Need advice after TWEs from USNA and NROTC

poppea78

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DS was in the slew of USNA rejections on 4/14 and then yesterday in the NROTC rejections from the last board. So difficult to be carried to the very end of the decisions but a wonderful life experience for him and we are very proud of all he has learned by going through the process. We believe that although his plans A and B didn't come to fruition, God's plan is always an A+. I am not a mom who knows their kid's class rank and GPA to the hundredth. He's very bright, extremely physical and just a super awesome well-rounded, imperfect young man. Varisty sports, NHS, advanced and college credit classes, a C or two and he leaves his dirty socks everywhere! If I had found the SAF last year at this time I would have had more insight on exactly how long and competitive this journey was going to be. He has acceptances to Miami OH, Embry-Riddle, Purdue and VT, some merit money at all of them except Purdue. He is one of many at our home and we have 529 savings for all of our children but not nearly enough to say just go ahead and go as a programmer and we'll figure it out. He is adamant that he doesn't want to incur a bunch of debt and we definitely support him in that decision.

He had a previously scheduled appointment with a recruiter yesterday right as he got the news about the NROTC scholarship. They were very complimentary, he has a great ASVAB score and qualifies for every single job in the Navy if he were to enlist but they also after two hours said, there are so many options available to you, take some time, reconnect with the schools and ask questions, etc. We knew the deposit deadlines were coming. We were praying for the scholarship. It's out of my comfort zone to ask for parenting advice online lol but we are not a military family and so we are ill equipped to give him advice on enlisting vs being a NROTC programmer vs community college and reapplying for the scholarship. He knows he wants to serve in the Navy and he knows he wants to end up with a bachelor's degree. If anyone has some advice for him/us I would really appreciate it.
 
DS was in the slew of USNA rejections on 4/14 and then yesterday in the NROTC rejections from the last board. So difficult to be carried to the very end of the decisions but a wonderful life experience for him and we are very proud of all he has learned by going through the process. We believe that although his plans A and B didn't come to fruition, God's plan is always an A+. I am not a mom who knows their kid's class rank and GPA to the hundredth. He's very bright, extremely physical and just a super awesome well-rounded, imperfect young man. Varisty sports, NHS, advanced and college credit classes, a C or two and he leaves his dirty socks everywhere! If I had found the SAF last year at this time I would have had more insight on exactly how long and competitive this journey was going to be. He has acceptances to Miami OH, Embry-Riddle, Purdue and VT, some merit money at all of them except Purdue. He is one of many at our home and we have 529 savings for all of our children but not nearly enough to say just go ahead and go as a programmer and we'll figure it out. He is adamant that he doesn't want to incur a bunch of debt and we definitely support him in that decision.

He had a previously scheduled appointment with a recruiter yesterday right as he got the news about the NROTC scholarship. They were very complimentary, he has a great ASVAB score and qualifies for every single job in the Navy if he were to enlist but they also after two hours said, there are so many options available to you, take some time, reconnect with the schools and ask questions, etc. We knew the deposit deadlines were coming. We were praying for the scholarship. It's out of my comfort zone to ask for parenting advice online lol but we are not a military family and so we are ill equipped to give him advice on enlisting vs being a NROTC programmer vs community college and reapplying for the scholarship. He knows he wants to serve in the Navy and he knows he wants to end up with a bachelor's degree. If anyone has some advice for him/us I would really appreciate it.
All good school options. Congratulations!

Do all have NROTC?Which would be most affordable over four years based on tuition and scholarships in hand?

Has he given any thought to community college the first year to reduce overall cost?

Is he open to other military branches if that opens financial opportunities?

I’m a non-military parent as well so these are just a few things that come to mind.
 
Have him research Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS). College graduates attend and enter the Navy with a commission that way.

He can attend the college that suits him best and is financially doable. He can take a plebe-like schedule and re-apply to USNA if he wants. Or, he can major in something attractive to the Navy (STEM) and apply for OCS during senior year.

If he is interested in nuclear power, surface or submarines, he should check out the Nuclear Power Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program. Very generous but also competitive. If he is interested in civil engineering, he can look into the CEC Officer program for college students. Neither of these require NROTC.

