AFROTC reducing HS scholarships in favor of In-College scholarships

B

BreakerBreaker

Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Messages
34
I just read that AFROTC is reducing the number of scholarships given out to high schoolers and are increasing the number of scholarships given out to cadets in the AFROTC programs already who aren't on scholarship. It sounds like anyone who's passed field training (juniors & seniors in college) will be given a scholarship.

1) Is that accurate?
2) What are your thoughts on the change?
 
BreakerBreaker said:
I just read that AFROTC is reducing the number of scholarships given out to high schoolers and are increasing the number of scholarships given out to cadets in the AFROTC programs already who aren't on scholarship. It sounds like anyone who's passed field training (juniors & seniors in college) will be given a scholarship.

1) Is that accurate?
2) What are your thoughts on the change?
Click to expand...
OK, I'll bite. Read where? please share the article link / source as others may find it either interesting or helpful.
 
Sorry - my source so far is a thread on the AFROTC subreddit (it's titled "POC Scholarship - Big Scholarship News!" and is pinned at the top) with a link to an official looking memo on imgur.

I'll admit that my sources are dodgy, so didn't want to trust them too heavily, and felt like this group might have a better grasp on the truthiness of the story. I'm looking for a more official source and will provide a link if I find one.
 
All Det Cadre have the status and questions should be directed to them for first-hand info :wiggle:
 
BreakerBreaker said:
I just read that AFROTC is reducing the number of scholarships given out to high schoolers and are increasing the number of scholarships given out to cadets in the AFROTC programs already who aren't on scholarship. It sounds like anyone who's passed field training (juniors & seniors in college) will be given a scholarship.

1) Is that accurate?
2) What are your thoughts on the change?
Click to expand...
I think it is a GREAT thing! Cadets who’ve gone through field training are committed. My son is faced with a 20k tuition bill this yr ( junior yr ) he did community college and did cross town and now has to transfer in. There are a lot of cadets who don’t know how they’re going to pay to finish their education.
 
If I had to spitball a guess (and assuming it's true), I'd say what this means is that they'll give a relatively small number of Type 1 scholarships through the HSSP oriented toward kids likely to go to Ivy-plus schools, and that will be it. Then most everyone else who sticks it out a couple years without a scholarship and makes it through field training will get a scholarship for their last two years. If that's the plan, I think it's actually a pretty good idea for the Air Force to do this. They'll get way more bang for the buck.
 
franknd said:
If I had to spitball a guess (and assuming it's true), I'd say what this means is that they'll give a relatively small number of Type 1 scholarships through the HSSP oriented toward kids likely to go to Ivy-plus schools, and that will be it. Then most everyone else who sticks it out a couple years without a scholarship and makes it through field training will get a scholarship for their last two years. If that's the plan, I think it's actually a pretty good idea for the Air Force to do this. They'll get way more bang for the buck.
Click to expand...
Absolutely agree! My son was on scholarship ( tech) and hated the major. He dropped the scholarship and came back home. Transferred rotc units, did community college, just finished field training. Now they’ll still get him in the end but how many freshman have their first yr of college paid for and never come back
 
unkown1961 said:
I wonder if this will apply to AFROTC cadets on partial scholarships awarded out of high school?
Click to expand...
I found the memo below that purports to outline the new AFROTC in-college scholarship program for 2022. I do not know if it is an official Air Force memo or not, perhaps someone can verify. It clearly states the new program will not apply to previously contracted cadets.

MEMORANDUM FOR ALL AFROTC REGION AND DET COMMANDERS

FROM: AFROTC/CC

SUBJECT: 22-104-FY22 In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP) Phase I Board Results and the

introduction of the POC Scholarship

SUSPENSE DATE: NET beginning of Fall 2022 and NLT conclusion of Fall 2022 term to contract all

scholarship recipients

POC: RRUE

TASKER: Notify FY22 ICSP Phase Il selects and contract LA W suspense date of this ARMS

DISCUSSION:

1. For the past 8 months, AFROTC and Air University have analyzed and adjusted our approach to

scholarship awards to meet Air and Space Force commissioned officer requirements. As a result, the

AFROTC/RR Team

developed a strategy to better balance our scholarship

considerations between High School Scholarship Program (HSSP) and ISP scholarships while still living

within our existing budget allocation. Ultimately, we decided to decrease the HSSP offers to better align with

the Program Guidance Letter requirements in favor of more ICSP offers and incorporate Det/CC inputs to

further refine our investment decisions. This year's ICSP Phase I Board results reflect these changes to

include the addition of scholarship offers to all non-contracted incoming POC cadets who meet our

established academic, medical, and physical fituess standards. Additionally, cadets will have the added

choice of whether to accept either their awarded tuition scholarship or a $10K/year room scholarship. Room

scholarships are only available for school owned and billed accommodations. Details are listed below

Unfortunately, these changes do not apply to any previously contracted cadets.

