Chances of NROTC MO

1

18cjones

New Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
5
Hi, I just started my application for NROTC MO and I know its a little early but i wanted to have a lot of tie to put my best foot forward and all! I've been working with a Marine Recruiter on my application to make sure I get everything done right. I havent taken the PFT yet but im hoping I will have a good score, the only thing that may be a problem is the running but im improvig everyday.

Female from Southern Virginia
Just finished Junior year
3.8/4.0 weighted GPA at very good Prep School
1320 SAT score
Varsity Cheer Captain 4 seasons
Ran Varsity Track 2 seasons
Honor Roll every year
Won Cheer Coach's Award for leadership twice
On exec board for female mentoring club and tech club at school
over 90 hours of volunteer work with church
over 60 hours volunteer work with school (counselor for little kids science camp to get chldren intrested in stem)
52 sit ups in 2 min
18 pushups in 2 min
8.03 min mile
Schools I am putting down in order
1. Penn State
2. Union
3. UVA
4. USC
5.UPenn

looking to major in either environmental engineering (T2) or computer engineering (T2) with a minor in Russian or German
AP classes taken- AP Bio, AP World, AP Comp Gov, AP Eng Lang,
all other cources have been accelerated and I will have reached Honors Spanish 4 by the time I graduate

I feel like I am forgetting some stuff so please let me know if there is anything else I need to add
Thank you!
 
Just to make sure you understand a few things....
The Marine Corps doesn't care what your major is. The Tiers of the Navy Option have no applicability to the Marine Option.
You should try to improve your SAT. They really look at the whole person, so what you currently have might be good enough. However, DS did not get a 4 year scholarship with a slightly higher score, but then he didn't have the leadership you seem to have.
During your interview/essays you need to be prepared to discuss what you did as a Varsity Cheer Captain and other leadership roles. It's what you did as a leader that's important, not just holding a title.
Your PFT scores are low and pullups are preferred over pushups. You'll be taking the same PFT as active duty Marines. Also, the test changed a bit this year. Here's a chart with the 2017 changes accounted for: https://www.killfoot.com/2016/07/01/all-new-usmc-pft-requirements/

You have time to improve and there is always the option of enrolling without the scholarship in hopes of earning a scholarship later, which is the path my son successfully followed. Just curious.. is USC that college in California or is it S Carolina. I thought since all the other colleges were east coast you meant S Carolina. Anyway, S Carolina has a terrific NROTC unit and is DS's alma mater.

Good luck!
 
kinnem said:
Just to make sure you understand a few things....
The Marine Corps doesn't care what your major is. The Tiers of the Navy Option have no applicability to the Marine Option.
You should try to improve your SAT. They really look at the whole person, so what you currently have might be good enough. However, DS did not get a 4 year scholarship with a slightly higher score, but then he didn't have the leadership you seem to have.
During your interview/essays you need to be prepared to discuss what you did as a Varsity Cheer Captain and other leadership roles. It's what you did as a leader that's important, not just holding a title.
Your PFT scores are low and pullups are preferred over pushups. You'll be taking the same PFT as active duty Marines. Also, the test changed a bit this year. Here's a chart with the 2017 changes accounted for: https://www.killfoot.com/2016/07/01/all-new-usmc-pft-requirements/

You have time to improve and there is always the option of enrolling without the scholarship in hopes of earning a scholarship later, which is the path my son successfully followed. Just curious.. is USC that college in California or is it S Carolina. I thought since all the other colleges were east coast you meant S Carolina. Anyway, S Carolina has a terrific NROTC unit and is DS's alma mater.

Good luck!
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Thanks for your advice. I just took the SAT again with much more studying before hand and I am hoping to get at least a 1450 before I stop taking it. I took a look at the chart,which was helpful. I was talking about S. Carolina as I am hoping to stay in the east for college for logistic reasons. Is there anything about USC's unit that really made it stand out for you? I wont get a chance to visit until later this summer but the schooland its programs really appeal to me.
 
We loved the campus. It was DS's first choice school. Try to meet with the officers at the unit while you're there, although it might be tough over the summer. It's best to visit during the school year if you can, as many officers will be on assignment elsewhere.

