My chances for an ROTC scholarship?

adt98

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Dec 26, 2015
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Hello I am 17 years old and a junior in high school. Ever since I was young I have always wanted to join the service. My credentials are fairly decent:
-GPA:4.3 (weighted)
-Classes: all honors and AP classes since freshmen year (except algebra 2 sophomore year)
- Athletics-:JV soccer sophomore year/travel soccer sophomore year, 4 year varsity fencing/captain (including my future senior year), 4 year varsity tennis 2 year captain (including future senior year),
-Jobs:One summer job at a retirement home
-Clubs: Business Club, Volunteer Club, Environmental Club
-Music:4 year trombone player in concert band (including future senior year)
-SAT: 1640, 1690, 1860
-PFT: Mile: 6 min 47 sec Pushups: 48 Situps: 62 Pullups: 16
-Interest for my major is engineering in specific Mechanical, Civil, or AeroSpace

What are my chances that I will receive a ROTC scholarship? I know I am a little behind because I have not talked to any recruiters yet and I am still undecided about what branch of the military I would like to join (I am not applying for a scholarship just "so my college education can be paid", I genuinely want to serve my country and this is the path that I want to take) When should I start applying? Is it too late because its already half way through my junior year? Thank you for any help.
 
People don't apply until summer or autumn of their senior year so you still have plenty of time. You seem to be on the tight path. Look for more leadership roles and keep taking the hardest class schedule you can.
 
Kinnem is correct as usual. You have plenty of time.

I would say take the SAT and ACT as often as you can afford to take it. Your scores that you posted are on the low side right now.
~ 1860 would avg out to @630 each section.
~~ AFROTC does not superscore, it is best sitting. Avg. SAT for M/V is @1290 for a type 7. Over 1300 for type 1 and 2.
~~ NROTC does superscore, but their scores are also @ AFROTC.
~~~ IOWS, to be competitive you want to be closer to 700 than to 600 on each portion.
~~ AROTC superscores, and I think you are near their avgs for SAT.

Take this time to realllllyyyyy investigate everything regarding these scholarships.
~ AFROTC is what we call here a 2+2. It is guaranteed for 2 years, but if not selected to attend training during the summer of your rising junior year, it is very likely they will disenroll
~~ A/NROTC scholarships do not have that exception. If they award you a scholarship, than you have it for the duration.
~ AFROTC is tied to the cadet, not the ROTC unit.
~~ A/NROTC is tied to the cadet AND the unit.
~ AF/NROTC give the majority 80-85% to STEM majors.
~~ If you decide to go non-STEM at anytime during your college career, you will need approval. For AF/NROTC it is an uphill battle to get that approval and keep the scholarship.

Now with that being said, and you stating that this is not about a free education...throw that info in the circular filing cabinet. Take the time to investigate life after ROTC.
~ AROTC does not require cadets to serve Active Duty (AD),
~ AF/NROTC will require AD, there is no Guard/Reserve Option.

However, what they ALL have in common, is Service Before Self. College you get to choose where you live and what you major in for your degree, and it is not 24/7/365 days for 4 yrs. In the military, especially if you go AD, they choose where you live and what your career path will be for you during those 4 years AD. It is 24/7/365.
~ If you want to go Intel, than all 3 are great options, but if you would rather live on a boat than in the middle of Oklahoma or worse yet, at Del Rio TX as a maintenance officer, than maybe you should go Navy and not AF.

Every branch is amazing, but it is only amazing if it is a fit for you in the long run. You are 16 going 17, but if you go AD you will be 26 going on 27 before you get out, at the earliest.
~ Nobody expects you to know right now what you want to do for certain, but you probably do have some leanings to 1 branch over the others.

Best of luck.
 
Agree with Kinnem and Pima.

From what I saw from the stats from 2015, your SAT seems competitive for a 3 yr AROTC scholarship. May need to be higher for a 4 yr AROTC scholarship. Here is a link to UNG AROTC with stats from that year:

http://ung.edu/military-college-adm...larships-and-grants/army-rotc-scholarship.php
Adt98, don't count yourself out with your test scores. My son just got a four year AROTC on the first board to UNG with a 3.6 GPA and 23 ACT. The rest of his resume was amazing, ie leadership and athletics - Whole Person Score. I agree you have time to keep improving, and you absolutely should do so, but don't think you don't have a chance unless you have a certain test score or GPA.
 
Thank you everyone for the information and advice I greatly appreciate it
 
Your academics and sports are very good, but your scores could use a boost as others said. Also, they look at your UW GPA... Which could be a big decrease if you are taking all AP and Honors.

Finally, the best thing you can do for your application now is getting into Boys State. I was told Boys State was almost a requirement for getting into USMA, so it would no doubt be a great boost for your application.

I'm the opposite of you though. I only did a year of football in higschool, but did a lot of other leadership extracurricular programs.
 
Boy's state is hardly requirement but it does as some points to your score.
 
Boy's state is hardly requirement but it does as some points to your score.
When I was considering West Point, my liason told me that nearly all of the competitive candidates had attended Boys State. It probably isn't the same for ROTC, but since he is a junior, I believe Boys State is the biggest thing he can do between now and application time.
 
Since, as you state, nearly all attended, it is obviously not a requirement. I do think it's a great program and one should attend if they can. Just want to make sure we're clear to anyone reading the thread. The fact that most attended should be a big clue to applicants.
 
Finally, the best thing you can do for your application now is getting into Boys State. I was told Boys State was almost a requirement for getting into USMA, so it would no doubt be a great boost for your application.

The latest USMA class profile shows 234 Boys/Girls State participants out of the class of 1257 cadets. That's less than 1 in 5. It's a good thing to have but far from a requirement.

Stealth_81
 
The latest USMA class profile shows 234 Boys/Girls State participants out of the class of1257 cadets. That's less than 1 in 5. It's a good thing to have but far from a requirement.

Stealth_81

Wow, that's interesting information. My liason was obviously over embellishing, lol. But it still is one of the best things you can do to beef up your application, and it is a once in a lifetime experience. I won't soon forget my time at Boys State, that's for sure.
 
You have a great shot for the army but I would try to re-take the sat to be more competitive for the air force. Your GPA is outstanding.
 
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