Affording VMI Tuition

rwebb1588

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Mar 26, 2023
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I am writing on behalf of my son. He has been accepted to VMI, The Citadel, Norwich and Virginia Tech. He has his heart set on going to VMI, which I am good with as it is the closest to where I live. He applied for and did not receive the NROTC scholarship, so working to figure out how to afford tuition? VMI is the most expensive for us and the one that has given us the least scholarship money to date. Any experts here that could give me some advice I.e other scholarships to apply for, best spots for Loans etc. Appreciate any and all thoughts. Best.
 
I am writing on behalf of my son. He has been accepted to VMI, The Citadel, Norwich and Virginia Tech. He has his heart set on going to VMI, which I am good with as it is the closest to where I live. He applied for and did not receive the NROTC scholarship, so working to figure out how to afford tuition? VMI is the most expensive for us and the one that has given us the least scholarship money to date. Any experts here that could give me some advice I.e other scholarships to apply for, best spots for Loans etc. Appreciate any and all thoughts. Best.
Research minuteman scholarship for Army ROTC. Application opens April 1. They cover 4 years of tuition. VMI has a call of duty scholarship that will help with room and board if you get the Army ROTC Scholarship. Good luck! My son is headed to The Citadel on a 4 year Army ROTC Scholarship but he was accepted to VMI and we considered it closely. See link below.

 
Research minuteman scholarship for Army ROTC. Application opens April 1. They cover 4 years of tuition. VMI has a call of duty scholarship that will help with room and board if you get the Army ROTC Scholarship. Good luck! My son is headed to The Citadel on a 4 year Army ROTC Scholarship but he was accepted to VMI and we considered it closely. See link below.

Thank you kindly for your reply. It is appreciated. I failed to mention that my son has his heels dug in on only looking at the marines. Oh to be 17 again.
 
Thank you kindly for your reply. It is appreciated. I failed to mention that my son has his heels dug in on only looking at the marines. Oh to be 17 again.
I hear ya. My son was the same way. We are still alive in the USNA process. Maybe reach out to the NROTC recruiter at VMI and see if they have any campus based NROTC scholarships available. Army has them.
 
My DS (VMI 2023) was same boat. He was awarded a 3-year Marine Option scholarship (Ground -Active Duty contract) his first year, second semester, at VMI. He worked very hard on Academics and ROTC during Rat Line. He was 100% committed to VMI and to USMC. The unit did most of the paperwork for the guys in the unit who they thought were most competitive for scholarship and commissioning. Several others also earned 3-year scholarship. I can't tell you any secrets except to say "Yes, it's possible" and VMI has been an incredible experience for my DS.
 
I wrote a few posts about his experience at VMI NROTC-Marine option.
 
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My DS (VMI 2023) was same boat. He was awarded a 3-year Marine Option scholarship (Ground -Active Duty contract) his first year, second semester, at VMI. He worked very hard on Academics and ROTC during Rat Line. He was 100% committed to VMI and to USMC. The unit did most of the paperwork for the guys in the unit who they thought were most competitive for scholarship and commissioning. Several others also earned 3-year scholarship. I can't tell you any secrets except to say "Yes, it's possible" and VMI has been an incredible experience for my DS.
Thank you very much for your reply - new to things a bit, what is DS? Thanks!
 
I know plenty of cadets who came to VMI without an ROTC scholarship who busted their ass both academically and militarily (ROTC) who were then awarded 3.5 or 3 year ROTC scholarships.

So, if you can make it work for year one, possibilities are there for afterwards.

Also, contact me directly at rbi90vmi@gmail.com. I can refer your son for an Alumni Grant for $1,000. It's not much, but every little bit helps.

Rah Virginia Mil!
 
I know plenty of cadets who came to VMI without an ROTC scholarship who busted their ass both academically and militarily (ROTC) who were then awarded 3.5 or 3 year ROTC scholarships.

So, if you can make it work for year one, possibilities are there for afterwards.

Also, contact me directly at rbi90vmi@gmail.com. I can refer your son for an Alumni Grant for $1,000. It's not much, but every little bit helps.

Rah Virginia Mil!
Thank you very much for your kind offer - I will email you today. Appreciate it.
 
Research minuteman scholarship for Army ROTC. Application opens April 1. They cover 4 years of tuition. VMI has a call of duty scholarship that will help with room and board if you get the Army ROTC Scholarship. Good luck! My son is headed to The Citadel on a 4 year Army ROTC Scholarship but he was accepted to VMI and we considered it closely. See link below.

