AROTC Scholarship Letter Is HERE!!!

[Vista123]

Someday, Chicago Cubs fans may know the feeling..

From your mouth to God's ear.

By the way, those awarded scholarships by the early board will find themselves in a quandary. They must soon accept the award to a specific school without knowing if they've been admitted to that school (unless EA/ED)....potentially an issue nevertheless.

ANXIETY PROVOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Strength and Honor]

By the way, those awarded scholarships by the early board will find themselves in a quandary. They must soon accept the award to a specific school without knowing if they've been admitted to that school (unless EA/ED). Not the worst problem to have, but potentially an issue nevertheless.

My problem exactly....

 

[Coltron]

My problem exactly....

I know how you feel... Should I take the scholarship to my first choice school USC with hopes I get in? ( 18℅ acceptance rate and decisions go out in march) or take the offer for a more probable match and be more cautious? (Northeastern has a 32℅ acceptance rate or I could just take my in state ASU.) Help?

 

[kinnem]

I know how you feel... Should I take the scholarship to my first choice school USC with hopes I get in? ( 18℅ acceptance rate and decisions go out in march) or take the offer for a more probable match and be more cautious? (Northeastern has a 32℅ acceptance rate or I could just take my in state ASU.) Help?

You could accept USC in hopes that if you aren't accepted you can transfer the scholarship to an institution where you were accepted. Keep in mind - there are no guarantees. In fact, it's possible you could end up at a college you didn't even apply to or, worse case, lose the scholarship.

Again, I don't know the schools but another thing to consider is will your education really be negatively impacted if you attended ASU or Northeastern?

You need to compare yourself to the profile at each school and place your bet.

 

[Strength and Honor]

My situation with VMI is, I really want to go there, but have not yet been accepted (and could end up waiting for awhile). Should I take the chance and accept it to VMI, or accept it to USF/Purdue?

I'm leaning towards just taking the risk and assuming that since I got the scholarship to VMI, I'll get accepted there too.....

 

[Packer]

My situation with VMI is, I really want to go there, but have not yet been accepted (and could end up waiting for awhile). Should I take the chance and accept it to VMI, or accept it to USF/Purdue?

I'm leaning towards just taking the risk and assuming that since I got the scholarship to VMI, I'll get accepted there too.....

No inside information and I am not offering advice, but if your stats were good enough to earn you a 4 year scholarship to VMI, I would be suprised if you did not get into VMI.

 

[Strength and Honor]

No inside information and I am not offering advice, but if your stats were good enough to earn you a 4 year scholarship to VMI, I would be suprised if you did not get into VMI.

But then the whole Virignia out-of-state acceptance rule comes in.....

 

[k2rider]

I know how you feel... Should I take the scholarship to my first choice school USC with hopes I get in? ( 18℅ acceptance rate and decisions go out in march) or take the offer for a more probable match and be more cautious? (Northeastern has a 32℅ acceptance rate or I could just take my in state ASU.) Help?

Are we talking USC as in Trojans or USC as in South Carolina? I grew up in SoCal going to Trojan games as a kid and while the campus is awesome, I wouldn't want to live in that neighborhood for (4) years. Besides, Arizona State whooped up on the Trojans this year so shoudl help make your decision Those kids over at UCLA don't call USC "University of Second Choice" for nothing.

 

[Coltron]

USC as in Trojans. USC has been my first choice, and is a much better school than ASU. ( although their football team doesn't reflect that...)

 

[Georgia Mom]

Have all of you made a profile on Cappex and compared your detailed stats to accepted students? My DS made one and so far it has been right on the money with the colleges he has been accepted to or wait-listed for.

 

[Vista123]

The problem with those matching systems Georgia Mom is that some of the high reach schools are a crap shoot, you can have perfect scores but not get in.

The three schools that my son got scholarships to I would give 50%-70% chance of getting in (depending on the school). To be honest my son really loved all of the seven schools he applied to (except for the instate close to home less expensive school) He spent a lot of time visiting, touring the campuses and meeting cadre from the different Battalions.

The challenge that all those girls and boys are now facing is which way to roll the dice.

Like I say to my kids all the time:

"It will be fine in the end, it's not fine now, but it's not the end"

 

[Strength and Honor]

I don't know how I'm gonna make the decision on what school to accept this scholarship to. So I'm asking you guys for help, and I made a pros and cons list of each school. Just tell me what you think:

VMI
Pros:
Very well known school military wise and in VA
Awesome history and traditions
Top notch ROTC program with opportunities (summer schools, etc)
Most selective school on my list
Just always had the dream of going here

Cons:
Not very much diversity- cadets, mostly male, not normal college experience
Can't afford it without the scholarship
Only visited once in summer, never got to meet with ROTC cadre.

