4 year ROTC Scholarship- Army vs Navy

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juliefeldprad

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Hi,
My daughter has received both a 4 year Army and a 4 year Navy ROTC Scholarship. This last week she found out that the 3 year Advanced Designee Army Scholarship was upgraded to a 4 year. Up until this point, she was going Navy due to the greater scholarship potential and her research on the Navy. Now both Army and Navy are on the table and she is trying to figure out how best to proceed.

We are now trying to research as much as we can to learn the differences in Army vs Navy scholarships and the experience one could have with the different branches. We are not a military family, so any information to help us make this decision is helpful! She feels very lucky to be pondering this, just needs help with recognizing the differences in military experiences and scholarship requirements. We recognize the very obvious differences - navy is ocean and ships, army is land. Army has possibly a greater variety of jobs one can pursue, navy has more technical jobs. Is one scholarship harder to obtain?

Questions:
-For obligation after college - Navy is active 5 years and IRR 3 years? Army is either reserves for 8 years, or 4 years active and 4 years IRR?
-Navy you have to take Physics and Calculus in college, Army does not have any academic requirements other than the needed ROTC classes?
-Workout requirements the same in college?
-Differences in ROTC classes one has to take in college? One branch easier than the other?
-Both scholarships you can decide after freshmen year to cancel if you decide ROTC is not for you?
-Navy has NSI during the summers as a requirement, Army has summer training obligations possibly junior/senior year?
-Army you might get paid a bit more while in college...but it seems like this is fairly nominal in the grand scheme of things.
-Does both Army/Navy make the same while on active duty? It probably depends what job/rank you have.
-She would like to eventually go to law school or medical school - does one branch seem more open to allowing this post college?

Sorry for the random and multiple questions, please let me know if you can think of any other things we should consider to determine differences in scholarship and experiences! We really appreciate any thoughts this group will have. We have a lot to ponder!
Thanks.
 
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Big difference and only one that truly matters: does she want to be in the Navy (on a ship in the middle of the ocean with sharks) or eat MREs 3 meals a day for 60 days in a foxhole or flooded tent in some godforesaken heck hole?

Making a decision on rotc stipend amount or whether she has to take calculus isnt going to help because its low level stuff.

there is a fundamental difference in the 2 branches and she needs to think how she is going to spend her career. In the Navy the ship is the weapon and leadership is about the weapon. In the Army we arm the Soldier and you lead the Soldier.
 
To touch on some of these, (I can't speak for everything on the AROTC side):

- Navy is active duty for 5 years in an unrestricted line community (Surface, Submarines, Aviation, SEALs, EOD). There are technically possibilities to go restricted line (Intel, Oceanography, etc.) but they are incredibly few and far between (think 1-2 per year nationally) and should not be looked at as a viable route at this stage in the game.
- Yes, Navy has physics and calculus. Depending on what tier her scholarship is, the Navy might also restrict what she can major in.
- Workout requirements probably lean tougher for Army, but it honestly depends on the unit more than anything (my NROTC unit has stricter fitness requirements than the AROTC unit at our school). Also compare the Navy PRT to Army ACFT to get an idea of what each branch will test on.
- NROTC has a class each semester, don't know about Army. Honestly though, the NROTC classes are an easy A if you're a relatively competent student (my unit is even know for having "harder" NROTC classes than other ones and they're still pretty dang easy).
- For NROTC you can cancel up until the first day of your sophomore year, don't know about Army.
- Navy has a cruise each summer. You are correct that the one going into college is NSI, which is essentially three weeks of condensed boot camp at Great Lakes. The next year is CORTRAMID (preview each community for ~1 week in San Diego or Norfolk), the year after is an enlisted cruise where you shadow an enlisted sailor on a ship or sub, the final cruise is an officer cruise where you shadow a junior officer in your desired community (or get beat for a couple weeks if you want to be a SEAL or EOD). Sea Trials might be thrown in there somewhere, who knows if they're going to continue it. To be entirely honest though, everyone loves the cruises (besides NSI). They're an amazing opportunity, and everyone I know looks forward to them each summer (plus you get paid!).
- Yes, Army has a bigger stipend. To some it might matter, to others, the difference is ultimately not a huge deal.
- On active duty base pay is the exact same. As a Navy JO you'll probably make a bit more just because BAH tends to be a bit higher in coastal cities, which happens to be where the Navy is mostly located. You can make extra pay for various things, the most lucrative option is being a sub officer in the Navy, but there's other stuff too (language pay, jump pay, hazard pay, etc.)
- For law school or med school Army is definitely the easier route. That being said, if she's fine waiting a while it's possible in the Navy as well. Otherwise she can just get out and use the GI bill.