There might be a more affordable cross-town school where he can do NROTC at the host school as a programmer.

There have been many, many threads about going the enlisted path, so I focused on what you told us about wanting his degree and serving in the Navy. That can be done as an enlisted member, but the path is more winding.
 
DS was in the slew of USNA rejections on 4/14 and then yesterday in the NROTC rejections from the last board. So difficult to be carried to the very end of the decisions but a wonderful life experience for him and we are very proud of all he has learned by going through the process. We believe that although his plans A and B didn't come to fruition, God's plan is always an A+. I am not a mom who knows their kid's class rank and GPA to the hundredth. He's very bright, extremely physical and just a super awesome well-rounded, imperfect young man. Varisty sports, NHS, advanced and college credit classes, a C or two and he leaves his dirty socks everywhere! If I had found the SAF last year at this time I would have had more insight on exactly how long and competitive this journey was going to be. He has acceptances to Miami OH, Embry-Riddle, Purdue and VT, some merit money at all of them except Purdue. He is one of many at our home and we have 529 savings for all of our children but not nearly enough to say just go ahead and go as a programmer and we'll figure it out. He is adamant that he doesn't want to incur a bunch of debt and we definitely support him in that decision.

He had a previously scheduled appointment with a recruiter yesterday right as he got the news about the NROTC scholarship. They were very complimentary, he has a great ASVAB score and qualifies for every single job in the Navy if he were to enlist but they also after two hours said, there are so many options available to you, take some time, reconnect with the schools and ask questions, etc. We knew the deposit deadlines were coming. We were praying for the scholarship. It's out of my comfort zone to ask for parenting advice online lol but we are not a military family and so we are ill equipped to give him advice on enlisting vs being a NROTC programmer vs community college and reapplying for the scholarship. He knows he wants to serve in the Navy and he knows he wants to end up with a bachelor's degree. If anyone has some advice for him/us I would really appreciate it.
Are Miami, ERAU, and VT affordable for one year? He has a good shot at a scholarship as a college programmer, I would think.
I'm not totally sure about the option of community college since that wouldn't give him the opportunity to be a programmer and excel in a unit.
Others with more knowledge will chime in, I hope!
It's a lot to think about.
It sounds as though he's ready for college right now. I would caution him not to make a hasty decision about enlisting.
 
Great advice above, so not much more to add. Perhaps start with this question, though: Do you want to serve? Or do you want to serve as a commissioned officer? Two honorable — but very different — routes, lifestyles and careers.

He was on a path that was short-circuited. Can he at least embark on that path, knowing that the alternative (enlisting) will always be there? Perhaps start at the school with the best financial aid, work his butt off to win an ROTC scholarship and go from there? At which point, his current travail would be a distant memory. This would also be a potential platform for launching another attempt at USNA.

Yes, it will cost. But is it the best shot at rejoining the path he’d envisioned — again, knowing that his fallback will always be there?
 
Capt MJ has some great advice for your son to check out. I realize the deadline is near! However, my thought would be for him to attend one of the schools with an NROTC unit, join as a programmer and go all out with academics. He may be an excellent candidate for a 3 year scholarship once he joins the unit. I realize that finances are a big consideration, however, my thought would be the worst case scenario that after applying as a programmer, and he does not get nrotc scholarship, at that point he could always transfer schools for financial considerations. This will afford him the opportunity to be with the unit, see if it is for him, apply for scholarship, and not incur as much debt in the long run, After all, later on no one can fault him if he needs to transfer for financial reasons. There is also the opportunity to do well at the university and get additional merit money the following year. Just another view. Best of luck!
 
Sending your family positive vibes during this important time! I second @Capt MJ - take a look at the Nuke Power program & Civil Engineer Corps college programs. (CEC also takes other types of Engineers such as Mechanical & EE). Our DS is in the exact same boat as yours. He was fortunate enough to get into the U of I 💙🧡(his state school), but wasn’t sure what to do if he didn’t. Purdue is amazing - but as an OOS student w/ no scholarship $ from them, the price was prohibitive (he will not take out a lot in loans). These programs kick in later but the kids make enough in them to pay back the majority of the cost. Our DS will be joining NROTC as a College Programmer, but since he won’t be contracted his freshmen year, he could possibly pursue one of these programs sophomore or junior year. Also, from what I’ve been told, as a strong NRTOC programmer there is also quite a bit of success for winning a 2 or 3 yr scholarship. I agree - give the school w/ the most scholarship $ a try for a year as a Programmer? Good luck 🍀! Good things are ahead for these amazing kiddos - with even more grit & perseverance than they have already shown!
 
