ROTC Confusion

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cc.cg

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I'm a junior in high school and a furure applicant to USCGA. I understand that there is no ROTC for Coastguard but if I were to not get into the USCGA should I apply to a school with NROTC or just enlist one year in the Coastguard and then try to reapply? I'm just a little confused on what to do as a plan B as I have looked at other services and the Coastguard is the only service that really interests me. Any insight would be helpful! Thanks!
 
cc.cg said:
I'm a junior in high school and a furure applicant to USCGA. I understand that there is no ROTC for Coastguard but if I were to not get into the USCGA should I apply to a school with NROTC or just enlist one year in the Coastguard and then try to reapply? I'm just a little confused on what to do as a plan B as I have looked at other services and the Coastguard is the only service that really interests me. Any insight would be helpful! Thanks!
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I am applying after 2 years in college. My A.O. stated that if you don’t get in the first time then go to a 4-year (if possible) and take a similar course load to what the first year at the USCGA would be. They have the schedule on their website. Do well in those and apply during the fall of your first year there. This does 2 things for you. 1 Shows them that you are capable of living away from home. This is important because they want to be sure you aren’t going to leave the USCGA if you get homesick. 2 Shows that you can handle the work load.

Hope this helps!
 
MA2198 said:
cc.cg said:
I'm a junior in high school and a furure applicant to USCGA. I understand that there is no ROTC for Coastguard but if I were to not get into the USCGA should I apply to a school with NROTC or just enlist one year in the Coastguard and then try to reapply? I'm just a little confused on what to do as a plan B as I have looked at other services and the Coastguard is the only service that really interests me. Any insight would be helpful! Thanks!
Click to expand...


I am applying after 2 years in college. My A.O. stated that if you don’t get in the first time then go to a 4-year (if possible) and take a similar course load to what the first year at the USCGA would be. They have the schedule on their website. Do well in those and apply during the fall of your first year there. This does 2 things for you. 1 Shows them that you are capable of living away from home. This is important because they want to be sure you aren’t going to leave the USCGA if you get homesick. 2 Shows that you can handle the work load.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

This definitely helps I will take this into consideration, thank you and good luck to you!
 
look at this link https://www.gocoastguard.com/active.../college-student-pre-commissioning-initiative
CSPI pays for last 2 years of school then to officer training in New London. Must attend college with a % of minorities enrolled, however program is open to all populations regardless of own minority status. You can find list of approved schools online, but apparently exceptions can be made. Although it sounds like it narrows the list of approved schools considerably, there are many, many on the list.
 
Or you could self prep at one of the prep schools so that not only do you have the course load but you learn in a similar environment and meet possible classmates and the admissions people that visit. 50% of self preppers get accepted... However if you don't, then you have to figure out where to go from there because they aren't four year institutions.

As far as other commissioning sources, graduating from USMMA and other maritime academies, you can join the CG. Also from what I've heard, people have commissioned from Norwich.
 
I was in your position, and the CGA ended up not accepting me last year. I decided to go to Maine Maritime Academy (one of the maritime academies referenced in YellowRose's post), and after a year of hard work I've just received an appointment to CGA. Just like you, my heart was set on CG, but I really considered doing Navy ROTC to prove to the CGA that I could handle it. For me, I decided against doing ROTC. At a maritime academy you go through a "boot camp" (-ish thing), you wear a uniform every day, etc etc. If you take advantage of that and challenge yourself in your academics, extracurriculars, and utilize leadership rolls at a maritime academy, then you're setting yourself up great. Additional schools I'd check out are USMMA, Mass. Maritime Academy, and SUNY Maritime (Cal. and Great Lakes Maritime don't seem to have as good of a reputation in my experience, but still great options). I hope that helps, and please feel free to ask if anyone has any questions for me.

Keep your head up, keep pushing, and nothing will stop you.
 
