NROTC scholarship notification

For those who have recently received 'bad' news, I just want to offer some encouragement. To make a very long story short, DS was in this spot 4 years ago. It's been a challenge, to say the least, to try to figure out ANYTHING in this process. This message board is a great source of information and support, so that is something, but things military often do not make a bit of sense! The good news is this 'bad' news will really make those candidates evaluate themselves and their drive to become officers. DS decided to join the battalion as a college programmer and spent two long years waiting on a scholarship. He's a 3.9 engineering student and volunteered for every possible detail the unit offered. He earned the respect of the unit staff, as well as those in his command. He has said, more than once, that he wouldn't trade this experience for anything. (I might trade it--it was difficult financially for our family! :smile:) If you really want this, don't be discouraged by the process.

Kat
 
kmaidaho said:
For those who have recently received 'bad' news, I just want to offer some encouragement. To make a very long story short, DS was in this spot 4 years ago. It's been a challenge, to say the least, to try to figure out ANYTHING in this process. This message board is a great source of information and support, so that is something, but things military often do not make a bit of sense! The good news is this 'bad' news will really make those candidates evaluate themselves and their drive to become officers. DS decided to join the battalion as a college programmer and spent two long years waiting on a scholarship. He's a 3.9 engineering student and volunteered for every possible detail the unit offered. He earned the respect of the unit staff, as well as those in his command. He has said, more than once, that he wouldn't trade this experience for anything. (I might trade it--it was difficult financially for our family! :smile:) If you really want this, don't be discouraged by the process.

Kat
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+1 to Kat. If, as a result of one's reassessment, the discovery that "getting knocked down" increases your drive to "prove them wrong about you", then enrolling as a college programmer is a good way to go. It will not come easy. It requires dedication and hard work. But... it can be done. Many have done it before you. Some have failed. Some have gone on to great things. Which camp are you in? There is nothing wrong with either camp. Much depends on how badly you want it.
 
I did not receive one either. Have people not been posting acceptances out of decency or is this round just denials?
 
Well...

Judging from the fantastic quality of the individuals being turned down, it appears that this crop of NROTC scholarship winners must be the smartest and most qualified ever.


Best of luck to the many great kids that were passed over. With your lists of accomplishments, may you land on your feet and achieve your dreams!
 
DS still waiting here. We check portals and mail everyday...

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DS's portal has looked the same since Sept. That used to drive us crazy but now we are grateful for no news.
 
Received a call tonight, DS didn't make it. There was mention of his 1st choice being USAFA, and that had some bearing on the decision.

According to the recruiter, DS met or exceeded in each category of previous winners.

Oh well, USAFA, where you at????

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DS's portal has changed to "We are sorry, you were not selected for a scholarship. You will receive a letter explaining other options available to you".

Wondering what'd meant other options available?
 
Kinnem will chime in, but typically from what I know is they will discuss the college programmer aspect and how you can apply for an ICSP (in college)?
 
USMC_Ordie, Really sorry to hear your DS wasn't accepted. Has your portal changed for MO NROTC or did you just receive a phone call?
 
Pima said:
Kinnem will chime in, but typically from what I know is they will discuss the college programmer aspect and how you can apply for an ICSP (in college)?
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The options given to DS were...

NROTC Scholarship-go to college, get good grades, try to get college level leadership experience, do NOT join the unit as it disqualifies the applicant from NROTC Scholarship program.

USNA-go to college, JOIN the unit and do anything and everything possible in the way of leadership, get good grades, seek a recommendation from the CO. We were told that a re-ap to USNA shows determination and commitment and when coupled with grades and NROTC experience, is almost a guarantee. (Yes, we know how those guarantees go!)

Since DS really had his heart set on USNA, he joined the unit as a "college programmer", which basically means without scholarship. His original intent was to do whatever he needed to do to get to USNA.

When we dropped him off for O-week, you would have thought we were dropping him off in hell....not because of NROTC, but because he did NOT want to go to this college in particular and he was stuck there because they had offered him academic scholarships. However, when I went up for the batallion barbeque at the end of the week, I saw a completely different young man. Within two weeks, he decided to drop his re-ap to USNA and focus on getting a scholarship where he was. He liked the unit, the staff and the school.

Funny how these things work themselves out!:smile:

Kat
 
kmaidaho said:
The options given to DS were...

NROTC Scholarship-go to college, get good grades, try to get college level leadership experience, do NOT join the unit as it disqualifies the applicant from NROTC Scholarship program.

USNA-go to college, JOIN the unit and do anything and everything possible in the way of leadership, get good grades, seek a recommendation from the CO. We were told that a re-ap to USNA shows determination and commitment and when coupled with grades and NROTC experience, is almost a guarantee. (Yes, we know how those guarantees go!)

Since DS really had his heart set on USNA, he joined the unit as a "college programmer", which basically means without scholarship. His original intent was to do whatever he needed to do to get to USNA.

