Advice for successful path to ROTC scholarship

3girls

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Trying to assist my daughter in decisions to make her competitive for an ROTC scholarship. Grateful for any feedback.
She’s starting her junior year, undecided on specifics but certain of career in military and favoring cyber security or flying, any branch.
Academics- without adding additional weighted courses and if all As, she will finish this year above a 4.15 W, and 3.87 UW. Mostly honors but just 2 APs in a tough, competitive, and high achieving public high school.
AF JROTC since freshman to which she has to be bused (to another HS and back) because of this loses her lunch hour. But she is committed.
Top shooter on her HS Precision Air Rifle team, and ranked top 1/3 in state as of last year’s competition (this is a hs athletics team not jrotc)
Volunteer regularly at local library and some through school and jrotc.
SAT - hasn’t taken it, but based on previous PSAT testing I predict an SAT range anywhere from high 1300 to mid 1400. No clue on ACT.
She wants to learn Russian for next 2 years so we r looking to find a way.
My concerns - missing formal leadership although she will be rifle team captain; not enough APs; demeanor is reserved though hardworking, and attention to detail.
Again would really appreciate any advice on what to add/change/build upon?
 
Your “concerns” paragraph are where I would suggest focusing...find a leadership opportunity (start a club. Organize volunteer activity. Find a passion and figure out how to make a difference somewhere). Junior year is the perfect time for this, carrying it into senior year. Can she add AP classes? They will what she has taken, and will take. Her senior year is also included in the application (at least to USNA). What about a speech class to help get her out of her shell? This is also an area where leadership insinuates the ability to present, direct, delegate. All requiring a person to be comfortable talking and in charge. I also think that practicing mock interviewing helps with this. A confidence booster. Many kids are ‘reserved’, but doing things to help build confidence will help with this. There WILL be interviews!!

The GREAT news is that there is still time to work on building a package! It’s highly competitive!

What about, as rifle team captain, organizing a community service project? Demonstrating leadership, not just a ‘title’, is important.

Also working on physical fitness.
 
Thank you. Great advice. She can add APs for online learning only at this point, so it’s certainly doable.
 
Yes, I’m sure she can. And she’s being promoted every so often, not sure of details on how they do it. However because the jrotc program is in a different school, i feel it’s a bit more difficult for her to have the same opportunities as the cadets that are there all the time.
 
The AFROTC scholarship application will use leadership positions through the Junior year. If she is promoted during a change of command ceremony for her senior year, technically this occurred as a Junior and I believe can be stated as such.

The application will ask what classes she will be enrolled in as a senior but doesn’t look at those grades. So, she doesn’t have to take more than 2 AP classes this year. My son only had 1 his junior year.

Has she participated in any sports or martial arts programs? Can she pass a PFT? The Air Force looks at more than academics and leadership.

I’m only commenting about AFROTC because that’s what my son applied for and received :)

Best of luck to your daughter!
 
I know that the leadership aspects within my sons NJROTC unit were definitely a plus. Play on that. His unit did a lot of community involvement that he participated in.

Does she belong to any school clubs? That could be a leadership opportunity. i.e my DS was President of the Physics Club.

How about after school jobs? Mine was a Math/Test Prep tutor.
 
Yes, I’m sure she can. And she’s being promoted every so often, not sure of details on how they do it. However because the jrotc program is in a different school, i feel it’s a bit more difficult for her to have the same opportunities as the cadets that are there all the time.

This is and excellent thing to point out! Especially in interviews. That she became a leader in the difficulty of nit belonging to the school.
 
The application will ask what classes she will be enrolled in as a senior but doesn’t look at those grades. So, she doesn’t have to take more than 2 AP classes this year. My son only had 1 his junior year.

Has she participated in any sports or martial arts programs? Can she pass a PFT? The Air Force looks at more than academics and leadership.

Thank you! If she doesn’t add any online APs now, then she will finish junior year with only 2 total thus far. So I’m glad to know she can list in application what she will be taking next year.

Yes, on sports - she is top shooter on her rifle team. I will have to ask status on PFT, but I think they prepare them for that in jrotc.
 
I know that the leadership aspects within my sons NJROTC unit were definitely a plus. Play on that. His unit did a lot of community involvement that he participated in.

Does she belong to any school clubs? That could be a leadership opportunity. i.e my DS was President of the Physics Club.

How about after school jobs? Mine was a Math/Test Prep tutor.

Thank you! She does some volunteer work with her AFJROTC unit and she belongs to a community service club at school but very little there. She also volunteers at local community library every week all year long. She desires to do more but thus far felt time was an issue. The HS she is in is very tough, for better or for worse, kids get pushed very hard by teachers. Homework is insane. It’s not uncommon to hear alumni say their first year in college was easy compared to what they went through in this HS.

