Doesn't even make sense...

Had many PMS's call me saying they would love to me on their program, had great stats that were similar to many others on this forum and wasn't awarded a scholarship. Doesnt even make sense how people with similar and worse stats than me got scholarships to top tier colleges while i couldnt even get one from a state school sorry if this sounds like a rant just feeling pretty down right now :frown:

Like others have said, it's sometimes hard to figure out just how Cadet Command makes their decisions regarding scholarships.

Your stats are good, not the highest, but not the lowest. A lot has to do with slot availibility at the schools you listed. You are also competing with others for those same slots so it's hard to know what their stats were. It can be tough to see some offered a scholarship with stats similar to yours but realize they are probably not competing for the same school slots that you are.

Watching this process over the past few years I've seen some applicant with stellar stats not receive a scholarship and some with lower stats be awarded, again the school selection and slots available have a lot to do with the selections.

If a school you listed has only 3 slots available from the National board and there are 3 applicants with higher stats then you then it lowers your chances. Remember this is only the National slots, there is the possibility the school will have some campus slots they can offer. Make sure you keep in contact with the ROO at the schools you really want, keep your name out front and be ready to shine when you start school if you are not awarded a scholarship on the last board, also there is still a good chance the last board could be the one for you. Hang in there, this journey is just beginning.
 
I'm glad to see so many great posters giving you great advice. It is hard and confusing - my own DS was not choosen for a national scholarship and for a few days he took it very hard. Give yourself some time and as many have suggested - jump back in and go after it. Stay fit and smart. Read here on the forums, a lot of our kiddos have made it work without the scholarship by putting togther other scholarships and ARNG opportunties. The NG was my DS's ticket and honestly, I think he's better off for having had to really gut check and make some tough choices. The path is different and in the end he'll still get those much desired "bars" and the opportunity to be an officer.

Take care!
 
I'm surprised Kinnem hasn't chimed in. His DS showed up as a programmer in NROTC-MO and earned a scholarship. My DS's good friend earned a three year AROTC scholarship after freshman year.

A frequent poster, Bullet, had more doors shut in his face than Carter has little liver pills. Look through his past posts. He describes his odyssey in detail.

Whatever you do, don't get down and don't compare yourself/scores to others. Freshman year of college is hard enough. Just do your job (school/ROTC) with a good attitude and you will be surprised at the number of folks you will help and support you.

Wish you the best of luck. Don't forget to come back and offer your experience and wisdom to the next applicants who are hitting speedbumps.
 
+1 to all the great advice that has already been given. This is not the end of the road. And even a scholarship is not the end of the road. It's just the beginning of the road. If you want to stay on the road without a scholarship, or even with a scholarship, you'll need to pick yourself up after your knocked down and continue forward with even more determination.

cb7893 is right about my son. Further, my son messed up and got his application for an in-school school scholarship turned in a day late freshman year, so it wasn't considered. As he said at the time, "When you knock me down I'm gonna get back up and come back at ya'". Must be the wrestler in him. He won an in-school scholarship the next semester. It takes hard work and dedication, but it takes that when you have a scholarship too. So with or without a scholarship you're on the same even playing field.

So take a little time to lick your wounds and then come back at 'em! :thumb: (And don't you want that attitude in someone who leads our troops?)
 
Kaiserstephan, I hear ya. My DD didn't get anything this board either or the previous board. I normally just read the posts and don't respond but I had to respond to you this time. I was broken hearted for her but i knew when I told her she would be crushed, which she was.

She too has worked her butt off for this. High ACT scores, amazing grades, athletics, etc. The whole package with a student who is focused and tenacious. She too was told by her top choice that she was a strong candidate who shouldn't have an issue getting at least a 3 year scholarship, but so far nothing but boarded is on her status.

After letting her spend some time feeling discouraged and sad I reminded her that she is a fighter who has fought her way through other discouragements in life and come out with something even better, and that ultimately God is in control of all of this, although I too think the ROTC's at the schools should be deciding which of their candidates gets the scholarships. So it isn't the way we were hoping or would choose for this to go. Okay, so what now? Give up? Heck no. Time to get back in the game and keep pushing through.

