Importance of Letters of Recommendation

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I am entering my senior year of high school and I am going to apply for admission at The Citadel for Fall 2022. To give some context as to what I am working with: I attend essentially a college prep school through a scholarship at a state university, I scored a 30 on my ACT, I have a 3.5 GPA, I have taken Honors, AP, and Dual Enrollment courses my entire academic career, I participated in Key Club, was elected to Student Government, and I was an entry level manager at my job. Through a very unique opportunity I was able to interview with a Major General and given the opportunity to earn a letter of recommendation by working with a organization in my city. I have been advised by multiple members of my family to wait until I get some solid recommendations from "either a politician or an officer". My question is are they placing too much emphasis on this for me to put off my application for admission and the AROTC National Scholarship? Any advice would greatly be appreciated.
 
You should be fine with your credentials in regard to the Citadel. The AROTC application will list specific people from whom you need to get a letter of recommendation, most likely teachers, specifically math but the application will give you more detailed instructions.
 
Hi, you sound like an accomplished applicant. My advice would be to seek letters of recommendation from those who know you well, can speak to your strengths through personal interaction with you first hand. I don't care if that is a flag officer or the custodian from your school who got to know you while you attended. Seeking high ranking or political LOR's to me is disingenuous and not a good look.

I think that some moms, dads, and friends have the best intentions, but in this case, unless the officer or politician has known you since birth, it isn't a great plan. And, cross-posted with @Sargon, you will be given explicit instructions as to who to seek recommendations from.
 
ACT looks ok, for admission. Average GPA for those enrolled for the last class was 3.8 weighted.
I am entering my senior year of high school and I am going to apply for admission at The Citadel for Fall 2022. To give some context as to what I am working with: I attend essentially a college prep school through a scholarship at a state university, I scored a 30 on my ACT, I have a 3.5 GPA, I have taken Honors, AP, and Dual Enrollment courses my entire academic career....
So, per The Citadel Admissions Office - average GPA for enrolled Class Fall of 2020 was 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. This is the average and will not qualify an applicant for merit scholarships. In order to be competitive for merit scholarships however, Admissions advises applicants should have SAT above 1300/ACT above 30, and a GPA will above the average in the applicant pool. If you are out-of-state, the tuition is quite high, so qualifying for either ROTC (most services other than Air Force pay full tuition, books and fees + a monthly stipend) or academic merit scholarships in addition to any need based aid is highly desirable. You can apply and receive notice of admissions on a rolling basis. However, for academic merit scholarships Admissions recommends applying before end of December. Those selected are notified and competitions for these scholarships takes place between January - March.
 
ACT looks ok, for admission. Average GPA for those enrolled for the last class was 3.8 weighted.

So, per The Citadel Admissions Office - average GPA for enrolled Class Fall of 2020 was 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. This is the average and will not qualify an applicant for merit scholarships. In order to be competitive for merit scholarships however, Admissions advises applicants should have SAT above 1300/ACT above 30, and a GPA will above the average in the applicant pool. If you are out-of-state, the tuition is quite high, so qualifying for either ROTC (most services other than Air Force pay full tuition, books and fees + a monthly stipend) or academic merit scholarships in addition to any need based aid is highly desirable. You can apply and receive notice of admissions on a rolling basis. However, for academic merit scholarships Admissions recommends applying before end of December. Those selected are notified and competitions for these scholarships takes place between January - March.
I have intentions of enlisting in the National Guard this year and going through OSUT this summer in order to pay for school as I am out of state. I qualify for as much financial aid as I can really recieve as my income is the sole taxable income of my household. Definitely shooting for as many scholarships as possible. Thank you for the insight!
 
I have intentions of enlisting in the National Guard this year and going through OSUT this summer in order to pay for school as I am out of state. I qualify for as much financial aid as I can really recieve as my income is the sole taxable income of my household. Definitely shooting for as many scholarships as possible. Thank you for the insight!
OK, so if you enlist in the Guard - remember you will be a soldier in the National Guard and have a National Guard contract. Recruiters for the Guard can be very persuasive and may often not explain all the consequences of enlistment re college and commissioning. I understand the financial pressure to get the Nat Guard benefits. However, before you decide on a course of action, please speak to The Citadel AROTC ROO LTC Terese.
e-mail: terest@citadel.edu
Ph: 843-593-5221
LTC Terese, USA Ret., is a full time contractor for the AROTC program and is sometimes difficult to reach - but keep trying. He can walk you though the consequences of Nat Guard enlistment, SMP, Minuteman, and ROTC scholarships and contracting. It is always best to speak to the ROO for the service program in which you are inerested - and at the school you wish to attend if possible.
Please also take the time search the ROTC forum on this website, and look at the advice given from current or recent ROOs at college ROTC programs re National Guard. Ask as many questions about this course of action as you wish as these folks are generous with their advice. (See especially the following subject on the ROTC forum):
Should I apply national guard 4 years scholarship or Army 4 years scholarship?
 
OK, so if you enlist in the Guard - remember you will be a soldier in the National Guard and have a National Guard contract. Recruiters for the Guard can be very persuasive and may often not explain all the consequences of enlistment re college and commissioning. I understand the financial pressure to get the Nat Guard benefits. However, before you decide on a course of action, please speak to The Citadel AROTC ROO LTC Terese.
e-mail: terest@citadel.edu
Ph: 843-593-5221
LTC Terese, USA Ret., is a full time contractor for the AROTC program and is sometimes difficult to reach - but keep trying. He can walk you though the consequences of Nat Guard enlistment, SMP, Minuteman, and ROTC scholarships and contracting. It is always best to speak to the ROO for the service program in which you are inerested - and at the school you wish to attend if possible.
Please also take the time search the ROTC forum on this website, and look at the advice given from current or recent ROOs at college ROTC programs re National Guard. Ask as many questions about this course of action as you wish as these folks are generous with their advice. (See especially the following subject on the ROTC forum):
Should I apply national guard 4 years scholarship or Army 4 years scholarship?
Wow. Thank you so much for this. I want to commission AD and it sounds like a guard contract could keep me away from that. I would have otherwise been ignorant of the consequences. This forum has been extremely helpful in guiding me towards what I need to be doing.
 
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