When we dropped him off for O-week, you would have thought we were dropping him off in hell....not because of NROTC, but because he did NOT want to go to this college in particular and he was stuck there because they had offered him academic scholarships. However, when I went up for the batallion barbeque at the end of the week, I saw a completely different young man. Within two weeks, he decided to drop his re-ap to USNA and focus on getting a scholarship where he was. He liked the unit, the staff and the school.

Funny how these things work themselves out!:smile:

Kat
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Happens to a lot of kids who are intent on re-applying to the academy. It is also amazing how NROTC orientation changes them. My son was a "different" person. Stood taller. Spoke more forthrightly and with confidence. He was clearly going places. To paraphrase a quote I heard in a slightly different context it didn't really change him... it just brought him out... it was him but with an exclamation point now!

Like many of you on this thread my son did not receive a 4 year high school scholarship. We were notified of this on April 15 but we had plan B ready to go and were able to easily execute on it in time for May 1 college deadlines. He enrolled in NROTC MO as a college programmer and with hard work and dedication won a 2.5 year sideload (or in-school) scholarship his sophomore year.

So how do you become an NROTC college programmer?

A student will normally enroll in their classes during their regular college freshman orientation. One enrolls in NROTC as a college programmer by signing up for the following three classes (whose titles may vary by college and certainly course numbers will).

- Fundamentals of Naval Science
- Naval Military Lab
- ROTC Conditioning (this is a PE class at my son's college and covers all the branches although they obviously PT separately).

This should cause the NROTC unit to reach out to you and get you additional information you need including NROTC freshman orientation dates, forms for a physical your doctor will perform, other info you will need to provide like birth certificate or proof of citizenship, inoculation records, etc.

Of course the wise future midshipmen will not wait to contact the NROTC unit at their preferred college. Instead they will contact them as soon as possible, let them know they plan to participate, confirm the names and course numbers for those courses in which they need to enroll, etc. If they haven't met with the NROTC unit yet during a college visit this might be a good time to schedule such a visit.

What is the procedure for winning a sideload scholarship?

It's my understanding that this process has gone through some changes recently so I can no longer claim to understand the details. Suffice it to say you child would have 2 or 3 opportunities to apply for a sideload scholarship. This is a national competition. There are still separate boards for each Naval option (Navy/Marines/Nursing). Their competition is the other NROTC kids across the nation. The same types of factors that go into the high school scholarships apply, but recommendations from the MOI and/or PNS will also now play a role as will their PFT scores in the unit, and even photos of them in uniform. So they will still want the SAT/ACT scores and their college transcripts, etc. (I don't recall if we needed the high school transcript as well).

What is Advanced Standing?

If one fails to win a scholarship their last chance to continue with the program will occur during the second semester of their sophomore year, when they apply for advanced standing. If they are approved for Advanced Standing they can continue with the program and will receive the monthly stipend (and book money?) starting their Junior year.

What about summer cruises?

Midshipmen who do not receive a scholarship or have not been granted advanced standing do not participate in NROTC summer cruises. On the plus side it is far easier to find that summer job and earn a few bucks. Trying to get a summer job that will work around a cruise schedule that you probably won't know the details of until sometime in April is no easy task - but it has been done.

There is no guarantee of a scholarship or advanced standing. I know of fine Midshipmen who either saw the writing on the wall and pursued other alternatives - Marine PLC, Army ROTC, or dropped the programs altogether. Of course I also know of folks who dropped the program because they decided it wasn't for them or were dropped due to making poor decisions or not meeting academic standards. It is not an easy path but dedication and hard work can get you to your goal. I would also submit that even if your kid doesn't make the cut, they will be a far better person for making the effort.

I thought I had posted much of this information earlier on this thread but evidently I forgot to click on submit! I wanted to go through it because I'm sure a lot of folks have questions about this process that is even more nebulous than the high school scholarship. It's really just an overview but I hope folks find this helpful.
 
If attending a college that does not offer NROTC but a school across the street does (Tulane), can I still sign up as a college programmer? Having been given the no for an nrotc scholarship and still awaiting word from Usna, i began working more on plan C attending Loyola New Orleans on an academic partial Scholarship, they are shown as a cross-town affiliate with Tulane's unit on the nrotc page (and are across the street from one another) so i hoped to join as a college programmer at Loyola and try to get the scholarship thereafter.
 
Danmart95 said:
If attending a college that does not offer NROTC but a school across the street does (Tulane), can I still sign up as a college programmer? Having been given the no for an nrotc scholarship and still awaiting word from Usna, i began working more on plan C attending Loyola New Orleans on an academic partial Scholarship, they are shown as a cross-town affiliate with Tulane's unit on the nrotc page (and are across the street from one another) so i hoped to join as a college programmer at Loyola and try to get the scholarship thereafter.
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Yes you can, just as scholarship students can. See this page for contact info for Tulane and Loyola. http://tulanenrotc.com/prospective-students/
I'd call the contacts at Loyola to get more details on how exactly to go about signing up.
 
Portal down?

Anyone else having problems accessing the NROTC website? I can't get to the homepage without an "error" screen coming up or it redirecting me to the NJROTC website
 
The same thing is happening to me. The NROTC site won't work and it redirects to the NJROTC site.


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