Current cadet, former NROTC Marine Option at a top engineering school. Either is a good option. Both show that you're determined to do something greater with your life. If you go ROTC, you can, of course, seek readmission as I did, and if all else fails you can apply for a spot in Direct Commision Officer school, meaning you'd come here to the Academy for a 4- or 5-week course instead of commissioning into whichever ROTC branch you did, but that requires both acceptance by the CG and a release from the other branch which is in no way guaranteed. My two cents, then, would be very wary of taking an NROTC scholarship if you have no interest in serving in the Navy, because you could well end up there. That said, you do have one (maybe two?) year before repayment kicks in. Don't go in with the idea that you won't serve in the ROTC because for one that's a bad attitude, and for two the people around you will lose respect for you for it.

If you truly don't see yourself in any branch beside the Coast Guard, enlist. Reapply to the Academy from within the enlisted ranks. If that fails, keep going and try for OCS. The paths are there, you just have to find them.

I know it can be a hard choice, and some of what I said may not make sense. If you have any questions or just want to talk, reach out.
 
SargeOrion said:
I was in your position, and the CGA ended up not accepting me last year. I decided to go to Maine Maritime Academy (one of the maritime academies referenced in YellowRose's post), and after a year of hard work I've just received an appointment to CGA. Just like you, my heart was set on CG, but I really considered doing Navy ROTC to prove to the CGA that I could handle it. For me, I decided against doing ROTC. At a maritime academy you go through a "boot camp" (-ish thing), you wear a uniform every day, etc etc. If you take advantage of that and challenge yourself in your academics, extracurriculars, and utilize leadership rolls at a maritime academy, then you're setting yourself up great. Additional schools I'd check out are USMMA, Mass. Maritime Academy, and SUNY Maritime (Cal. and Great Lakes Maritime don't seem to have as good of a reputation in my experience, but still great options). I hope that helps, and please feel free to ask if anyone has any questions for me.

Keep your head up, keep pushing, and nothing will stop you.
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thank you so much, I love the strength that you write with thanks for your insight!
 
ekb1398 said:
Current cadet, former NROTC Marine Option at a top engineering school. Either is a good option. Both show that you're determined to do something greater with your life. If you go ROTC, you can, of course, seek readmission as I did, and if all else fails you can apply for a spot in Direct Commision Officer school, meaning you'd come here to the Academy for a 4- or 5-week course instead of commissioning into whichever ROTC branch you did, but that requires both acceptance by the CG and a release from the other branch which is in no way guaranteed. My two cents, then, would be very wary of taking an NROTC scholarship if you have no interest in serving in the Navy, because you could well end up there. That said, you do have one (maybe two?) year before repayment kicks in. Don't go in with the idea that you won't serve in the ROTC because for one that's a bad attitude, and for two the people around you will lose respect for you for it.

If you truly don't see yourself in any branch beside the Coast Guard, enlist. Reapply to the Academy from within the enlisted ranks. If that fails, keep going and try for OCS. The paths are there, you just have to find them.

I know it can be a hard choice, and some of what I said may not make sense. If you have any questions or just want to talk, reach out.
Click to expand...


Thank you so much this was very helpful and no it definitely made sense! I'm so happy for you I hope you know that your hard work has paid off!
 
YellowRoseofTexas said:
Or you could self prep at one of the prep schools so that not only do you have the course load but you learn in a similar environment and meet possible classmates and the admissions people that visit. 50% of self preppers get accepted... However if you don't, then you have to figure out where to go from there because they aren't four year institutions.

As far as other commissioning sources, graduating from USMMA and other maritime academies, you can join the CG. Also from what I've heard, people have commissioned from Norwich.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much!
 
noparley said:
look at this link https://www.gocoastguard.com/active.../college-student-pre-commissioning-initiative
CSPI pays for last 2 years of school then to officer training in New London. Must attend college with a % of minorities enrolled, however program is open to all populations regardless of own minority status. You can find list of approved schools online, but apparently exceptions can be made. Although it sounds like it narrows the list of approved schools considerably, there are many, many on the list.
Click to expand...
Thank you I will look into this I appreciate your help!
 
I was lucky enough to receive a Full ride to SUNY Maritime, so if I get rejected I'll probably reapply twice then see what happens next.
 
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