Hold on loosely to these results and determine to get there another way, or as so many have said have plan B, C, etc.. Know that everything will work out the way it is supposed to and that challenges make everyone stronger but don't ever give up on your ultimate dream. Getting there just may look different than what you had hoped.

Hang in there.
 
Thank you everyone realized that I gotta keep my head up and stay positive I really apperciate the advice and will look at other options
 
Hang in there, hold on, and have faith is all I can say. Your boat's not the only one that's riding rough. Some of us who won the first board are now getting DQ notifications for medical reasons. Yours truly is one of them. That high and elation from getting that scholarship after so much hard work has all come crashing down in a day. Now it's all about patience for the waiver process to come through. So we'll just have to hurry up and wait. It's the Army, and we better get used to it!:wink:
 
on-campus

Kaiserstephan,

I'm sorry to hear that you are so upset, but the fact that multiple battalions have called you to let you know that they are interested is really good! Battalions have the ability to award 3-year and EVEN 3 1/2 year scholarships in some cases. Also, depending on the battalion (and money given to them by the university), they have a lot of other monies they can award for room and board, out-of-state students, etc. So if you have battalions showing interest in you... USE THAT! Continue to improve physically (as we all can do- ESPECIALLY the winners) and don't stay down for too long man!

My dad has always told me: "Whether you think you will or you won't, you're probably right." So, like other have said, there are SO many ways to achieve your goals. ROTC is for anybody- regardless of scholarship, so WORST case scenario you can still be a part of ROTC and go for an on-campus scholarship once you're there.

No matter what happens... Good luck! And it's going to be for the best.
 
I wouldn't get too discouraged yet. With stats like that, I think you have a great shot at the 3rd board.

I remember the feeling last year the morning they posted results of the 2nd board and I saw I hadn't gotten anything.... It was so disappointing. I ended up getting a 3 year on the 3rd board, so don't give up yet.
 
Hang in there, hold on, and have faith is all I can say. Your boat's not the only one that's riding rough. Some of us who won the first board are now getting DQ notifications for medical reasons. Yours truly is one of them. That high and elation from getting that scholarship after so much hard work has all come crashing down in a day. Now it's all about patience for the waiver process to come through. So we'll just have to hurry up and wait. It's the Army, and we better get used to it!:wink:

Sorry to hear you got caught in the medical waiver process...but thanks for sharing that issue here. Perhaps someone should start a thread for those in your situation, got the scholarship but, oh wait...might be a title:wink:

and yes, absolutely - its the Army, hurry up and wait will be every cadets' (enlisted and officers') song from now until they discharge:thumb:
 
There are such great people here - so much wisdom and perspective! There is every reason to stay positive and more importantly, to get back up after being knocked down. It can be a blessing, really. The longer one goes without hitting a wall, the more it hurts when he finally does-and he will! Everyone smacks up against the wall sooner or later. Carry on, friends! You are awesome! :thumb:
 
FutureltMom:
How was your libation last night? What you said to Kaiserstephan was sweet and so true. All of these kids have worked hard. I tell my DSS and his ROTC cohorts all the time that while many teens are sleeping in on the weekends, they are rising at 3:30 am for Drill competitions and while the other students are sleeping on the weekdays, they are at school for ROTC Drill or PT practice daily at 6:4a.m. They are out volunteering their time. And they do all of this while maintaining a terrific GPA and class rank. The application process for the academies and scholarships and the Congressional nomination process is way more work intensive than most kids their age will ever have to do. The fact that they have experienced a Congressional interview (panel) or ROTC interview, will prepare them for job interviews later in life. So kudos to all of the young people on this site and a big hoorah for all of the parents and loved ones cheering them on. Scholarship or not, all of you will do great things with your lives!!!Don't ever give up!!! Just pray and God will show you the way!!

Unfortunately, I have to say my libation was rather underwhelming, so I ended up not even finishing my glass of wine. But, when we found out DS received a scholarship, we took him out for dinner and I made up for the bad wine by having a Woodford Reserve and ginger ale. It more than made up for the rot gut wine! :thumb:

On a more serious note, even if this part of their life plan isn't going the way they expected or hoped, your DS and his ROTC buddies, as well as all of the kids going through this process, are way ahead of a good portion of their peer group in terms of understanding goal setting, sacrifice, determination, work ethic, self-discipline, and perseverance. They definitely have a leg-up in terms of having the proper skill set to succeed in life.

