Help!!! Out of shape, but would still like to apply!

futureplebe

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I’m interested in a NROTC scholarship but might apply for AFROTC scholarship as well, but I think I would prefer the Navy.

Ok, so long story short, I am pretty much set grade wise/academics to put me in range for a NROTC scholarship (4.2ish weighted GPA, 2110 SAT, Eagle Scout, Class Rep in Student Govt, AP US History Student of the Year, grant writing for a non-profit I am a volunteer at, 400+ service hours, etc… One noticible thing I am missing is varsity letters, all I have is a year of football and 2 years of JV track, so nothing to write home about)


So, I didn’t apply (yet) because I am out of shape and I don’t think I would pass the Navy physical test.
I’m not in terrible shape, I’m about 6’1 and 190 pounds, so I’m not morbidly obese or anything, but I could definitely lose some weight. I know that for Navy, the test consists of 2 minutes of push-ups, 2 minutes of sit-ups and a 1.5 mile run. I think I could train to do average/below average in sit-ups and pushups, but I read somewhere, maybe here, that the minimum for the run is 11:00 for men….I don’t think I could do that. My best mile time was probably when I was a near peak athleticism for me and it was 7:30, and at that pace it wouldn’t it get 11:00…

I’ve been trying to train and workout, but it is hard as a first semester senior with school work, college apps, all my classes are either AP or PSEOP, working, studying for the SAT 2s, etc… it’s crazy.
I’m able to work out a little, but not nearly as much as I’d like to and need to. In December things should slow down and I’m going to try to get back on track again.


But am I too late? I forgot to mention that I am applying for a Tier 3 major, so that will hurt me even more.


I’m pretty sure I’m going to apply now. Today I received a letter from one of my top choice colleges talking about how on the SAT I indicated I am interested in ROTC, and then I looked at the benefits that the school attached…I’d only have to pay about $7-9k at a school that costs 55k (adding up the full tuition award, the school kicks in 4k, $750 book allowance and $250 monthly stipend). I’d be ecstatic if I could go for under 10k. I’m seriously considering joining the military anyway, so why not use it as way to pay for college.

But I’m still wondering about the fitness thing and what should I do. Is there any way to have my interview before I take my fitness test? In my head, I was hoping they could offer me a tentative scholarship and if I meet __X__ fitness requirements by say March/ April I will receive the award…but that is just in my head and I am applying way to late, haha.



Thanks, where should I go from here? I plan on visiting my local Navy recruiting center (there is one kind of close to my school) sometime this week and hopefully a recruiter there can help me.
 
There is not a fitness test during the application process for a Navy option NROTC scholarship.
 
Really?


...well I feel like an idiot. I guess I was look at the fitness require
ents for college enrolled mids?


Thanks
 
I’m not in terrible shape, I’m about 6’1 and 190 pounds, so I’m not morbidly obese or anything, but I could definitely lose some weight.

6' 1" / 190lbs is well within every branch's weight standard.
 
ge/below average in sit-ups and pushups, but I read somewhere, maybe here, that the minimum for the run is 11:00 for men….I don’t think I could do that. My best mile time was probably when I was a near peak athleticism for me and it was 7:30, and at that pace it wouldn’t it get 11:00…

Thanks, where should I go from here? I plan on visiting my local Navy recruiting center (there is one kind of close to my school) sometime this week and hopefully a recruiter there can help me.

Just start working on it!
Just beware, the recruiter is not going to help you go ROTC. They want you to enlist. You might try talking to one of the officers at your top choice school.
 
I figured they would probably bug me about enlisting, but last year a rep from NROTC came to my school and he said he was from the local office and to come with him with any questions or help with the application.




Wait, so if I get the Navy option scholarship, I won't have to pass the physical standards by, the very latest, the end of freshman year?
Obviously I will work to get where I need to be in high school, but I thought you needed a fitness test as part of your application.



Ok, thanks guys.