2. The FY22 ICSP Phase II board convened from 11-15 Apr 22.There were over 1,000 cadets considered

across six categories including the general board (AS200/250/500), HBCU, HSI, CICS, PSP selects, and

AS100. Overall award rate for the FY22 ISP cycle is 97%. The select roster may be found with your

regions.

3. The activation term for awarded scholarships is fall 2022, with no retroactive coverage for the spring 2022

term. Scholarship recipients must be contracted and scholarships activated NET the beginning of the Fall

2022 term and NLT the conclusion of the Fall 2022 term.

4. Detachments shall withdraw scholarship offers for any cadet unable to contract and activate their

scholarships by the conclusion of the activation term IAW criteria outlined in AFROTCI 36-2011V3. Table

4.4, Table 4.5, and Table 5.1

5. Detachment personnel should direct all questions to their respective Region, and if necessary, Regions will

forward/direct questions to AFROTC/RRUE.
 
glen said:
I found the memo below that purports to outline the new AFROTC in-college scholarship program for 2022. I do not know if it is an official Air Force memo or not, perhaps someone can verify. It clearly states the new program will not apply to previously contracted cadets.

MEMORANDUM FOR ALL AFROTC REGION AND DET COMMANDERS

FROM: AFROTC/CC

SUBJECT: 22-104-FY22 In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP) Phase I Board Results and the

introduction of the POC Scholarship

SUSPENSE DATE: NET beginning of Fall 2022 and NLT conclusion of Fall 2022 term to contract all

scholarship recipients

POC: RRUE

TASKER: Notify FY22 ICSP Phase Il selects and contract LA W suspense date of this ARMS

DISCUSSION:

1. For the past 8 months, AFROTC and Air University have analyzed and adjusted our approach to

scholarship awards to meet Air and Space Force commissioned officer requirements. As a result, the

AFROTC/RR Team

developed a strategy to better balance our scholarship

considerations between High School Scholarship Program (HSSP) and ISP scholarships while still living

within our existing budget allocation. Ultimately, we decided to decrease the HSSP offers to better align with

the Program Guidance Letter requirements in favor of more ICSP offers and incorporate Det/CC inputs to

further refine our investment decisions. This year's ICSP Phase I Board results reflect these changes to

include the addition of scholarship offers to all non-contracted incoming POC cadets who meet our

established academic, medical, and physical fituess standards. Additionally, cadets will have the added

choice of whether to accept either their awarded tuition scholarship or a $10K/year room scholarship. Room

scholarships are only available for school owned and billed accommodations. Details are listed below

Unfortunately, these changes do not apply to any previously contracted cadets.

2. The FY22 ICSP Phase II board convened from 11-15 Apr 22.There were over 1,000 cadets considered

across six categories including the general board (AS200/250/500), HBCU, HSI, CICS, PSP selects, and

AS100. Overall award rate for the FY22 ISP cycle is 97%. The select roster may be found with your

regions.

3. The activation term for awarded scholarships is fall 2022, with no retroactive coverage for the spring 2022

term. Scholarship recipients must be contracted and scholarships activated NET the beginning of the Fall

2022 term and NLT the conclusion of the Fall 2022 term.

4. Detachments shall withdraw scholarship offers for any cadet unable to contract and activate their

scholarships by the conclusion of the activation term IAW criteria outlined in AFROTCI 36-2011V3. Table

4.4, Table 4.5, and Table 5.1

5. Detachment personnel should direct all questions to their respective Region, and if necessary, Regions will

forward/direct questions to AFROTC/RRUE.
Click to expand...
Darn, my kid is a partial and I could really use the help with tuition.
 