As @Montana State Army ROTC pointed out, the biggest factor is what she wants to do in the military. If she wants to fly jets, go Navy. If she wants to be infantry, go Army. If she wants to be on a submarine, go Navy. If she wants to be in a tank, go Army, etc. etc.

Feel free to ask any additional questions and I'll try to help any way I can (at least from the NROTC side).
 
Montana State Army ROTC said:
Big difference and only one that truly matters: does she want to be in the Navy (on a ship in the middle of the ocean with sharks) or eat MREs 3 meals a day for 60 days in a foxhole or flooded tent in some godforesaken heck hole?

Making a decision on rotc stipend amount or whether she has to take calculus isnt going to help because its low level stuff.

there is a fundamental difference in the 2 branches and she needs to think how she is going to spend her career. In the Navy the ship is the weapon and leadership is about the weapon. In the Army we arm the Soldier and you lead the Soldier.
Click to expand...
Thank you for you reply!
 
nrotcmid23 said:
To touch on some of these, (I can't speak for everything on the AROTC side):

- Navy is active duty for 5 years in an unrestricted line community (Surface, Submarines, Aviation, SEALs, EOD). There are technically possibilities to go restricted line (Intel, Oceanography, etc.) but they are incredibly few and far between (think 1-2 per year nationally) and should not be looked at as a viable route at this stage in the game.
- Yes, Navy has physics and calculus. Depending on what tier her scholarship is, the Navy might also restrict what she can major in.
- Workout requirements probably lean tougher for Army, but it honestly depends on the unit more than anything (my NROTC unit has stricter fitness requirements than the AROTC unit at our school). Also compare the Navy PRT to Army ACFT to get an idea of what each branch will test on.
- NROTC has a class each semester, don't know about Army. Honestly though, the NROTC classes are an easy A if you're a relatively competent student (my unit is even know for having "harder" NROTC classes than other ones and they're still pretty dang easy).
- For NROTC you can cancel up until the first day of your sophomore year, don't know about Army.
- Navy has a cruise each summer. You are correct that the one going into college is NSI, which is essentially three weeks of condensed boot camp at Great Lakes. The next year is CORTRAMID (preview each community for ~1 week in San Diego or Norfolk), the year after is an enlisted cruise where you shadow an enlisted sailor on a ship or sub, the final cruise is an officer cruise where you shadow a junior officer in your desired community (or get beat for a couple weeks if you want to be a SEAL or EOD). Sea Trials might be thrown in there somewhere, who knows if they're going to continue it. To be entirely honest though, everyone loves the cruises (besides NSI). They're an amazing opportunity, and everyone I know looks forward to them each summer (plus you get paid!).
- Yes, Army has a bigger stipend. To some it might matter, to others, the difference is ultimately not a huge deal.
- On active duty base pay is the exact same. As a Navy JO you'll probably make a bit more just because BAH tends to be a bit higher in coastal cities, which happens to be where the Navy is mostly located. You can make extra pay for various things, the most lucrative option is being a sub officer in the Navy, but there's other stuff too (language pay, jump pay, hazard pay, etc.)
- For law school or med school Army is definitely the easier route. That being said, if she's fine waiting a while it's possible in the Navy as well. Otherwise she can just get out and use the GI bill.

