ROTC/USMA: AMA

After joining my state university's ROTC program, I have decided to discontinue my application to USMA. ROTC has been so much more exciting than I thought it'd be. I love every bit of it, from waking up early to go to PT to having lab on Thursdays. Receiving the LOA made it extremely difficult for me to make my decision, but re-injury is something that was a huge concern for me, and I am confident that the ROTC program at my university will fully prepare me to one day lead soldiers for my country. My end goal to become an Army officer remains unchanged, and I want to help others who want to accomplish the same thing, why is why..

If you have any questions regarding ROTC, USMA, reapplying for USMA, waivers, etc., please feel free to message me or to comment. I am more than willing to answer anything and everything that I can possibly answer. SAF has been a great help for me throughout my application process, and I wish to provide the same benefit to you candidates.

Good luck to you. The end results are going to be the same

Congratulations! Glad you are satisfied. A major objective is to find "the right fit" I strongly believe. There are 275 Army ROTC programs at universities around the country and they develop outstanding officers for the world's best Army. I urge young people to explore and try to determine where they can go and flourish - whether it is at West Point or at an ROTC program at a college. Our Army needs high achievers in scholastics, athletics, and leadership with the potential to lead Soldiers. West Point and ROTC both do it well. Best wishes!

Welcome Westpoint79 to the forum. It is nice to see cadre from out West joining us.

GoArmy22 said:

After joining my state university's ROTC program, I have decided to discontinue my application to USMA. ROTC has been so much more exciting than I thought it'd be. I love every bit of it, from waking up early to go to PT to having lab on Thursdays. Receiving the LOA made it extremely difficult for me to make my decision, but re-injury is something that was a huge concern for me, and I am confident that the ROTC program at my university will fully prepare me to one day lead soldiers for my country. My end goal to become an Army officer remains unchanged, and I want to help others who want to accomplish the same thing, why is why..

If you have any questions regarding ROTC, USMA, reapplying for USMA, waivers, etc., please feel free to message me or to comment. I am more than willing to answer anything and everything that I can possibly answer. SAF has been a great help for me throughout my application process, and I wish to provide the same benefit to you candidates.

Click to expand...

Hello GoArmy22,
I am new to this website, and only made a profile just today in order to seek some help. I came across your original thread "ROTC vs USMA" while searching, and I am in a similar situation. As of now I am freshman in ROTC. Last semester I didn't really like that the environment wasn't 24/7 militarily oriented within ROTC lifestyle. Therefore I reapplied to USMA, and have recently been notified that I have been accepted. At first I was very excited and relatively sure that was what I wanted to do next semester. I pondered on it for a bit, and some new information came about. My 2 options stand as is: Stay at ROTC already 25% of the way to commissioning, with an Air Assault slot this summer.
or
Restart at USMA with its obvious perks and what-not.

The thing is I only have a week to decide, in order to keep the Air Assault slot due to paperwork having to be turned in and to me it plays a decent factor in my decision.
Coming onto this forum has kind of been a last resort because I'm really struggling with deciding, and even my folks who have been super supportive my whole way through this application business are not much help with this situation. Anyways, my question for you is why did you choose ROTC over USMA, when you had both options right in front of you? What were those deciding factors?

P.S. Anyone else who would like to weigh in please feel free.
P.S.S. I am not really interested in grad school.

What are your post military career goals?

Also, have you considered a transfer to an SMC, where you get the military lifestyle and still graduate on time?

My DS decided his priority to graduate and commission in four years was more important than graduation from an Academy in five years. So he did not reapply to the SAs while in college.

It all depends on what your priorities are.

AROTC-dad said:

What are your post military career goals?

Also, have you considered a transfer to an SMC, where you get the military lifestyle and still graduate on time?

My DS decided his priority to graduate and commission in four years was more important than graduation from an Academy in five years. So he did not reapply to the SAs while in college.

It all depends on what your priorities are.

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I honestly have no idea what my post military goals are, I have always just planned on staying in the military for as long they'd let me and then seeing where things went from there. I know thats not the greatest answer and doesn't help much.

I hadn't considered an SMC, I'd never learned much about them until later in my application process my senior year so I never pursued it. That is definitely something I wish I had looked into, but with my decision time constraint right now I just don't think its something thats in the cards.

That is smart, and is something I am considering as well. We only have so much time, as injuries become more prominent with age. And we wanna get out of cadet land and get our jobs!

Thank you for your response, I really appreciate your time and input.

Only you can make that decision. My daughter knew that she wanted the West Point experience as well as being an Army Officer. She did not get in the first time and did a year of ROTC. She enjoyed her year of "Regular College" and was active in all sorts of things but when the time came she never considered not re-applying or hesitated at all when her appointment came.

As @westpoint79 says, you have to find your fit. The experiences are very different but each end up at the same end point.

I will say that a year of life experiences at 18 or 19 is not a wasted year no matter what you decide. If you leave ROTC, the lessons you have learned at College will be something that you will always have.

Take each opportunity and live them to the fullest.

Thank you for the advice. I understand and agree with you fully, I suppose it does just come down to what I feel.

Thank you for your time.

@fanegang
If your biggest priority is to stay in the military for as long as they will have you, then in my opinion, USMA gives you the best opportunity for that. This, combined with the fact that you desire to be in a military setting 24/7, makes it a no-brainer.

20 years from now, which option would most likely cause you to look back with regret?

1. "I wish I had accepted my appointment offer and attended West Point"
2. "I wish I had stayed at my "normal" college and gotten commissioned one year earlier?

I think USMA is probably the answer for you.

Fanegang. You’re in good hands here. Take the advice from USMA 1994 and AROTC-DAD. They have are giving you some real good advice here!

Also, it is not too late in the game to apply to ROTC Programs and apply for local unit Army Scholarship if you must. But the AROTC National Scholarship is still being reviewed for the 3rd board. So you still have time to apply somewhere. I know Valley Forge Military Academy and College is accepting Apps through July. And that’s a good one! General schwarzkopf attended there before he got his Appointment to West Point. There a movie “TAPS.” Starring Timothy Hutton Tom Cruise George C Scott. The movie is on the grounds of VFMA.

You know my kid had his eyes on West Point since 8 years old. He did everything right for an Appointment to West Point. But the Lord works in a funny way with us. Instead of West Point, he got an Appointment to Annapolis. Academy he did not consider until a year ago. It’s like he has prepared to go to Harvard and got into Yale.

My DS’ only Nomination went to Naval Academy. So unless God has a good sense of humor and gives my DS that VP Nom, it ain’t West Point. So my DS quickly applied to Norwich University with his AROTC Scholarship in hand. Norwich gave him an answer in ONE week. Can you believe that! He’s got a full ride with Provost Academic Scholarship and then some more cash Award to attend Norwich Army Military Cadet Program. I don’t even think he needs to even use his ROTC Scholarship.

So I am telling you this because my kid if he wants it so bad to go Army and he doesn’t get his Appointment now to West Point then he is willing to give up the coveted Annapolis Appointment and reapply this Summer!

So I am telling my crazy kid before you do that let’s make sure you can be a Squid! If not you can be a Grunt! Well son, this can be YOU! People want to go to specific Academy not only to train and serve but because they want the Fraternity! Service in the Army Navy Air Force Coast Guard can be temporary or life time. But your Alma Mater is ETERNAL!

So what are you waiting for!