Confused about ROTC Scholarships

[RagingBull]

That is a good point about whats hot -- whats not. I would be interested to see what are the hottest locations for NROTC over the past 10 years and why. I am kind of amazed that University of South Florida (USF) and Univ of Tampa (UT) crosstown are not high on the list. Maybe they are, I am just not seeing the numbers and talk compared to Embry Riddle and Notre Dame to name a couple.

My son got the NROTC scholarship for USF Tampa but USF only accepted him to USF's St Petersburg campus. My son is in the process of switching the scholarship to UT. BTW, my son will be attending the first session of NSI this summer.

Blue!

 

[TCartens]

Blue!

That is the picture I use for my emails at work. People say that I am Blue but 30 years younger and much taller.

 

[hopefulhockeymom]

For those just starting to research the NROTC process for the next cycle, be sure to thoroughly read the primary source guidance as your first step. Here’s an excerpt from the NROTC scholarship site, relating to the scholarship program school application requirements:

“Applicants must enter five Navy ROTC affiliated colleges or universities in their scholarship application. If selected, we will try to place your scholarship at your first choice school, but due to limits on the number of scholarships that may be placed at each NROTC school, your scholarship may be placed at your second through fifth choice school. The scholarship offer is for a specific school and may not be used at any other NROTC school without prior approval. You must apply to, be accepted at, and enroll in your assigned school in order to utilize the scholarship. Applying to more than just your first choice school will increase the chances for acceptance and enrollment and will therefore increase the opportunities to use a scholarship if selected.”

Yes, she received an almost-full-ride to her other school, so we were prepared for her to go there, NROTC scholarship or not - it is kind of a "unicorn" school for her with the combo of ROTC and sports opportunities. She only entered the other schools bc it was required to enter something into the field- the "submit" button was unavailable/greyed out until she filled in each blank for all five schools. Kind of a design flaw in the form! We weren't sure what else to do!

 

[Capt MJ]

Yes, she received an almost-full-ride to her other school, so we were prepared for her to go there, NROTC scholarship or not - it is kind of a "unicorn" school for her with the combo of ROTC and sports opportunities. She only entered the other schools bc it was required to enter something into the field- the "submit" button was unavailable/greyed out until she filled in each blank for all five schools. Kind of a design flaw in the form! We weren't sure what else to do!

I would assume the form was designed to support the requirement to list 5 schools. This is all good reading for the next cycle of ROTC applicants, to comb through the primary source for all the program requirements.

Glad she has options.

 

[glen]

That is a good point about whats hot -- whats not. I would be interested to see what are the hottest locations for NROTC over the past 10 years and why. I am kind of amazed that University of South Florida (USF) and Univ of Tampa (UT) crosstown are not high on the list. Maybe they are, I am just not seeing the numbers and talk compared to Embry Riddle and Notre Dame to name a couple.

My son got the NROTC scholarship for USF Tampa but USF only accepted him to USF's St Petersburg campus. My son is in the process of switching the scholarship to UT. BTW, my son will be attending the first session of NSI this summer.

This DOD slide is a bit dated (2021), but does give the 10 Schools with the highest average number of NROTC commissions over the preceding five year period. Note Penn State appears in the top ten overall for ROTC commissions and except for the Senior Military Colleges, is the top producer over this five year period.

 

[Ihavenoidea]

This DOD slide is a bit dated (2021), but does give the 10 Schools with the highest average number of NROTC commissions over the preceding five year period. Note Penn State appears in the top ten overall for ROTC commissions and except for the Senior Military Colleges, is the top producer over this five year period.

Does this show the quality of the programs at these schools, or the size of the ROTC units at these schools? I'm just wondering since the leadership turnaround for units is what 2-3 years, so I'm just wondering what the biggest reason for these top schools staying on top. Maybe its more to do with the quality of the MIDNs in these programs and them being high on the merit list to be commissioned?

 

[Gearhead5]

Is there any particular reason he has ruled out Air Force OTS as a path to being a commissioned officer?

If USAFA and AFROTC do not work out, then OTS is another highly competitive program to aim for. With strong college performance, sustained physical fitness and other criteria met, this is a program for college grads, with the application process starting while in college.

Officer Training School (OTS) - U.S. Air Force

The Air Force Officer Training School is a nine-week program that will challenge you mentally and physically. Start your journey today.

www.airforce.com

Officer Training School

Enlistment can be a rocky path to a commissioning program, if that is the goal, though all services have enlisted commissioning programs. Enlisted service members are the highly-valued, hands-on, get-it-done heart and soul of any military service, working in tandem with officer leadership to accomplish the mission. They do enter at the very bottom of the skills, leadership and pay ladder, and it takes some years before they can progress to higher positions of responsibility and leadership.

A big thank you to Capt MJ for the kind words extended to the enlisted community!