As @Montana State Army ROTC pointed out, the biggest factor is what she wants to do in the military. If she wants to fly jets, go Navy. If she wants to be infantry, go Army. If she wants to be on a submarine, go Navy. If she wants to be in a tank, go Army, etc. etc.

Feel free to ask any additional questions and I'll try to help any way I can (at least from the NROTC side).
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! Super helpful. I will follow up with any questions I might have.
 
It is very rare that Navy ROTC graduates officers that are not in an unrestricted line community. (SWO, Nuke, Aviation, SEAL). That being said, it is very possible to go to AROTC and be a JAG officer.

NROTC does not commission Jag officers, they can but it is extremely rare.
 
Can't say this enough; do not dwell too much on the college based experience; every unit and school will be different in AROTC and NROTC. Both will require hard work. both will require working out. Pick BASED ON THE JOB YOU WANT TO DO AFTER GRADUATION. Comparing Navy and Army is comparing apples to oranges.
 
Excellent advice given above. I would just add that her first consideration should be figuring out whether she wants to be in the Army or the Navy after she graduates. Thinking she may want to go to law school, that is something that she may change her mind about later on as she hasn't even started college yet. Where does she feel she would be most comfortable serving her country? Then, look at the schools she is choosing to attend. Do they offer enough classes that interest her and, more importantly, if she decides after her Freshman year that ROTC is not for her, can she still afford the school without that scholarship so that she may continue her studies there. And, lastly, if science or math is something with which she struggles, then unless she was awarded a Tier 3 scholarship with NROTC, she may want to add that into her consideration. There are many who struggle passing the required classes with NROTC requirements and if the gpa falls below that which is required, she may find herself struggling to remain in the program. I don't believe Army has the same science and math requirements.
Congratulations to your daughter for being in this decision predicament! I am sure she will do well in whichever she chooses.
 
stephen71 said:
Does Navy award as many scholarships as Army?
Click to expand...
Assuming you are talking about the national scholarship board (as opposed to campus-based), I believe the Navy offers more 4-year scholarships than the Army because that is all the Navy offers. But when you include 3-year Army national offers, then the Army offers more -- far more, I think -- national scholarships in the aggregate.

It was posted earlier this week on the forum that AROTC offered 1000 4-year scholarships this year. According to the link below (which is now out of date for AROTC and AFROTC in terms of overall numbers and balance of the AROTC numbers), NROTC offers about 1,500.

rotcconsulting.com

What are My Chances of Getting or Winning an ROTC Scholarship?

This post will talk about each ROTC Scholarship program and the most important elements to consider in order to determine your chances of success.
rotcconsulting.com rotcconsulting.com
 
franknd said:
Assuming you are talking about the national scholarship board (as opposed to campus-based), I believe the Navy offers more 4-year scholarships than the Army because that is all the Navy offers. But when you include 3-year Army national offers, then the Army offers more -- far more, I think -- national scholarships in the aggregate.

It was posted earlier this week on the forum that AROTC offered 1000 4-year scholarships this year. According to the link below (which is now out of date for AROTC and AFROTC in terms of overall numbers and balance of the AROTC numbers), NROTC offers about 1,500.

rotcconsulting.com

What are My Chances of Getting or Winning an ROTC Scholarship?