Great posts/ details above. thanks for sharing all.

The increase in ICSP awards is a positive, but as food for thought, here are a couple of concerning perspectives on these changes.
  1. Attracting top talent: There are a number of elite high schoolers who have, well very often, their choice on where to go to college, and their choice of which of ROTC or SA branch they would wish to serve in – rock star scholar/ athlete/leaders, national record holders, inventors, built their own companies etc. with some impressive accomplishments. And there are a few hundred more who maybe don't walk on water but are just OUTSTANDING. For this group they may have ROTC scholarships in hand from Army and/ or Navy ROTC/ SAs- full 4 year or 3 year rides and less people will have scholarships from HS from AF. Some of Army/ Navy scholarships also come with 4 years of room and board. So this change may make the AF less attractive to those top candidates.
  2. Less 4 year scholarships/ less people on scholarship for their first years in college: This means more people would need to join AFROTC as a college programmer, and compete for a scholarship in AFROTC. So less people will have 4 year scholarships, and it notes the ICSP awards are not retroactive – so more AFROTC candidates will be paying for years 1 and 2 in addition to the risk of paying for years 3 and 4 if not invited to move forward to advanced training. There is no moving forward to advanced years unless invited – imaging competing, meeting standards, then not only not getting a scholarship, but being dropped entirely. Before this change a number of students had 2 free years of education at-least before they were unceremoniously dropped.
  3. Middle child syndrome: The students now in the AFROTC program with 3 year Type 2 or less than full type 1 scholarships may get no benefit from this increase in ICSP awards – this will help others, but not those who agreed to lower tier packages.
Ultimately candidates will decide where the best path is for them, but with college costs today it would be great to see less young people who are committed to serve come out of school with debt. I agree there will be some benefits for the existing ICSP candidates, but overall I see some drawbacks to these changes.

All feedback or perspectives welcome:)
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Great posts/ details above. thanks for sharing all.

The increase in ICSP awards is a positive, but as food for thought, here are a couple of concerning perspectives on these changes.
  1. Attracting top talent: There are a number of elite high schoolers who have, well very often, their choice on where to go to college, and their choice of which of ROTC or SA branch they would wish to serve in – rock star scholar/ athlete/leaders, national record holders, inventors, built their own companies etc. with some impressive accomplishments. And there are a few hundred more who maybe don't walk on water but are just OUTSTANDING. For this group they may have ROTC scholarships in hand from Army and/ or Navy ROTC/ SAs- full 4 year or 3 year rides and less people will have scholarships from HS from AF. Some of Army/ Navy scholarships also come with 4 years of room and board. So this change may make the AF less attractive to those top candidates.
Click to expand...
If my supposition is correct, many of these people will be the ones who will still get HSSP awards, those who are likely going to an Ivy-plus school. The relevant universe of applicants whom the AF would probably lose going forward are those who heretofore have been awarded a Type 1 AF (or a Type 7 and attend a public school) and either an AROTC or NROTC scholarship in HS, but who will not in the future be selected for a Type 1 AF (or Type 7 and attend a public school) under the new plan. I'm dubious that there are that many cadets who fit within this particular universe.

Herman_Snerd said:
Less 4 year scholarships/ less people on scholarship for their first years in college: This means more people would need to join AFROTC as a college programmer, and compete for a scholarship in AFROTC.
Click to expand...
I don't know the numbers, but I'm guessing the AF already has a good number of cadets who already do this, particularly at less expensive schools. I would think that the vast majority of non-tech majors already do this since the AF awards so few non-tech scholarships in the HSSP.

Herman_Snerd said:
Middle child syndrome: The students now in the AFROTC program with 3 year Type 2 or less than full type 1 scholarships may get no benefit from this increase in ICSP awards – this will help others, but not those who agreed to lower tier packages.
Click to expand...
This is a very short-term problem.

IMO, to the extent that they do take a hit, it will be with tech majors. I have no doubt that a not-insignificant percentage of their current 4-year awardees are engineer types who wouldn't be in AFROTC if it weren't for the scholarship, and they will lose some of those. OTOH, those losses will be offset to a degree by the 4-year tech awardees who bail after a year, change majors, or are non-select for FT. But I'd expect they will net lose some tech graduates, and have analyzed and determined that those losses are manageable. (To cash it out, you end up replacing some engineer pilots with history major pilots. Does that really matter to the AF?)
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Great posts/ details above. thanks for sharing all.

