Confused about ROTC Scholarships

Texark147

Texark147

Proud Mom of a '28 candidate.
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We have been reading through the posts and still have some questions. AFROTC and AROTC are plan B for my DS, he is currently a Junior in HS. His plan B school is a private Christian University that his brother also attends. This is the only plan B school, as we know there is a very high chance he will be accepted, we know with the merit scholarship he is qualified for that we can afford the school without an ROTC scholarship. He will do ROTC with or without a scholarship, they have AF and Army ROTC there. Our question is, is he required to list other schools? Will it decrease his chances if he only lists a few? What happens if he is awarded a scholarship to a school that he doesn't want to attend? Thank you in advance and any info is appreciated.
 
If it’s not important to you that he has an ROTC scholarship, then I guess you don’t have to put down any other schools. If this is truly the only school that he wants to go to, then that’s fine, but know that he’s not guaranteed a scholarship to begin with and he definitely is not guaranteed a scholarship at any one school. If the objective is to get an ROTC scholarship, then he really needs to put down more than one school.
 
I can't remember the exact details but when my ds applied for AFROTC and AROTC in fall 2021, at least one of the applications required at least one in-state public school on the list.
 
Peaches71 said:
If it’s not important to you that he has an ROTC scholarship, then I guess you don’t have to put down any other schools. If this is truly the only school that he wants to go to, then that’s fine, but know that he’s not guaranteed a scholarship to begin with and he definitely is not guaranteed a scholarship at any one school. If the objective is to get an ROTC scholarship, then he really needs to put down more than one school.
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That is our question. If we only put down 1 school, that is going to limit his chances of a scholarship? I have read that it's a possibility to transfer the scholarship to your #1 school, but obviously not guaranteed. He very much wants the scholarship, it will be a huge help financially. It's just that if he doesn't get into an academy, we would like him to attend this University. He then plans to attend for a year and reapply to the academies. If it will help to list multiple schools, then we will do that.
 
99Gold said:
I can't remember the exact details but when my ds applied for AFROTC and AROTC in fall 2021, at least one of the applications required at least one in-state public school on the list.
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Ok, thank you for that info. We will try and visit some State schools just in case, even though it wouldn't be his top choice.
 
Texark147 said:
We have been reading through the posts and still have some questions. AFROTC and AROTC are plan B for my DS, he is currently a Junior in HS. His plan B school is a private Christian University that his brother also attends. This is the only plan B school, as we know there is a very high chance he will be accepted, we know with the merit scholarship he is qualified for that we can afford the school without an ROTC scholarship. He will do ROTC with or without a scholarship, they have AF and Army ROTC there. Our question is, is he required to list other schools? Will it decrease his chances if he only lists a few? What happens if he is awarded a scholarship to a school that he doesn't want to attend? Thank you in advance and any info is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Both applications are formatted to require a certain number of schools to be listed. An AFROTC scholarship if awarded (rarer these days out of HS) can be used at any AFROTC detachment. In years past the applicant had to include at least one in-state school on this list.
The AROTC scholarship will be awarded at select universities in the award (typically 1-2-3 schools (often 3) but other posters, 4 leaf clover rarely someone reports being awarded to 4 schools). If awarded to a school he doesn't want to attend for Army (n/a for AF), you can request a transfer of the scholarship - which is not guaranteed but may be possible.

The applications themselves will clearly spell out the Class of 2028 college list requirements/ needs.
 
Follow the instructions, of the scholarship he is applying for. And if the rules aren’t agreeable to him (or you, it sounds like….”we would like him to attend xx school”….), make sure what's being signed for, is something he can live with.

Apologies if that sounds harsh, but it’s what he (or you, it sounds like) are signing up for. Especially in the military.

Here is a recent thread, from a NROTC Captain who works in this area, about reading the instructions:

At the Risk of Sounding Sarcastic.......