As far as the unit goes they had a great NROTC freshman orientation, but their format changes each year so.... While DS was there, the Marine Options went to Parris Island for a long weekend of training each year (or was it each semester). There are also labs held at Ft Jackson during the academic year where they use the O-Course, the leadership reaction course, and other facilities. They have a great drill team which has won many awards. They attend the Tulane drill meet in New Orleans during Mardi Gras each year. DS went twice. Marine Options may be required to participate at least one season.

During football season the unit has a great tailgate area set up within easy walking distance of the stadium, awning and all. Great food and drink there, all free for midshipmen (sort of). They also have a portable satellite dish and big screen TV set up for easy viewing. A great way for the officers and midshipmen to mingle informally. The wife and I would spend a couple weekends there during football season to go to the tailgate... didn't even need to buy game tickets, although we often did. The "cost" for the midshipmen is that the next day they are at the stadium at 6 AM to clean up - unless they worked the cooking/serving crew at the tailgate. It's how they earn the money for the tailgates, drill meets, Navy/Marine Corps birthday ball and Dining In each year.

DS loved his whole college experience at S Carolina and being a member of the Gamecock battalion. So did Mom and Dad.
 
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kinnem said:
We loved the campus. It was DS's first choice school. Try to meet with the officers at the unit while you're there, although it might be tough over the summer. It's best to visit during the school year if you can, as many officers will be on assignment elsewhere.

As far as the unit goes they had a great NROTC freshman orientation, but their format changes each year so.... While DS was there, the Marine Options went to Parris Island for a long weekend of training each year (or was it each semester). There are also labs held at Ft Jackson during the academic year where they use the O-Course, the leadership reaction course, and other facilities. They have a great drill team which has won many awards. They attend the Tulane drill meet in New Orleans during Mardi Gras each year. DS went twice. Marine Options may be required to participate at least one season.

During football season the unit has a great tailgate area set up within easy walking distance of the stadium, awning and all. Great food and drink there, all free for midshipmen (sort of). They also have a portable satellite dish and big screen TV set up for easy viewing. A great way for the officers and midshipmen to mingle informally. The wife and I would spend a couple weekends there during football season to go to the tailgate... didn't even need to buy game tickets, although we often did. The "cost" for the midshipmen is that the next day they are at the stadium at 6 AM to clean up - unless they worked the cooking/serving crew at the tailgate. It's how they earn the money for the tailgates, drill meets, Navy/Marine Corps birthday ball and Dining In each year.

DS loved his whole college experience at S Carolina and being a member of the Gamecock battalion. So did Mom and Dad.
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Its great to hear about the schools that I am looking at and families experiences with them, thanks
 
18cjones: I was glad to see you were working with a USMC Recruiter. These are some of the sharpest and hardest working Marines around.

Sometimes recruiters suggest you enlist via the DEP (Delayed Entry Program) in order to show how much you want to be a Marine as you apply for the NROTC MO scholarship. There are many discussions on this forum on this topic. This may never come up but if it does my advice is not to take this path.

Best of luck
 
USMCGrunt said:
Sometimes recruiters suggest you enlist via the DEP (Delayed Entry Program) in order to show how much you want to be a Marine as you apply for the NROTC MO scholarship. There are many discussions on this forum on this topic. This may never come up but if it does my advice is not to take this path.
Click to expand...

I concur.

If you don't get the scholarship the first time:
1) Enroll in the college program at the NROTC unit -- reapply for the 4 year scholarship, impress the staff and get a shot at the sideload
2) Look into the Platoon Leaders Class program through the Officer Selection Office
 
USMCGrunt said:
18cjones: I was glad to see you were working with a USMC Recruiter. These are some of the sharpest and hardest working Marines around.

Sometimes recruiters suggest you enlist via the DEP (Delayed Entry Program) in order to show how much you want to be a Marine as you apply for the NROTC MO scholarship. There are many discussions on this forum on this topic. This may never come up but if it does my advice is not to take this path.

Best of luck
Click to expand...
Thank you for your advice!
 
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