Edit:
So I'm going to miss the November board most likely? Unless I submit my app by like tomorrow and my references get contacted soon, etc...? So I have the December, Jan, Feb and March boards left.

I'm starting the app right now, hope to have it in by this week.
 
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Ok, I just noticed something, I might be interested in a Tier 2 major!!! This would really help


Quantitative Economics




Not sure how it is different that regular Econ (which I am interested in majoring in) but I'm guessing it is more math based and a google search has it clumped together with finance, which is probably my top choice for major right now.


But I just looked up some of the schools I'm interested in...and none of them have majors called Quantitative Econ, just regular Econ, Business Econ, International Econ, etc...

Would I be allowed to do regular Econ or finance if none of my schools offer Quantatative Econ? Probably not....


Might just stick to putting tier 3 on my application. Not sure



Thanks
 
Just start working on it!
Just beware, the recruiter is not going to help you go ROTC. They want you to enlist. You might try talking to one of the officers at your top choice school.

My recruiter never once mentioned enlisting to me. But maybe I got lucky.

NROTC Applicant
 
Ok, I just noticed something, I might be interested in a Tier 2 major!!! This would really help


Quantitative Economics




Not sure how it is different that regular Econ (which I am interested in majoring in) but I'm guessing it is more math based and a google search has it clumped together with finance, which is probably my top choice for major right now.


But I just looked up some of the schools I'm interested in...and none of them have majors called Quantitative Econ, just regular Econ, Business Econ, International Econ, etc...

Would I be allowed to do regular Econ or finance if none of my schools offer Quantatative Econ? Probably not....


Might just stick to putting tier 3 on my application. Not sure



Thanks

I was going to pursue a tier 3 until I found quantitative economics. Like you, I want to do econ and realized that by picking up quantitative econ I just have to take on some more math (which I can do). However, I did have a tough time finding colleges I liked that offered quantitative econ. Luckily for me, the school I want to attend (Boston University) offers a degree called Economics and Mathematics- which satisfies the tier 2 major.

In my limited experience, I highly recommend going for a Tier 2 major. If you're really serious about getting the scholarship you need to understand how much your chances are diminished by if you go for a Tier 3...
 
Thanks. I'm going to try and make it to the recruiter sometime this week.


Yeah, I know being teir 1/2 would help a ton, and you have to be really good to get a tier 3 scholarship...but qualititative Econ is the only thing I am remotely interested in on the 1/2 list.


It's cool that BU works out for you. I wonder if I could major in Finance or Economics and just minor in math...? I wonder if that would satisfy it. Probably not, but it might be worth a shot.








Oh, and I think I'm going to apply for AROTC now too. Do you need to take a fitness test as apart of the application process for the Army? I hear Army does not care so much about major, and that would be nice.



Thanks
 
Yeah, for AROTC you have to take a fitness test. It's 1 min of pushups 1 min of curl ups (not sit ups) and a timed mile. Your grades are very good though, so as long as you can get average scores on the fitness test, you should be fine. And yes, AROTC doesn't really pay attention to your major unless its in theatre or something like that.
 
At this point, what would be better, train a couple months for the next (and last) AROTC board and have a decent shot at passing th fitness test. But what if my schools fill up their slots....

Or cram for this board and try to get everything by this December and possibly not get the minimum 150 points needed to pass the fitness test. But I would be on tap for two boards.


Would my grades be a way to counteract my below average(possibly failing) fitness scores? I donlt mean to brag, but clearly my academic profile helps me out way more than my athletic/fitness results. 4.18 GPA 2110 SAT, Eagle Scout, a lot of community service, worked 1/2 jobs throughout high school, student government, etc...






