Colleges on application

[hdl160]

Hi I am a junior and I am applying for ROTC scholarships next year. This might be a dumb question but how many colleges do you request a scholarship for when you apply? Also is there a specific strategy when ranking them? I'm just trying to plan things out. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Falcon A]

It depends which ROTC you plan to apply for.

For Army ROTC, you need to pick schools to include in your application. I think it is up to 3.

For AF ROTC, you don't have to pre-select schools.

I don't have experience with Navy ROTC or Marines.

You should do research on the various ROTC sites on-line. Those websites will explain each Service's rules for their ROTC program.

 

[eljay60]

It kind of goes from one extreme to the other. All will ask you to list schools you are considering.

The NROTC award is to a particular unit. If there are cross-town schools associated with that unit, they are all considered as a single unit. They ask you to list several units - not colleges. In our case, it meant that U of Michigan was the unit, and since Eastern Michigan is part of the crosstown, it couldn't be used as another college. Transfers from unit to unit can happen, but are not guaranteed. I'm sure some NROTC people here can clarify that.

AFROTC national scholarships can be used at any detachment. Therefore, a detachment can end up with three contracted freshman one year and thirty the next. They do ask for schools - but the award does not need to be used at a school you have listed on your application.

AROTC (I believe) awards to particular schools from your list. Say you put down 5 colleges - they may say you can use the award to one of these 3 schools. It is possible, again, to transfer the scholarship if both units involved are in agreement. From what Clarksonarmy has written, that does not seem to be prohibitively difficult.

 

[hdl160]

It kind of goes from one extreme to the other. All will ask you to list schools you are considering.

The NROTC award is to a particular unit. If there are cross-town schools associated with that unit, they are all considered as a single unit. They ask you to list several units - not colleges. In our case, it meant that U of Michigan was the unit, and since Eastern Michigan is part of the crosstown, it couldn't be used as another college. Transfers from unit to unit can happen, but are not guaranteed. I'm sure some NROTC people here can clarify that.

AFROTC national scholarships can be used at any detachment. Therefore, a detachment can end up with three contracted freshman one year and thirty the next. They do ask for schools - but the award does not need to be used at a school you have listed on your application.

AROTC (I believe) awards to particular schools from your list. Say you put down 5 colleges - they may say you can use the award to one of these 3 schools. It is possible, again, to transfer the scholarship if both units involved are in agreement. From what Clarksonarmy has written, that does not seem to be prohibitively difficult.

This is really helpful. Thanks!

 

[Ex.BT.USN]

Your strategy should really be to apply to colleges you like, have your major and are in your realistic wheelhouse of where you will be accepted. Nobody has an answer to how many kids apply to any one college of order.

Example for NROTC. You need to apply to 5 schools. If one of the schools is a state school you have to make it your No. 1 choice with another 4 to follow. If you don’t have a state choice no matter what if you want 5 private....not happening your 3rd choice has to be a public university. Bottom line it will be different for all. That all said go back to what I first said. Your best strategy should be what works best for your wheelhouse.

 

[jaglvr]

Your strategy should really be to apply to colleges you like, have your major and are in your realistic wheelhouse of where you will be accepted. Nobody has an answer to how many kids apply to any one college of order.

Example for NROTC. You need to apply to 5 schools. If one of the schools is a state school you have to make it your No. 1 choice with another 4 to follow. If you don’t have a state choice no matter what if you want 5 private....not happening your 3rd choice has to be a public university. Bottom line it will be different for all. That all said go back to what I first said. Your best strategy should be what works best for your wheelhouse.

My DS had to make his 3rd choice an in state public university. Originally he didn't have any of our state schools (public or private) on the list. We at first read the requirements as meaning ANY state school in the US was appropriate. But nope, there has to be one from YOUR state in the list, and if it's not your #1 choice, it has to be top 3. At least that was what the Regional NROTC person told DS when he reviewed DS's application before submission. DS had to re-prioritize his list. All of his choices were out of state (land locked states aren't the best choice to study marine biology) so he made his state school #3 with an environmental science major. All of his choices are state universities, just not our state... Thankfully he's been admitted to 4 of the 5 (SUNY hasn't responded yet) so now we wait with crossed fingers he receives a NROTC scholarship.

