Texas A&M Corp for non-ROTC

A

armydaughter

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
248
I have a son interested in the Aggie Corp. He is not interested (at this time) in a military career. I have some basic understanding of how the corp works for ROTC cadets.

Can anyone shed some more light on the differences for non-ROTC (Drill and Ceremonies) members of the Corp?
 
As I understand it, all TAMU cadets take ROTC for the first two years, regardless of whether or not they intend to commission. Those who are not going to commission then become Drill and Ceremonies cadets for their last two years. The Corps membership and obligations (what you have to do) is the same regardless of whether or not you are going to commission. Put differently, the military side has its obligations, and the Corps membership has its own obligations and requirements. Sent you an PM.
 
Just out of curiosity, why would one want to go to a military college and not commission? I don't understand that.


Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
 
Jarhead1775 said:
Just out of curiosity, why would one want to go to a military college and not commission? I don't understand that.
Click to expand...

Leadership training. Physical training and conditioning. Discipline. Development of good study habits and time management. I'm sure that's not an exhaustive list.

Participants in the VA Tech Corps receive a minor in leadership studies (there may be some additional courses involved). Not bad things to have on your resume when you look for that first job.
 
Jarhead1775 said:
Just out of curiosity, why would one want to go to a military college and not commission? I don't understand that.


Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
Click to expand...

Texas A&M is a lot more than a military college. It's one of the premier engineering schools in the country and one of the Texas flagship public universities. Pretty much all of the top 10% grads from Texas schools give A&M a serious look (unless they are dyed in the wool Longhorns :biggrin:).

Most of the students at A&M aren't affiliated with the corp at all. (2250 out of 50K+) Of all of the Aggies I know (and you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting one), only one was in the corp. And he was commissioned, not Drill and Ceremonies. That's why I was looking for insight.
 
armydaughter said:
Most of the students at A&M aren't affiliated with the corp at all. (2250 out of 50K+) Of all of the Aggies I know (and you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting one), only one was in the corp. And he was commissioned, not Drill and Ceremonies. That's why I was looking for insight.
Click to expand...

So it is true! I always thought that story about Aggies locating each other by swinging dead cats around their heads was a myth.
 
kinnem said:
Leadership training. Physical training and conditioning. Discipline. Development of good study habits and time management. I'm sure that's not an exhaustive list.

Participants in the VA Tech Corps receive a minor in leadership studies (there may be some additional courses involved). Not bad things to have on your resume when you look for that first job.
Click to expand...

Good answer. Another couple of possible reasons: Tradition- these organizations have been around a long time and you get to feel like you are part of a lot of history. Another possibility: to be part of a tight and cohesive organization. A school like A&M especially, or Va Tech to slightly smaller degree is BIG and it is pretty easy I suspect to get lost in the crowd- The Corps gives you a tight knit organization to be a part of.
 
armydaughter said:
I have a son interested in the Aggie Corp. He is not interested (at this time) in a military career. I have some basic understanding of how the corp works for ROTC cadets.

Can anyone shed some more light on the differences for non-ROTC (Drill and Ceremonies) members of the Corp?
Click to expand...

There are great scholarship opportunities in the corps even if you don't pursue a commission. I am not sure, but I think the percentage of corps members who commission are much less than those who are D&C. Check out this website for more info. http://corps.tamu.edu/ Your son will definitely graduate with more maturity and leadership than his peers. The Corps (and A&M) are not for everyone. If your son can sign up to spend a night with the corps, he can get a better feel for the organization and they have parent info sessions at the same time that will answer all of your questions.
 
2018mom said:
There are great scholarship opportunities in the corps even if you don't pursue a commission. I am not sure, but I think the percentage of corps members who commission are much less than those who are D&C. Check out this website for more info. http://corps.tamu.edu/ Your son will definitely graduate with more maturity and leadership than his peers. The Corps (and A&M) are not for everyone. If your son can sign up to spend a night with the corps, he can get a better feel for the organization and they have parent info sessions at the same time that will answer all of your questions.
Click to expand...

Thanks. He's doing spend the night with the corps in a couple of weeks. We have visited the school in general and the Engineering school specifically so this visit will be just about the corps. I didn't know they had scholarships. TAMU is pretty light on merit aid.
 
armydaughter said:
Thanks. He's doing spend the night with the corps in a couple of weeks. We have visited the school in general and the Engineering school specifically so this visit will be just about the corps. I didn't know they had scholarships. TAMU is pretty light on merit aid.
Click to expand...

My son was just offered a 16K Corps 21st Century Scholarship. He hasn't received any other offers from the university yet. He has an appointment to the Air Force Academy so I don't think he will be going to A&M, but he hasn't turned down his admission to A&M yet, just so he can see what they offer. My other son has a Marine Corps ROTC scholarship (thru ROTC, not A&M) and is a junior in the Corps, but most of the Corps scholarships do not require military commitment. I also have a daughter graduating this year - not in the Corps. I graduated from A&M and my husband was in the Aggie Band, so probably a little prejudiced, but it is a great school and has given all of us great opportunities.
 
best way to get questions answered is through the corp website corps.tamu.edu it has helped answer alot of mine!
 
in addition to some other points made previously, I would also mention that the strict environment at a military school is much more conducive to academics; at The Citadel there are no fraternities or sororities, no drinking on campus, enforced quiet hours during the evening study period and no leaving campus on weekdays. 10% of the corps go directly into graduate programs and the 4 year graduation rate is more than twice the national average.
 
DS has loved the SMC environment at UNG where there is a definitive focus on academics and maintaining a high GPA.

Also -- his suite is almost always clean. They have to clean every speck of dust off the floor, scrub the bathroom, keep things orderly and put away -- it's just a different lifestyle than civilian college (where you're lucky if somebody in the suite is a clean freak and rinses down the shower once in a while). DS likes the discipline and order because it helps him stay focused on the primary goal: getting a bachelor's degree with a high GPA. In his case, he is planning to earn a commission, but clearly, going through college in that Corps environment can certainly better prepare civic-minded students even if the military is not in their future. DS's school also offers a leadership minor for all ROTC students, regardless of contracting status. Once you've taken all the MS classes, the leadership minor only adds a few extra courses.

As regards TAMU -- also check out the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Association. You will find good resources there from alumni and Corps supporters.
 
I would also say that going to The Citadel is one of the smartest things I ever did; since I wasn't the most serious student in high school I really needed the discipline and limited distractions, interesting how many other grads I know say the same thing. Many stories of kids who were average or borderline students in high school but became Deans List and Gold Star recipients as cadets. Learning some teamwork, attention to detail, time management and handling physical and mental stress can be a good thing too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top