What are my honest chances of getting any type of Army ROTC Scholarship

briandelfs019

5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
14
I finished the Army 4 Year Scholarship Application in early November. I sent an email regarding the status, and here is the correspondence:

Brian,

Your application was forwarded to the Selection Board the first week of November 2014, however, you were not offered a scholarship from the November Selection Board, instead, you were placed on an "ORDER OF MERIT" List - which means that you will not be re-boarded, but will be considered at a later time if any openings become available.
----------------------------
Obviously that was not what I was hoping to hear.

Here are my questions:

-What did the email actually mean?
-Frank and straightforward, what are my chance of getting ANY kind of scholarship?
-Where am I now?
-What are the next steps?

Here are the schools I listed:

Santa Clara Univ.
UC Santa Barbara
Northeastern
UC Davis
NJIT

Here are my creds:

(I think I nailed the interview, the PMI said I have all the traits they are looking for)

17 yrs old

Scholar:

Unweighted GPA: 3.0
SAT: 1780
ACT: 26
Honor Roll: Twice
National Latin Exam Cum Laude Award
School wide christmas math competition- 2nd place as a sophomore
Band Member FO, SO, JR YEars

Athlete:
4 Year Winter Track Varsity Letter Winner,
Winter Track Captain Senior Year (This year)
1 Year Spring Track Varsity Letter Winner, Expecting to be captain
JV Baseball FR-SO Years
Summer City Organized Baseball League
Winter City Organized Basketball League


Leader:
Boy Scout since '07
Eagle Scout
Robotics Team Captain
Yearbook Section Editor
School Mentorship Program- 3 Freshman Mentees
Camp Counselor Freshman Year

Scholarship Fitness Test Results:
52 Pushups
47 Situps
9:21 Mile

Other:
Part Time Employee
Many Service Hours
Church Youth Group Senior Member
 
Brian,

Are you a thrower? 9:21 mile and you were on the track team for 4 years? You likely did not max points based on those Fitness test scores.

UCSB is unlikely. Their ROTC Battalion is closing. Is an ACT score of 26/SAT 1780 competitive for acceptance to UC Davis?

The letter just means your file was assigned a 'score'. That score puts you on the OML Order of Merit List. If your place on the OML is high enough you will be considered for a scholarship.
 
Can I send an email to the navy rotc people and get a response on my application? i didn't know you could email them asking about it...
 
Mandy,

I dont know, it my question was actually regarding if I have to get a DoDMERB or not, and they kinda just said that. SO haha idk.
 
Brian,

Are you a thrower? 9:21 mile and you were on the track team for 4 years? You likely did not max points based on those Fitness test scores.

UCSB is unlikely. Their ROTC Battalion is closing. Is an ACT score of 26/SAT 1780 competitive for acceptance to UC Davis?

The letter just means your file was assigned a 'score'. That score puts you on the OML Order of Merit List. If your place on the OML is high enough you will be considered for a scholarship.
AROTC Parent,

Yes I am a thrower haha, a nine minute mile from a runner, and you are probably doing the wrong sport.
 
Brian,

Are you a thrower? 9:21 mile and you were on the track team for 4 years? You likely did not max points based on those Fitness test scores.

UCSB is unlikely. Their ROTC Battalion is closing. Is an ACT score of 26/SAT 1780 competitive for acceptance to UC Davis?

The letter just means your file was assigned a 'score'. That score puts you on the OML Order of Merit List. If your place on the OML is high enough you will be considered for a scholarship.

The scores, they are a little under average. DOes the board award scholarships based on the chances they think you will have to get accepted?
 
I think your stats would have been fine in 2009. Every year since then has gotten more difficult.

Your weaknesses:

- 3.0 GPA, but they care more about class rank. What is yours?
- 1710 SAT

Your strengths are:
- Eagle Scout

The rest is about in the middle.

The email meant that you won't be re-evaluated (Boarded), which means the score you received from the November Board will stay the same throughout the next two Boards, and subsequent going down the OML and awarding scholarships. Your score evidentl placed you below the scholarship OML cut-off line for the 1st Board. That same score, now that many above you already have their award offers, might put you above the cut-off line for the 2nd Board, or 3rd Board.
 
I think your stats would have been fine in 2009. Every year since then has gotten more difficult.

Your weaknesses:

- 3.0 GPA, but they care more about class rank. What is yours?
- 1710 SAT

Your strengths are:
- Eagle Scout

The rest is about in the middle.

The email meant that you won't be re-evaluated (Boarded), which means the score you received from the November Board will stay the same throughout the next two Boards, and subsequent going down the OML and awarding scholarships. Your score evidentl placed you below the scholarship OML cut-off line for the 1st Board. That same score, now that many above you already have their award offers, might put you above the cut-off line for the 2nd Board, or 3rd Board.

