Chances of getting either NROTC or AFROTC scholarship??

ang12345

New Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Messages
3
I am entering senior year of high school and am a straight A student with a cumulative GPA of 4.1. I swam for the varsity swimming team for two years, ran JV cross country for two years, varsity cross country for one year, JV water polo for one year, varsity water polo for one year, JV rowing for one year, and swam and rowed for club teams in the summers. My leadership isn't too heavy, however I am president of the chess club and was an elected class senator for two years. I have around 250-300 hours of community service during my three years of high school. I also participated in band for two years and take a handful of AP and honors classes. I am applying for both the Navy ROTC scholarship and Air Force ROTC scholarship, and am doubtful about getting either one after reading up on the chances. Do you think I have a good chance?
 
What are you SAT/ACT scores? What is your intended major in college? When you say NROTC do you mean Navy Option or Marine Option? The answer to all of these questions will impact your chances. If you don't apply though, you will have 0% chance.
 
For AFROTC your SAT/ACT scores matter and so does your intended major. A couple of things that you need to consider when it comes to AFROTC scholarships.
1. AFROTC unlike NROTC will NOT superscore your SAT/ACT. It is the best sitting only.
2. AFROTC unlike NROTC is not tied to the school, it is tied to the cadet
~ IOWS, if you earn the scholarship and all of your colleges accept AFROTC scholarships, than you choose where you will take it. NROTC is tied to the cadet and the school. NROTC will assign which school you can use it at. If you are not accepted to that school or decide not to attend it, you must request them to change it to another school.
3. AFROTC, like NROTC will give out @80-85% of all scholarships to STEM majors.
~ Be careful here because let's say you want to increase your chances of getting a scholarship so you go STEM, but once you get to your school you decide you don't want a STEM degree, you will than need HQ approval to switch to a non-tech major and keep your scholarship. 99% of the time they will say NO. They will not disenroll you, but they will revoke your scholarship.
4. AFROTC scholarships are very unique compared to NROTC and AROTC. It is what we call here a 2+2. They will say it is 4 yrs., but in reality it is guaranteed for the 1st 2 yrs. You must be selected for Summer Field Training(SFT) as a sophomore. If not they have the right to disenroll you from the program, and honestly, they usually will.
~ This is when your college cgpa and your intended career field really comes into play. STEM aka tech majors tend to have a 3.0/3.1 and non-tech 3.3/3.4. If you go non-tech/non-rated you will be in the lowest selection rate pool.
~~ It is important to think about this long and hard if you need the scholarship to attend the college because what will you do if they do not select you for SFT and disenrolled? Where will you find the money?

In the end nobody can give you a chance impo. The reason is simple, MATH or supply and demand. Nobody here can predict how many will apply for a scholarship this year (pool size), nor is anyone here in the know of how many scholarships will be awarded. Due to the fact that all AFROTC cadets go ADAF, HQAF may say for 2023 they need more O1s, thus offer more scholarships than last yr., and due to the economy doing better there maybe less applicants, which in turn will increase your chances. However, on the flip side, HQAF may say we are going to keep the same number for O1s, but because college is so expensive now, the applicant pool size may now increase, hence your chances may decrease.

You have 0% chance if you don't apply. This is a roller coaster ride, and remember don't expect an answer until December, at least for AFROTC. It could be as late as the end of March.

Good luck.
 
What are you SAT/ACT scores? What is your intended major in college? When you say NROTC do you mean Navy Option or Marine Option? The answer to all of these questions will impact your chances. If you don't apply though, you will have 0% chance.
My Sat scores are 1200 and I have yet to take the ACT. I am interested in an aerospace/aeronautical engineering major at preferably University of Washington. I am referring to the Navy Option as well.
 
