Anyone out there who received a high school scholarship without a bajillion leadership positions?

JamesMyBoy

JamesMyBoy

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I'm struggling, guys.

I'm in my junior year of high school going into my senior year. I have not held any leadership positions, and I've just been informed that anything I do during senior year doesn't count towards a scholarship in ROTC. That means I will not be able to put any leadership positions on my resume.

That sucks because everyone who I have talked to who received a scholarship had at least one position of leadership (IE varsity captain or class president) while in high school.

I'm going for a computer science major, and I got a 32 on the ACT which is fantastic, but without any positions of leadership, I'm afraid I won't be very competitive for a scholarship.

Thoughts? Are leadership positions really important to the board reviewing applications? Is there anyone out there who received a high school ROTC scholarship without any tangible leadership experience?


PS: Forgive me if there is some forum rule I did not abide by. This is my first post ever.
 
Your basic assumption that your senior year does not count is incorrect at least for Army ROTC.
YOUR GRADES and GPA from your senior year do not count.

However, high school junior, you are not done yet by a long shot.

Any new SAT scores (I hope you are planning to take the first ACT or SAT available in the Fall)--should be submitted if they are an improvement.

If you wait until mid-September or October or for the Second ROTC board to submit your application, then your senior year activities and leadership positions will make their way onto your application. You will be able to check boxes and receive points.

Also, you do not need to be class president or anything like that...you can be a club secretary or vp or treasurer, you can found a club, you can be the class rep to the SGA, you just need to demonstrate that you do more than show up.

Now, what else do you do? Do you work? (If not, get a job--it shows that you can shoulder responsibility) Do you Scout? Are you registered for Boys State this summer? Do you play a sport?Do you run 5Ks and work out at the gym (there is a 'fitness' question for which you can get points--if you do these things).

Again, your basic assumption that your senior year does not count is incorrect so go out there and keep striving.
Good luck.
 
Which branch of ROTC?

Do the best with what you have, and try and look for examples of you demonstrating leadership qualities elsewhere in your life. Think past the more "formal" leadership roles like class president/team captain.

I didn't have any of the more "traditional" leadership roles like boys state, scouts, varsity captain, or student govt, and I was selected.

Also a 32 ACT is very good but not as rare as you might think, don't forget to train up for and do well on the fitness tests, as well as prepare for interviews, those can really make or break an application.
 
DrMom said:
If you wait until mid-September or October or for the Second ROTC board to submit your application, then your senior year activities and leadership positions will make their way onto your application. You will be able to check boxes and receive points.
Click to expand...

I've heard that applying as early as possible is a plus for numerous reasons. Is there a way to include senior year activities without waiting until the fall to apply? If I apply in June and an interview is scheduled in November, can I just show my senior year activities then?

PurplePanther said:
Which branch of ROTC?
Click to expand...

Primarily AFROTC, but I plan to apply for AROTC as well.
 
I would apply sooner rather than later. I know with AFROTC you will essentially go through everything you put down on the online application with an officer at a nearby detachment, you will have an opportunity to mention and add new things there as well.

Not sure how AROTC works, but I'd imagine it's similar.
 
You won't benefit from applying early if you are not fully ready. You have until 1 December to complete your AFROTC packet.
Also, you might look at Army ROTC (unless you truly and only wish to become a fixed wing aviator).

Good luck.
 
Just reading Purple Panthers questions. You get points assigned separately from the interview than from the online packet. So, it is to the candidates benefit to garner as many points as possible from the online application.
For Army ROTC, once you submit your application and you are boarded, you are finished. You can submit additional information but it won't move you up the Order of Merit List.
For someone with an identified gap (like leadership), there would be value in waiting for the second board (deadline in January--although try to wrap it up earlier) if it means your packet will be more robust.
 
Of course if one wants to be a fixed wing aviator, then NROTC should not be overlooked.

I don't know if it's AFROTC or the Air Force Academy, but one of them does not consider senior year activities and positions. In any case, you should list the senior year activities you absolutely know you will have under your belt when you graduate, even if it hasn't taken place. If you're not sure, then don't list it. Let them decide what can be considered, unless the application gives specific instructions otherwise.

Leadership is important. It's a key skill they will be "hiring" you for. Military officers are primarily leaders. If you are unsuccessful in obtaining a scholarship, consider doing one of the ROTC programs without a scholarship. Prove your leadership there and try to win a scholarship while in college. It's easier to do in some programs than in others.
 
DS's (4 year scholarship winner) weak point was leadership. However his academics were very strong (class rank, gpa, act) He plays varsity baseball but captains at his school are ALWAYS seniors (this year his teammates voted for no captain - they are a team and no one should be singled out). He also works part time and had strong recommendations and a strong interview, where he was able to give examples of non traditional leadership roles. So it absolutely can happen! He applied first board, was awarded a 3 year and then upgraded to 4 year.
 