 

[rolihous]

With Army ROTC you can list up to 7 schools. There must be 2 instate schools and at least 2 public universities on the application if you use all 7 slots.

 

[5centsmom]

My DS was required to apply to one state school for NROTC, and up to five for the scholarship list.

He is very determined to be a naval officer! He didn’t stop there...he also applied to 3 schools which have NROTC programs/units beyond the five he could set. His idea is that he could be a sort-of walk-on and train with the unit as much as they’d let him. He could then re-apply and he’d be already at a school with a unit.

Just an idea for others who may be similarly determined.

We’re still waiting.

 

[Hopeful-Dad]

I believe NROTC will allow the applicant to list 1 to 5 schools on the application of which an in-state school has to be in the top 3. That said, I imagine the selection board probably frowns upon picky applicants that specify only one or two schools. Also, the scholarship is contingent on you specifying a school/unit that the placement board is able to place you into based on openings at the time they receive your selection board-approved package. Additionally, the scholarship is contingent on you being accepted into one of the schools into which the NROTC unit has openings. On your application, you specify whether you only want placement into your first choice, or if you’ll accept placement into any of the schools on your application, or any unit to which they can find an opening. I believe that the more flexible you can be, the more likely you are to be selected and placed (certainly the latter, at least). Ideally, you specify 5 schools, are awarded the scholarship, the placement board is able to place you into your first choice unit, and you are accepted by that school. But it’s easy to see how one of the latter two factors may not work out - hence the more schools you list and apply to, the better off your odds are of the stars aligning.

DS has a different problem than others on this thread - he was awarded the Immediate Scholarship Reservation (ISR), but his NROTC Coordinator hasn’t submitted the package yet, so although he’s guaranteed the scholarship and was accepted into all of the schools he listed, the units are filling up fast now and I’m hoping there are still openings in one of the units he listed when the placement board finally receives his package.

Anyway, keep lots of options on the table and best of luck!

 

[CrewDad]

HDL160.
You can pick 7 for Navy. And need to pick at least 1 or 2 public colleges. The rest can be private. You will need to rank top 3 and one has to be public. In your offer, your Navy Portal will display top 5 schools you selected in order of your personal rank. You can change the rank order prior to App submission. Navy will place your scholarship to your number 1 choice. When scholarship offered, Accept immediately! Don’t wait 30 Days.

Army you will have to rank also. Only will display top 3 choices when you win the scholarship. Army will place your scholarship to your top 1 choice. If selected for full scholarship to your number one school, accept immediately. Don’t wait 30 Days.

Air Force you will have to select the schools as well. But there is no personal rank option. Air Force will send your info including how you scored overall to all colleges you listed in the App. Make sure you list preferred major 1 and 2. If you have strong ACT or SAT Score and overall strong score from your App, you can get Type 1 Scholarship which is for STEM and Humanities, mostly offered to Engineering Majors. Only 10% get T1, full ride. 20% get T2 $18,000. T1 and T2 are for very few and you would have to have very strong overall candidate score to win them. The rest 70% get T7, partial scholarship that pays for most public school instate tuition. Air Force will officially place your scholarship once you send them admissions letter from the school/s you were admitted.

If changing school before enrollment, you can transfer scholarship to the school you will enroll. We are told Navy and Army will in most cases let you transfer scholarship so long as that school has the funds that year. So should check with that school before you make the request.

Above info are very recent. And I hope it is similar to others’ experience as they should be since all national scholarship awards are managed at the same source. My DS received his ROTC Scholarships to all 3 services back in November, and we learned more through visits to Colleges that are hosting his Scholarships in the last 2 weeks. Air Force visit is as recent as today!

I hope this was helpful. Good luck to you Son!

 

[CrewDad]

Sorry HDL160 for calling you son. Good luck with the ROTC Scholarship!