I am beginning my senior year of high school and I have a cumulative GPA of 3.9. However, I ended junior year with a 4.1 GPA. I ran cross country for 3 years, swam for two years, played water polo for two years, and paddled (crew) for two years. I was president of the chess club for junior year and a class senator for two years. I have over 200 hours of community service from my high school years and am currently holding a job. My SAT scores are 1280 and ACT is 28. I plan to take the SAT once more to break 1300. I began filling out the Navy ROTC scholarship application and speaking with a recruiter but was told that I most likely will not get it (so I am currently not working on it because I don't want to waste time for something I probably won't get). I want to be a Navy pilot and major in aviation/aerospace engineering. Purdue University and Ohio State University are my top schools. What are my chances of getting this scholarship?
 
Again, 0% if you don't apply. Navy Option awards 85% of it's scholarships to STEM majors. They have a three tier system. Marine Option doesn't care what your major is. You can fly with either service but you can only choose 1 when you apply for the scholarship. Air Force also leans heavily towards STEM majors. So with regard to intended major you are in a good place. However, once you are awarded a scholarship, based on your intended major, you will require permission to change majors while in college. Finally, as an aside, you don't need to be an aerospace engineer, or even an engineer, in order to be able to fly with the military. It might help when it comes to flight training, but it's not required.

Your SAT score could use some work. Try to improve it. If yo can get to 1300 you have a shot. Of course the higher the better. Also try to land a captaincy on one of your sport teams for additional leadership. All the ROTC programs look at the entire person/application. Think scholar, leader, athlete. You can be weak in one area and stronger in others and still get a scholarship. You can also participate in any ROTC program without a scholarship. There are opportunities to be awarded a scholarship while participating in the program. The particulars of that process vary with each service.

No one here can give you a real probability of being awarded a scholarship. We don't know you. We don't know how you will handle the essays. We don't know how you will handle the interview. We don't know the quality of the school you attend. Further, there are so many variables in the selection process no one here would even venture to guess.

Anything you do to improve yourself for your scholarship application will also help with your college applications. Work on that SAT. Khan Academy has free online study materials for the SAT. I can't speak to how useful they are, but they are there.

Whether you apply or not is up to you, but I might take your choice as an indicator of how badly you want to be a Naval officer and lead sailors. You have nothing to lose by applying but time.
 
I began filling out the Navy ROTC scholarship application and speaking with a recruiter but was told that I most likely will not get it (so I am currently not working on it because I don't want to waste time for something I probably won't get).

How badly do you want to be a Navy pilot? Because, with all due respect, you seem to be giving up awfully easily. One recruiter said you “most likely will not get” an NROTC scholarship, and so you’re quitting on the application? That doesn’t seem like the makings of a successful Naval aviator.

Fact is, the majority of NROTC scholarship applicants (and USNA applicants) “most likely will not get” what they seek. The math each year bears that out. And yet they apply anyway. By applying against the odds, they show drive, confidence and dedication — the makings of a successful midshipman and officer.

No one on this forum has a clue about your chances. Except for what kinnem said, which is 0% if you don’t apply.
 
BTW... most recruiters understand little to nothing about NROTC. You should be talking to an officer selection officer, if anyone. The other alternative is to speak to someone at one of the units you want to attend... or or even better, calling your district office.
 
Current AS400.

Just to give you a profile you can compare to:
  • 35 ACT, single sitting
  • Electrical Engineering
  • 4.0 high school GPA
  • Type-1 Commander's Scholarship
If you have any questions regarding AFROTC life and/or (commander's) scholarship selection process, feel free to DM me.
 
Current AS400.

Just to give you a profile you can compare to:
  • 35 ACT, single sitting
  • Electrical Engineering
  • 4.0 high school GPA
  • Type-1 Commander's Scholarship
If you have any questions regarding AFROTC life and/or (commander's) scholarship selection process, feel free to DM me.

If someone has a 1220 on the sat, should they still apply for a AFROTC scholarship or apply for an Army ROTC scholarship? Would the airforce take the 1220 score or would it invalidate your application?
 
@random-username? See this site for the average SAT scores from last year for different types of AFROTC scholarships. Of course average means some are higher and some are lower. Also, your chance of receiving a scholarship is 0% if you don't apply.
https://www.afrotc.com/scholarships/eligibility

Here is a similar page for AROTC which lists the minimum SAT requirements. Keep in mind that this is a competition and generally speaking the minimum requirements aren't going to win you a scholarship.
https://www.goarmy.com/rotc/high-school-students/four-year-scholarship.html
 
I would also say they use best sitting, not superscore. Like kinnem stated you have 0% chance if you don't apply.