Dunninla,

When are the next boards?
 
I think your GPA and mile time are mainly what hurt you. Based on how competitive the first board is I'm not surprised you didn't get one there, but I'd say you certainly have a chance for a 3 year AD scholarship. Why not try to raise the test scores or redo the fitness test?
 
I think your GPA and mile time are mainly what hurt you. Based on how competitive the first board is I'm not surprised you didn't get one there, but I'd say you certainly have a chance for a 3 year AD scholarship. Why not try to raise the test scores or redo the fitness test?

I do not believe I have the option. DIdnt one of the users say I will not be reboarded and my score stays as is?
 
The scores, they are a little under average. DOes the board award scholarships based on the chances they think you will have to get accepted?

Brian,

I suspect, though do not know definitively, that part of the scholarship determination for school of assignment is whether you are likely to be admitted.

An example: ACT score 20. Five schools on your scholarship application. Stanford, Princeton, UVA, UC Davis, Northwestern. It is unlikely a scholarship will be granted to any of these schools.

Good Luck. A scholarship is not necessary to participate in ROTC. The top cadet in my cadet's Battalion was non scholarship/non SMP.
 
Brian,
I hate to be a buzz kill but your GPA & SAT scores won't even qualify you for a parking pass as UCSB or UC Davis. You really need to reconsider your schools of choice. At least build in a "safety school" with an AROTC program like Sacramento State University.
 
Brian,
I hate to be a buzz kill but your GPA & SAT scores won't even qualify you for a parking pass as UCSB or UC Davis. You really need to reconsider your schools of choice. At least build in a "safety school" with an AROTC program like Sacramento State University.

Haha trust me I will need the walking. What else do my GPA and SAT scores effect on campus?
 
@Brian,

All the UCs (with the exception of UC Merced) will demand a minimum of 3.8+ GPA, not to mention outstanding SAT scores, to even get considered. The average GPA for new Frosh in the UC system is right at 4.0. I do wish you luck. Just have a back up plan in place!
 
I had a very, very similar resume as yours (I was also 4 years varsity track). My GPA was a little higher, ACT was 27 and my PT was better... but you had more leadership than me. I ended up getting a 3 year AD on the final board. I was pretty borderline, and I think you will be too. I think you've definitely got a shot at a 3 year, but I wouldn't get you hopes up too much for a 4 year.

HOWEVER, I would strongly suggest looking at some less competitive schools. That is a big factor, especially for people on the lower end (no offense).
 
What else do my GPA and SAT scores effect on campus?
well, for starters the word you want is affect, not effect. Secondly, if you think GPA and SAT correlate to performance in college, then you will have a rough time of it at any UC other than possibly Merced, or even the top Cal States like San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Pomona. Don't forget the state of California has created the UCs for the top 12.5% of students in the state. 1780 and 3.0 GPA barely get into the top 50%. The mid tier UCs like Davis and Santa Barbara are for the top 6-8%, whereas Berkeley and UCLA are for the top 1-2%, and so on. The little I know about Northeastern tells me it is about as selective as the mid tier UCs. Santa Clara just a little less selective but your stats may be even low for them.

I suggest you look into Cal State Northridge, which is part of the UCLA "Bruin Battalion". I think your stats could get you into Northridge.

To answer your earlier question, 2nd Board is typically the last week of January, and 3rd Board is late March/early April.
 
What are my chances?

Hey! What are my chances of getting a 4 year AROTC scholarship or NROTC scholarship? I didn't make the first board but I improved my ACT and GPA!

GPA: 3.7 (Un-weighted)

ACT: 25 Composite

Class Rank: 64/330 (top 20%)

Course Type: All AP and Honors. Dual Enrollment Senior Yr w/ a 4.0 college GPA

Future Major: Biology

School of Intent: The Citadel (accepted)

Athletics: Three Varsity Letters in Track and Team Capt.; Varsity Letter in Cross Country and Team Capt; Black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do; Many athletic awards. All state for Tae-Kwon-Do

Leadership & Activities:
ROTC Corps of Cadets Commander
Club President
Student Government Treasurer
Service Club Member
Church Leader
Team Capt
Pool Manager
Boy's State Delegate
Beta Club
Drama Actor and Competition
Drill Team
Yearbook Photo Editor
ROTC Academic Bowl
Leadership Conference

Awards & Honors:
Presidential Volunteer Service Award (300+ Hours)
Three letters in Community Service
American Legion Scholastic ROTC Medal
SARS and DARS Medal
Letter in Academics

Had a good interview with the PMS.

Mile Time: 5:47
Crunches in Min: 49
Pushups in Min: 51

What are my chances? :confused:
 
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