What state? Which college is closest? What are respective merit amounts?
 
lots of good advice. with his college acceptances id recommend not enlisting. go to the school with the least cost and be a programmer. and also apply to USNA again both has decent odds of coming to fruition in a year. all those schools have excellent battalions
 
There are a few options in front of him.

If money is an issue consider enlisting (I assume you know about the GI Bill, but if you don’t, the TLDR is free college). people, especially for a case as bright as your son, would consider it a waste, but there are some very “smart” enlisted jobs out there. The Army offers three year enlistments if he’s interested in that. If he got into those types of schools once he is capable of doing it again after his contract. If he doesn’t care about the college experience, he can get his degree while enlisted for free without touching his GI Bill. Many cadets/mids/officers are prior enlisted and probably better leaders for it. I got reasonably far down the process of enlisting before other things worked out, so if you want to talk more about that option feel free to PM.

If you can afford a year at these schools then consider trying for a 3 year scholarship as a programmer, as others have said. If he doesn’t get it, he runs the risk of ending up in the same spot he is in now, but it is far from a Hail Mary if your son continues his track record in college.

Community college is an option as well, but he is very limited regarding military pursuits.

Personally, I would try college for a year (if finances allow), then enlist if I didn’t get a contract. But that’s me. Your son should choose the option that’s best for him, none of them are bad.
 
Was going to say to look at Purdue. Great school. My son went there but did AFROTC. Congrats. He will do great wherever he goes. The only problem with his school choice is that for the rest of his life when he mentions he went to Miami, he is going to have to mention not Univ of Miami
 
Second bump on Purdue. Take a look at their income share agreement program - it’s a pretty interesting take on tuition assistance that has the school invest in the student’s success. Purdue has an NROTC program that your son can join and if it’s like Army ROTC, he can still be awarded at least a partial scholarship. There is also OCS as an option.

Just want to point out that service as an officer vs enlisted is a noticeably different lifestyle. I don’t mean to say one is better than the other, but depending on what field he wants to be in (naval aviation, for example), the job is very different.
 
Thank you for all the great advice! Miami University as a NROTC programmer it is, deposit made tonight!
Good for you and your son, Congrats! One of our twins is in NROTC. He was a "college programmer" because his major was very limited in school choice and his University had no ROTC programs so he never applied for a scholarship. After starting school he found out there was a "cross town" option, investigated it and joined. Has worked out really good for him, just make sure financially it is doable if no ROTC money comes in. If a "Programmer" is picked up to continue during their junior year, they will get either a "sideload" scholarship, or "Advanced Standing". Advanced Standing does not pay tuition, but does pay a stipend, and the obligated service is only three years upon Commissioning. Gets you GI Bill Benefits two years faster than scholarship or SA folks...:)
 
Good for you and your son, Congrats! One of our twins is in NROTC. He was a "college programmer" because his major was very limited in school choice and his University had no ROTC programs so he never applied for a scholarship. After starting school he found out there was a "cross town" option, investigated it and joined. Has worked out really good for him, just make sure financially it is doable if no ROTC money comes in. If a "Programmer" is picked up to continue during their junior year, they will get either a "sideload" scholarship, or "Advanced Standing". Advanced Standing does not pay tuition, but does pay a stipend, and the obligated service is only three years upon Commissioning. Gets you GI Bill Benefits two years faster than scholarship or SA folks...:)
Actually it's more years than that to get GI Bill benefits. The first stint for NROTC and Academy midshipmen is whatever commitment they make. That's to repay the cost of their education (meaning tuition for scholarship MIDN). They have to do three years after that to get GI Bill benefits. So it's actually 5-8 years quicker than scholarship and Academy MIDN.
 
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