Issue with GRFD Minuteman is at graduation it is very hard to go AD. Not impossible but very difficult for Guard/Reserves to relase new LT to RA-AD.
I know of 2 kids thinking they would help mom and dad with school take a MM who ended up having to figure out a plan B for graduation. They can't get the Guard to release them.
From my obervations attend school and bite the bullet that first year to the high priced school of choice. Work hard and try and win a 3.5 or 3 year on campus.
My son's roomate switched from AFROTC to AROTC 2nd year when he figured out contracting was almost impossible with the AFROTC program with a lineral arts degree. He worked hard and won a 3 year scholarship whlich will back pay for last semester.
If a scholarship doesn't work out and VMI gets too expensive he can always transfer to a more affordable school.
 
Issue with GRFD Minuteman is at graduation it is very hard to go AD. Not impossible but very difficult for Guard/Reserves to relase new LT to RA-AD.
I know of 2 kids thinking they would help mom and dad with school take a MM who ended up having to figure out a plan B for graduation. They can't get the Guard to release them.
From my obervations attend school and bite the bullet that first year to the high priced school of choice. Work hard and try and win a 3.5 or 3 year on campus.
My son's roomate switched from AFROTC to AROTC 2nd year when he figured out contracting was almost impossible with the AFROTC program with a lineral arts degree. He worked hard and won a 3 year scholarship whlich will back pay for last semester.
If a scholarship doesn't work out and VMI gets too expensive he can always transfer to a more affordable school.
Good points on the minuteman. I wonder if the Army recruiting shortfalls have increased the number of AD slots available
 
Issue with GRFD Minuteman is at graduation it is very hard to go AD. Not impossible but very difficult for Guard/Reserves to relase new LT to RA-AD.
I know of 2 kids thinking they would help mom and dad with school take a MM who ended up having to figure out a plan B for graduation. They can't get the Guard to release them.
From my obervations attend school and bite the bullet that first year to the high priced school of choice. Work hard and try and win a 3.5 or 3 year on campus.
My son's roomate switched from AFROTC to AROTC 2nd year when he figured out contracting was almost impossible with the AFROTC program with a lineral arts degree. He worked hard and won a 3 year scholarship whlich will back pay for last semester.
If a scholarship doesn't work out and VMI gets too expensive he can always transfer to a more affordable school.
Interesting your comment about the AFROTC scholarship. With the change in AFROTC policies to almost all awards now going to 2 year awards for those selected to Advanced Class, wondering if cadets in AFROTC should stick it out. One commentator on the ROTC forum mentioned 97% of those selected for Firld Training and Advanced Class were getting the 2 year award.
 
Many states offer tuition assistance if you enlist in the National Guard and complete your basic and advanced training. I BELIEVE you would be released from NG obligation if you contracted with the Marine Option. But check with the Marine OSO first. VMI Marine cadre should also be able to give you an idea of how competitive your DS would be for a sideload next year.
 
Interesting your comment about the AFROTC scholarship. With the change in AFROTC policies to almost all awards now going to 2 year awards for those selected to Advanced Class, wondering if cadets in AFROTC should stick it out. One commentator on the ROTC forum mentioned 97% of those selected for Firld Training and Advanced Class were getting the 2 year award.
My only first hand experience is from Norwich and TAMU. I have met several Rooks and heard of several Fish show up on campus enroll into the C of C take 1st year AFROTC or NROTC hoping to commission in 4 years. After a year they find out a non-STEM degree isn't Tier 1 or Tier 2 for NROTC or AFROTC which means chances to contract are very, very difficult but not impossible. Yes, 97% get scholarships that get "advance standing" but the question is "How many Sophomores going into the Junior year get designated, ADVANCE STANDING. They are faced with switch majors or go NROTC-M option/AROTC.
Talk to any AROTC ROO that has a NROTC/AFROTC unit on the same campus. Their MS2 enrollment that second year is filled with former AFROTC cadets and NROTC mids.
 
Our DS was accepted to 3 of the 4 that yours was accepted (did not apply to VA Tech.) Before he got his ROTC scholarship, between VMI, Norwich, and The Citadel, it was Norwich that really worked with us on scholarship money. We are out of state of both SC and VA, so we got The Citadel and VMI into the $40K/year range, all in. Still very expensive and were told to wait on ROTC results. (Our son is not a D1 level scholarship athlete.)

Norwich really worked with us. Presidential/Academic, FLC camp, Site Visit, Videos, etc...all got it into the $20k/year range.

When AROTC got offered on top, they worked us even further. The school has been a pleasure to work with. I can not say enough about their financial aid folks and their immediate responses back to help student families out.
 
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