I get the frustration of dealing with this. Did you read the application? Um, application? :rolleyes: Now.... Why oh why does this whole process send emails to the candidate with critical information, must-do's, etc... DS's email is flooded (10,000+ emails in the last few months) right now with...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
 
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Texark147 said:
Our question is, is he required to list other schools? Will it decrease his chances if he only lists a few? What happens if he is awarded a scholarship to a school that he doesn't want to attend?
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Put simply, he is required to follow the instructions relative to each of the applications. If he receives the scholarship(s) and cannot use one of them at the college he wants to attend, there is nothing stopping him from then declining the scholarships. Good luck to your son.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Both applications are formatted to require a certain number of schools to be listed. An AFROTC scholarship if awarded (rarer these days out of HS) can be used at any AFROTC detachment. In years past the applicant had to include at least one in-state school on this list.
The AROTC scholarship will be awarded at select universities in the award (typically 1-2-3 schools (often 3) but other posters, 4 leaf clover rarely someone reports being awarded to 4 schools). If awarded to a school he doesn't want to attend for Army (n/a for AF), you can request a transfer of the scholarship - which is not guaranteed but may be possible.

The applications themselves will clearly spell out the Class of 2028 college list requirements/ needs.
Click to expand...
Herman_Snerd said:
Both applications are formatted to require a certain number of schools to be listed. An AFROTC scholarship if awarded (rarer these days out of HS) can be used at any AFROTC detachment. In years past the applicant had to include at least one in-state school on this list.
The AROTC scholarship will be awarded at select universities in the award (typically 1-2-3 schools (often 3) but other posters, 4 leaf clover rarely someone reports being awarded to 4 schools). If awarded to a school he doesn't want to attend for Army (n/a for AF), you can request a transfer of the scholarship - which is not guaranteed but may be possible.

The applications themselves will clearly spell out the Class of 2028 college list requirements/ needs.
Click to expand...
Great point about the lower number of AFROTC scholarships out of high school these days. This is very consistent if you actually talk to leadership at individual AFROTC units. An increased number of scholarships are being awarded after Field Training, their words not mine. IMHO this is a good move by AFROTC in that all cadets regardless of major stand a very strong chance at a scholarship once Field Training is completed.
 
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justdoit19 said:
Follow the instructions, of the scholarship he is applying for. And if the rules aren’t agreeable to him (or you, it sounds like….”we would like him to attend xx school”….), make sure what's being signed for, is something he can live with.

Apologies if that sounds harsh, but it’s what he (or you, it sounds like) are signing up for. Especially in the military.

Here is a recent thread, from a NROTC Captain who works in this area, about reading the instructions:

At the Risk of Sounding Sarcastic.......

I get the frustration of dealing with this. Did you read the application? Um, application? :rolleyes: Now.... Why oh why does this whole process send emails to the candidate with critical information, must-do's, etc... DS's email is flooded (10,000+ emails in the last few months) right now with...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
Click to expand...
Fantastic advice. Properly filled out forms and log books have kept me out of trouble two times in the Navy with an aircraft mishap investigation. Properly filled out maintenance records also served me well in a DOT accident investigation as a technician in the private sector.
 
DD only applied for Navy ROTC, so I am not sure if the form is different, but she HAD to put five unique schools- the form required an entry for each spot and she could not list the same school five times. She only had one plan B option (had already been admitted at time of applying for scholarship and that was exactly what she wanted). She listed four other schools but in a spot that offered a free response (it wasn't related to university choice, but she just took advantage of the space as it was the only free response field) and noted that she listed those four schools bc the form required an entry in that spot.
 
While not germane to the specific question (that's never stopped me from opining before :cool: ), one of the things we do in NROTC land is to check and see "what's hot --- what's not" in terms of universities sought by students.

