Best AFROTC program, and for future pilot

Lukas21

Lukas21

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Feb 19, 2018
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So I am definitely applying to the AFA, but I want to know how AFROTC works a bit. Do you apply to AFROTC after you get excepted into a college, or before? As for as colleges go I was looking into Embry Riddle as it is one of the best for aviation in the country. I live in Virginia though, so I am not sure if this effects anything regarding AFROTC and Embry Riddle, as I know they offer it there.

Also, how difficult is it to receive a scholarship from AFROTC? I did some research of my own and it seems there are a few steps, and to also maintain good good grades, fitness, ect. I would like to hear others thoughts on this though.

Lastly, would it be a smart idea to apply to the AFA and AFROTC at the same/near time together so that if I don't end up receiving appointment I could go the AFROTC route and go to a 4 year college? This is what I am planning to do as of now, feedback would be very, very helpful
 
As you spend time on this forum, you will see many, many references to Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D.... Please do not limit yourself to just the USAFA application or even just the USAFA plus the AFROTC applications.

It is not uncommon (and probably closer to the standard) for young women and men posting to this board to apply to multiple SAs, multiple ROTC scholarships at multiple colleges, and also non-military options.

Both the USAFA and AFROTC have high standards - study the admission sites for all options and give yourself plenty of time to complete each application. Stay in shape, study for your SAT/ACT, engage in meaningful leadership activities, and keep out out of trouble... Good Luck.
 
Lukas21 said:
Lastly, would it be a smart idea to apply to the AFA and AFROTC at the same/near time together so that if I don't end up receiving appointment I could go the AFROTC route and go to a 4 year college? This is what I am planning to do as of now, feedback would be very, very helpful
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Yes, it would be a smart idea to apply to both. Even if you receive and accept an ROTC scholarship, then later find out you are accepted to AFA, you can notify AFROTC and decline your scholarship (this info is included in the scholarship paperwork). As FMHS-79 said, make sure you have plans A, B, C, and D!
 
The college application process and the AFROTC application process are totally separate. This is especially true for AFROTC since you can take the scholarship to any college that has an AFROTC unit. So.... you need to apply to both the colleges of your choice and AFROTC at the same time. I suggest you read everything available on this site: https://www.afrotc.com/about

No one program is better than any other although each will offer different opportunities depending on geographic location, etc. Nevertheless the most important thing about any AFROTC program is what YOU bring to it and the investment of time and effort YOU make. You'll get out of it what you put into it.
 
Also check out UND’s aviation program it’s rated very high and has an AFROTC program. It’s was my daughters back up plan for USAFA however she decided to give the SA another shot and went to a prep school as a self prep (non sponsored) if she doesn’t get in this time will be going to UND next year!
Fingers crossed for an appt, she has applied to all the SA this year as encouraged by her prep school.
 
DDmom said:
Also check out UND’s aviation program it’s rated very high and has an AFROTC program. It’s was my daughters back up plan for USAFA however she decided to give the SA another shot and went to a prep school as a self prep (non sponsored) if she doesn’t get in this time will be going to UND next year!
Fingers crossed for an appt, she has applied to all the SA this year as encouraged by her prep school.
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I've heard that UND is a great school for aviation, same with Purdue. I figured Embry Riddle for me because I know I'd love the location and I've been looking into it for a couple years now. That's awesome for your daughter, best of luck to her!!
 
I would focus on and submit the Service Academy applications prior to Labor Day as they have the most stringent and detailed steps to complete. I would then work on the ROTC applications second. I would try and make the first AROTC Board and the second NROTC and AFROTC boards. In my opinion, the AFFOTC Type I scholarship for a private school is by far the hardest option to win as there are only 50 or so for the entire nation.
 
My son goes to Purdue. They have a great aviation program. Great AF Rotc program. Great school although you cant compare Indiana to Florida. He toured Embrey Riddle and we have a friend son who goes to the one in Florida. Nice school, almost no girls (Ok not many) and you arent going to get the same college experience as you would in a Big Ten school. It all depends what you are looking for. Florida Instittue of Technology also has a great aviation program but no AF Rotc. I hear UND is a great school but it is North Dakota. You are going to freeze many parts of your body there.

