AROTC and NROTC Chances

JakeReitz

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Joined
Feb 5, 2016
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I was wondering what you guys think my chances for an AROTC/NROTC scholarship would be.
I am planning on studying Aerospace engineering, and my number one school is Purdue University's School of Engineering (i've already been admitted).
I have a 3.979 gpa
My best ACT score is a 31, my superscore is a 32
--34 science
--26 math (best was 28)
--35 reading
--30 english (best was 31)
I am an Illinois State Scholar
I have been awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award (250+ service hours, i personally have over 750)
Volunteered for 4.5 weeks as a counselor at a Catholic Youth Camp
Volunteer Religious education teacher
No Varsity Sports
Member of National Honors Society, Student Rep for Bass Fishing Team, Future Business Leaders of America, Service Club, Foreign Language Club
5 A.P. Classes
Multitude of Honors Classes
If there's anything else you'd like to know to get a better idea, just ask!
 
Any sports at all? That can cause Cumulative point deduction for arotc.. it'll hurt you in the athletic portion of your app, the interview you can lose up to 40 points, and the board score.
 
No sports, but i forgot to include that since my Junior year ive had a job in which I work for about 25-30 hours a week.
Besides, im in decent physical shape. Im 6'4'' 175, havent taken the fitness test yet but ill do well
 
You have a decent application... but no sports is going to hurt a lot. I'd say 50 50 shot.
Make sure your pft is top notch or I don't think there'll be a ton of hope. Practice the mile run. It'll surprise you with the difficulty level if you aren't used to doing it often and RECENTLY.
 
When considering West Point, they said that a lack of sports can be made up for by having a job, is that not the case with AROTC?
 
Any part of an application that is exceptionally strong can make up for a weak section, to a degree.

Does having a job help? Yes

But.. is some percentage of the application completely reliant on athletics? Yes

40/200 (or 20%) of the interview is also solely dependent on athletics. (If you get a 0 in this section it will also more than likely effect another 40/200 points of the interview under the pms opinion category (not the exact term but if you were to look at the interview sheet You'd know what i was getting at).

So having a job helps.. yes. However, it will not make up for everything in the rotc scholarships.

The main problem is many people have applications that lack in a certain area. For example my application.. I only had a 3.0 gpa uw. But having that gpa still gets me some points in the scholar section of the application, just not full points.

If you've never played a sport.. you don't even get some points for athletics. You get 0 points. A job doesn't make up for having never played sports.

Not trying to be a downer. Just giving an honest opinion and trting not to sugar coat anything. I do wish you the best in you adventure. Hope it works out for you.
 
So lets say I ace the interview apart from the athletics portion, what are my chances? In all reality, im an athletic kid. Im always one of the best in my PE classes and am good all around, but never really specialized in a High School sport. My fitness test should be solid, I should pull 70-80 crunches, 6:30 mile, not too sure about the pushups
 
I have the same problem as you, but not as pronounced. I played football since I was 7 up until my sophmore year of high school, but did other physical programs such as Future Soldier Training after that. Even though I never did varsity, I met the criteria for full points in athletics on the interview: https://www.goarmy.com/content/dam/...JN_XS7QZFpv9oqHjw&sig2=EhIlS2ibwWRW7QGHfovQYA


Just because you weren't varsity doesn't mean you will score low. Make sure to include all athletic activities in your interview and application, even individual stuff such as working out.

My interview was a bit strange though, the PMS skipped over some questions, calling them "dumb," and never went into much detail about my athletics. I'm sure he knew what he was doing though, as he most likely already looked over my application before the interview.
 
So lets say I ace the interview apart from the athletics portion, what are my chances? In all reality, im an athletic kid. Im always one of the best in my PE classes and am good all around, but never really specialized in a High School sport. My fitness test should be solid, I should pull 70-80 crunches, 6:30 mile, not too sure about the pushups


You can't ace the athletics portion of the interview. It isn't opinionated. It's literally check boxes. Yes or no. If the answer is no.. you get a 0.

There's no opinions in this matter. No sports means you can't ace it.
 
