Commanders Selection- Special NROTC scholarship

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NavyUMO

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Hello all. My DS heard from his recruiter that perhaps there is a special allocation of NROTC scholarships that are available and can be given by the local Recruiting district Commander that occur outside and in advance of the regular NROTC selection process for "highly qualified candidates". He didn't specify what that highly qualified criteria would be or how many we are talking but sounds perhaps like one of the "too good to be true" deals. Has anyone had any experience with this or can attest to the validity? Our recruiter, though he seems to be a very good guy, also is brand new to NROTC... this is his first applicant cycle. Any advice or belly button I could reach out to verify would be most appreciated.
 
@NavyUMO - there are quite a few threads discussing the ISR. In several of those threads the recipients list their stats. A review of those posts should give you an idea about the caliber of the recipients. All of the recipients of the NROTC scholarship are "highly qualified." My guess is that those that are awarded the ISR are exceptional in all 3 areas (Academics, Athletics, Leadership)
 
Reading some if the older threads is a great idea. It will give an idea of the different experiences of them as there is some flexibility amongst Commanders on how they give these and what each was looking for. The other thing is, if offered, they will ask them to commit to this. If they have a SA app in and have no gotten a decision the candidate can feel very pressured sometimes. If a SA is not of interest, no issue. The older threads will definitely give info and perspective on this.
 
+1 to @Go Dores!, @EEBTTF, and @NavyHoops

I have always wondered if there was a "hook" involved also. Absolutely no disrespect intended (and I want to be hyper sensitive to that) but I wonder if there is a soft qualification in play such as a legacy, a first generation, a CO's need to extend x offers, competition amongst units, or anything else that might tip the scale. Whatever it is, for those seeking an NROTC scholarship an ISR is a great opportunity. Based on what I have read, it does come with some pressure to accept on the spot.

Good luck to your DS.
 
My DS was awarded an ISR a few years back. I have written in several threads about his experience with it. I can't tell you what set him apart for the ISR. Just to clarify, the timing of ISRs is not necessarily in advance of regular NROTC scholarships. My DS was offered his in September, but I've seen others offered ISRs later in the cycle. Also, as it relates to SA applications, DS was told committing to an ISR would not affect any SA appointment. He was free to turn down the ISR later if he was offered an appointment. He was not pursuing any SAs, so a moot point for him.
 
My son received his NROTC scholarship via ISR last October and will be using the scholarship this fall when he leaves for college. I previously posted a few details of his qualifications and experience through the process. It was a wonderful surprise to be awarded the scholarship so early in the process and relieved some of the pressure he was feeling. To add to the conversation: he does not come from a military family, is not a minority, and received absolutely NO pressure to accept on the spot or told that he could lose it if he didn't accept it before the May deadline.
 
@USMCGrunt I couldn't find any "hook" when DS was offered his, except that we were told this was the Navy's way of securing him before he went another way, either to another service branch or accepted a generous scholarship package from a university and did not participate in ROTC at all. We were told the military is just like any corporation and is looking to secure high caliber future employees and this was a way of getting them before someone else did. While he was asked to commit to using the scholarship if he accepted it, he was told upfront that this was not a legally binding commitment. For him it was a perfect opportunity. He was Navy all the way via NROTC. He was not interested in any other branch or USNA. I sometime wonder what his plan B would have been if something didn't work out. Glad we didn't have to find out. It's so cool to see the man he is becoming and watch him as he prepares for his 1/c year and his upcoming leadership positions this fall.
 
+1 to all the posters with direct experience. I am happy to hear the experiences differ from what I had come to believe. Best for me to step out and let those knowledgeable in the process weigh in from here forward.

@ProudDad17 - I couldn't agree more that this seems to parallel the civilian world where signing bonuses and other perks are used to try and lock up good candidates before they change their mind.
 
ProudDad17 said:
We were told the military is just like any corporation and is looking to secure high caliber future employees and this was a way of getting them before someone else did.
Click to expand...
Never thought of it that way before. Makes sense. Sounds like NROTC's answer to an LOA since one still has to get through DoDMERB (by definition).
 
My daughter received one (but went AFROTC) and my son's friend received one. The common factor was almost perfect - perfect ACT scores and a great all-around package that also got them into MIT and USAFA respectively. There really isn't anything you can do, it's up to the local NROTC office to decide who he/she wants to give his/her 2 or 3 ISRs to.
Receipt of one doesn't lock you into NROTC, so I don't know if the signing bonus example applies.
 
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