NROTC Scholarship and Gap Year

NROTC_HOPEFULLY

5-Year Member
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Is it possible to defer an NROTC scholarship for one year in order to take time off between high school and college?

I am thinking I might like to take a gap year to do interesting things and to take a break from academics for a while. I want to make the most of all the opportunities at college and I think a gap year would help a lot...

I have heard that it is done on a case by case basis, but I have not been able to find anything official. Does anyone know about this (if it is ever possible, who to contact, etc.)?

Thank you
 
Is it possible to defer an NROTC scholarship for one year in order to take time off between high school and college?

I am thinking I might like to take a gap year to do interesting things and to take a break from academics for a while. I want to make the most of all the opportunities at college and I think a gap year would help a lot...

I have heard that it is done on a case by case basis, but I have not been able to find anything official. Does anyone know about this (if it is ever possible, who to contact, etc.)?

Thank you

Oh sure, they'll hold a slot open for you for a year or longer if you want. And can you pass me whatever it is your smokin'? :biggrin:
 
Can't you do it with the Air Force?

Can't you do it with the Air Force? I remember seeing the option on one of their forms on the AFROTC scholarship acceptance papers. Why can you do it with the Air Force and not the Navy? And why do you guys think it is a crazy idea?
:frown:
Thanks!
 
I think for AFROTC that option is there for religious purposes, i.e. Mormons. It is not there because you want to take a break from academics and do something else. In essence, that is what you are saying. You are saying I am burnt out and want a yr off.

The fact is the scholarship is part recruitment and part manpower planning. When you accept the scholarship it is for 4 yrs starting Sept 2013, and they expect you to commission May 2017, not May 2018.

I would also assume that for Mormons taking the GAP yr., they would have to get a waiver and the key with a waiver is just because the waiver exists it does not mean it will be approved.
 
My DS, AROTC MS II, was allowed to defer his scholarship for a gap year.

-That was the Army not the Navy

-That was two years ago

-DS had excellent stats

-Major was/is engineering

-Spent gap year on Rotary Exchange Scholarship in Taiwan, living in a Chinese only environment. When he returned, he tested out of all Chinese language classes at his Big 10 U.

A year of seasoning and maturing can be very worthwhile. I am a big supporter of the gap year under two conditions:

-There is a hard, fixed plan in place to execute at the end of it.

-There should be a reason and purpose behind the gap year which makes you smarter, more mature, more experienced or, in some quantifiable way, a better person at the end of the year. Taking a break, finding yourself, "doing something interesting", working a minimum wage job, paying to do good works in an African country are not compelling reasons or purposes.

As far as whether or not they'll let you do, I would, as with most issues, defer to Pima, Kinnem, Marist, Clarkson, dunn, et. al.

Best of Luck!
 
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Can't you do it with the Air Force? I remember seeing the option on one of their forms on the AFROTC scholarship acceptance papers. Why can you do it with the Air Force and not the Navy? And why do you guys think it is a crazy idea?
:frown:
Thanks!

The Air Force is not the Navy. Each service administers its own ROTC program and has their own rules. I've never heard of this in NROTC. What I have heard of recently in NROTC is that if you discuss that you're even thinking about leaving NROTC, you're gone. There may in fact be such provisions but I would think they are extremely rare and would be limited to religious reasons, death in the immediate family, etc. I would expect under normal circumstances you would be denied your scholarship if you were taking a gap year without "cause". YMMV.
 
to add onto cb's post.

That was 2 yrs ago. A lot has changed, especially due to sequestration.

As for AF, this was a question only a few days ago regarding the AFA. The answer turned out to be that even for Mormons they would most likely have to decline their apptmt. and re-apply next yr., including getting noms.

