Any Scholarship Recipients Rethinking This Year?

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unkown1961

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My son's school has gone online (including ROTC) and pretty much shut down all communal activities if he lives on campus, so we're debating if he should just stay home for the shortened term and do online from home. I see that other schools are doing the same or not allowing on-campus living (Pepperdine, U San Diego).
Now we're seeing non-ROTC parents posting on the parents' FB page that their kids are considering just reapply to schools next year. This got me wondering if any kids on this board are deciding to take the year off and reapply to schools and for their ROTC scholarship (the scholarships don't keep for a year dop they)? My son is sticking with what he has with the hope that Spring brings some sembleance of normalcy. Plus he really likes the detachment. They’ve been very communicative and the incoming freshmen cadets have weekly Zoom calls.
 
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Not rethinking. Full speed ahead.

Most schools outside of the top 50 or so ranked schools are pursuing hybrid at a minimum, or primarily in-person. The schools that are going fully online are for the most part the tippy-top elite schools + California publics. Sorry to say it but it appears that they are going online because... they can.

Here's data on 3,000+ colleges' reopening decisions collected by Davidson College -- this subset applies to 165 universities who fit the Carnegie Classification - Doctoral Research Universities, Highest /Higher Research Activity:

Top 25 (USNWR): 14 online, 3 in-person (others are "hybrid" or "TBD") = 84% are online

Rank 26-100 (USNWR): 26 online, 22 in-person = 53% are online

Rank 101+ (USNWR): 39 online, 61 in-person = 39% are online
 
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It’s definitely a Terrible time that we’re living in. My older DS just transferred into a quality school from a junior college only to be facing online instead of on campus. Younger DS is having his high school experience ruined. Everyone needs to decide what is best for them. Personally I don’t think delaying college is a good option even though doing it on-line is pretty bad too. Hopefully things will be close to normal in the 2021-2022 school year. But I think this academic year will be a disaster.
 
This doesn't make much sense to me, especially if you are a scholarship holder and don't have a proactive plan for what to do with the year. You lose a year maybe get in again or not; maybe get a scholarship or not. You reapply with some level of additional competition.

There is no indication we will see pandemic leadership in the short term. So I expect this to burn for a while and things will be weird over the medium term.

DS going back for the second year if he gets an apartment in the lottery. If no, he'll regroup and try for an Airbnb for parts of fall and try to get back on campus in the spring. The third option is an apartment, but prefer to get back on campus as he's got billet needing to be local when things resume.
 
We definitely considered all the options, including a gap year. We were more worried about the loss of momentum than anything - especially with no clear plan for what DS would do if he stayed home with no school. Fortunately his school is hybrid and dorms are open - although all of his classes besides rotc are online. So much learning happens outside of the classroom. It is developmentally important for these young adults to fledge and start living outside the home. I do understand that some people are at greater health risk, so everyone has to do their own risk assessment.
 
I wouldn't risk losing the scholarship, online this year is better than nothing. It will be even more challenging next year with the harm done to the economy, likely wont be giving out as many. The current plan for my school is on campus housing with hybrid classes I believe, ROTC is still figuring everything out.
 
My DS is moving forward to Vanderbilt for his freshman year in 2 weeks, which is hybrid. "Hybrid" in this case means almost every class online, except his AROTC labs and ROTC PT, and quite minimal student interaction. Not great, in a world of not great choices. I can't tell you how happy I am that he's beginning college with ROTC providing some normalcy.
I agree with others that even if he weren't doing that, I'd want him to start. There are no jobs to be had for young people, no study abroad or travel, so wasting a year doesn't seem a great option.
 
NJDadofDSUSMA2024Hopeful said:
I can't tell you how happy I am that he's beginning college with ROTC providing some normalcy.
I agree with others that even if he weren't doing that, I'd want him to start. There are no jobs to be had for young people, no study abroad or travel, so wasting a year doesn't seem a great option.
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Wasting a year is never a great or even a good option.

Especially for an 18 year-old. This is a crucial time in a young person's development. Taking a "gap year" because of a compelling opportunity to explore, grow and develop: fine. But nothing good will come of taking a year off to sit around at home.

Agree 100% that leaving home to join other young people preparing to be officers in a ROTC detachment, even if combined with primarily online courses, is better than sitting at home by yourself and prolonging childhood for 12 months for no reason other than the Great Panic.
 