The increase in ICSP awards is a positive, but as food for thought, here are a couple of concerning perspectives on these changes.
  1. Attracting top talent: There are a number of elite high schoolers who have, well very often, their choice on where to go to college, and their choice of which of ROTC or SA branch they would wish to serve in – rock star scholar/ athlete/leaders, national record holders, inventors, built their own companies etc. with some impressive accomplishments. And there are a few hundred more who maybe don't walk on water but are just OUTSTANDING. For this group they may have ROTC scholarships in hand from Army and/ or Navy ROTC/ SAs- full 4 year or 3 year rides and less people will have scholarships from HS from AF. Some of Army/ Navy scholarships also come with 4 years of room and board. So this change may make the AF less attractive to those top candidates.
  2. Less 4 year scholarships/ less people on scholarship for their first years in college: This means more people would need to join AFROTC as a college programmer, and compete for a scholarship in AFROTC. So less people will have 4 year scholarships, and it notes the ICSP awards are not retroactive – so more AFROTC candidates will be paying for years 1 and 2 in addition to the risk of paying for years 3 and 4 if not invited to move forward to advanced training. There is no moving forward to advanced years unless invited – imaging competing, meeting standards, then not only not getting a scholarship, but being dropped entirely. Before this change a number of students had 2 free years of education at-least before they were unceremoniously dropped.
  3. Middle child syndrome: The students now in the AFROTC program with 3 year Type 2 or less than full type 1 scholarships may get no benefit from this increase in ICSP awards – this will help others, but not those who agreed to lower tier packages.
Ultimately candidates will decide where the best path is for them, but with college costs today it would be great to see less young people who are committed to serve come out of school with debt. I agree there will be some benefits for the existing ICSP candidates, but overall I see some drawbacks to these changes.

All feedback or perspectives welcome:)
Click to expand...
You've stated my concerns exactly. As someone in concern 1 you provided, I'm going to have to reconsider where I am applying.
Going through the AFROTC scholarship site I am finding that they are only showing info on Type 1 under HSSP. Intentional? I don't know.
USAFA is my plan A. Plan B was AFROTC. This new development may have pushed AFROTC to plan C with the new B being OTS along with more flexibility for future opportunities should they arise.
Bottom line is if HSSP application yields nothing for me this cycle, costs for 2 years of college may not be worth the ink on the contract.
 
Whoa! I just graduated from HS last month and feel very lucky I got a Type-1 most likely because I'm a mechanical/aerospace engineering major going to an Ivy + college in Boston. I've read elsewhere that notching an AFROTC/NROTC scholarship as a non-tech major may be a Mt. Everest climb, tough, but not impossible. Bottle line, no matter what path you take, never give up hope, life may shut one door, but usually opens another. Good luck to all and never relent on your aspirations.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Great posts/ details above. thanks for sharing all.

The increase in ICSP awards is a positive, but as food for thought, here are a couple of concerning perspectives on these changes.
  1. Attracting top talent: There are a number of elite high schoolers who have, well very often, their choice on where to go to college, and their choice of which of ROTC or SA branch they would wish to serve in – rock star scholar/ athlete/leaders, national record holders, inventors, built their own companies etc. with some impressive accomplishments. And there are a few hundred more who maybe don't walk on water but are just OUTSTANDING. For this group they may have ROTC scholarships in hand from Army and/ or Navy ROTC/ SAs- full 4 year or 3 year rides and less people will have scholarships from HS from AF. Some of Army/ Navy scholarships also come with 4 years of room and board. So this change may make the AF less attractive to those top candidates.
  2. Less 4 year scholarships/ less people on scholarship for their first years in college: This means more people would need to join AFROTC as a college programmer, and compete for a scholarship in AFROTC. So less people will have 4 year scholarships, and it notes the ICSP awards are not retroactive – so more AFROTC candidates will be paying for years 1 and 2 in addition to the risk of paying for years 3 and 4 if not invited to move forward to advanced training. There is no moving forward to advanced years unless invited – imaging competing, meeting standards, then not only not getting a scholarship, but being dropped entirely. Before this change a number of students had 2 free years of education at-least before they were unceremoniously dropped.
  3. Middle child syndrome: The students now in the AFROTC program with 3 year Type 2 or less than full type 1 scholarships may get no benefit from this increase in ICSP awards – this will help others, but not those who agreed to lower tier packages.
Ultimately candidates will decide where the best path is for them, but with college costs today it would be great to see less young people who are committed to serve come out of school with debt. I agree there will be some benefits for the existing ICSP candidates, but overall I see some drawbacks to these changes.