 

[glen]

Does this show the quality of the programs at these schools, or the size of the ROTC units at these schools? I'm just wondering since the leadership turnaround for units is what 2-3 years, so I'm just wondering what the biggest reason for these top schools staying on top. Maybe it’s more to do with the quality of the MIDNs in these programs and them being high on the merit list to be commissioned?

I did not suggest this chart shows quality of an ROTC program. I was responding to a previous post asking about what schools were “hot” in the sense students were choosing to bring their scholarships there. The DOD chart does not identify quality of unit performance other than provide a five year average of commissions, which I think is a fair measure of how many students choose it for ROTC training. As you can see from the chart, many of these institutions are well known for producing officers from their NROTC departments. Bottom line for individual ROTC military departments is meeting their mission goal of generating commissions. ROTC departments follow the same classroom and laboratory activities. They are given missions and scholarship slots based on past performance in commissioning. Quality and motivation of instructors varies too much to base a decision on which school to attend on personnel. I would never suggest a student pick a school based on what is a popular choice for ROTC. Too many other factors should be a priority - academic major, size of student body and average number of students in a typical class during the first and second year, quality of faculty, quality of campus facilities and of course total cost. Too many things can interrupt a students four year journey to a commission to base attendance at a particular college on its ROTC unit. Many drop out of ROTC during that first year.

 

[Capt MJ]

A big thank you to Capt MJ for the kind words extended to the enlisted community!

Well deserved! It’s a team. No one is better than the other. If that relationship is fueled by mutual respect, understanding and commitment to the mission, with some fun along the way, that’s the joy of being at a command with a successful culture and a happy crew.

I have posted this before, but at my first duty station, as the Port Ops DivO for 4 Navy tugboats, I was properly raised as a JO. My boss was a former Bosun’s Mate Limited Duty Officer (LDO) Lieutenant Commander. My fellow DivOs were a CWO4 Bosun, the Harbormaster, and a CWO4 Hull Tech, the Repair Officer. My 4 tugmasters were Chief Petty Officers. In the Pilot Shack office next to mine, there were 3 Master Chief Unlimited Tonnage Harbor Pilots. Once everybody got over the fact I was the first female officer there, and realized I was another green Ensign, they didn’t miss any opportunities to train me how to be a good DivO. Priceless. And I also got taught to drive tugboats, Mike boats, small craft, operate the floating crane and big and little forklifts, when we had a slow period. And go down into the tug bilges as well to see what the enginemen and repair folks had to deal with. Some of the best times of my career.

 

[Gearhead5]

That's a great point. OTS would be a great option and should go before enlistment. He does very well in math and right now has plans to get an engineering degree wherever he attends. Leadership has become a true passion for him through his time spent in civil air patrol. His dream is to become an officer in any branch of the military.

Capt MJ brings up a very good option with OCS/OTC. The enlisted route would be the very last option IMHO. As a prior enlisted service member, USN & USAF, it is possible to become an officer from the enlisted side, but the success rate is very low, think single digits.

I have known a few that have come from the enlisted side, an engineering duty officer in the Navy and a F-16 pilot from the enlisted side of the USMC. It can happen but it’s known as “The Hard Way “ for a reason.

If your son has good enough grades and is mature enough to get into college now is the best time to get a degree. I have known plenty of officers who went ROTC or OCS/OTS and had great success.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Gearhead5]

Well deserved! It’s a team. No one is better than the other. If that relationship is fueled by mutual respect, understanding and commitment to the mission, with some fun along the way, that’s the joy of being at a command with a successful culture and a happy crew.

I have posted this before, but at my first duty station, as the Port Ops DivO for 4 Navy tugboats, I was properly raised as a JO. My boss was a former Bosun’s Mate Limited Duty Officer (LDO) Lieutenant Commander. My fellow DivOs were a CWO4 Bosun, the Harbormaster, and a CWO4 Hull Tech, the Repair Officer. My 4 tugmasters were Chief Petty Officers. In the Pilot Shack office next to mine, there were 3 Master Chief Unlimited Tonnage Harbor Pilots. Once everybody got over the fact I was the first female officer there, and realized I was another green Ensign, they didn’t miss any opportunities to train me how to be a good DivO. Priceless. And I also got taught to drive tugboats, Mike boats, small craft, operate the floating crane and big and little forklifts, when we had a slow period. And go down into the tug bilges as well to see what the enginemen and repair folks had to deal with. Some of the best times of my career.

I was an EN on a small steam driven ship, starting out as an E-1, in the early ‘80’s. There is something to be said about small commands in all of the services! What a great story about how the CWO’s and CPO’s took a young Ensign under their wings.

As I moved up I would tell new E-3’s and below to trust our new JO’s. They are getting their feet wet as well and have a boatload more responsibilities and pressure than you can imagine. This is a team and we train to win.

Tugs, harbor craft, and small boats are hard working duty, but what a way to learn boat handling skills and “water rules of the road.”