This post will talk about each ROTC Scholarship program and the most important elements to consider in order to determine your chances of success.
rotcconsulting.com rotcconsulting.com
Click to expand...
If 5000 are reviewed and 1500 are awarded then it seems the chances of winning are good if boarded.
 
stephen71 said:
If 5000 are reviewed and 1500 are awarded then it seems the chances of winning are good if boarded.
Click to expand...
Honestly, though, it's hard to take any of this as gospel, particularly this year. As I mentioned, the Army and AF numbers are already out of date and, for the Army, out of balance. I have no idea about the NROTC numbers this year.
 
momx3 said:
Excellent advice given above. I would just add that her first consideration should be figuring out whether she wants to be in the Army or the Navy after she graduates. Thinking she may want to go to law school, that is something that she may change her mind about later on as she hasn't even started college yet. Where does she feel she would be most comfortable serving her country? Then, look at the schools she is choosing to attend. Do they offer enough classes that interest her and, more importantly, if she decides after her Freshman year that ROTC is not for her, can she still afford the school without that scholarship so that she may continue her studies there. And, lastly, if science or math is something with which she struggles, then unless she was awarded a Tier 3 scholarship with NROTC, she may want to add that into her consideration. There are many who struggle passing the required classes with NROTC requirements and if the gpa falls below that which is required, she may find herself struggling to remain in the program. I don't believe Army has the same science and math requirements.
Congratulations to your daughter for being in this decision predicament! I am sure she will do well in whichever she chooses.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Math and Science are not exactly her favorite subjects, so this is def something to take in to consideration.
 
juliefeldprad said:
Hi,
My daughter has received both a 4 year Army and a 4 year Navy ROTC Scholarship. This last week she found out that the 3 year Advanced Designee Army Scholarship was upgraded to a 4 year. Up until this point, she was going Navy due to the greater scholarship potential and her research on the Navy. Now both Army and Navy are on the table and she is trying to figure out how best to proceed.

We are now trying to research as much as we can to learn the differences in Army vs Navy scholarships and the experience one could have with the different branches. We are not a military family, so any information to help us make this decision is helpful! She feels very lucky to be pondering this, just needs help with recognizing the differences in military experiences and scholarship requirements. We recognize the very obvious differences - navy is ocean and ships, army is land. Army has possibly a greater variety of jobs one can pursue, navy has more technical jobs. Is one scholarship harder to obtain?

Questions:
-For obligation after college - Navy is active 5 years and IRR 3 years? Army is either reserves for 8 years, or 4 years active and 4 years IRR?
-Navy you have to take Physics and Calculus in college, Army does not have any academic requirements other than the needed ROTC classes?
-Workout requirements the same in college?
-Differences in ROTC classes one has to take in college? One branch easier than the other?
-Both scholarships you can decide after freshmen year to cancel if you decide ROTC is not for you?
-Navy has NSI during the summers as a requirement, Army has summer training obligations possibly junior/senior year?
-Army you might get paid a bit more while in college...but it seems like this is fairly nominal in the grand scheme of things.
-Does both Army/Navy make the same while on active duty? It probably depends what job/rank you have.
-She would like to eventually go to law school or medical school - does one branch seem more open to allowing this post college?

Sorry for the random and multiple questions, please let me know if you can think of any other things we should consider to determine differences in scholarship and experiences! We really appreciate any thoughts this group will have. We have a lot to ponder!
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Thanks for posing the question: Soon to be in the same ship ⚓ or tracked vehicle:tank1:
 
So congratulations to your student for their hard work. I am more familiar with AROTC than NROTC. The NROTC requires certain math courses. If your student is not good in math, then a consideration is whether these courses will lower their gpa, and take time away from other studies in the chosen major. If the scholarship is suspended or lost - or student decides the military is not a good fit and drops ROTC - can you afford the college tuition? Ultimately, what does the student want to do for a career? The Navy has certain occupations that fiit well into technical majors and careers post Navy service. The Army does too - and maybe even broader areas. Both services have major initiatives in cyber security - a great field to prepare for a law career as I guarantee you lawyers will spend countless hours trying to digest cyber security issues for clients - I did when I practiced law.

