Switching majors before college starts

yofi23

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I can't remeber if we had to pick a specific major for the Army ROTC Scholarship but I planned on doing Mech Eng. (the award letter said "Engineering", not a specific one) I and want to switch to Industrial Eng. (which the Army may not consider a true engineering major) so I wanted to know if the Army would allow this switch. I will be a freshmen in college this fall. I am contacting the cadre at the college I will attend as well. Thanks for any help
 
If you're trying to switch from a tech to a non-tech major you'll probably have a lot of problems. If you do switch they might take your scholarship away. I'd talk to the cadre about it because they'll know the exact details.
 
I can't remeber if we had to pick a specific major for the Army ROTC Scholarship but I planned on doing Mech Eng. (the award letter said "Engineering", not a specific one) I and want to switch to Industrial Eng. (which the Army may not consider a true engineering major) so I wanted to know if the Army would allow this switch. I will be a freshmen in college this fall. I am contacting the cadre at the college I will attend as well. Thanks for any help

Someone posted this a few months ago. Both Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering are in the same matrix section. My understanding is that switches in the same matrix section are not problematic.

http://www.rotc.armstrong.edu/Documents/Scholarship%20Regulations/CC%20Reg%20145-1.pdf

Why would you think Industrial Engineering is not a "true" engineering major? Is it not in the School of Engineering at your intended college?
 
Does the Army prefer technical majors like the Navy and Air Force, or are they a lot less lenient? I plan on majoring in Biology.
 
Why would you think Industrial Engineering is not a "true" engineering major? Is it not in the School of Engineering at your intended college?[/QUOTE]

NROTC lists IE as a Tier 2 major, ME isTier 1. IE has less physics and deals with business related topics (like Supply Chain)

Thanks for the help so far guys.
 
Why would you think Industrial Engineering is not a "true" engineering major? Is it not in the School of Engineering at your intended college?

NROTC lists IE as a Tier 2 major, ME isTier 1. IE has less physics and deals with business related topics (like Supply Chain)

Thanks for the help so far guys.
[/QUOTE]

Are you asking about AROTC or NROTC.
 
I'm asking about Army but I wasn't able to find how Army ranked majors so I cited Navy
 
I called one of the Battalion OICs and he instructed me that since I had a 3 year AD Scholarship, I could switch majors before contracting.
 
I'm asking about Army but I wasn't able to find how Army ranked majors so I cited Navy

The Army has a ranking system for majors but they don't really use it for scholarship allocations or really anything substantially important like the AF/Navy. Your major is essentially null to them unless you are nursing or ed delay.

Being a STEM major has a few perks for branching though.

Nowadays they are becoming a little more strict with frivolous or non-essential major switching though...
 
Does the Army prefer technical majors like the Navy and Air Force, or are they a lot less lenient? I plan on majoring in Biology.

They don't really care. Biology is obviously a science so you get more OML points, but if the Army is not going to be your career it has little worth in the outside world if you are not teaching or researching.
 
The Army has a ranking system for majors but they don't really use it for scholarship allocations or really anything substantially important like the AF/Navy. Your major is essentially null to them unless you are nursing or ed delay.

Being a STEM major has a few perks for branching though.

Nowadays they are becoming a little more strict with frivolous or non-essential major switching though...

OK kids...let's be careful about the advice we give. First off, armydaughter, you posted a link to a document that is undated, and lists Cadet Command HQ as Fort Monroe, and lists ROTC regions at the end. This document is obviously many years old. Ag, Majors do matter. Offers are being made specifically for STEM majors, and if you receive one of these offers and subsequently change from a STEM to a non STEM you will lose a year of benefits. It's still not to the level of navy/AF, but "essentially null" is definitely not the situation.

So, to answer the question, Cadet Command is transitioning from using the old ADM list (the list in that old document armydaughter linked to) to a CIP list. I'm still trying to figure out the system, but what I do know is that I had to go to the school to find the CIP associated with the majors (Clarkson had the list and I found the person who maintained it), and I'm told Cadet Command knows what CIPs they consider STEM, but aren't releasing that information yet. You will need to work with your Battalion to make sure you don't decide to switch out of the major you were offered the scholarship for.