 

[Capt MJ]

I was an EN on a small steam driven ship, starting out as an E-1, in the early ‘80’s. There is something to be said about small commands in all of the services! What a great story about how the CWO’s and CPO’s took a young Ensign under their wings.

As I moved up I would tell new E-3’s and below to trust our new JO’s. They are getting their feet wet as well and have a boatload more responsibilities and pressure than you can imagine. This is a team and we train to win.

Tugs, harbor craft, and small boats are hard working duty, but what a way to learn boat handling skills and “water rules of the road.”

I have a sea chest full of sea stories just from that tour. Nicknamed “Angel of Death,” because 3 times I was out on a slow Sunday afternoon learning to drive a YTB-class tug, I noticed a body washed in by the tide up on the breakwater. NCIS hated it when I had the duty. No head for women at the Port Building when I got there. Repair Shop built a sliding wooden sign for the head door: Men/Ensign, for the lockable door. Endless tales.
Sorry to derail the thread, but I think it can be instructive to hear about (a) fun and (b) the great feeling that comes when enlisted and officers work as a seamless team.

 

[Gearhead5]

Amen! I’m sure if we ever got the chance to meet we could tell stories for a long time. The students I interact with get just as much from my stories as the do from internal combustion engines, electrical systems, hydraulics, and petroleum fuels that I teach. Sure is great to have a Senior Officer have a positive exchange with an old enlisted salt like me here on SAF. We may not have all the answers but I think we can have a positive impact on those that are new to our military.

 

[Ihavenoidea]

I did not suggest this chart shows quality of an ROTC program. I was responding to a previous post asking about what schools were “hot” in the sense students were choosing to bring their scholarships there. The DOD chart does not identify quality of unit performance other than provide a five year average of commissions, which I think is a fair measure of how many students choose it for ROTC training. As you can see from the chart, many of these institutions are well known for producing officers from their NROTC departments. Bottom line for individual ROTC military departments is meeting their mission goal of generating commissions. ROTC departments follow the same classroom and laboratory activities. They are given missions and scholarship slots based on past performance in commissioning. Quality and motivation of instructors varies too much to base a decision on which school to attend on personnel. I would never suggest a student pick a school based on what is a popular choice for ROTC. Too many other factors should be a priority - academic major, size of student body and average number of students in a typical class during the first and second year, quality of faculty, quality of campus facilities and of course total cost. Too many things can interrupt a students four year journey to a commission to base attendance at a particular college on its ROTC unit. Many drop out of ROTC during that first year.

I wasn't trying to point out that you were saying the chart shows the quality of a ROTC program. I was asking the you, and the forum, what might be the reasons these units are producing high percentage of commissioned officers. That is all. The list also mentioned commissions and not 4 year scholarships, so I'm not sure that it shows that these units are popular with incoming freshman, other then if they have high number of MIDNs in the unit. It seems to show to me that the units are producing high numbers of officers. I was just wondering what people though were the reasons. I agree that the curriculum is standard, and leadership changes.

Personally, I think it is the level of commitment to NROTC and military bearing of MIDNs at these schools. They are also alittle more selective in admissions which seems to allure a intelligent candidate also.

I was just wondering if anyone else may think the same or have another theory.

 

[unkown1961]

I wasn't trying to point out that you were saying the chart shows the quality of a ROTC program. I was asking the you, and the forum, what might be the reasons these units are producing high percentage of commissioned officers. That is all. The list also mentioned commissions and not 4 year scholarships, so I'm not sure that it shows that these units are popular with incoming freshman, other then if they have high number of MIDNs in the unit. It seems to show to me that the units are producing high numbers of officers. I was just wondering what people though were the reasons. I agree that the curriculum is standard, and leadership changes.

Personally, I think it is the level of commitment to NROTC and military bearing of MIDNs at these schools. They are also alittle more selective in admissions which seems to allure a intelligent candidate also.

I was just wondering if anyone else may think the same or have another theory.

I think it's just because they have large units with lots of cadets.

 

[Jimdlt19]

This DOD slide is a bit dated (2021), but does give the 10 Schools with the highest average number of NROTC commissions over the preceding five year period. Note Penn State appears in the top ten overall for ROTC commissions and except for the Senior Military Colleges, is the top producer over this five year period.

We LOVVVVVED the Penn State NROTC Detachment, and DS' Mom is Alumni. Visited the Building/Office and at the Football tailgate. DS interviewed with them as well and was Selected.

 

[SLg]

Great point about the lower number of AFROTC scholarships out of high school these days. This is very consistent if you actually talk to leadership at individual AFROTC units. An increased number of scholarships are being awarded after Field Training, their words not mine. IMHO this is a good move by AFROTC in that all cadets regardless of major stand a very strong chance at a scholarship once Field Training is completed.

Newbie parent here - in the early stages of my DS applying as a college sophomore to AFROTC. What is Field Training? When is this done and what does it entail. Thank you!