So, even if a person has little to no intention of going to Creeping Ivy University, it's of interest to the other PNS types to see what is popular, whether that be location, cost, specific schools such as engineering, nursing, etc. Then we have an idea of how much more recruiting or advertising we need to do.
 
hopefulhockeymom said:
DD only applied for Navy ROTC, so I am not sure if the form is different, but she HAD to put five unique schools- the form required an entry for each spot and she could not list the same school five times. She only had one plan B option (had already been admitted at time of applying for scholarship and that was exactly what she wanted). She listed four other schools but in a spot that offered a free response (it wasn't related to university choice, but she just took advantage of the space as it was the only free response field) and noted that she listed those four schools bc the form required an entry in that spot.
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For those just starting to research the NROTC process for the next cycle, be sure to thoroughly read the primary source guidance as your first step. Here’s an excerpt from the NROTC scholarship site, relating to the scholarship program school application requirements:

“Applicants must enter five Navy ROTC affiliated colleges or universities in their scholarship application. If selected, we will try to place your scholarship at your first choice school, but due to limits on the number of scholarships that may be placed at each NROTC school, your scholarship may be placed at your second through fifth choice school. The scholarship offer is for a specific school and may not be used at any other NROTC school without prior approval. You must apply to, be accepted at, and enroll in your assigned school in order to utilize the scholarship. Applying to more than just your first choice school will increase the chances for acceptance and enrollment and will therefore increase the opportunities to use a scholarship if selected.”
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Both applications are formatted to require a certain number of schools to be listed. An AFROTC scholarship if awarded (rarer these days out of HS) can be used at any AFROTC detachment. In years past the applicant had to include at least one in-state school on this list.
The AROTC scholarship will be awarded at select universities in the award (typically 1-2-3 schools (often 3) but other posters, 4 leaf clover rarely someone reports being awarded to 4 schools). If awarded to a school he doesn't want to attend for Army (n/a for AF), you can request a transfer of the scholarship - which is not guaranteed but may be possible.

The applications themselves will clearly spell out the Class of 2028 college list requirements/ needs.
Click to expand...
Great info. Thank you.
 
justdoit19 said:
Follow the instructions, of the scholarship he is applying for. And if the rules aren’t agreeable to him (or you, it sounds like….”we would like him to attend xx school”….), make sure what's being signed for, is something he can live with.

Apologies if that sounds harsh, but it’s what he (or you, it sounds like) are signing up for. Especially in the military.

Here is a recent thread, from a NROTC Captain who works in this area, about reading the instructions:

At the Risk of Sounding Sarcastic.......

I get the frustration of dealing with this. Did you read the application? Um, application? :rolleyes: Now.... Why oh why does this whole process send emails to the candidate with critical information, must-do's, etc... DS's email is flooded (10,000+ emails in the last few months) right now with...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
Click to expand...
Not taken harshly. What He wants is to serve. First choice is an academy, second choice is the ROTC, third would be enlisting. We will be footing the bill for a University, so we reserve the right to choose the school. It has to be something we can afford without an ROTC scholarship, the type of education we want him to receive, and have the major that he has chosen. He should absolutely have input and be comfortable with the decision. The chosen University has been a wonderful school for his brother to attend and DS looks forward to it as his plan B. He has already looked into the ROTC units and thinks it will be a great fit. After reading these comments he will definitely follow instructions and list 5 schools.
 
Texark147 said:
Not taken harshly. What He wants is to serve. First choice is an academy, second choice is the ROTC, third would be enlisting. We will be footing the bill for a University, so we reserve the right to choose the school. It has to be something we can afford without an ROTC scholarship, the type of education we want him to receive, and have the major that he has chosen. He should absolutely have input and be comfortable with the decision. The chosen University has been a wonderful school for his brother to attend and DS looks forward to it as his plan B. He has already looked into the ROTC units and thinks it will be a great fit. After reading these comments he will definitely follow instructions and list 5 schools.
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Very wise to select schools affordable and desirable without the scholarship. I’m sure you have read of students separating (either voluntarily, or not), or medical issues not clearing, that force decisions about how to move forward after receiving a scholarship.

