what say to colleges have?

CM11

5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Messages
34
sorry about the typo
it should read what say DO colleges have?

I have done some research on this forum and feel like I have found partial answers but not complete answers.

Do the colleges you list have a say on if the scholarship is rewarded to you? So, for example I have been contacted a couple of times by an admission officer from a college I am applying to, this admission officer was an ROTC graduate from that school previously and now after active duty is working in the University's admissions. I did not reach out to this school initially because they are my 3rd choice (because the school is a 55% reach for me according to college-match). I listed my 1st two choices with schools I would be easier to get into. I do really like this third school a lot but am only 55% likely to get in.

So here is my question. I know that schools can indicate whether hypothetically I can get into the school, but can they also specifically request a scholarship for me to their school as an option when I go in front of the board?

It seems that on early boards more than one school has been offered, do the schools have any say in this?


thank you in advance to all.
 
Typo...

Can't really answer your more important question; however, I can say that we all get typo's. Just do not typo anything on your applications. :thumb:
 
I estimate college admissions offices have no influence on the actions of a national ROTC scholarship board. On the other hand, if the ROTC graduate now working in the school's admissions office is pursuing you, that's probably a good sign as far as getting accepted to that school.
 
I estimate college admissions offices have no influence on the actions of a national ROTC scholarship board. On the other hand, if the ROTC graduate now working in the school's admissions office is pursuing you, that's probably a good sign as far as getting accepted to that school.

+1, although I might use a stronger word than estimate. I see no way for a college to influence the national ROTC boards.
 
+1, although I might use a stronger word than estimate. I see no way for a college to influence the national ROTC boards.

Admissions were helpful with the transfer of DS's scholarship.
 
sorry about the typo
it should read what say DO colleges have?

I have done some research on this forum and feel like I have found partial answers but not complete answers.

Do the colleges you list have a say on if the scholarship is rewarded to you? So, for example I have been contacted a couple of times by an admission officer from a college I am applying to, this admission officer was an ROTC graduate from that school previously and now after active duty is working in the University's admissions. I did not reach out to this school initially because they are my 3rd choice (because the school is a 55% reach for me according to college-match). I listed my 1st two choices with schools I would be easier to get into. I do really like this third school a lot but am only 55% likely to get in.

So here is my question. I know that schools can indicate whether hypothetically I can get into the school, but can they also specifically request a scholarship for me to their school as an option when I go in front of the board?

It seems that on early boards more than one school has been offered, do the schools have any say in this?


thank you in advance to all.

When your talking about College Admissions Officer, are you referring to the actual College admissions office, or are you talking about the Battalion's admission officer.

The College Admissions will have no say or pull in regard to getting a ROTC scholarship.

The Battalion will review your application and then have the option to check a box; 4yr, 3yr, or none. This is what they send Cadet Command. This does not guarantee a scholarship but it lets Cadet Command know that they want you and they are willing to use one of their scholarship allocations for you. Whether the Battalion actually has any pull or not is one of those deep mysteries, but having them check the yes box is a start.
 
I hadnt contacted them at all (mainly because I wanted to go there so I am applying and put is as my #3 choice but it is a reach school and I wanted to put my first two choices at where I was more likely to get in)

I got an email from an admissions person from the University who said, "The PMS from the Battalion passed me your name as someone who’s interested in the ROTC program here at xx . I wanted to write and introduce myself; xx. I’m currently working as an xx University admissions officer, so if there’s any information or help I can give you either in that capacity or in the capacity of a Battalion alum, please let me know and I’ll be happy to assist."

I of course followed up.

Now I am wondering if I should switch up my choice order or hope that they had the ability to request me for an ROTC scholarship at the National board. Though i am still not sure I can get in. Im confident about getting into my first choice. AS an FYI all of the schools (except my sixth choice) are 40,000+ tuition per yr.
 
I'd leave your school selections just as they are. The school that contacted you is still listed in your top 3.
 
I hadnt contacted them at all (mainly because I wanted to go there so I am applying and put is as my #3 choice but it is a reach school and I wanted to put my first two choices at where I was more likely to get in)

I got an email from an admissions person from the University who said, "The PMS from the Battalion passed me your name as someone who’s interested in the ROTC program here at xx . I wanted to write and introduce myself; xx. I’m currently working as an xx University admissions officer, so if there’s any information or help I can give you either in that capacity or in the capacity of a Battalion alum, please let me know and I’ll be happy to assist."

I of course followed up.

Now I am wondering if I should switch up my choice order or hope that they had the ability to request me for an ROTC scholarship at the National board. Though i am still not sure I can get in. Im confident about getting into my first choice. AS an FYI all of the schools (except my sixth choice) are 40,000+ tuition per yr.

+1 to Jcleppes remark about leaving the schools the same. I would further add that although this is perhaps a teeny weeny little bit positive, it's not really much more than a form letter triggered by what is normally a notification from the unit to the school. (Just my opinion but I'd bet moderate sums that it is correct). Of course some colleges don't even pay any attention to this stuff, so I do think it is somewhat positive in that the college seems to care about it.
 
How much does listing a college as your number 1 choice help?

I couldn't interview at VMI, but I listed them as my #1 choice and sent them my résumé and filled out the forms their ROO sent me.
 