A club leadership role works for scholarship purposes. Being a coordinator is leadership.
 
My daughter was concerned about leadership too (AROTC) until she showed her application to one of the ROO's she was talking with. Lot's of things count as leadership. Work, volunteering, she was a dance teacher and also taught swim lessons. The one comment she had about all that from the ROO she talked to is that leading people younger than yourself is way different than leading people her own age or older. On that advice going into her senior year, she still did middle school church leadership but she added high school leadership team. She also became a German tutor. Don't get caught up if you are not a captain or club president, work with what you have and list everything and add what you can your senior year, as long as it is something you really want to do. Anything you start as a senior prior to applying you can list, she had fall sports, the church leadership team and being a nanny all starting end of summer before her senior year. She also had work, hospital volunteering, teaching, etc. For Army, I would visit a few schools and talk to the ROO there before applying. The first board is in October so no advantage to finishing before then, work on your application but be strategic if you are truly competitive for the first board or if you would be better off strengthening your application and applying second board. She had a visit in September senior year to a school and she was advised by the ROO to retake the ACT one more time and apply second board. She did, improved it 4 points and received a 3 year nursing scholarship for AROTC, so turned out to be great advice.
 
Totally agree with Dckc88 be creative/think outside the box in terms of leadership... DS had little leadership at his actual high school. His senior year he was voted Tennis Captain and was accepted into Student Council. He was, however, a Boy Scout and is just finally getting his Eagle Scout in the next few weeks. He has done things like coaching little kids in floor hockey. He did the NROTC, and it didn't have to be turned in until January 31st, which he got it in a couple days before. He did the interview after that. I think the entire application had to be completed sometime in March. DS didn't even decide to go the military route until December of his junior year, so I wouldn't give up hope.
 
DS received NROTC and AFROTC Scholarships. He wasn't President, vice president, secretary or treasurer of anything. He attended Boys State and Hoby leadership. He worked 20 + hours a week coaching and instructing youth soccer, refereed basketball and soccer. He was captain of his soccer and cross country teams. But he had never held any student government, class officer or club officer positions.
 
My DD didn't have many leadership roles in HS. No team captains, no class officers, etc. She was elected to some positions in Girl's State. She said she did very well in the interviews. The military is looking for leadership potential. My DD received both NROTC and AROTC scholarships.
 
Start a club! It's the easiest way to make youself the president. Also, I would retake the ACT if you have time. ROTC is generally very competitive, and while a 32 is a good score, you should always try to score a perfect (36) or quite near it (34-35). The ACT is one of the most predictable tests ever, and the higher you score on it the better your chances for rotc.
 
AFROTC DOES NOT include anything from your senior year, excluding new SAT/ACT scores.
~ Remember for AFROTC they do not superscore, it is best sitting.

Therefore starting a club or joining a sport at this time will not help unless the OP also plans to apply for other scholarships or the SAs. As Kinnem stated earlier, USAFA will include everything in their senior year.
 
JamesMyBoy said:
I'm struggling, guys.

I'm in my junior year of high school going into my senior year. I have not held any leadership positions, and I've just been informed that anything I do during senior year doesn't count towards a scholarship in ROTC. That means I will not be able to put any leadership positions on my resume.

That sucks because everyone who I have talked to who received a scholarship had at least one position of leadership (IE varsity captain or class president) while in high school.

I'm going for a computer science major, and I got a 32 on the ACT which is fantastic, but without any positions of leadership, I'm afraid I won't be very competitive for a scholarship.

Thoughts? Are leadership positions really important to the board reviewing applications? Is there anyone out there who received a high school ROTC scholarship without any tangible leadership experience?


PS: Forgive me if there is some forum rule I did not abide by. This is my first post ever.
Click to expand...
JamesMyBoy said:
I'm struggling, guys.

I'm in my junior year of high school going into my senior year. I have not held any leadership positions, and I've just been informed that anything I do during senior year doesn't count towards a scholarship in ROTC. That means I will not be able to put any leadership positions on my resume.

That sucks because everyone who I have talked to who received a scholarship had at least one position of leadership (IE varsity captain or class president) while in high school.

I'm going for a computer science major, and I got a 32 on the ACT which is fantastic, but without any positions of leadership, I'm afraid I won't be very competitive for a scholarship.

Thoughts? Are leadership positions really important to the board reviewing applications? Is there anyone out there who received a high school ROTC scholarship without any tangible leadership experience?


PS: Forgive me if there is some forum rule I did not abide by. This is my first post ever.
Click to expand...
You only need two leadership positions to get full credit as far as the SAL aspect goes. So you don't need many. It's whole person concept used to review applicants so not having leadership positions won't necessarily kill your application. Positions held your senior year do count though.
 
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