Good luck to him!
 
justdoit19 said:
Very wise to select schools affordable and desirable without the scholarship. I’m sure you have read of students separating (either voluntarily, or not), or medical issues not clearing, that force decisions about how to move forward after receiving a scholarship.

Good luck to him!
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Thank you so much! Yes, very good point about voluntary or involuntary separation and being able to financially move forward.
 
Texark147 said:
Not taken harshly. What He wants is to serve. First choice is an academy, second choice is the ROTC, third would be enlisting. We will be footing the bill for a University, so we reserve the right to choose the school. It has to be something we can afford without an ROTC scholarship, the type of education we want him to receive, and have the major that he has chosen. He should absolutely have input and be comfortable with the decision. The chosen University has been a wonderful school for his brother to attend and DS looks forward to it as his plan B. He has already looked into the ROTC units and thinks it will be a great fit. After reading these comments he will definitely follow instructions and list 5 schools.
Click to expand...
Is there any particular reason he has ruled out Air Force OTS as a path to being a commissioned officer?

If USAFA and AFROTC do not work out, then OTS is another highly competitive program to aim for. With strong college performance, sustained physical fitness and other criteria met, this is a program for college grads, with the application process starting while in college.

Officer Training School (OTS) - U.S. Air Force

The Air Force Officer Training School is a nine-week program that will challenge you mentally and physically. Start your journey today.
www.airforce.com www.airforce.com

Officer Training School

www.airuniversity.af.edu

Enlistment can be a rocky path to a commissioning program, if that is the goal, though all services have enlisted commissioning programs. Enlisted service members are the highly-valued, hands-on, get-it-done heart and soul of any military service, working in tandem with officer leadership to accomplish the mission. They do enter at the very bottom of the skills, leadership and pay ladder, and it takes some years before they can progress to higher positions of responsibility and leadership.
 
Capt MJ said:
Is there any particular reason he has ruled out Air Force OTS as a path to being a commissioned officer?

If USAFA and AFROTC do not work out, then OTS is another highly competitive program to aim for. With strong college performance, sustained physical fitness and other criteria met, this is a program for college grads, with the application process starting while in college.

Officer Training School (OTS) - U.S. Air Force

The Air Force Officer Training School is a nine-week program that will challenge you mentally and physically. Start your journey today.
www.airforce.com www.airforce.com

Officer Training School

www.airuniversity.af.edu

Enlistment can be a rocky path to a commissioning program, if that is the goal, though all services have enlisted commissioning programs. Enlisted service members are the highly-valued, hands-on, get-it-done heart and soul of any military service, working in tandem with officer leadership to accomplish the mission. They do enter at the very bottom of the skills, leadership and pay ladder, and it takes some years before they can progress to higher positions of responsibility and leadership.
Click to expand...
That's a great point. OTS would be a great option and should go before enlistment. He does very well in math and right now has plans to get an engineering degree wherever he attends. Leadership has become a true passion for him through his time spent in civil air patrol. His dream is to become an officer in any branch of the military.
 
GWU PNS said:
While not germane to the specific question (that's never stopped me from opining before :cool: ), one of the things we do in NROTC land is to check and see "what's hot --- what's not" in terms of universities sought by students.

So, even if a person has little to no intention of going to Creeping Ivy University, it's of interest to the other PNS types to see what is popular, whether that be location, cost, specific schools such as engineering, nursing, etc. Then we have an idea of how much more recruiting or advertising we need to do.
Click to expand...
That is a good point about whats hot -- whats not. I would be interested to see what are the hottest locations for NROTC over the past 10 years and why. I am kind of amazed that University of South Florida (USF) and Univ of Tampa (UT) crosstown are not high on the list. Maybe they are, I am just not seeing the numbers and talk compared to Embry Riddle and Notre Dame to name a couple.

My son got the NROTC scholarship for USF Tampa but USF only accepted him to USF's St Petersburg campus. My son is in the process of switching the scholarship to UT. BTW, my son will be attending the first session of NSI this summer.
 
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