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I have the same problem as you, but not as pronounced. I played football since I was 7 up until my sophmore year of high school, but did other physical programs such as Future Soldier Training after that. Even though I never did varsity, I met the criteria for full points in athletics on the interview: https://www.goarmy.com/content/dam/...JN_XS7QZFpv9oqHjw&sig2=EhIlS2ibwWRW7QGHfovQYA


Just because you weren't varsity doesn't mean you will score low. Make sure to include all athletic activities in your interview and application, even individual stuff such as working out.

My interview was a bit strange though, the PMS skipped over some questions, calling them "dumb," and never went into much detail about my athletics. I'm sure he knew what he was doing though, as he most likely already looked over my application before the interview.
Sounds like he handled it differently, my daughter was told she needed 3 varsity letters to get full points and she had 2, and multiple jv sports and club. I have heard from others that with that amount they got full points, so I am not sure what to tell you.
 
Sounds like he handled it differently, my daughter was told she needed 3 varsity letters to get full points and she had 2, and multiple jv sports and club. I have heard from others that with that amount they got full points, so I am not sure what to tell you.


What branch are you talking about? Also, I meant full points for the interview. Nobody really knows how the army scores applicants.
 
Sounds like he handled it differently, my daughter was told she needed 3 varsity letters to get full points and she had 2, and multiple jv sports and club. I have heard from others that with that amount they got full points, so I am not sure what to tell you.


As far as I'm aware.. if she had 2 varsity, some jv, and club sports... she should get full points for athletics. She certainly got full points for athletics on the interview.
 
--Either active involvement in organized competitive (club, church league) team, sports or active

--Membership of regional/city/competitive league

--Varsity Letter from High School team
Athlete (check all that apply)
involvement in individual athletic, competitions (triathlon, mountain biking, running, etc.)

Must letter in two or more sports or multiple letters, in a single
sport to receive 40 points or multiple blocks are checked.
Meets only one criteria above; award 20 points
Meets none of the criteria above; award 0 points



That's the athletic criteria on the interview. Either you have it or you don't. Non-opinionated.

If you have no sports what so ever.. you automatically have a max score of 160/200. After the pms's opinion grade.. Probably more like 140/200 max.

Which is not good, but recoverable with an outstanding all around application besides athletics.

Problem is having no sports is going to hurt you at the base application level, the interview level, and the board level.

Doesn't matter how it's looked at.. it doesn't look good. Best of luck though. I hope your high gpa and act are enough to make up for lack of participation in physical activities.
 
What branch are you talking about? Also, I meant full points for the interview. Nobody really knows how the army scores applicants.
Army, and there is a scoresheet they use, and there are points for Scholar, Athlete, Leader sections.
As far as I'm aware.. if she had 2 varsity, some jv, and club sports... she should get full points for athletics. She certainly got full points for athletics on the interview.
That is what we thought too. I am just going off of what he told her in the interview. The good news is it didn't sound like she was lacking in the other areas when it came to getting max points, and we thought she would be lacking in leadership, so feels like a wash.
 
You can't ace the athletics portion of the interview. It isn't opinionated. It's literally check boxes. Yes or no. If the answer is no.. you get a 0.

There's no opinions in this matter. No sports means you can't ace it.
I didnt say I was going to ace the sports section, notice I said "ace the interview APART from the athletics portion"
 
So what about sports that you do outside of school, but not competitively? They have riflery and trap shooting listed as sports, which i partake in avidly, but not competitively.
 
I didnt say I was going to ace the sports section, notice I said "ace the interview APART from the athletics portion"


And what i was saying was if you do not get the full points in the scholar athlete and leader portions of the interview, you will more than likely take a hit in the pms opinion portion of the interview as well (therefore not able to ace "everything apart from athletics").

Sorry if what i wrote was confusing.
 
So what about sports that you do outside of school, but not competitively? They have riflery and trap shooting listed as sports, which i partake in avidly, but not competitively.


I also shoot for rifle, but it's at a varsity team for my school. Awesome sport!

However, the interview says in all 3 of the check boxes for athletics, "competitive," so no that wouldn't count.

You could put it down in the activities section of the portal though, in the JV (non intramural category).
 
My best advice to you would be go to school or church. Find a club that you can get into that also has a team that competes. Join it.

Having a sport will increase your chances substantially. If i were you I'd be doing everything in my power to get involved in one.
 
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