Army ROTC or USMA? I'm feeling pressured...

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icestorm3500

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Hi everyone - I really need some help at this point because I do not know what I want anymore...I am feeling pressured by my parents to attend USMA and I think it would be great, but ROTC also seems like something I really would like?

At this point, I have received three nominations to USMA and am 3Q qualified, but have not received an appointment. I also earned a 4-year Type 1 Army ROTC Scholarship and will hopefully receive Room/Board stipends if I attend this certain college (basically, I will not have to pay for anything).

What are your opinions between the two, from those who have experience??

USMA has one of the best educations (among the ivy league schools), and I absolutely enjoy physical fitness. The academic work does not scare me either as I have similar experience within my high school, but I won't get the normal college experience, spend time with my friends, or get to play the sports that I'm interested in and good at. My parents are pressuring me and telling me that I should spend at least one year at USMA, and then decide, but then won't I lose my ROTC scholarship? And I know they WILL be disappointed if I decide to not go or leave halfway through my plebe year (if I even get in). But I really want a regular college...but I also want to try USMA...But I also told my parents that I receive an appointment I will go, but now I'm doubting myself...

When I talked to my Liaison Officer and told him about all my options, he seemed to be hinting that ROTC might be the better option as the pool of applicants this year is one of the strongest since 2013 and receiving an appointment might be difficult (he stated that my file is very commendable and strong, but he is not certain of an acceptance).

I don't know what to do!! I don't want to disappoint my parents but I also want a normal college experience.

Thanks for the help.
 
Hi everyone - I really need some help at this point because I do not know what I want anymore...I am feeling pressured by my parents to attend USMA and I think it would be great, but ROTC also seems like something I really would like?

At this point, I have received three nominations to USMA and am 3Q qualified, but have not received an appointment. I also earned a 4-year Type 1 Army ROTC Scholarship and will hopefully receive Room/Board stipends if I attend this certain college (basically, I will not have to pay for anything).

What are your opinions between the two, from those who have experience??

USMA has one of the best educations (among the ivy league schools), and I absolutely enjoy physical fitness. The academic work does not scare me either as I have similar experience within my high school, but I won't get the normal college experience, spend time with my friends, or get to play the sports that I'm interested in and good at. My parents are pressuring me and telling me that I should spend at least one year at USMA, and then decide, but then won't I lose my ROTC scholarship? And I know they WILL be disappointed if I decide to not go or leave halfway through my plebe year (if I even get in). But I really want a regular college...but I also want to try USMA...But I also told my parents that I receive an appointment I will go, but now I'm doubting myself...

When I talked to my Liaison Officer and told him about all my options, he seemed to be hinting that ROTC might be the better option as the pool of applicants this year is one of the strongest since 2013 and receiving an appointment might be difficult (he stated that my file is very commendable and strong, but he is not certain of an acceptance).

I don't know what to do!! I don't want to disappoint my parents but I also want a normal college experience.

Thanks for the help.
 
I think you already know what you want but trying to convince parents will be difficult. You will lose the rotc scholarship if you go to West Point for any amount of time. You could apply for a 3 year scholarship but won’t get the same benefits. Both end up with a commission so go with your heart and let your parents down gently.
 
This is your life. Dont worry about your parents. They will come around. My DS never finished his application to USNA, although I pushed for USNA, because he wanted a normal college experience. The academies are not for everyone and you should follow the path you think is right for you. You will be an officer at the end of each, and once commissioned no one cares where you went to college.

BTW, you would lose your scholarship if you go to the academy for one year.
 
DS wanted USNA when he was a freshman and sophomore in high school. By junior year he had decided he wanted a more "normal" college experience, but still wanted to serve as a naval officer. I introduced him to NROTC and it was a great fit for him. He earned a 4 year scholarship and has excelled in school and in his NROTC unit. He is happy and successful because he is pursuing what HE wants. Bottom line, it is your life and you have to live it. Your parents wont be the ones going through plebe year, standing watch, going through the training, going to classes, etc. It will be you. The happier you are, the more successful you will be. For sure, USMA will offer opportunities you will not have at a civilian college, but a civilian college will also offer opportunities USMA will not have. USMA and AROTC have both turned out fine officers over the years and as @kinnem said, no one will care how you received your commission. They will only care what kind of officer you are.
 
West Point is an incredibly hard place to make it through with some of the shenanigans if you don't want to be there for yourself. If your end goal is a commission and you think ROTC is the way to achieve that, there's no shame in taking that route.


Out of curiosity, what sports are you looking to play in college? You won't find many colleges with an IM or club program like West Point.
 
I actually take the opposite view of your parents. If you are not 100% sure then I would take the 4 year ROTC scholarship and use the time to consider which avenue you really want to pursue. You can always apply to USMA again. But if you drop out of USMA you can't go back.
Our DD was ROTC and was in the process of applying to USMA. She had a nomination from her senator as well as through my wife (active duty) and ROTC and most likely would have gotten an appointment. She walked away from it all and enlisted. To say my wife and I lost sleep would be an understatement.
Flash forward a few years and she was accepted to USMA from the ranks. She did it on her terms and I could not be prouder of her.
 
Five years ago, after being TWE'd by USMA and USNA, my DS had the choice of attending an SMC or a local state school.

He ultimately chose a "normal" college experience because he saw his older siblings enjoy their regular schools. There were no regrets and he balanced academics, Army ROTC, and being a snowboard instructor during his four years at his university. He truly loved his four years of college. He is now a 2LT at Armor school and has no regrets about not reapplying to the SA's.

