Army ROTC Scholarship/SMC transfer

A

Army ROTC_hopeful

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Jan 24, 2017
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Hello, I am currently a freshman with a four year Army ROTC scholarship at an SMC. For personal reasons after my freshman year here, I would like to transfer to a normal rotc program at a non SMC university, namely UH. How difficult is the process to transfer, specifically if I am transferring out of state? I was also awarded my scholarship by the national board and not the school itself if that extra info helps.
 
Consider you are only one month in.
SMC life gets much better after recognition.
I suggest you push through and see how you feel in the spring. If you still want to leave you can but perhaps without the scholarship.
 
Army ROTC_hopeful said:
Hello, I am currently a freshman with a four year Army ROTC scholarship at an SMC. For personal reasons after my freshman year here, I would like to transfer to a normal rotc program at a non SMC university, namely UH. How difficult is the process to transfer, specifically if I am transferring out of state? I was also awarded my scholarship by the national board and not the school itself if that extra info helps.
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No freshman anywhere should make transfer/quit decisions this early on in the year, unless a truly traumatic event has occurred. Some students will adjust quickly and with ease. For many, many others, adjustment/assimilation will take months and maybe even more than just the first year. Accept wherever you are in the process, take steps to help yourself, give yourself time, request help if needed. But, don't make transfer plans this early on - you haven't given it a chance.
 
Thank you all for your responses I appreciate them.
I not am dead set on transferring yet, it's just something that I am considering at the moment. It doesn't have anything to do with the SMC lifestyle, the reason is family related. Also, I didn't think I necessarily had to give up my commission just to transfer? I've known cadets to transfer out of WestPoint and other SMC's and they made no mention of losing their benefits or commission. Can someone clarify that if possible?
 
A scholarship doesn't necessarily follow you. You can't compare USMA to any of this. Hopefully Mohawk or one of the other ROOs will chime in.
 
Army ROTC_hopeful said:
Also, I didn't think I necessarily had to give up my commission just to transfer?
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You aren't giving up a commission because you have not commissioned yet. You would most likely give up your scholarship if you transfer to another school, that would be something that you would have to talk to the battalion about where you plan to transfer.

You in no way give up your potential to commission by transferring to another school. Even if you start as a non contracted, non scholarship cadet, you have the same opportunity to commission after 4 years. There will always be the possibility of receiving a Campus based ROTC Scholarship once you start the new program, not a guarantee, but it does happen.
 
Thank you all again for prompt responses they really are helping me understand more about this situation. Why would I possibly lose my scholarship if I transfer? Even if I am already contracted I thought the only way to lose the scholarship was to have a GPA below a 2.5 or to willingly give up the scholarship? (Which I don't want to do at all I love my country and wish to serve it well.) I thought since my scholarship came from the national board and wasn't awarded through the school or guard/reserves I wasn't beholdened to the school I attended.
Jcleppe said:
You would most likely give up your scholarship if you transfer to another school, that would be something that you would have to talk to the battalion about where you plan to transfer.
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Remember when you received your offer it was to one or more schools, and you had to accept the offer to one of those schools and decline the other offers? Your scholarship basically belongs to that school. It’s not yours to take where ever you want.

You can request to transfer your scholarship. The losing and gaining programs have to agree. I could very well see an SMC not supporting the request, but you won’t know till you ask. At Clarkson we have supported quite a few requests to transfer scholarships over the years, so I’m not sure why all the previous posters think it’s not likely. Mohawk Battalion got one of our scholarship winners after his first year about 5 years ago.

That being said, it is a request and it can be denied, in which case you could leave without your scholarship if they say no to the transfer request.
 
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clarksonarmy said:
I’m not sure why all the previous posters think it’s not likely
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I was thinking along the same lines that it might be less likely coming from a SMC, depending on which SMC, to have them agree to a scholarship transfer. I know that my son's battalion had a couple transfers that were able to keep their scholarship but it was between two state schools in the same Brigade.
 
So it seems like transfers are on a case by case basis. I have heard of Cadets transferring out of my school to get engineering degrees at non-SMC's that people cannot get here. I've also heard of Cadets transferring from other SMC's to come here. My reasons to possibly transfer are legitimate ones and have to do with my family, not so much of the "I don't like it here/it's too hard" situation. If I decide to go through with it, hopefully my cadre and my transfer school will understand.
 
Thanks for clarifying that your reasons are not adjustment-related. My advice was geared towards those students.
Maybe some of the ROOs can chime in and answer this: is the student in any jeopardy to at least discuss the issue with cadre at current school.? I was thinking they may be supportive and have advice the student possibly hasn't thought of yet.
 
Hopefully they are supportive, could be they hold it against you and make your life miserable. And don’t be surprised if they try to convince you to stay, even if they say they support you. None of us like losing Cadets, or scholarships to other schools.
 
Hopefully they do if I make that decision. If I decide to leave, I'm guessing starting this process sooner rather than later would be better.
 
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