Just a caution about law school after college. Deferrments to attend law school are few and far between - they are granted - but not many. The student may have to spend time in service and attend law school after 4 years of service. Somewhere on these forums is posted a chart from the various services showing the number of commisioned officers granted deferment to attend graduate or law school - very few. It can be done, but credentials need to be super good.
As for GI benefits after service. Recognize that there are minimum service periods needed to qualify for full GI Bill benefits like full tuition - and the minimum service obligation required for 2,3,4 year ROTC scholarships does not count. So to receive full tuition benefit for law school - need 36 months duty after completing the obligated tour of duty, etc. See: https://nvf.org/post-911-gi-bill/#:~:text=If you are an officer,qualify for the full benefits.
 
glen said:
So congratulations to your student for their hard work. I am more familiar with AROTC than NROTC. The NROTC requires certain math courses. If your student is not good in math, then a consideration is whether these courses will lower their gpa, and take time away from other studies in the chosen major. If the scholarship is suspended or lost - or student decides the military is not a good fit and drops ROTC - can you afford the college tuition? Ultimately, what does the student want to do for a career? The Navy has certain occupations that fiit well into technical majors and careers post Navy service. The Army does too - and maybe even broader areas. Both services have major initiatives in cyber security - a great field to prepare for a law career as I guarantee you lawyers will spend countless hours trying to digest cyber security issues for clients - I did when I practiced law.

Just a caution about law school after college. Deferrments to attend law school are few and far between - they are granted - but not many. The student may have to spend time in service and attend law school after 4 years of service. Somewhere on these forums is posted a chart from the various services showing the number of commisioned officers granted deferment to attend graduate or law school - very few. It can be done, but credentials need to be super good.
As for GI benefits after service. Recognize that there are minimum service periods needed to qualify for full GI Bill benefits like full tuition - and the minimum service obligation required for 2,3,4 year ROTC scholarships does not count. So to receive full tuition benefit for law school - need 36 months duty after completing the obligated tour of duty, etc. See: https://nvf.org/post-911-gi-bill/#:~:text=If you are an officer,qualify for the full benefits.
Click to expand...
Do you think the Army has a occupation that would fit a mechanical engineering major?
 
stephen71 said:
Do you think the Army has a occupation that would fit a mechanical engineering major?
Click to expand...
Yes - of course! Mechanical Engineering major is one of the broadest disciiplines in engineering. You will lead teams in many different technical areas. And after military service (and there will be an after) you will have a resume that will place you at the top of every employer's list of hires - you will have the demonstrated experience of leading and caring about and for people who depend on you - one of the most important qualities for management - and at a young age that few of your peers in civilian roles could hope for. Here is what the United States Military Academy says about mechanical engineering (one of its most popular majors): "Mechanical engineers work in fields ranging from robotics to superconductivity, from centrifuges to artificial joints and limbs, from rocket propulsion systems to air conditioners. Almost everything sold on the market today has involved mechanical engineering, from its very conception and design to its production and marketing."
 
glen said:
Just a caution about law school after college. Deferrments to attend law school are few and far between - they are granted - but not many. The student may have to spend time in service and attend law school after 4 years of service. Somewhere on these forums is posted a chart from the various services showing the number of commisioned officers granted deferment to attend graduate or law school - very few. It can be done, but credentials need to be super good.
Click to expand...
Just to piggyback on this, to me the bigger issue with law school ed delays is that the cost of law school is on you. So assuming the ed delay is granted -- always subject to the needs of the Army, law school acceptance, etc. -- you then go out of pocket for three years on a law degree with your active duty obligation from ROTC still ahead of you. This is why I recommend deferring law school until after several years of service as a line officer. There is absolutely no harm academically in deferring law school and often much to be gained. Doing it this way will open up the opportunity to apply for a funded legal education if that's of interest, or, alternatively, free you to go to law school with a stronger application (active service as a commissioned officer isn't a qualification most LS applicants have) and as a much better student once you get there. Plus, while you may not have GI Bill benefits, some states offer benefits like Texas and the Hazlewood Exemption.

Med school is a whole other can of worms that I have posted my thoughts on elsewhere in this forum.
 
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