Being properly chastized, I have the following suggestions:
1. Do NOT rush your essays in your NROTC application - whether it is submitted this week or next, you have many boards in the future to consider your app (I put the list of boards on another thread yesterday - only two have already occured and since it takes about two weeks to get your completed app before the board, you would still likely be available for consideration by two boards before the winter break). Write your essays in Word or WordPerfect BEFORE cutting and pasting them on the application; spellcheck them; and have two sets of eyes (English teacher is good, as is a parent if they are grammarians) review them.
2. Line up your three references NOW. Make sure that they have the interest and inclination and time to write you a letter of recommendation. Remember that the third letter can be from a coach or nonteacher.
3. Send your ACT/SAT scores NOW to the NROTC. The program will superscore both (which is unusual for ACT but common for SAT among colleges), but it takes several weeks since the services "batch" scores from previous tests on a schedule for transmission as instructed by the recipient.
4. Once your application is completed expect to be interviewed within two weeks. Make sure you are available. There have been posted on this site the kinds of questions you can expect.
5. In selecting your five college choices (one of which must be a state school), consider the strength of the program; whether many mids come from your school if it is in a consortium; what the history of the battalion has been regarding the mids getting their first choice upon graduation; the environment on campus towards NROTC (since you will be wearing your uniform one day a week); whether the school kicks in extra $ benefits for mids; and the estimated time commitment weekly (which varies). You can find these out by calling the programs directly.
6. Carefully review the Tier 1, 2 and 3 majors, keeping in mind that only 15% of all scholarships (including language-related) are Tier 3, and that you would likely lose your scholarship if you try to change majors from Tier 1 or 2 to 3.
7. Lastly, perhaps the best presentation on NROTC (regardless of where you want to go) is the following link:
http://www.slideshare.net/robwong4/nrotc-guide-2010
Best of luck.