I would think that AFROTC would be more lenient than the AFA, but because of sequestration I am sure it will be rare. I would think it would be for recipients like cb's DS. You would have to show that this is an academic opportunity of a lifetime and not only would you be a better cadet/student your experience would be beneficial to the military.
~~~ Let's be honest the military cares about China, the fact they can now speak Chinese, understands their culture is a plus for the Army.


OBTW, I don't think it is a crazy idea to do a gap yr for religious reasons or an exchange program like cb's DS, but it is crazy from what you posted.

NROTC_HOPEFUL said:
I am thinking I might like to take a gap year to do interesting things and to take a break from academics for a while.

It rubs people the wrong way to see someone say I want to take a break as a scholarship recipient, while the non-scholarship recipient is taking jobs, loans to pay for college and not taking a break.

It also appears you have no plan in place to do this which strikes people as crazy. Most colleges right now are requesting the deposits due within a week. Most are non-refundable. Have your folks paid the deposits? If so, that is another reason why people think it is crazy to be asking this at such a late date with no plan in place. You didn't say I have been offered the opportunity to intern at the UN for a yr, or go to Haiti to build homes. Do you have an amazing exchange/internship in place?

If not than, it just seems to be second thought with no concise plan or course. What would you write on the paperwork for your request? Surely, not what you wrote here.

We get burn out....that is why senior summer yr is usually filled with hanging out a lot. For my kids it was the one summer I said you can choose work or hangout. Their choice. 1 of the 3 worked, the others save all of their graduation money and used that as their spending money so they could be lazy. The 1 that did is a girl. Let's be honest, she worked because shopping for clothes, shoes and cosmetics was in her vocabulary!:shake: The amount of Hokie stuff she came home with for Thanksgiving probably was her entire summer savings :eek:

OBTW have you even investigated if the college would allow you to defer? Most colleges would put you through the same rigor for approval. They have a slot for you right now. That is the final reason why people, at least me, are questioning your thought/logic process.
 
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To her it was! The funny thing is as a rising sophomore at VT, she worked again that summer too. This time it was to pay for all of her Omega Chi sorority stuff.

Last summer and now this summer, she is interning, I guess it's because she has enough Hokie and Omega Chi gear she can now live on the allowance we give her.

Back on topic.

I hope NROTC_Hopeful does not leave this thread because of what he/she may perceive as thinking them crazy.

I am curious as why this late in the game they are pursuing this path and why they didn't think about it 4-6 months ago? That and what exactly they would do for the yr.
 
I know quite a few kids that decided they wanted to take a break after finishing high school. They were definitely going to go to college but thought they would do something else for a year before starting college. A fairly high percentage of them never got around to going to college and most of the ones I still know will say they made a mistake. Not saying this would happen to you but sometimes life gets in the way.
 
Packer said:
but sometimes life gets in the way.

:shake:

At my age, and my perspective, I would change that from sometimes to MOST LIKELY!
 
Im a "he".

The college I am planning to go to (and its peer schools) is (are) very encouraging of people taking gap years since a) most students have wonderful experiences and b) those students come back to campus and do very well (better than non gap year students) both academically and socially.

I just want to be able to make the most of the opportunities I will find at college. If I didn't feel burned out, then I would not have been trying hard enough. Right?

I do not seem to have a plan because I don't have a strict and rigid one (part of the point is learning to live on your own becoming more mature etc) and also because I dont feel the need reveal all on this forum.

So who should I ask about this? Or did you mean that they would take away my scholarship for even asking when one of you said 'if you even think about leaving you're gone'?
 
Im a "he".

The college I am planning to go to (and its peer schools) is (are) very encouraging of people taking gap years since a) most students have wonderful experiences and b) those students come back to campus and do very well (better than non gap year students) both academically and socially.

I just want to be able to make the most of the opportunities I will find at college. If I didn't feel burned out, then I would not have been trying hard enough. Right?

I do not seem to have a plan because I don't have a strict and rigid one (part of the point is learning to live on your own becoming more mature etc) and also because I dont feel the need reveal all on this forum.

So who should I ask about this? Or did you mean that they would take away my scholarship for even asking when one of you said 'if you even think about leaving you're gone'?

Disregarding anyone's personal opinion on the matter, since I doubt you came here for a lecture, I believe the answer to your question will be, almost certainly, no. You wait on the military, the military isn't very keen on waiting on you or anyone, especially not in the current climate. By all means, call NROTC HQ and ask, there may be an exception somewhere, but most likely it will just come down to a choice between which one you want more, the NROTC scholarship or the gap year. Considering how easy it is to get kicked out of ROTC now-a-days, the chances of you keeping both are slim, but I highly doubt they'll take your scholarship away just for asking.

