Changing Schools With a Campus Based Scholarship

ROTC_MOM

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My son is a freshman and was fortunate to get a campus based AROTC Scholarship. He is doing well and enjoying the program. He told me yesterday that he would like to transfer to the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. I am trying to help him but I have no idea what to tell him. The first step I suppose is to find out if he can get a campus based scholarship at A&M. I think he would be wise to stay at the smaller school for two years, then transfer for his junior year. What are his obligations to his current school? I think he should just be grateful for what he has. He wants to be a career Army officer and thinks that he has a better chance of getting the job he wants from a more prestigious school. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks!

ROTC_MOM
 
I can't say from an AROTC point regarding going to a bigger school to get a better military career job, but for the AFROTC this is not necessarily true. The reason why is that the dets at bigger schools can be more competitive from within the det.

For example, ERAU boasts that they give the 2nd most amount of UPT slots, only after the AFA. However, what they fail to mention is that their statistical % is lower than many smaller dets. For example VT gives less UPT slots, but % wise the cadets chances are much higher. I believe, and please don't quote me, but ERAU gives about 50% UPT slots to their cadets, whereas, 85% of VT students get UPT if they request it.

Just because it is bigger, does not necessarily mean it is better. Again, this is for AFROTC, so AROTC could be bigger does mean better chances. I would suggest that he talks to the BN commander and ask PERCENTAGES, not the number, but PERCENTAGES if he transferred to A & M.

Additionally, in the AFROTC world, the commander has an input, because they write a rec to the board regarding the cadet. If he transfers as an incoming jr., the command will have very little personal background to write the review. On top of that his current command would know he is leaving, thus they would most likely not offer him a BN position as a sophomore cadet, because they will want to give it to a cadet that is staying. Finally, as they rise up the ranks the fall positions are given out in the previous spring, which means for his fall semester he most likely not have a position within the BN. Now what does that really mean? It means that as his peers/yr group move up the ranks, they will have held positions, while he is behind the 8 ball with probably 2 semesters of no positions. The career board will see this, and if they have a choice to give the last slot to either your DS or the cadet that held jobs during those 2 semesters, and both have the same gpa, which one do you think they will choose?

I would suggest that he contact A & M asap, start the process now, so he will have 3 yrs at one BN.

Now throw that all in the circular filing cabinet, because it is only MHPO.
 
My son is a freshman and was fortunate to get a campus based AROTC Scholarship. He is doing well and enjoying the program. He told me yesterday that he would like to transfer to the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. I am trying to help him but I have no idea what to tell him. The first step I suppose is to find out if he can get a campus based scholarship at A&M. I think he would be wise to stay at the smaller school for two years, then transfer for his junior year. What are his obligations to his current school? I think he should just be grateful for what he has. He wants to be a career Army officer and thinks that he has a better chance of getting the job he wants from a more prestigious school. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks!

ROTC_MOM

I don't think that changing schools will enhance his chances of getting the branch he wants. That may be a misperception on his part. If he enjoys his school and is doing well, he should stay where he is and do as well in school and ROTC as possible. I agree with Pima that being a "big fish in a little pond" is better than being a "little fish in a big pond" when it comes to competition and those leadership roles that make a cadet stand out. And it's a huge difference going to a small program and going to the Aggies. His college and ROTC experience will be radically different. Also, since he has a college-based scholarship, seems like he's better served to stay where he is and keep working hard.
 
By attending Texas A&M he is GUARANTEED Active Duty. This is because A&M is a Senior Military college.
If he stays where he is - he will compete with other ROTC cadets for the opportunity to serve Active Duty.

He needs to contact the ROTC department ASAP to inquire about transferring, he also should speak candidly with the officers in his current ROTC battalion - then he can gather the information he needs to make an informed decision.
 
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