The cadre at the ROTC unit is not taking a gap year and sitting it out. They are finding solutions and figuring out how to accomplish the mission with the cadets staunch enough to be right there with them in pursuit of their commission and degree.
 
The thing with taking a Gap Year is that, while understandable if everything is online and you're pretty much restricted to dorms, the kid needs to do something constructive with their time. I'm guessing that ROTC and the selective schools the kids got into aren't going to look positively on a new app that shows few things accomplished on the year off.
My son's school is restricting student movement on campus (and strongly encouraging students to stay home this shortened term for online classes). Dining halls, libraries, gym, and even dorm common/lounging areas are closed (meals will be delivered to the students' rooms). Also, the dorms are one student per room and some rooms kept empty in case of an outbreak. But the issue for my son is not a year off but does he go and live in a dorm or spend this shortened term at home in anticipation for Spring to open up. ROTC is online, so he won't miss anything either way. But for him, a year off isn't worth it given that he got into the school he wanted and he really likes the detachment. But I kind of wish he'd taken USNA over AFROTC because then he'd definitely be on campus. :)
 
unkown1961 said:
The thing with taking a Gap Year is that, while understandable if everything is online and you're pretty much restricted to dorms, the kid needs to do something constructive with their time. I'm guessing that ROTC and the selective schools the kids got into aren't going to look positively on a new app that shows few things accomplished on the year off.
My son's school is restricting student movement on campus (and strongly encouraging students to stay home this shortened term for online classes). Dining halls, libraries, gym, and even dorm common/lounging areas are closed (meals will be delivered to the students' rooms). Also, the dorms are one student per room and some rooms kept empty in case of an outbreak. But the issue for my son is not a year off but does he go and live in a dorm or spend this shortened term at home in anticipation for Spring to open up. ROTC is online, so he won't miss anything either way. But for him, a year off isn't worth it given that he got into the school he wanted and he really likes the detachment. But I kind of wish he'd taken USNA over AFROTC because then he'd definitely be on campus. :)
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That sounds pretty draconian, but if it were me I’d still send my DS to live away from home. I’m sure they will be interacting with others on campus to some degree. Living in the dorms away from home is a big part of being in college. I doubt spring semeter is going to look better than fall. If anything it is likely to be worse. We are actually expecting dorms may close in spring, so we’re happy that DS gets to experience living on campus this fall. Hopefully it will keep him motivated.
 
If I was going to bet - I am going to bet on ROTC Command to figure this out way before the academics. 2020-2021 will happen - will it be different - Absolutely. Life in the military is hard. Its ever changing. Go ahead and get used to it. Be a part of it or read about it next year on the forum! It is going to be a great year with many great stories and young leaders groomed!
 
Find a way or make one. I cant imagine sitting on the bench, and watching whatever it is pass by, and not be an active part of it.

And I suspect that’s the attitude people will have looking at apps next year, where someone took a gap year (other than doing something fantastic And meaningful with if, of course). I think that thought will be in board members minds, no matter what.

I would advise my own child to go forward and do the best they can, with the hand dealt to them. Life is never perfect! Yep
 
Don't give up a scholarship. if you give up a scholarship you may not get another one next year. Just go forward. It's only 4 years or less depending on status. It all sucks, but the military will make ROTC happen one way or another. My son's school is 100% online they will not be able to be on campus, but I fully believe the Army will figure this out and he will graduate in 4 years as an officer.

BTW, if you take a gap year the school informed the parents they reserve the right to not give you the scholarship you received this year. You better believe colleges will be cutting back over the course of the next 1-4 years, so take what you have in front you now.
 
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Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.

If it helps, consider these facts: not to get political but the truth is that this is not anywhere near as dangerous as TWO ACTUAL pandemics in our lifetimes: the 1957 Asian flu (H2N2 virus) and the 1968-69 Hong Kong flu (H3N2 virus). Those were far deadlier than this virus, and we did not halt and destroy our society in those cases. We survived and thrived.

Move forward.
 
thibaud said:
Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.

If it helps, consider these facts: not to get political but the truth is that this is not anywhere near as dangerous as TWO ACTUAL pandemics in our lifetimes: the 1957 Asian flu (H2N2 virus) and the 1968-69 Hong Kong flu (H3N2 virus). Those were far deadlier than this virus, and we did not halt and destroy our society in those cases. We survived and thrived.

Move forward.
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Neither of these were more deadly both were ~100k dead in USA.
 
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