All feedback or perspectives welcome:)
Click to expand...
These make sense to me. Navy ROTC does have training every summer and that was a factor in my DS not taking NROTC.

AFROTC DS received a Type 2- but got into 3 of the HYPSM schools and was upgraded to type 1. Looks like all winners were upgraded this year.
Maybe its not a addition and a reduction but maybe AF got a huge increase in budget? So they are able to continue as it was, and also add scholarships for those after sophomore Field training.
 
glen said:
I found the memo below that purports to outline the new AFROTC in-college scholarship program for 2022. I do not know if it is an official Air Force memo or not, perhaps someone can verify. It clearly states the new program will not apply to previously contracted cadets.

MEMORANDUM FOR ALL AFROTC REGION AND DET COMMANDERS

FROM: AFROTC/CC

SUBJECT: 22-104-FY22 In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP) Phase I Board Results and the

introduction of the POC Scholarship

SUSPENSE DATE: NET beginning of Fall 2022 and NLT conclusion of Fall 2022 term to contract all

scholarship recipients

POC: RRUE

TASKER: Notify FY22 ICSP Phase Il selects and contract LA W suspense date of this ARMS

DISCUSSION:

1. For the past 8 months, AFROTC and Air University have analyzed and adjusted our approach to

scholarship awards to meet Air and Space Force commissioned officer requirements. As a result, the

AFROTC/RR Team

developed a strategy to better balance our scholarship

considerations between High School Scholarship Program (HSSP) and ISP scholarships while still living

within our existing budget allocation. Ultimately, we decided to decrease the HSSP offers to better align with

the Program Guidance Letter requirements in favor of more ICSP offers and incorporate Det/CC inputs to

further refine our investment decisions. This year's ICSP Phase I Board results reflect these changes to

include the addition of scholarship offers to all non-contracted incoming POC cadets who meet our

established academic, medical, and physical fituess standards. Additionally, cadets will have the added

choice of whether to accept either their awarded tuition scholarship or a $10K/year room scholarship. Room

scholarships are only available for school owned and billed accommodations. Details are listed below

Unfortunately, these changes do not apply to any previously contracted cadets.

2. The FY22 ICSP Phase II board convened from 11-15 Apr 22.There were over 1,000 cadets considered

across six categories including the general board (AS200/250/500), HBCU, HSI, CICS, PSP selects, and

AS100. Overall award rate for the FY22 ISP cycle is 97%. The select roster may be found with your

regions.

3. The activation term for awarded scholarships is fall 2022, with no retroactive coverage for the spring 2022

term. Scholarship recipients must be contracted and scholarships activated NET the beginning of the Fall

2022 term and NLT the conclusion of the Fall 2022 term.

4. Detachments shall withdraw scholarship offers for any cadet unable to contract and activate their

scholarships by the conclusion of the activation term IAW criteria outlined in AFROTCI 36-2011V3. Table

4.4, Table 4.5, and Table 5.1

5. Detachment personnel should direct all questions to their respective Region, and if necessary, Regions will

forward/direct questions to AFROTC/RRUE.
Click to expand...
What would a previously contracted cadet consist of? My son as a freshman on scholarship, is that a contracted cadet? He dropped scholarship, transferred schools and has been a walk on. Just completed field training
 
PiperCherokee said:
Whoa! I just graduated from HS last month and feel very lucky I got a Type-1 most likely because I'm a mechanical/aerospace engineering major going to an Ivy + college in Boston. I've read elsewhere that notching an AFROTC/NROTC scholarship as a non-tech major may be a Mt. Everest climb, tough, but not impossible. Bottle line, no matter what path you take, never give up hope, life may shut one door, but usually opens another. Good luck to all and never relent on your aspirations.
Click to expand...
How did you already have a Type-1 awarded, the window just opened?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top