking of the AFROTC application.

Thanks...
 
I believe you look very competitive! I am pretty much in the same boat as you, just anxiously waiting. I would suggest finding something else to keep your mind off of it for awhile. Maybe try touring college campuses?
 
I believe you look very competitive! I am pretty much in the same boat as you, just anxiously waiting. I would suggest finding something else to keep your mind off of it for awhile. Maybe try touring college campuses?

Or maybe PT to be ready to contract immediately in the fall if you do win a scholarship!!! :thumb:
 
Done with tours

Im pretty much done with tours of colleges (they all look the same after a short while, trust me) but I do definitely need to get in and stay in shape. I guess the good thing about waiting for NROTC scholarship is that it pre-occupies me from worrying about the Yale decision. T minus 10 (days)
 
Im pretty much done with tours of colleges (they all look the same after a short while, trust me)

I had a very different experience when I was touring. Perhaps the universities you visited were all similar (Ivy League?)?

In any case, good luck with your Yale admission and as Kinnem has said, keep up with your PT!

-Darrowboat
 
I was awarded a NROTC scholarship in October. I had lower scores than you did but I listed some Big Ten schools as my primary selections. I was wondering if maybe your school choices are whats holding you back. No offense, but the Navy may be getting hit with some big cuts soon and the schools may be a factor. If you want to be a Navy officer maybe you should look toward cheaper schools. I'm just giving my opinion.
 
Yale

DD got NROTC scholarship to Yale and also counting down the SCEA results. Her stats were not of your caliber but she interviewed in June and was awarded on the first board and is in NJROTC. You have a very good chance. I know others who are strong candidates and are still waiting. Have you spoken to the unit commander there? We did not yet. It will be interesting if she gets in, it will only be the 2nd year and they will have few upperclassmen.
 
Did you say anything about athletics in your interview or application? They don't hold back because of the school choice because many people have been awarded the scholarships to expensive schools both this year and in the past. Besides, if they were worried about the cost of your school, they will just award you the scholarship to the state school that you were required to put in your top three school choices. Do you keep in shape (either through a gym or even a club team)? The only weakside that I can see is a lack of athletics, but that is just my opinion and speculation.
 
Yale Visit

DD got NROTC scholarship to Yale and also counting down the SCEA results. Her stats were not of your caliber but she interviewed in June and was awarded on the first board and is in NJROTC. You have a very good chance. I know others who are strong candidates and are still waiting. Have you spoken to the unit commander there? We did not yet. It will be interesting if she gets in, it will only be the 2nd year and they will have few upperclassmen.

I visited Yale this year and did talk to the Unit Commander. She seemed quite kind. I was able to sit in on a Naval science course. There were only about 12 students in the program and they need more!
 
Did you say anything about athletics in your interview or application? They don't hold back because of the school choice because many people have been awarded the scholarships to expensive schools both this year and in the past. Besides, if they were worried about the cost of your school, they will just award you the scholarship to the state school that you were required to put in your top three school choices. Do you keep in shape (either through a gym or even a club team)? The only weakside that I can see is a lack of athletics, but that is just my opinion and speculation.

Lack of athletics? I played varsity soccer (11th) and tennis (10/11). Is that really considered a weak athletic profile? Or did you just not see those things in my first post? (I am NOT being rude or sarcastic and was just wondering).

edit: I did mention athletics in my interview, but even if I didn't I put it on my application anyway.
 
Admission help?

Did you ask or get any impression that the unit commander will help you with admissions? Did you mention your desire to join the NROTC unit in your application? DD did and conventional wisdom is that the commander has no influence, but I can't believe that's totally true. If they are trying to build the program, I would think it would help. Since the student body is so liberal, I doubt there are many interested in anything military related.
 
Lack of athletics? I played varsity soccer (11th) and tennis (10/11). Is that really considered a weak athletic profile? Or did you just not see those things in my first post? (I am NOT being rude or sarcastic and was just wondering).

edit: I did mention athletics in my interview, but even if I didn't I put it on my application anyway.

I thought athletics wasn't great either. Not bad but not great. The things that came to mind when I looked at it was:

1. Tennis? Doesn't strike me as that physically demanding nor is it really a team sport. Now I know it takes a lot of conditioning to play tennis and there is always doubles, etc. But it ain't football.

2. Soccer. That's great... but what happened to freshman, sophomore, and senior years? Why no participation those years?

Perhaps there are logical explanations like:
a. Freshman can't play sports at out school.
b. I had a bad ankle sprain during soccer season of sophomore year so I couldn't play that season.
c. I only listed the varsity sports I played. I played JV theother years.
d. I didn't list any of my senior year activities

So maybe its all fine and is fully explained via your interview or application. Don't take it personally... just impressions I had and that the review boards may also have without further explanation on your part.
 
I thought athletics wasn't great either. Not bad but not great. The things that came to mind when I looked at it was:

1. Tennis? Doesn't strike me as that physically demanding nor is it really a team sport. Now I know it takes a lot of conditioning to play tennis and there is always doubles, etc. But it ain't football.

2. Soccer. That's great... but what happened to freshman, sophomore, and senior years? Why no participation those years?

Perhaps there are logical explanations like:
a. Freshman can't play sports at out school.
b. I had a bad ankle sprain during soccer season of sophomore year so I couldn't play that season.
c. I only listed the varsity sports I played. I played JV theother years.
d. I didn't list any of my senior year activities

So maybe its all fine and is fully explained via your interview or application. Don't take it personally... just impressions I had and that the review boards may also have without further explanation on your part.

C and D are right on the money (did play soccer, until I got a broken wrist, this year. Tennis is spring). Im sure they wouldn't discount tennis too much... but I see what you're saying.
 
Did you ask or get any impression that the unit commander will help you with admissions? Did you mention your desire to join the NROTC unit in your application? DD did and conventional wisdom is that the commander has no influence, but I can't believe that's totally true. If they are trying to build the program, I would think it would help. Since the student body is so liberal, I doubt there are many interested in anything military related.

Yes, the unit commander did say that she would send an email to admissions, just letting them know that I visited Yale and wanted to do NROTC and that Yale was my first choice. I did mention it in my application and I even talked with my Yale interviewers about it.

Does anyone when we might know if we got an offer at the last board?
And when will AFROTC release decisions for the first board?
I know that is all hush-hush, but maybe someone has some theories. I don't like all this waiting...
 
To Shaymitchell

3.45 gpa, top 25% of class, 26 ACT, Team Capt football and track, Kinship mentor for kids with learning disabilities, etc, etc.
 
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