There have been times where I have made major life decisions based on my prayers to God that I be shown the way I'm supposed to go. Then, once I took the path I thought I was being "told" to take, things didn't always go easy or the way I had hoped. There's been more than once where I've had a conversation with God and asked him what the heck he is trying to get me to see or to learn by having me in such a crappy situation? Then, years later, I find myself in a good place in life and realize that I never would have ended up there had it not been for going through the crap. So, the older I get, the more I believe that things happen for a reason.
 
Unfortunately, I have to say my libation was rather underwhelming, so I ended up not even finishing my glass of wine. But, when we found out DS received a scholarship, we took him out for dinner and I made up for the bad wine by having a Woodford Reserve and ginger ale. It more than made up for the rot gut wine! :thumb:

On a more serious note, even if this part of their life plan isn't going the way they expected or hoped, your DS and his ROTC buddies, as well as all of the kids going through this process, are way ahead of a good portion of their peer group in terms of understanding goal setting, sacrifice, determination, work ethic, self-discipline, and perseverance. They definitely have a leg-up in terms of having the proper skill set to succeed in life.

There have been times where I have made major life decisions based on my prayers to God that I be shown the way I'm supposed to go. Then, once I took the path I thought I was being "told" to take, things didn't always go easy or the way I had hoped. There's been more than once where I've had a conversation with God and asked him what the heck he is trying to get me to see or to learn by having me in such a crappy situation? Then, years later, I find myself in a good place in life and realize that I never would have ended up there had it not been for going through the crap. So, the older I get, the more I believe that things happen for a reason.

It's a shame you spoiled it with ginger ale! :rolleyes:
 
It's a shame you spoiled it with ginger ale! :rolleyes:

I agree! My husband usually doesn't steer me wrong, but I followed his lead and soon realized I shoulda just have gotten it on the rocks. Lesson learned!

It was still definitely a distinct improvement over the wine from the night before, though!
 
Had many PMS's call me saying they would love to me on their program, had great stats that were similar to many others on this forum and wasn't awarded a scholarship. Doesnt even make sense how people with similar and worse stats than me got scholarships to top tier colleges while i couldnt even get one from a state school sorry if this sounds like a rant just feeling pretty down right now :frown:

Kaiserstephan, my DS continually suffers setbacks because of a lousy freshman year in high school that he really couldn't recover from. He's now a freshman at an SMC. He's not on scholarship (though he did write a TON of essays and ended up with a couple of local scholarships that helped a little bit), he was not awarded an ROTC scholarship. He's taken out loans. He works hard in classes and got great grades first semester. He gets excellent PT scores and has proven himself in ECs at the school. Seems to me his cadre thinks highly of him. Still, no 3.5 or 3 year ROTC scholarship.

I've about given up hope for that scholarship.

At the same time, I know how much DS wants to be an officer in the U.S. Army, so I am now looking at the whole thing the same way I would any "normal" college — it's an investment in his future. He has taken out loans, and we will help him make this work.

My advice to you is keep plugging away, and seek out EVERY scholarship that even remotely might be available to you. Write the essay, send it in on time. You never know. Invest the time in your future now and no matter what happens next, IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

I feel your pain. Wish I could help more.
 
There are such great people here - so much wisdom and perspective! There is every reason to stay positive and more importantly, to get back up after being knocked down. It can be a blessing, really. The longer one goes without hitting a wall, the more it hurts when he finally does-and he will! Everyone smacks up against the wall sooner or later. Carry on, friends! You are awesome! :thumb:

+1 Well said:thumb:
 
There have been times where I have made major life decisions based on my prayers to God that I be shown the way I'm supposed to go. Then, once I took the path I thought I was being "told" to take, things didn't always go easy or the way I had hoped. There's been more than once where I've had a conversation with God and asked him what the heck he is trying to get me to see or to learn by having me in such a crappy situation? Then, years later, I find myself in a good place in life and realize that I never would have ended up there had it not been for going through the crap. So, the older I get, the more I believe that things happen for a reason.[/QUOTE]


Very wise words.
 
Back
Top