Declining Scholarship and re-applying

Navy Wife

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My son was awarded a NROTC scholarship to his #3 school. He is on the wait list for his #1 school. His desire would be to turn down the scholarship and then re-apply in Sept and hope to be assigned to his #1 school. I'm not sure how the board would view him doing that? Has anyone done that successfully?

Thanks,
Navy Wife
 
Huh?

Although there are probably people on this site with more info than I have, I seem to recall that if he does any schooling at all, he will be disabled from seeking a 4-year scholarship. That said, he can seek a college program scholarship and some even become available mid-year. Alternatively, he can have a "gap year" and reapply, I guess (since he is still younger than 24), but sitting out a year does not seem to make a lot of sense to me. I have no idea how a board would look at that.

Have you spoken to his no. 1 school to see where on the wait list he is? Because of USNA acceptances and people moving on admission wait lists to more prestigious schools from lesser ones, something may open up. I also think an alternative is to do freshman year at No. 3 and transfer after a year to No. 1, taking his scholarship with him.

Others?
 
Also, has he been in contact with the unit representative at the NROTC Unit at his #1 school. There are times when the CO of the unit can step in and assist at some schools in helping the individual get admitted from the waitlist. Depending on the school, this may or may not work, but if he is determined to attend that school he should definitely keep those lines of communication open.
 
NROTC, not ROTC

To the previous poster, we are talking about an NROTC scholarship, not A or AF.
 
My son was in a similar position (on the waiting list at Unit #1) and the XO at NROTC Unit #1 said that his alternative was to give up his scholarship and enter as a college programmer. He was clear that while many college programmers get 2 or 3 year scholarships or a Tweeddale scholarship, there are no guarantees that will happen.

Just a question...did you put down deposits at both the #1 and #3 schools so that your son could see how things played out with the NROTC units over the summer? My son's #1 school (the college, not the unit) was not open to that approach when we inquired about the possibility.
 
My son was awarded a NROTC scholarship to his #3 school. He is on the wait list for his #1 school. His desire would be to turn down the scholarship and then re-apply in Sept and hope to be assigned to his #1 school. I'm not sure how the board would view him doing that? Has anyone done that successfully?

Thanks,
Navy Wife

I know exactly the tension you feel.

Has your son contacted the recruiter at his #1 school? Letting the recruiter know how much he wants to attend that school may be of help. Also, ask the recruiter at his #1 school about the track record of college programmers in that school getting a 3 or 3-1/2 year scholarship. And, ask him/her how the turning down of the scholarship might affect his chances.

A little over a year ago, we were in the same position. My son really wanted to transfer his scholarship from his #1 school on his list to his #4 school. He put that school as #4 because he wasn't sure he would get in--but he did, and that was the school he really wanted to attend.

I had made up my mind that, if necessary, I would find the funds to send him to the school of his choice if his scholarship did not transfer. Fortunately, it did.

We did learn that persistence pays off!
 
Thanks for the advice

My thanks to those of you who offerred advice. My son has been in constant contact with the XO at the unit of his #1 school. He says that he can't give input on who Pensacola picks from the wait list. My son is holding spots at both schools. I guess we will just wait it out for the last 3 weeks and then he will go to his #3 school. He is very grateful to have the scholarship and I'm sure it will work out fine at the #3 school. You parents know, you always want your kids to get what they want, but sometimes that doesn't work out.
 
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