Cheapest Cost University or College per ROTC Branch

Boymomof3 said:
Good info! Just to clarify, they may not offer free R&B but UIUC 💙🧡 overs 40 tuition waivers for in-state students - for each of the 3 branches (it’s a competitive process if there are more than 40 requesting the waiver). For NROTC this year, my DS will use the waiver & $ for R&B from his NROTC scholarship. This land grant designation & tuition waiver for UIUC is not well known - that’s why I keep bringing it up. It really was a game changer for him once we figured it out. If I remember correctly, UIUC started out as a military college a long time ago…
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I forgot about in-state options, as there is no Navy ROTC university in Arkansas. All my research is an out of state student.

Earning free tuition through academics at in-state school, and then applying ROTC scholarship to room and board is also an option for many students. Army has the most options since they have so many schools to choose from.
 
Boston U is very supportive of ROTC students with extra money beyond the ROTC scholarships and is a great university. Also, Jesuit colleges tend to offer merit aid in addition to ROTC scholarships.
And as mentioned above, top schools from Rice to Princeton offer financial aid that is very generous in terms fo what family income level they include (up to $160k).
Good luck!
 
To answer the original question I would add Wyoming to the list of Inexpensive schools. If you are looking for a school without Scholarship just based on fees and non-resident fees. More modest applicant stats make it more likely to get their Brown and Gold Merit scholarship of $7500.
I am on my 3rd DS college search so my spreadsheet of college comparison is now 44 lines of categories and contains 48 schools. DS 3 is not the slam dunk that DS 2 was so I am looking for 1) schools that give R&B to ROTC winners, 2) Private schools with advertised merit levels (ie 3.5/ and 1300 SAT) 3) just plain good schools with good deals. In general if a student can get a ROTC scholarship they can also get Merit offer from colleges.
I am a year out on finalizing list with DS3 but leaders look like Ole Miss, Furman, Montana State, TCU, Embry Riddle, Baylor, Wyoming, Colorado State.
 
gooseblitz said:
To answer the original question I would add Wyoming to the list of Inexpensive schools. If you are looking for a school without Scholarship just based on fees and non-resident fees. More modest applicant stats make it more likely to get their Brown and Gold Merit scholarship of $7500.
I am on my 3rd DS college search so my spreadsheet of college comparison is now 44 lines of categories and contains 48 schools. DS 3 is not the slam dunk that DS 2 was so I am looking for 1) schools that give R&B to ROTC winners, 2) Private schools with advertised merit levels (ie 3.5/ and 1300 SAT) 3) just plain good schools with good deals. In general if a student can get a ROTC scholarship they can also get Merit offer from colleges.
I am a year out on finalizing list with DS3 but leaders look like Ole Miss, Furman, Montana State, TCU, Embry Riddle, Baylor, Wyoming, Colorado State.
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Interesting re Furman. Outstanding private small university. My last info was only 4 year awards get R&B?
 
unkown1961 said:
And as mentioned above, top schools from Rice to Princeton offer financial aid that is very generous in terms fo what family income level they include (up to $160k
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Just remember these schools count your scholarship against your financial aid package.
 
unkown1961 said:
Boston U is very supportive of ROTC students with extra money beyond the ROTC scholarships and is a great university. Also, Jesuit colleges tend to offer merit aid in addition to ROTC scholarships.
And as mentioned above, top schools from Rice to Princeton offer financial aid that is very generous in terms fo what family income level they include (up to $160k).
Good luck!
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From our notes a few years ago: Creighton, Marquette, BC, Holy Cross, Villanova, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, WashU, Gonzaga, U of San Diego, U of St Thomas, Xavier, SLU were some of the schools offering full or partial R&B with ROTC scholarship (independent of financial aid).

 
Overwhelmed said:
Just remember these schools count your scholarship against your financial aid package.
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Agree. But most schools do this. In the end, the total amount would stay the same - the outside scholarship dollars take the place of school-provided dollars. For instance, at $100k family income level, Princeton provides full tuition plus 67% of room + board. ROTC would take the place of the tuition but the room and board would remain.

We found it also impacted merit scholarships. My older son was awarded merit money from St. Louis U., but when he got a Type 2 ROTC scholarship, SLU took the merit money away completely. However, I understand they don't do that anymore. On the other hand, Boston University, for a Type 2 AFROTC scholarship, paid half the first year's tuition and then topped off the remaining years above the AFROTC money.

The best bet is a call to the university's financial aid department to get the scoop because they all have their own policies on how to deal with ROTC.
 
Overwhelmed said:
Just remember these schools count your scholarship against your financial aid package.
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This may be true for merit awards of tuition. But many schools will offer 3 or 4 years of Room & Board as incentive for students with national ROTC scholarships to enroll. Several SMCs offer Room & Board scholarships for students with national ROTC scholarships, instate tuition and I believe Texas and Georgia offer in-state students additional merit scholarships for enrolling in ROTC and contracting. It really pays to speak with the Financial Aid Office and the ROO at the units you are considering joining.
 
It’s pretty common for schools (especially private ones) to fork out free room and board. It’s a guaranteed tuition check from the govt, so they get into almost bidding wars with other schools.
 
Overwhelmed said:
Just remember these schools count your scholarship against your financial aid package.
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Not all of them. You do need to clarify that. Quite a few don't count it against your school total. I ask this of the Cadre, admissions and Fin. Aid Office. Via email so I have it in writing. DS #1 only had one school it didn't work out with out of his top 3. With DS#2 I have bigger geography so lining up more options.
 
Check into Ohio University - they have outstanding ROTC incentives even for non-scholarship cadets.
 
ArmyOfOne81 said:
Yes he’s received those additional benefits already. He’s only applied to colleges that offered free room and board. There are some really good deals out there. Texas A and M offers in state tuition to out of state cadets also.
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TAMU offers the Patriot Scholarship for contracted cadets, which covers room and most of meal plan. You are responsible for uniforms, but there is a refund for contracted cadets in good standing the spring semester. Honestly, it is basically a full scholarship. Feel free to PM me for specific details about amounts we paid.
 
gooseblitz said:
To answer the original question I would add Wyoming to the list of Inexpensive schools. If you are looking for a school without Scholarship just based on fees and non-resident fees. More modest applicant stats make it more likely to get their Brown and Gold Merit scholarship of $7500.
I am on my 3rd DS college search so my spreadsheet of college comparison is now 44 lines of categories and contains 48 schools. DS 3 is not the slam dunk that DS 2 was so I am looking for 1) schools that give R&B to ROTC winners, 2) Private schools with advertised merit levels (ie 3.5/ and 1300 SAT) 3) just plain good schools with good deals. In general if a student can get a ROTC scholarship they can also get Merit offer from colleges.
I am a year out on finalizing list with DS3 but leaders look like Ole Miss, Furman, Montana State, TCU, Embry Riddle, Baylor, Wyoming, Colorado State.
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Just wanted to stop by and say that my son is an MSI Cadet at the University of Wyoming this year on a 3 year. I'm sure he'd be happy to chat with your son if he wants to! Cheers!
 
EJF said:
Just wanted to stop by and say that my son is an MSI Cadet at the University of Wyoming this year on a 3 year. I'm sure he'd be happy to chat with your son if he wants to! Cheers!
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That is great... I will likely reach out and take you up on that.
 
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