PURDUE
Pros:
Campus felt like home and I loved it.
Visited 3 times, so I have a really good idea of life there.
Cadre were VERY helpful in getting my file ready to go, really felt like they cared about me and wanted me in their BN.
I can afford it without the scholarship.

Cons:
Not very hard to get into, especially for non-engineering students
Almost too diverse (2nd largest international student population in country)
Definitely not as nationally well known and respected as VMI outside of engineering.

USF
Pros:
Cheapest- actually would be totally free to attend considering academic scholarships
Nice south Florida weather, I'm not a huge fan of the cold
Close to grandparents, so I could be far away from home but still have family nearby

Cons:
Again, never got a chance to meet with ROTC cadre
Pretty big city feel (Tampa) which I'm not crazy about
Never really caught my eye when I visited like VMI and Purdue did

I know this is an awesome problem to have and I'm thankful for the opportunity. I've concluded that all of their football teams are pretty bad and can't let that factor in to the decision Thanks for the help!

 

[Pima]

JMPO, and throw it in the garbage can after reading it.

I have 3 kids (1 ADAF now), 1 graduating in May and 1 is a sophomore in college.

All of them were successful in college IMPO because of two statements you made. Each of them chose colleges that were the opposite of their siblings even down to the look of the campus and the location (size of the town, and outskirts). (UMD, VT and GMU).

VMI: Just always had the dream of going here
Purdue:Campus felt like home and I loved it.

College is a juggling act, especially as a ROTC cadet. It is a life of blending academics, social and ROTC. You have yet to truly meet the cadets or your peers that will be part of your next 4 yrs.
~ I am willing to bet you have matured and changed since you were 14, what makes you think you won't over the next 4 yrs.
~~~ That includes the importance of how ROTC will impact your life. Some will be all in, while others will decide once in, that this just isn't my career future. What is common is you still have to love the school.

Since you only visited when VMI was out of school, how can you make a decision based on a dream without seeing the real thing?
~~Think about movies, people rave about how great it is, you have only seen the trailer, but after you see it, because you built it to me something more you walk out saying, Yeah it was good, but not as great as others led me to believe.
~ No flaming, I am not saying anything negative about VMI, just saying reality and the dream rarely ever meet!

I get Purdue is known for engineering, but I don't think I would say that it is not nationally well known. I love March Madness, and I know of Purdue. I know of VMI because Bullet was ADAF, and we live in VA. We were born and raised in NJ. Ask Bullet's or my family that has no military background about VMI and you would get where are they located and what does VMI stand for? However they know Purdue.

Now combine this with what if in 4 yrs you decide to go Reserves, and not AD? Which school is the best choice for your degree?

I will add one last thing that you didn't. Purdue, USF, and VMI are not in the same states.
~ The avg kid dreams of their sr. yr. finally flying the coop. Parents cry as they walk out, while their child has their foot on their arse pushing them into the elevator smiling!

Yet, the majority of them @6 weeks later (Oct) miss home, and it gets worse when that 3 day Columbus Day weekend or fall break in Oct. rolls around and because it is a flight away they are there until Thanksgiving while their close friends living 4 hrs away go home.
~~~ OBTW their FB teams may stink, but trust me dorms empty out at a higher rate when they are playing an away game versus a home game.

Finally, ROTC scholarship has that lovely 1 yr. no harm, no foul from a walk away perspective. As a parent I would strongly say to you this one thing!
TALK TO THE FOLKS ABOUT FINANCES.
~ That includes how often you can fly home.

Like I said, now is the time to throw my opinion in the garbage.

 

[Strength and Honor]

Thanks Pima! Yeah, I wish I had the opportunity to really get a feel for VMI like I've had for Purdue. That's the pain of living ~9 hours away from Lexington though. I actually applied for different majors at both colleges (Business at VMI and Elec. Eng. Technology at Purdue).

In terms of going home, Purdue is only an hour drive but I would only plan on coming home maybe once a month and the big holidays. Talked to the parents about traveling to VMI, and I think they're pumped to have an excuse to visit Lexington all the time

Sadly I can't predict how I'll mature in 4 years at either of the schools. Maybe VMI would be a military overkill and I would hate it by time to commission? Or maybe Purdue wouldn't be military enough and I'd keep wishing I had chosen VMI?

 

[Pima]

Maybe you ask the folks to allow you to play hookie in the next 2 weeks, and try to get back out to VMI, even if it means no overnight visit.
1. This way they can see how the winter snow impacts their drive.
2. Ask to meet not only someone from the cadre, but some cadets.
~ Have your folks leave at this point. If they are there, it becomes more like a dog and pony show because it is not peer to peer talking, but cadet to parent.

