Advice for NROTC Scholarship Application - Marine Option

[skylarj1776]

Hello, I'm currently a junior in high school and I am working on putting together and building my application for Marine option NROTC.
Any and all advice for strengthening my application is greatly appreciated and will be carefully considered.

Academics:

• GPA: 4.3 weighted/3.93 unweighted
• Class rank 26/380 - top 7%
• All AP and honors classes, 1 AP sophomore year, 4 AP this year, 5 AP senior year
• NHS member(10th,11th,12th)
• 30 ACT composite(26 math, 35 reading, 30 English, 27 science)
• Have not taken ASVAB or SAT
• Intended major - Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech

Athletics:

• 6 years Football, no varsity (4th grade - 10th grade)
• Swim Team (11th grade, 12th grade)
• Varsity Track/Field (11th grade, 12th grade)
• PFT - 19:45 3-mile run, 11 pullups, 92 crunches - total score 234
• Regular Tuesday/Thursday PT at recruiter's office

Extra Curriculars

• Robotics Team Captain (11th, 12th)
• Math Team (11th, 12th)
• Explorers Club (11th, 12th)
• Student Technology Association (11th, 12th)
• Key Club (11th, 12th)
• "Dream Team" - Volunteer service organization at my church
• 100+ hours volunteer free math tutoring to local students
• Part time job at non-profit Christian thrift store.
• School does not have JROTC, but possibly getting a program this year.
• Working with administration on creating a peer-tutoring organization which I would be president of at its creation.

Comments/Other

• I realize my PFT score is very weak. I swim, run, and work core and pull-ups everyday to improve.
• Lack of leadership roles - currently trying to address this by running for leadership positions in my clubs and teams.
• For my recommendation letters, I intend on requesting one from my neighbor and family friend who is an officer in the Navy, one from my Key Club sponsor and physics teacher, and one from my personal trainer(a retired Marine infantry squad leader, rank unknown).
• Interested in aviation

My recruiter told me that there is usually only around 35 other applicants in my region for the early board. This was surprising news to me as 35 seems very low, and I was wondering if anyone knew of a possible reason?
Again, suggestions, comments, concerns, etc are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[kking2338]

The biggest thing that sticks out to me is your PFT. Look up the Armstrong Pull-up Program it is a very effective program to get your pull-ups up. Also improve your ab strength, a strong core is not only necessary to max sit-ups but it is necessary when doing the Obstacle Course and Marine Option PTs. You should shoot for at least a 275 PFT.
-A Marine Option Midshipman

 

[kinnem]

You know your weaknesses. You have plenty of time to improve those pull-ups and you should do so. Get a pull-up bar. The rest of your PFT looks good enough but you should continue working on improving everywhere. Again there is time.
Secure some leadership roles. The Corps looks for leaders.
The Navy will tell you who you need to provide references from... you will only select them from the parameters they give you. It won't be your neighbor officer friend or your Key Club sponsor.
Keep up the great work.

 

[DeskJockey]

Given your intended major and the activities you have been engaged in during high school, I am surprised that you are applying as a Marine Option instead of a Navy Option. Of course you may have a strong desire to serve as a Marine, and little or no interest in serving as a naval officer, but unless it is that clear-cut of a choice for you it may be worth giving it some more thought.

First, simply in terms of competitiveness for a scholarship, the marines are not likely to place any special value on an aerospace engineering major, while that would be a definite advantage if you applied as a navy option.

Second, there will only be limited opportunities to work in an engineering-related job or acquire an advanced technical degree in the marines – as opposed to the navy, where such opportunities are more widely available.

Bottom line – If you already know that the marines are where you really want to be, go for it. But if you are still open to other possibilities, you might want to think about what option is more likely to get you where you want to go in the long run. That would include doing some research and finding out as much as you can about the career fields that will be open to you in each service.