I will also tell you what a lot of pilots have written about going to college to be a pilot. My son and I ignored it completely but its worth saying. They will tell you to go to college to get a degree in something you can make a living at. Get your pilot license and subsequent licenses at a pilot school located in any local airport . It will be cheaper than paying a college and if for some reason you cant get a job flying, you have a degree in another subject you can fall back on. Now these are men and women who have lived through years where the pay was crap and there were more pilots than demand. There is high demand today but who knows 5 years from now. Also, due to medical reason, you may be not allowed to fly anymore. So having something to fall back is important to them. I would argue that if you have a degree in accounting and dont use it for 5 years as you were flying, you probably wont get a job very easily since you have no experience. However, their advice is sound. The one real advantage to going to a school like Purdue or UND or Embry is that you only need 1000 hours in flight time to work for an airline. Everyone else needs 1500 hours. No one would proably hire you with 1000 or 1500 hours but it still makes a difference
 
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My buddy went to Purdue and got his license that way. He went out to Vegas and pile up hours doing the Grand Canyon tours on weekends. At that time he worked with me in the construction and engineering management field for the DOE. Once he picked up enough hours to get an airline job, he went to work for AA on a commuter in Reading Pa (I think). Once he got enough hours and made the 1st chair, he jumped to DHL. When DHL went out of business, he went to some cheapo airline, that hired him. He is now 54 years old and just made Captain on Jet Blue. He did not make much money until he got to DHL. He still was not a captain on that airline. We were discussing salary, at the time, he was making about $ 100K but flying about 20 hours a week, which is very deceptive, because, a lot of the time, he would be in some place waiting to fly later or the next day. It is not an easy living, but it is his true love. Also, I if I remember correctly, every time you start with a new airline, you start at the bottom, so pick wisely. He had plans to stay with DHL, but they were either bought out or they folded. He was out of work for a short time and took the job with the cheap carrier to have a job. When he went to Jet Blue, he started at the bottom.
 
DevilDog said:
My buddy went to Purdue and got his license that way. He went out to Vegas and pile up hours doing the Grand Canyon tours on weekends. At that time he worked with me in the construction and engineering management field for the DOE. Once he picked up enough hours to get an airline job, he went to work for AA on a commuter in Reading Pa (I think). Once he got enough hours and made the 1st chair, he jumped to DHL. When DHL went out of business, he went to some cheapo airline, that hired him. He is now 54 years old and just made Captain on Jet Blue. He did not make much money until he got to DHL. He still was not a captain on that airline. We were discussing salary, at the time, he was making about $ 100K but flying about 20 hours a week, which is very deceptive, because, a lot of the time, he would be in some place waiting to fly later or the next day. It is not an easy living, but it is his true love. Also, I if I remember correctly, every time you start with a new airline, you start at the bottom, so pick wisely. He had plans to stay with DHL, but they were either bought out or they folded. He was out of work for a short time and took the job with the cheap carrier to have a job. When he went to Jet Blue, he started at the bottom.
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From what I read seniority is created within the company and not the industry so you probably start at the bottom when u change companies although if you are a captain u stay a captain when u move
 
Detachment 105 (CU Boulder and crosstown schools in CO) is one of the best dets, it is super fun, a tight group of cadets, and a great training plan to prepare you for FT and commissioning.
 
Any large school or any school near a large university will offer AFROTC. No one program is really better for preparing you to be a pilot since selection is done at the national level rather than at the school level. The only advantage you might have going to a school with an aviation program is the ability to gain flight hours, which factor into your score. However, as someone stated above, you can get those at a local airport. You can absolutely join AFROTC after you are accepted to college and complete the program and receive a commision without a scholarship, but to apply for one it has to be done in the first half of your senior year of high school. Although an opportunity is there to earn one during college as well. Check the AFROTC website for due dates for that. Also, it's never too early to email an AFROTC detachment at a school asking to stop by and visit. Aviation-centric schools might try to sell you a line of bs that they have higher selection rates for pilots, but the truth is, statistically speaking, the average is pretty much the same for all schools. I attend a state university with no aviation program, and of our class of 20, 8 received pilot slots. One disadvantage of AFROTC is the number of pilot slots given each year can fluctuate, but the past two years nearly 25% of all Lts coming out of AFROTC were headed to pilot training, more than other AFSC.
 
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