AROTC application almost complete

degli

5-Year Member
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May 28, 2013
Messages
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So my ds has been working on this app for what seems a lifetime. He's been working construction 40 hours a week since his junior school year ended in June. Comes home, works out, and falls asleep. Doing his final draft of the all important essay, sent in SAT, ACT test scores, etc. Before submitting does he need to have his fitness test entered? There is a "red highlighted" part that is asking for a personal fitness test. Can anyone clarify this with us? Also, is he getting late for submitting this app?
 
my son is exactly where your son is. (so not able to help just here to ask you more ?s) did your son do his interview yet? We were given a list of the closes places to interview but he wants to interview at one of his top three choices which are in other states and are figuring out the process.

regarding the physical test, I though I read that you have a month. His app said that his coach was notified. but its summer so the coach isnt around. Is that the same for you guys?
 
We were given a list of the closes places to interview but he wants to interview at one of his top three choices which are in other states and are figuring out the process. I would highly recommend that you interview at your Top 3 schools, rather than the local ones. Interviewing at said Top 3 will so effort that you want to go to that school. Plus, if your interview officer (at the local school) finds out that you don't want to go to his school, you may not do as well compared to interviewing at your Top 3. I'm not saying you shouldn't interview at a local school, I just want you to be aware of human nature - this was something specifically pointed out to me by my interview officer.

regarding the physical test, I though I read that you have a month. His app said that his coach was notified. but its summer so the coach isnt around. Is that the same for you guys?You do not need to have the test administered by a coach. [At least last year and previous years] you could have anyone in the community administer the test. So don't feel so constrained to have a coach do it; heck, I had my history teacher do mine.
Response in Blue.
 
my son is exactly where your son is. (so not able to help just here to ask you more ?s) did your son do his interview yet? We were given a list of the closes places to interview but he wants to interview at one of his top three choices which are in other states and are figuring out the process.

regarding the physical test, I though I read that you have a month. His app said that his coach was notified. but its summer so the coach isnt around. Is that the same for you guys?

He hasn't interviewed yet. Still working on his essay. Should complete today. Once the essay is done and app is submitted, how soon will he be contacted or notified as of an interview? Also, will the coach be contacted by ROTC or does my son contact him to have the text administered? His coach is readily available. H is playing summer ice hockey and could do this anytime.
 
He hasn't interviewed yet. Still working on his essay. Should complete today. Once the essay is done and app is submitted, how soon will he be contacted or notified as of an interview? Also, will the coach be contacted by ROTC or does my son contact him to have the text administered? His coach is readily available. H is playing summer ice hockey and could do this anytime.
Neither the interview or the PFT have any relationship with each other. You can take the PFT at any time - by any person in your community; it is your son's responsibility to coordinate with said coach to get the PFT done - not ROTC. You can also conduct the interview at any time - you could have even done it back in June if you wanted to (although this is all based on the assumption that the application did not change much from last year).

Before your son submits his essay, make sure he reads, rereads, and rereads the essay again to make sure everything is grammatically correct, and he is clearly stating what he wants to state.
 
Human Nature Indeed

Response in Blue.

Completely agree with regard to human nature. Last year, our DS had Oregon State and Santa Clara as his top 2 schools on his application at the time of conducting his PMS interview. We live closer to Santa Clara, so he decided to conduct his interview with the PMS there. After meeting with all 3 of us for the first 20 minutes, the PMS then conducted the remainder of the interview with our DS in private. Our DS later told us that the first thing the PMS said was, "So, why are we NOT your number #1 choice?" Our DS said the interview went fine all in all, but got the feeling the entire time that something was amiss. When our DS finally received a scholarship offer during the 2nd board, Santa Clara was not one of the schools.

Maybe the new application format is different, but last year, you had to rank your schools. I would suggest you really try to interview with your top choice.
 
1. We arent sure how to go about interviewing with son's top choice school. It wasnt on the list he was sent (he was sent four close schools) so he contacted the rotc application sight and asked who his POC is to ask the POC if he can interview at one of his top three choice schools instead. I suggested DS contact school directly but he said he will wait to hear back from ROTC to see who the POC is and then get the ok from POC

2. On the application said Physical Fitness Assessment:Sent, Son assumes that the coach he listed is getting the assessment information to administer. is that not correct?

3. How "in touch" should son be with his POC?

4. On his dashboard all is complete or approved except for:
File Upload:Incomplete
Status:Incomplete
PMS Interview:Interview Pending
Physical Fitness Assessment:Sent

under file upload and status the only thing missing is PFA--son is unclear though on that part since it says "sent." He took that to mean it was sent to his coach to administrator. so he isnt sure how to take it with anyone.
 
1. We arent sure how to go about interviewing with son's top choice school. It wasnt on the list he was sent (he was sent four close schools) so he contacted the rotc application sight and asked who his POC is to ask the POC if he can interview at one of his top three choice schools instead.

Those schools are being recommended, probably because they are the 4 closest. It is not necessary that you interview at 1 of those 4.

As other posters have already stated, there are advantages to interviewing at your top choice school.
 
1. We arent sure how to go about interviewing with son's top choice school. It wasnt on the list he was sent.
Like Marist said, that's fine if it isn't. My top school (PSU) wasn't on my list - and as Marist said, the schools listed are the ones geographically the closest to you; that's the way it was for me. ...If I remember, the paper says something like "these schools are recommended" for interview simply because of distance.

2. On the application said Physical Fitness Assessment:Sent, Son assumes that the coach he listed is getting the assessment information to administer. is that not correct?
That I'm not sure - that you'd probably want your son to talk to his POC.

3. How "in touch" should son be with his POC?
You don't need to be buddy buddies; for me, I'd email him once in a while - for a question, or to double check that something was received. Don't feel you need to stay in touch, just for the sake of staying in touch. I think I remember reading somewhere that there's a handful of POC's for thousands of applicants ... I think.

4. On his dashboard all is complete or approved except for:
File Upload:Incomplete
Status:Incomplete
PMS Interview:Interview Pending
Physical Fitness Assessment:Sent

under file upload and status the only thing missing is PFA--son is unclear though on that part since it says "sent." He took that to mean it was sent to his coach to administrator. so he isnt sure how to take it with anyone.
Okay, so on the website, is there a place where you fill out someone's contact information for the PFA? Basically, at any point of the application did your son fill out your coach's contact info? If so that may be the case - I can't say too much with 100% certainty since Cadet Command revamped the application for your son's graduating class. If this is not the case, have your son contact his POC.

Response in blue.
 
Those schools are being recommended, probably because they are the 4 closest. It is not necessary that you interview at 1 of those 4.

As other posters have already stated, there are advantages to interviewing at your top choice school.

If son's first choice is 10 hours away how would the interview be handled? Second choice is 5 hours away......
 
If son's first choice is 10 hours away how would the interview be handled? Second choice is 5 hours away......
That would be up to you/him to decide if the trip would be worth it, both economically and for the sake of the interview.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't interview at a local school, rather that you might have a slightly better chance by interviewing at those said schools.

At the end of the day, all interviewing officers are suppose to judge your son based on his character, scholastics, and integrity and not what school he wants to attend. But the one thing you can't cut out of that equation is human nature.
 
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