College Selection for Scholarship

[NavyUMO]

For the NROTC Scholarship application, Is it better not to list colleges in your state of residency if they are a lower choice? I guess the question is do they tend to want to send you there as it is a lesser cost for the Navy to send you there? Should you just list the more expensive schools you are more interested in attending?

 

[emptynest2021]

For the NROTC Scholarship application, Is it better not to list colleges in your state of residency if they are a lower choice? I guess the question is do they tend to want to send you there as it is a lesser cost for the Navy to send you there? Should you just list the more expensive schools you are more interested in attending?

Just a word of advice, don’t pick a school that you would NOT be able to afford if the scholarship is suspended or lost. Choose schools that you know you would want to attend, not just because Uncle Sam will pay for it.

 

[Capt MJ]

For the NROTC Scholarship application, Is it better not to list colleges in your state of residency if they are a lower choice? I guess the question is do they tend to want to send you there as it is a lesser cost for the Navy to send you there? Should you just list the more expensive schools you are more interested in attending?

I just skimmed the NROTC site. It states they will assign the scholarship to your first choice school IF you apply, are admitted and enroll. Presumably, they move down the list, if you are not admitted to choices 1,2,3, etc.

A valid point is made about choosing a school you can afford without the scholarship. Every year we see people who have had their scholarships suspended for a semester for one reason or another, and they are scrambling to figure out how to pay for and stay at a school they have fallen n love with.

Browse the ROTC forum to see how others have strategized their school choices. It seems many choose a reach or two, some likelies, and a safety school. Some have not been admitted to any of their 5 schools, and they have to re-assess their strategy.

 

[kinnem]

Browse the ROTC forum to see how others have strategized their school choices. It seems many choose a reach or two, some likelies, and a safety school. Some have not been admitted to any of their 5 schools, and they have to re-assess their strategy.

+1 in general to Capt MJ (as usual) but I wanted to emphasize this last point. Do as she suggests about college applications. Have some reach schools you like. If you get accepted and get the scholarship, your in top shape. Have some schools within reasonable reach for you and then at least one safety. You do not want to be in a position where you are awarded a scholarship but don't get admitted to a college because they were all reach schools, or even reasonable reach schools that did not accept you (it is all a competition).

You also need to consider affordability in the application process. As others have mentioned sometimes scholarships are suspended for a semester because one's GPA did not meet the lower threshold. Lots of midshipmen drop out of the program either because they did something stupid (DUI, bar room brawl, took a swing at an MOI - I've seen 'em all), or because they decide it's not for them. If it happens to you you'll need to be able to pick up the tab on your own. Finally there is the scenario where you are not initially awarded a scholarship. NROTC allows several opportunities to win a scholarship while enrolled in the program. If you do not receive a scholarship but can attend an affordable college with NROTC you can still enroll in the program and commission, perhaps earning a scholarship along the way. The last is the path my son took and he was awarded a scholarship during his sophomore year.

Good luck on your adventure!

 

[mcnavy]

Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - Additional Benefits

The NROTC Program was established to educate and train qualified young men and women for service as commissioned officers in the Navy and Marine Corps.

www.public.navy.mil

here is a link that provides additional benefits for ROTC students. For instance, I go to LSU and tuition for me is in state although I am an out of state student. So if for any reason I am on LOA, I pay in state rates just for being in NROTC. Also works the same as college programmers.

 

[FastFood44]

Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - Additional Benefits

The NROTC Program was established to educate and train qualified young men and women for service as commissioned officers in the Navy and Marine Corps.

www.public.navy.mil

here is a link that provides additional benefits for ROTC students. For instance, I go to LSU and tuition for me is in state although I am an out of state student. So if for any reason I am on LOA, I pay in state rates just for being in NROTC. Also works the same as college programmers.

On top of that, really take a look at that list.. lots of “smaller” schools that aren’t as popular and don’t necessarily get talked about enough with great units.