I know she will find a way to do more. I see it’s important at many levels.
 
Thank you! She does some volunteer work with her AFJROTC unit and she belongs to a community service club at school but very little there. She also volunteers at local community library every week all year long. She desires to do more but thus far felt time was an issue. The HS she is in is very tough, for better or for worse, kids get pushed very hard by teachers. Homework is insane. It’s not uncommon to hear alumni say their first year in college was easy compared to what they went through in this HS.

I know she will find a way to do more. I see it’s important at many levels.

Also know that her competitors are also from very tough schools. ROTC is also a full on national competition at the get-go. That’s different from a SA. Another strategy is to apply as early as possible (don’t rush at the expense of a good, complete application) to have as much exposure to all boards if possible. DS#2 had his in for first boards. Received NROTC and AFROTC round 1 of boards (DS #3 just had his Officer interview and will be submitting his app today or tomorrow). Not as many are awarded but also not as much competition, and her package will get more looks of she isn’t awarded right away. Lastly, if she doesn’t receive one, she can attend ROTC anyhow and earn one in school.

Ok NOW lastly...I would highly recommend doing an admissions tour and visiting with the ROTC staff as part of that. To a school she is interested in if possible. And if not, a local one. We did that in the summer. It puts a name to a face for you if your lucky enough to meet an officer who will do your interview. But she may get tips about applying also. At the very least she can get a feel for the unit(s). It’s also a motivator.

Good luck!
 
I really like the suggestion to look at a speech class and or public speaking opportunities. Our DS competed this year in the American Legion Oratorical Contest, he made to the 4th round and finished 2nd in state. Let me tell you, preparing that speech (8 to 10 mins), practicing it, giving it to different teachers and advisors for feedback, and doing it 4 times in front of judges and an audience really built his confidence. Each round his ability to project his voice, address the audience got stronger. He also was able to meet the judges, all leaders in our community. He got to be really close with several of the American Legion Members who host it. That sure helped when he applied for Boys State. They all knew him already. The Legion and VFW all offer speech and written contests that might be great for her to compete in. And not to mention, our DS made $1300 in prize money for 4 weekends of speeches.
 
I really like the suggestion to look at a speech class and or public speaking opportunities. Our DS competed this year in the American Legion Oratorical Contest, he made to the 4th round and finished 2nd in state. Let me tell you, preparing that speech (8 to 10 mins), practicing it, giving it to different teachers and advisors for feedback, and doing it 4 times in front of judges and an audience really built his confidence. Each round his ability to project his voice, address the audience got stronger. He also was able to meet the judges, all leaders in our community. He got to be really close with several of the American Legion Members who host it. That sure helped when he applied for Boys State. They all knew him already. The Legion and VFW all offer speech and written contests that might be great for her to compete in. And not to mention, our DS made $1300 in prize money for 4 weekends of speeches.

Congratulations! And thank you, I completely agree.
 
I really like the suggestion to look at a speech class and or public speaking opportunities. Our DS competed this year in the American Legion Oratorical Contest, he made to the 4th round and finished 2nd in state. Let me tell you, preparing that speech (8 to 10 mins), practicing it, giving it to different teachers and advisors for feedback, and doing it 4 times in front of judges and an audience really built his confidence. Each round his ability to project his voice, address the audience got stronger. He also was able to meet the judges, all leaders in our community. He got to be really close with several of the American Legion Members who host it. That sure helped when he applied for Boys State. They all knew him already. The Legion and VFW all offer speech and written contests that might be great for her to compete in. And not to mention, our DS made $1300 in prize money for 4 weekends of speeches.
That’s great advice. Public speaking is huge. My son recognized that early and joined his schools Mock Trial team. He’s a STEM kid and it was great because it was way out of his comfort zone. He liked it so much, he’s still doing it at college.
 
@NROTCdad, our son told me last night that he really liked it. He had public speaking opportunities at Boys State, was guest speaker at state American Legion Convention and spoke at Boys Nation. He said he is looking forward to next year's oratorical contest. Awesome to see them grow and expand their horizons
 
For Russian, Kent State U. in Ohio near Cleveland offers a government-funded ("STARTALK") intensive 4-week language program in June-July that is followed by periodic online sessions throughout the academic year.
You apply for the summer program in the Spring. College credit is earned, and you live on the Kent State campus. Details here:
https://www.kent.edu/mcls/fla

There are other STARTALK programs in Russian offered at several other colleges, but they're non-residential. IIRC there's one in Seattle at U-W and another north of Los Angeles.
For a hefty fee, there are also good programs offered over the summer at Middlebury in VT and Concordia in MN.
 
Question: in their decision process, does the scholarship board(s) take into consideration the particular schools and majors for which the candidate is applying?

I think my daughter is very interested in looking at the Senior Military Colleges.
 
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