OP --

I am going to disagree with both posters who said keep your list as is.

Every PMS can go into the system to see in what order you have listed your colleges. Did you know that?

If you had known that you have pull within Admissions from a former ROTC cadet admissions officer at the time you submitted your ROTC Scholarship Applicaiton, would you have put your true !st Choice college as choice #3 on your Application? I think not.

Given your inside pull in Admissions at True Choice #1, I would project your chances to have increased from the 55% you listed, to about 90%. You separated your file from everybody else with similar stats by having this inside person pull for you. Incidentally, there are indeed some schools where the PMS has good pull with admissions... and some are very highly ranked colleges that might surprise you. Most don't, but some do.

Assuming you do get a scholarship Award, and you have kept your true #1 listed as your choice #3 on the ROTC applicaiton, then Cadet Command will assign your scholarship to your #1 listed choice, assuming: 1) there are still openings there, and 2) the PMS has not notified CC that they really don't want you.

So do you really want a Scholarship assigned by Cadet Command to the school you listed as #1, that isn't really your #1? That you listed #1 just because you were very confident you could get in through admissions? Now that you know you have as good a chance of getting into your True #1 as the one you actually listed as #1?

If you do get a Scholarship to your listed choice #1, you would then need to petition Cadet Command to transfer that Award to your true choice, the School you listed on the App as #3. The problem? School #3's PMS engaged you in a positive way, and you still left them at #3. What message have you sent the PMS at our listed choice #3? You have not sent the message that they are your true #1 choice. I would suggest that if you have rejected your true #1 by leaving them as choice #3 even after they reached out to you, then school #3 *might* try to get your Scholarship award transferred there, but possibly downgraded from 4yr to 3yr, or possibly not at all. They might reserve their scholarship budget only for those applicants who listed them as #1, not for those applicants for whom they are "sloppy seconds", or in your case, "Sloppy thirds"....
 
Last edited:
OP -- to answer your other question, the PMS does not have any influence on the OML position you occupy in the National Board. Scholarships are awarded based on OML position, from #1 through #5,000, or however far they go.

However.. this is SUPER important, PMSs have recently, just this year, been given more budget than in prior years to offer in-college 4, 3.5, and 3 year scholarships to cadets the PMS has ranked at the top of the Battalion. This is some scholarship budget that has been shifted away from the National Board and to the college PMS.

If
-you have had positive interactions with the PMS of your true #1 choice,
-AND YOU HAVE LISTED THAT SCHOOL AS #1 on the Applicaiton,
-and if you don't win a Scholarship out of the National Board, when you arrive at your #1 choice school for classes, and enroll in ROTC as a non-scholarship cadet, you will have a better chance than other new cadets of being favorably reviewed by your PMS whenever he/she has budget to award a 4, 3.5, or 3 year in-college scholarship.

Why a better chance? First, because you listed that PMS' school as your #1, which shows commitment (and to the PMS, good judgement :) . Second, because you already started a relationship, and people in general, including PMSs, tend favor people who have already reached out to them proactively.
 
Last edited:
OP --

I am going to disagree with both posters who said keep your list as is.

Every PMS can go into the system to see in what order you have listed your colleges. Did you know that?

If you had known that you have pull within Admissions from a former ROTC cadet admissions officer at the time you submitted your ROTC Scholarship Applicaiton, would you have put your true !st Choice college as choice #3 on your Application? I think not.

Given your inside pull in Admissions at True Choice #1, I would project your chances to have increased from the 55% you listed, to about 90%. You separated your file from everybody else with similar stats by having this inside person pull for you. Incidentally, there are indeed some schools where the PMS has good pull with admissions... and some are very highly ranked colleges that might surprise you. Most don't, but some do.

Assuming you do get a scholarship Award, and you have kept your true #1 listed as your choice #3 on the ROTC applicaiton, then Cadet Command will assign your scholarship to your #1 listed choice, assuming: 1) there are still openings there, and 2) the PMS has not notified CC that they really don't want you.

So do you really want a Scholarship assigned by Cadet Command to the school you listed as #1, that isn't really your #1? That you listed #1 just because you were very confident you could get in through admissions? Now that you know you have as good a chance of getting into your True #1 as the one you actually listed as #1?

If you do get a Scholarship to your listed choice #1, you would then need to petition Cadet Command to transfer that Award to your true choice, the School you listed on the App as #3. The problem? School #3's PMS engaged you in a positive way, and you still left them at #3. What message have you sent the PMS at our listed choice #3? You have not sent the message that they are your true #1 choice. I would suggest that if you have rejected your true #1 by leaving them as choice #3 even after they reached out to you, then school #3 *might* try to get your Scholarship award transferred there, but possibly downgraded from 4yr to 3yr, or possibly not at all. They might reserve their scholarship budget only for those applicants who listed them as #1, not for those applicants for whom they are "sloppy seconds", or in your case, "Sloppy thirds"....

I hadn't gathered that OP's #3 choice was actually #1. Guessed I missed it or didn't read between the lines. If it really is #1 then by all means he should change the order of his school preferences. I have always felt it wise to list the colleges in the actual order of preference, rather than try to game the system to get a scholarship. Just my opinion though....
 
Back
Top