If that can't happen, I know with our DS's college, once accepted they were given specific people to be mentors, and they could talk via email/pm/skype.
~~~ Maybe they have that at any or all 3 colleges. Maybe they don't, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I also know that many dets have their own FB page, have you tried joining their sites?
~~~ Last suggestion I have is www.collegeconfidential.com You can hit the actual school link and pose questions there about the actual school.

 

[kinnem]

+1 to everything Pima said. I'd add or expand on a couple things.

1. How well known the school is matters not a r*t's *ss. How well the school is known ultimately has no impact on your career whether it be military or civilian. It might get your foot in the door somewhere if you were going straight to civilian life. But that's not your plan. And even if you change your plan next year, as you can, it won't matter after you're there for 6 months. Yeah, I've heard about the the great VMI alumni network, etc etc and I'm sure it's true. But once you've been someplace 6 months they will not ask, "Where did you go to school?". They will ask "What have you done for me lately?". That being said VMI is a great school and I wouldn't argue against it. The point is about a schoool's being well known. BTW - after your service as an officer I suspect that it's that which will get you in the door. Not where you went to school.

2. You could make Purdue as military as you like. Can you make it like an SMC? No. But you can throw yourself into it and have a big (and I mean big) part of your college life revolve around that. DS has something going on with his unit, or at the very least the guys in his unit, 7 days a week (OK. 5 if it's an away game). NROTC is the center of his life. You don't have to make it that way, but you can.

3. Don't know where you're from but keep in mind which side of the Appalachians your school and home are on. Not that you can't get home in the winter by driving through the mountains, but at least it's one less thing to deal with. A very minor consideration though.

My summation is to make your decision based on where you think you'll really thrive and grow. Being where you'll thrive will make all the difference in grades, ROTC performance, etc during your college years.

Good luck with your decision. You actually have a very nice problem. Wish I had that problem when I was your age!

 

[payitforward]

This is going to prove how naive I was until just a few years ago: DS grew up in NJ. (I grew up in SC.) I distinctly remember, when he was about 15 or 16, he started talking about going to "VMI." I had to look it up. And when I saw that it stood for "Virginia Military Institute," I poked around a little bit to determine whether or not it was a college. I thought maybe he was talking about going to a private military high school.

I agree with Pima and kinnem that the relative notoriety or fame or "brand" of a particular college has little to do with your career beyond that first job you get. DS ultimately chose North Georgia over The Citadel. At the time of his decision, I think the only thing that was giving him pause was the fact that The Citadel was a military brand name that people knew of whether or not they had a military connection, whereas the military component of UNG usually has to be explained: "UNG -- The Military College of Georgia." He chose UNG mainly because it had the major he wanted, and it was in the mountains, and it was affordable without scholarship, and that's where he felt most comfortable after two visits to each of the schools.

He's a good 14-hour drive or $300 plane ticket away though, and while that's not easy, so far I still think it's worth it because he's so happy there.

I believe that a college experience IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT. Where you go does not matter as much as what you do while you're there. My brother and I went to the same school at around the same time. I had a full-on college experience because I was involved in academic organizations, social groups and athletic events and I lived in dorms. But my brother lived off campus and commuted, rarely getting involved in "the college experience" on any level other than an occasional study group. I loved college and was sad when my college days were over. My brother hated college and couldn't wait to get out.

Judging by your posts here, S&H, I fully believe that any school you choose will be made better by your being there because you will make it a great experience for yourself as well as for the people lucky enough to be your college peers. Lucky them, whichever school gets you.

 

[soccmomer]

I like the playing hookie part and taking a visit to VMI. We are making the 7 hour drive to Norwich next Thursday evening so DS can spend Friday there. He also never had the chance to speak with ROTC or the Criminal Justice Dept. Then the following week he is taking a day to go to the school that is an hour away to do the same thing.
Both schools were very willing to arrange things for him. It is a crush right now to get these visits in because for most of these schools, 12/10 or 13 is the last day of classes before finals!
With my first 3 kids, they all seemed to "know" which college they wanted, but all for different reasons - my oldest could discount a school as soon as she walked on campus because the brick color was wrong! Sometimes I guess you just have to go with your gut!

 

[Pima]

soccmommer,

That has to be a girl thing.

Our DD at VT has always said she hated the look of UMDCP (DS1's college) and could never go there.
~~ UMDCP is red brick federalist...National Treasure 2 was filmed on their campus, along with St. Elmo's Fire

VT looks like Hogwarts and the minute she stepped foot on campus for the tour she was in love and we had to drag her off campus at the end of the day.

 

[Strength and Honor]

Are any of you other scholarship winners having a hard time with this? Or were you all pretty certain where you wanted to go?