Looking into a Plan B

cc.cg

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Hello, I'm interested in applying to a privately funded military college as my Plan B because I 100% do not want to go to a regular college and do ROTC, I want to attend a school that I can play sports and pursue military as full-time time schooling if that makes sense.
I have been researching but I don't have the exact feel for these schools, can anyone who has attended one of these private military schools give some insight? Or if you have gone to a private military school and reapplied to the big 5?
 
Have you looked into VMI and The Citadel?

Both institutions Corps of Cadets are military 24/7, and offer ROTC if you wish to commission. Both are Senior Military Colleges with little or no other non-military students.

There are four other SMC's but their Corps of Cadets co-exist with substantial populations of non-military students. (Norwich, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and University of North Georgia).


 
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As AROTC Dad said VMI and Citadel are great options for the 24/7 military experience.

VMI is smaller, only about 1,700 total cadets. It's in the mountains in a very small town. Everyone lives in barracks. Hot in the summer cold in the winter.
Citadel is larger, I don't know the specific totals. It's in Coastal South Carolina. Probably hotter in the summer and more mild Winters.

I would suggest visiting both schools, though they are similar in that they are military colleges, they are going to feel pretty different and one may be more appealing to you than the other.
 
As AROTC Dad said VMI and Citadel are great options for the 24/7 military experience.

VMI is smaller, only about 1,700 total cadets. It's in the mountains in a very small town. Everyone lives in barracks. Hot in the summer cold in the winter.
Citadel is larger, I don't know the specific totals. It's in Coastal South Carolina. Probably hotter in the summer and more mild Winters.

I would suggest visiting both schools, though they are similar in that they are military colleges, they are going to feel pretty different and one may be more appealing to you than the other.
Concur with the previous comments. My DS and I visited both VMI and the Citadel. DS instantly fell in love with the Citadel and was just kind of ambivalent towards VMI. There was nothing specific that caused him to like one more than the other. Also give thought to financing your education as both are expensive to attend. DS applied and was accepted to the Citadel but did not receive an ROTC Scholarship. However he did receive an ECP scholarship to be used at one of the four JMCs. He selected Valley Forge Military College. Again because we visited a couple of the JMCs and he instantly liked VF. So he will attend there for 2 years and then transfer to The Citadel for his last 2 years.
 
Hello, I'm interested in applying to a privately funded military college as my Plan B because I 100% do not want to go to a regular college and do ROTC, I want to attend a school that I can play sports and pursue military as full-time time schooling if that makes sense.
I have been researching but I don't have the exact feel for these schools, can anyone who has attended one of these private military schools give some insight? Or if you have gone to a private military school and reapplied to the big 5?

Is your goal to become an officer in military or just to attend a service academy or military school?
 
Hello, I'm interested in applying to a privately funded military college as my Plan B because I 100% do not want to go to a regular college and do ROTC, I want to attend a school that I can play sports and pursue military as full-time time schooling if that makes sense.
I have been researching but I don't have the exact feel for these schools, can anyone who has attended one of these private military schools give some insight? Or if you have gone to a private military school and reapplied to the big 5?

Is your goal to become an officer in military or just to attend a service academy or military school?


My goal is to become an officer in the military, and I will serve in any branch necessary in order to do so. I hope that I can attend a military school to pursue my other wishes of receiving an education and a college structure but a regimental uniform lifestyle.
 
Have you looked into VMI and The Citadel?

Both institutions Corps of Cadets are military 24/7, and offer ROTC if you wish to commission. Both are Senior Military Colleges with little or no other non-military students.

There are four other SMC's but their Corps of Cadets co-exist with substantial populations of non-military students. (Norwich, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, and University of North Georgia).


Thank you very much, this is perfect I never even thought to look at videos!
 
Citadel and VMI are the most intense Corps of Cadets experience in this space as they're not co-located with a traditional college.

VMI seems to give a more spartan experience, you don't even get a bed to sleep on ;) , VMI is first last and only the Corps.

Citadel has a limited number of veteran and active duty day students and a growing evening undergraduate and graduate programs. The Citadel has the I think the longest 4th Class system ending on Corps Day towards the end of March with 'The Gauntlet' , your class set and a March from the Greater Citadel to the 'Old' Citadel. Charleston is an amazing town when you do get to leave campus , not all that often as a knob.

The other schools are pretty awesome as well. If you're a band person the Texas A&M Fighting Aggie band is pretty amazing - though the Citadel does send it's band and pipes to Scotland every 4 years or so.

If you're a army person and money is an issue North Georgia Boarshead Brigade is said to be the most economical. They also seem to to a lot of real green army 'stuff' during their challenge week.

Norwich gives you the joy of all four seasons.



The only person I have heard of that went from a senior military college to is Gen Westmoreland who went from Citadel to West Point. Most likely at the end of your first year you'll either not want any more to do with a military education so you won't want to go to an Academy or you'll be so bonded with your classmates and school you'll not want to leave.

PM if you'd like more info
 
Many of the official VMI Videos are on this link: https://www.vmi.edu/admissions-and-aid/

Agree with all the advice to visit any school you are thinking about attending if you can. You can sign up for an "overnight" VMI visit here: https://www.vmi.edu/admissions-and-aid/visit/

VMI speaks to people. To some it feels very right . . . to others not so much . . . not too many are "middle of the road" . . . also, VMI is a tough road. Today the SA attrition rates seem be about 20%. (in my day at USAFA our attrition was abou 37%) VMI seems to run about 30% attrition. 500 enter each year and they tend to graduate around 350. Be sure you are committed.