But, here's the bottom line. The PMS has some latitude to allow you to switch your major, so make sure you keep them fully informed. If you were coming to Clarkson it probably wouldn't be a problem switching, but things may be different where you are going.
 
OK kids...let's be careful about the advice we give. First off, armydaughter, you posted a link to a document that is undated, and lists Cadet Command HQ as Fort Monroe, and lists ROTC regions at the end. This document is obviously many years old. Ag, Majors do matter. Offers are being made specifically for STEM majors, and if you receive one of these offers and subsequently change from a STEM to a non STEM you will lose a year of benefits. It's still not to the level of navy/AF, but "essentially null" is definitely not the situation.

So, to answer the question, Cadet Command is transitioning from using the old ADM list (the list in that old document armydaughter linked to) to a CIP list. I'm still trying to figure out the system, but what I do know is that I had to go to the school to find the CIP associated with the majors (Clarkson had the list and I found the person who maintained it), and I'm told Cadet Command knows what CIPs they consider STEM, but aren't releasing that information yet. You will need to work with your Battalion to make sure you don't decide to switch out of the major you were offered the scholarship for.

But, here's the bottom line. The PMS has some latitude to allow you to switch your major, so make sure you keep them fully informed. If you were coming to Clarkson it probably wouldn't be a problem switching, but things may be different where you are going.

There must be a great amount of latitude because I just helped 2-3 "intended" engineering majors switch and there wasn't any ramifications from brigade as least not per our conversation with higher, CC just had to approve it. In addition, I would say 90% of our majors are non-science within our scholarship pool so if there were specific allocations for STEM (or at least some outline) maybe our brigade missed the memo? In the past people were switching majors all the time, both my roommates went from science to business to social science and they kept all their scholarship dollars. I don't know if this differs by brigade or is a recent change.

I just spoke with our ROO to double check and he wasn't aware of any penalty for switching (year penalty) but I will admit I can't remember if they went non-STEM or just switched from engineering to another science. Our HR lady thought it was one semester for certain majors but didn't know if it was still in effect. Do you know when this penalty took effect?

Either way I personally think the OML, GPA and majors system still needs to be overhauled but that is another thread.
 
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There must be a great amount of latitude because I just helped 2-3 "intended" engineering majors switch and there wasn't any ramifications from brigade as least not per our conversation with higher. In addition, I would say 90% of our majors are non-science within our scholarship pool so if there were specific allocations maybe our brigade missed the memo? In the past people were switching majors all the time, both my roommates went from science to business to social science and they kept all their scholarship dollars. I don't know if this differs by brigade or is a recent change.

I just spoke with our ROO to double check and he wasn't aware of any penalty for switching (year penalty) but I will admit I can't remember if they went non-STEM or just switched from engineering to another science. Our HR lady thought it was one semester but didn't know if it was still in effect.

DS, AROTC MS II, inquired about switching from Chem E to Chem (different matrixes). He was told that the decision would be made at the brigade (higher) level.
 
This last year there was a pool of STEM specific scholarships offered. Clarkson was the pilot school for 2nd Brigade, so we did get more of these than the average school (50% or our commissioning class this year are STEMs). There was a specific counseling memorandum that outlined the implications of changing out of a STEM scholarship. The point is the STEM scholarships are a work in progress.
 
There must be a great amount of latitude because I just helped 2-3 "intended" engineering majors switch and there wasn't any ramifications from brigade as least not per our conversation with higher, CC just had to approve it. In addition, I would say 90% of our majors are non-science within our scholarship pool so if there were specific allocations for STEM (or at least some outline) maybe our brigade missed the memo? In the past people were switching majors all the time, both my roommates went from science to business to social science and they kept all their scholarship dollars. I don't know if this differs by brigade or is a recent change.
Seriously?! The ROO at my school told me that once I switch, that's it - only 1 major switch allowed.
 
Seriously?! The ROO at my school told me that once I switch, that's it - only 1 major switch allowed.

Keep in mind this was a while ago 2008/2009, much has changed since then.
 
Keep in mind this was a while ago 2008/2009, much has changed since then.

Yep, my son switched from Civil Engineering to History/Pre Law, wasn't an issue, just filled out a new 104R.

Of course my son went through the same years as Aglahad, in Military years....that's a lifetime ago.
 
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