But that was him, you must choose for yourself.

Don't end up with regret decades from now wondering "what if." Choose what will make you happy, not your parents.
 
One point to consider is the relative academic rigor and prestige of your ROTC college compared to West Point. A significant difference may influence your decision depending on how you weigh those criteria.

My Ranger buddy was Princeton ROTC. A great education and I noticed no difference in military readiness from my USMA classmates. However, if he had been from Harvard, he would have been at a severe academic and military disadvantage. ;)
 
@icestorm3500, PLEASE do yourself a favor, and don't choose to do something your parents want. This whole experience has to be you doing it for YOU!!! :) USMA and AROTC are different animals, and each has its plus and minuses. But YOU have to make yourself content, four years being someplace you don't enjoy, or where you figure out you don't want to be, can effect the other eight years of obligated service you will have. Doing AROTC first and getting a taste of college and ROTC still affords you the possibility of going to USMA if you figure out that is what you want, it just delays everything a year..:)
 
Casey said:
West Point is an incredibly hard place to make it through with some of the shenanigans if you don't want to be there for yourself. If your end goal is a commission and you think ROTC is the way to achieve that, there's no shame in taking that route.


Out of curiosity, what sports are you looking to play in college? You won't find many colleges with an IM or club program like West Point.
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I believe that if I PERSONALLY decided in the end to go to West Point, I still would push through and commit myself as fully as possible because I made that decision. But I definitely agree with your statement, and I have read a lot of books on West Point stating that if the parents are pushing for a service academy, then those are the cadets who fail. I still am undecided, and I feel that this will affect me if I attend USMA (if I get an appointment).

The sport that I play now is NOT a college sport and will never be. I would not be able to do it specifically at West Point or any other college; however, at West Point, I could do similar sports (I do not want to say exactly which sport because of privacy). If I went to the college that I am thinking, I could continue my sport with my coach near home. I also applied to Cornell University because they asked me specifically regarding my ROTC scholarship, so I don't know about that one as well.
 
UHBlackhawk said:
I actually take the opposite view of your parents. If you are not 100% sure then I would take the 4 year ROTC scholarship and use the time to consider which avenue you really want to pursue. You can always apply to USMA again. But if you drop out of USMA you can't go back.
Our DD was ROTC and was in the process of applying to USMA. She had a nomination from her senator as well as through my wife (active duty) and ROTC and most likely would have gotten an appointment. She walked away from it all and enlisted. To say my wife and I lost sleep would be an understatement.
Flash forward a few years and she was accepted to USMA from the ranks. She did it on her terms and I could not be prouder of her.
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This is really helpful and makes me feel better about my doubts and concerns.
The only thing I am really concerned about is that if I get accepted for the 2020-2021 academic year to USMA and decide to decline to take the ROTC scholarship and then come back next year saying that I want to go to USMA, won't they look at me in a different light, possibly a negative one?

I'm really glad that your DD found what she was looking for!
 
jl123 said:
One point to consider is the relative academic rigor and prestige of your ROTC college compared to West Point. A significant difference may influence your decision depending on how you weigh those criteria.

My Ranger buddy was Princeton ROTC. A great education and I noticed no difference in military readiness from my USMA classmates. However, if he had been from Harvard, he would have been at a severe academic and military disadvantage. ;)
Click to expand...

At this point, I have applied to Cornell University because their ROTC asked me specifically. Their education is absolutely incredible, but if I attend there, I will not be able to do my sport with my coach near home. The education at my home school is really good within my major and their ROTC program is among the best in the nation but overall the school is not as good as Cornell.
 
icestorm3500 said:
At this point, I have applied to Cornell University because their ROTC asked me specifically. Their education is absolutely incredible, but if I attend there, I will not be able to do my sport with my coach near home. The education at my home school is really good within my major and their ROTC program is among the best in the nation but overall the school is not as good as Cornell.
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It's your major that matters not the school IMHO. I say forget prestige. Once you've completed your service obligation your big sales point will be being an officer. The college you went to won't get too much discussion. It will be your obviously well developed leadership ability.
 
icestorm3500 said:
At this point, I have applied to Cornell University because their ROTC asked me specifically. Their education is absolutely incredible, but if I attend there, I will not be able to do my sport with my coach near home. The education at my home school is really good within my major and their ROTC program is among the best in the nation but overall the school is not as good as Cornell.
Click to expand...

Choose the school that is the best FIT for you, not the most prestigious or academically rated. It is better to thrive at a 2nd tier school than to be miserable for four years at a poorly fitting prestigious one. You might find a new sport at Cornell, or you might be far happier staying at your home institution.

Think it through.
 
kinnem said:
This is your life. Dont worry about your parents. They will come around. My DS never finished his application to USNA, although I pushed for USNA, because he wanted a normal college experience. The academies are not for everyone and you should follow the path you think is right for you. You will be an officer at the end of each, and once commissioned no one cares where you went to college.

BTW, you would lose your scholarship if you go to the academy for one year.
Click to expand...

This makes me feel a whole lot better...my parents seem to be very concerned with the fact that others will look down upon you for becoming an officer through ROTC and not from the service academies (those who come from the academy possibly thinking that "Oh she doesn't really understand what the army actually entails" or "She hasn't been through the same struggles as us"), which made me doubt myself and my desire for "regular" college.

And as I have found out from other posts to my same thread in USMA, I can do my ROTC scholarship for a year and then decide that I want to go to USMA at a later date if desired (I would have to pay them back though wouldn't I for those other three years that they would have offered money...???).
 
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