Good luck.
 
+1 Non Ducor Duco.

The fact is you said it all already.

NROTC_HOPEFULLY said:
I do not seem to have a plan because I don't have a strict and rigid one

I am not understanding why 1 week from May you don't have a plan. I am also not understanding why anyone would not share that info on the forum if they are asking for guidance. In essence it would be a bragging point.:cool: Please explain to me why. Not being antagonistic, just trying to get it!

Your choice, your life. Non Ducor Duco is right. You don't need a lecture, you want guidance. Unfortunately for you the guidance is in this military environment you need to choose GAP or military scholarship.

If you get the deferment, than you will be the go to guy regarding this process.
 
+1 Non Ducor Duco.
I am not understanding why 1 week from May you don't have a plan. I am also not understanding why anyone would not share that info on the forum if they are asking for guidance. In essence it would be a bragging point.:cool: Please explain to me why. Not being antagonistic, just trying to get it!

I don't have a plan because I didn't really know whether I wanted to take one until colleges acceptances and the NROTC scholarship came in. I was dealing with those other things and just wasn't thinking about it much.

I don't want to share more information because I don't want to.

Thank you.
 
Okey Dokey.

I get not wanting to share, I am superstitious when I am going through things that impact my future. Fear that if I talk about it as if it is done deal, it always ends up that it doesn't happen.

I am still going to say that nothing here, you have posted would make any of us say they would allow you to defer for a yr.

The fact is if you don't want to share, than posters can only respond/guide using the limited information you have supplied.

In that case, I side with kinnem
kinnem said:
Oh sure, they'll hold a slot open for you for a year or longer if you want. And can you pass me whatever it is your smokin'?:biggrin:

You have said in your last post:
NROTC_HOPEFULLY said:
I don't have a plan

I would love to say I am not sure what you want from us, but I am pretty sure I know what it is, and nobody is giving it.

This is your life, your choice. Our opinion is worth the same amount as a day old newspaper!

OBTW can someone remind me again why this is a conversation? NROTC doesn't allow it. Over and done.
 
Okey Dokey.

I get not wanting to share, I am superstitious when I am going through things that impact my future. Fear that if I talk about it as if it is done deal, it always ends up that it doesn't happen.

I am still going to say that nothing here, you have posted would make any of us say they would allow you to defer for a yr.

The fact is if you don't want to share, than posters can only respond/guide using the limited information you have supplied.

In that case, I side with kinnem


You have said in your last post:


I would love to say I am not sure what you want from us, but I am pretty sure I know what it is, and nobody is giving it.

This is your life, your choice. Our opinion is worth the same amount as a day old newspaper!

OBTW can someone remind me again why this is a conversation? NROTC doesn't allow it. Over and done.

I am not sure why you made this post. I wanted to know a) If it was ever possible and b) What to do next (if it is sometimes possible). I have gained answers to both of those questions, and now I also know that I need to present a coherent, definite, and interesting plan to the people I talk to about it.

I don't see why there has to be "sides" in this thread--I am simply trying to figure out my plans for the future. I also don't know what you meant by this--"OBTW can someone remind me again why this is a conversation? NROTC doesn't allow it. Over and done." NROTC doesn't allow conversations?

And what did you think it was that I wanted? ("I would love to say I am not sure what you want from us, but I am pretty sure I know what it is, and nobody is giving it.")

There is no need to be confrontational (or unhelpful).

Thank you.

Edit: or maybe its best if no one else replies until I hear back from the Navy people tomorrow. More details to follow (if I remember!)
 
I am not sure why you made this post. I wanted to know a) If it was ever possible and b) What to do next (if it is sometimes possible). I have gained answers to both of those questions, and now I also know that I need to present a coherent, definite, and interesting plan to the people I talk to about it.

I don't see why there has to be "sides" in this thread--I am simply trying to figure out my plans for the future. I also don't know what you meant by this--"OBTW can someone remind me again why this is a conversation? NROTC doesn't allow it. Over and done." NROTC doesn't allow conversations?

And what did you think it was that I wanted? ("I would love to say I am not sure what you want from us, but I am pretty sure I know what it is, and nobody is giving it.")

There is no need to be confrontational (or unhelpful).

Thank you.

Edit: or maybe its best if no one else replies until I hear back from the Navy people tomorrow. More details to follow (if I remember!)

Sincerely, good luck on the call. I hope it all works out and your dreams come true, just highly doubtful. I expect you'll at least have to re-apply for the scholarship, but your phone call will determine that and my opinion matters nought. Only the feedback from the phone call is what matters. I look forward to your future posts on this topic.
 
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