 
Do not just look at VMI and Citadel. The SMC's offer a very good experience since your in the Corps your living that life 24/7 My DS is at VTech / Corps / AROTC / ROTC Scholarship Winner and pretty much everything he does is Corps / ROTC based. His only engagement with non cadets is in class and across campus. Its vastly different than say taking ROTC at a non SMC. Spend a weekend at VTECH and feel what it's like to live in the Corps at a big Div 1 school that has all the excitement on sports game days where the Corps are an integral part of their tradition.

 
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Do not just look at VMI and Citadel. The SMC's offer a very good experience since your in the Corps your living that life 24/7 My DS is at VTech / Corps / AROTC / ROTC Scholarship Winner and pretty much everything he does is Corps / ROTC based. His only engagement with non cadets is in class and across campus. Its vastly different than say taking ROTC at a non SMC. Spend a weekend at VTECH and feel what it's like to live in the Corps at a big Div 1 school that has all the excitement on sports game days where the Corps are an integral part of their tradition.

I absolutely agree that the other SMC's are worthy of consideration. However the OP specifically requested the following:
because I 100% do not want to go to a regular college and do ROTC

VMI and El Cid least resemble a "regular college." The other SMC's have significant aspects of a regular college and cadets typically will attend some classes with non-cadets.
 
Do not just look at VMI and Citadel. The SMC's offer a very good experience since your in the Corps your living that life 24/7 My DS is at VTech / Corps / AROTC / ROTC Scholarship Winner and pretty much everything he does is Corps / ROTC based. His only engagement with non cadets is in class and across campus. Its vastly different than say taking ROTC at a non SMC. Spend a weekend at VTECH and feel what it's like to live in the Corps at a big Div 1 school that has all the excitement on sports game days where the Corps are an integral part of their tradition.

I absolutely agree that the other SMC's are worthy of consideration. However the OP specifically requested the following:
because I 100% do not want to go to a regular college and do ROTC

VMI and El Cid least resemble a "regular college." The other SMC's have significant aspects of a regular college and cadets typically will attend some classes with non-cadets.
Just making sure his view is not to myopic.
 
Norwich doesn't get enough love. As the father of ROTC, Norwich has been teaching citizen warriors since 1819. The Founder of NU left teaching at West Point (not willingly) to found NU, and also taught his model of instruction and education to what became VMI and the Citadel.

Just as the other SMCs all branches of ROTC are offered and administered on site. Even if you don't contract for 4 years, by establishing standing you can earn a commission during the school year at any time. Three were just contracted this week.

The only civilian interaction is academics. Unless you want to hang out with civilians for service projects and clubs, no territorial issues.

96% of students are gainfully employed within eight months if you choose not to commission.

Financial aid is earned and given. Service leadership oriented kids are rewarded with more financial aid. My kid is only paying $4k out of pocket a year.

The corps life is incredibly regimented, and still traditional, but academics still come first.

I encourage a visit before writing off a little podunk school in Vermont. When you hear the stories, see the medals of honor and understand the legacy being offered to you in Norwich, it may change your mind or make it up for you! Norwich men and women have left an indelible mark on our country for 200 years. I wish I could tell you all the amazing stories!
 
I had one son who had exactly the same line as yours - didn't want "regular" college experience, etc. The other opted for AFROTC at a State U. Except for the fact that ROTC son doesn't wear a uniform every day (only 2 days a week) and has the freedom to leave campus their experiences are very similar. ROTC son is living in ROTC specific housing with other ROTC students. They study, workout and live together.

For my SA/Prep School student it seems that students are consistently pushing up against the line to see how close they can go and how loosely they can interpret the rules. That is extremely frustrating to him.

ROTC son and his detachment friends seem to have the opposite experience. They are consistently holding each other up to the highest standard without having the rules constantly before them. It sometimes seems that he is majoring in AFROTC and the classes are secondary. I know that isn't completely true but I am surprised how all encompassing his AFROTC experience has been. I also think he may be better prepared for "real life" as he has had to learn to balance and choose how to spend his time without the mandatory study halls, etc. And, he will definitely know how to do his laundry better than his brother. :)

I'm certain this varies considerably from detachment to detachment but I would not entirely discount the lifestyle at a "regular" college. Both of these experiences are different but both have offered great opportunity. In the end, they will end up in the same place with the same rank. All this to say, visit a respected detachment close to you and see if you can spend a day shadowing a cadet who is pursuing a major that interests you.
 
my son loves A&M Galveston... in Corp so uniforms til 5pm every day
small campus so not lost in crowd
he is reapplying to USMMA but would be content all 4 years in TX
 
Agree with the above poster about Norwich.

As a senior in high school, the service academies were something I wanted for a long time. Once I got the thin white envelopes I knew I still wanted to go and do ROTC. One thing led to another and I ended up going to Norwich. While I was there I started to like it so much that I didn't even reapply to the acadmies! The experiences I have gotten and the friends I have made has made me not look back at that decision one time.

I encourage you to look in depth and visit each of the SMC's as they all have unique things that make each of them great! Feel free to pm me if you want specifics about Norwich.
 
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