Entire ROTC Application Process

g0army

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I'm extremely confused on the ROTC 4 year scholarship application for high schoolers. Do I apply for a 4 year scholarship with the school or completely separate with the school? Or do I apply with that individual school and their ROTC program? I've heard you apply online or something and list your top 5 school choices and they choose the school your offered a scholarship for. Can someone please just add for some clarification please. Btw I don't know if Army's, Navy's, or Air Force's process is different so this is kind of just a general question towards all. Thanks
 
I only have direct experience with the Air Force process.

I believe all branches require applying through their national ROTC web site.

When the Air Force offers a scholarship, they will ask for your top school choices, however it's not binding. You can apply to any university that has a detachment or cross town unit. My son attended an university that wasn't one of his original choices.

I don't think the other branches give you that flexibility, but I don't have any direct knowledge of their processes.
 
I'm extremely confused on the ROTC 4 year scholarship application for high schoolers. Do I apply for a 4 year scholarship with the school or completely separate with the school? Or do I apply with that individual school and their ROTC program? I've heard you apply online or something and list your top 5 school choices and they choose the school your offered a scholarship for. Can someone please just add for some clarification please. Btw I don't know if Army's, Navy's, or Air Force's process is different so this is kind of just a general question towards all. Thanks

The Army Online application can be found here

http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/hs_four_year_scholarship.jsp

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the orange button that says "Take the next step: Create and Account"

You will get to list up to 7 schools of which Cadet Command will choose up to 5 (depending upon slots available) for you to select a scholarship for if your application is selected for a scholarship.

If you are applying for Fall 2010, you need to start this ASAP, as it will take time for you to get an interview, get your test scores and transcripts to Cadet Command and get a required Physical Fitness Test result into Cadet Command. Only then can they offer you a scholarship at a monthly (or thereabouts) board. Deadlines for the online application are in January with all paperwork done in February. Realistically, they start running out of scholarships at many schools earlier than that, so I suggest that you start today.
 
It is a central process at cadet command.
However, each school is allocated x amount of slots for scholarships.
Once you get that list back of schools you are approved for, you choose one of them.
 
You apply to the schools as you would a regular student.

You also apply to AROTC for the scholarship to those schools.

It's a 2 step process...one application to the school, one to AROTC.

Keep great records, copies of everything you send in and get started ASAP.
:thumb:
 
im only a junior so i still have a year but thanks a lot guys im a lot more cleared up on subject. However, does my choice of school affect me getting a scholarship? Like is it easier to get a scholarship at small school versus a big state school?
 
im only a junior so i still have a year but thanks a lot guys im a lot more cleared up on subject. However, does my choice of school affect me getting a scholarship? Like is it easier to get a scholarship at small school versus a big state school?

Your school choices do affect your likelyhood of obtaining a scholarship in an indirect way.

Let me explain...

The Army allocates X number of scholarships for the entire country for a given year. However, at each battallion, they are given a fixed amount Y of scholarships based upon a host of factors (HBCU, High Cost, quality of recent graduates, etc.)

As you probably know, you can specify up to 7 schools on your application where the Army may award you up to 5 choices to use a scholarship if you are selected.

Scholarships winners are seleted on the the basis of total scoring of their applications. Typically, the applicants with the best grades, test scores, ECs, athletics, interview scores, etc. get the first pick. As high achieving students, they tend to pick the most selective of schools for their scholarships (although they typically will include their safety schools as well). So needless to say the units at bi-directional state U (no offense intended) aren't filled up in the early boards when the highest achieving applicants select.

The secret to ensuring that if you are selected (these days it is more competitive) that there is a school for you is to select schools that you will be very competitive in academically. These schools are more likely to have slots available when your number comes up at Cadet Command than your reach schools.

Also, PMS's at each school on your list are notified of your interest and are given the Yes/No say as to whether to offer you a scholarship. They will often go down to admissions to check on your application to see if you will be admitted (or have even applied - get the application in early!). Beyond that, they look to see if you are likely to select their school if you do get a scholarhship. Here is where you can improve your chances by taking the time to contact the PMS at your top choice schools, learn about their programs and talk with the Cadre. When they have to make a choice between similiarly scored applicants, they will alway go with the one who they know is truly interested.

So, if you apply to realistic schools that you demonstrate genuine interest in, you can go a long way in improving your odds of actually getting a scholarship.

Don't try to play the guessing game of who's got how many scholarships because you cannot control how many other people apply.
 
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