Now for my pet peeve...ROTC is 4 yrs of your life part time at a school you choose with a major you desire. It is not 24/7/365 days. College is 30 hrs a week including studying for 30 weeks a yr.

AROTC allows you the options of AD, Guard or Reserve upon commissioning. AFROTC it is ADAF, Guard/Reserve option is slim. What does that mean to you? It means that if you want to be an Intel officer at Shaw SC, Tyndall FL, Eglin FL, they can say NO, you will be in Comm at Clovis NM, Del Rio TX or Abilene TX. They own you for at least 4 yrs AD. SERVICE BEFORE SELF. You can't say, sorry, nope, I don't want to go there and work in that position like you can with college choices. You will go or find yourself in trouble.

Just saying, this is not just about 4 yrs on a scholarship. It is 8 yrs of your life at least. The clock for AF does not start counting until you report to your 1st duty station, and that can be 6-9 months after commissioning. Think about it. You could be 27 before the AF releases you. @33 before you can leave if you pilot.
 
Current AS400.

Just to give you a profile you can compare to:
  • 35 ACT, single sitting
  • Electrical Engineering
  • 4.0 high school GPA
  • Type-1 Commander's Scholarship
If you have any questions regarding AFROTC life and/or (commander's) scholarship selection process, feel free to DM me.

If someone has a 1220 on the sat, should they still apply for a AFROTC scholarship or apply for an Army ROTC scholarship? Would the airforce take the 1220 score or would it invalidate your application?
AFROTC I believe has a 1240 SAT requirement. Last year when I was applying to AFROTC (I had a 1230 SAT score), the scholarship board would not even look at my application because of freaking 10 pts. Needless to say I was awarded an AROTC scholarship and look forwarded to joining the world's greatest Army.
 
To both the posters asking about which service, just ask yourself what is most important. Is it serving as an officer in the U.S. military? Is it serving as an officer in a specific branch (Army, Navy, AF)? Is it getting a scholarship? I remember at one visit my daughter went on the ROO asked her, "What does Army ROTC do?" She looked at her Dad and I and the ROO said, "I am asking you, what do we do here?" My daughter didn't look too sure of herself and answered, "you build officers". He about fell off his chair. He said "YES!" And he also told us that very few kids answer that way, they instead usually say that we give scholarships, or teach leadership. Those are partly true, but he said, our purpose is to produce officers. Getting a scholarship is not a good reason to apply, wanting to be an officer is an excellent reason to do it.

As far as the second poster that asked about whether or not he/she should just do Army because of a lower score, it is true that the average ACT/SAT score might be lower with Army, but remember there are a larger amount of scholarships given with Army ,meaning it is still very competitive, they just might go deeper into the pool. And you also have to remember that Army gives a greater number of 3 year Advanced Designee scholarships than 4 years these days. Scholarships are also awarded in all situations on much more than test scores, the whole person is considered. Different algorithms for each service too, in how heavily weighted the GPA test scores are. Like mentioned above, your type of major definitely matters very much in AF and Navy, if you are looking at a non tech major or are not 100 percent sure, then Army and Navy-MO do not care as much about what your major is.

As far as which service, what do you want? Like Pima has pointed out on other threads, if flying fixed wing is the goal, then AF is the answer. I would add to that, if you want to be on a ship, that should also be obvious. If you want to be the "boots on the ground" then Army or Navy-MO. And there are definitely lots of nuances in between. But that gives you the basic "obvious choices". If you don't know exactly what you want to do, but you know you want to serve, then why not apply for more than one and start doing your research so if you get the amazing problem of getting to choose between more than one, then you will have a better idea what to do.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
And - in the Navy, you have to be happy with or tolerate that much of what you do is going to be on the water, over the water or under the water, with deployments out of sight of land for long periods. Marines can also log some serious ship time deploying on amphibs.
 
Back
Top