...I really dropped the ball applying soooo late
 
I dont think their is an actual "failing grade" for the AROTC fitness test, you just have to do as much as you can. The board uses a formula and takes everything in application and converts it into a number. there are 1000 points total, and lets just say the fitness test is worth 100 pts, if you get a 50/100 on it, but you get a 100/100 on grades, then you obviously get 150 points out of 200. So there is no way to actually make up those points because they are in a specific catagory. From what I understand, and I could possibly be wrong, the board will only look at the individual catagories if two applicants score the same. I think to get the academic points you need to have a GPA of over 3.0, a high SAT which you have, and at least 2-3 AP/IB (and possibly honor) classes. Sorry if that sounds confusing, but it kinda is. If you dont understand it feel free to message me and Ill try to make what I just said more coherant lol
 
All right that is good to hear.


I think I am going to sack up and try to apply for the next board. This way I will at least be available for two board cycles. I believe someone posted in another thread that the deadline for ALL things to be in by is December 27, 2010. And I guess I have to schedule an interview with a ROTC Leader at a local school or preferably my top choice school. Only problem for me, of the seven schools I put on my list, most are pretty far away. I live in Ohio and my first school is Georgetown, so that is kind of off the list (to interview at). Michigan is #2, and that would be about a 2.5 hour drive. That is not that bad, and my parents would not really mind taking me there if it would help getting a full tuition scholarship. I live in NE Ohio, so John Carroll would be the closest, but I heard that if you can, go to one of your top choices for an interview, if it works out.

And with regards to the fitness test, living in Ohio may screw things up again. Since I screwed up and waited too long and want to take the fitness test in December…there is the possibility of snow. I’ll just have to plan to do it on a 40 degree day and hope there is not snow on the track.

Also, who can administer the test? (I know coaches can do it, but….) I’d like my old shot and disc coach to do it, but he is not employed by the school. Only football and bball head coaches work for the school as teachers, along with some assistants, but a majority of assistant coaches have different jobs so they only coach and get paid a little by the school.
And last year my track position coach was part time because he took a new job. I am close to him though, would he be able to give me the test?


Thanks. Fitness is going to hurt my app probably, but at least it shouldn’t completely sink me.



Thanks sg1, and eveyone else. You’ve been really helpful!





Edit:
I just checked Michigan's academic calander and they have finals going through Dec. 22. Does that mean I could (could being a key word) interview with the PMS up there through that date? That would work well for me because I get off school the 16th, so it would be easy to make a trip up to Ann Arbor to interview.
 
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Ok, so I went to visit an Army and a Navy recruiter today.

I went to the Army one first and the guy first acted like he didn’t know what ROTC was. Of course he had heard of ROTC but he said I had to apply to each school's individual ROTC battalion and that was how I would get in (which I guess is technically true, but I know you have to apply for an Army ROTC Scholarship, like a national application). Then he went back and talked to some guy who was busy and couldn’t talk with me. But he said that in order to do ROTC in college, you need to join the reserves first (as a H.S. senior) and drill on the weekends.


I guess he was talking about the SMP program?


I gave the Army guy my contact info and he took my height and weight. With clothes on, I barely meet the physical requirements. Haha, my scale is off by about 5 pounds at home. I’m working on that right now. I’ve always worked out on and off, but now I’m going to try and be consistent and try for at least 3x a week.
But I’m going back to the Army recruiter this Monday, 11/22 and he said he would try to set up a meeting for me with a guy who knows more about ROTC but was too busy to talk to me today. We’ll see how it goes. I’m pretty confused though to say the least.


The Navy guys were great. They all knew about ROTC and were very eager to help. They made it clear that I could get all my stuff in for the December board and they would be there to help me. They didn’t know about the major tiers, though (I’m probably going to be tier 3) and they made it sound that with my SAT score I’d be a shoo-in for the scholarship…but I know that’s not exactly the case.

They gave me a phone number for a guy in my area that solely does NROTC and I called him after leaving the office. He was very helpful and reiterated what the guys at the Recruiting office said, about being prompt with recommendations, get the app in and he would help me get everything done in order to be ready for the December Board. He also made it sound like being a tier 3 major would not hurt that much, they still have spots for non-tech kids.


I also scheduled a meeting with him in a week and a half to finalize the paper work and he said his boss is qualified to give me an interview. So I guess my interview is going to be the Monday after Thanksgiving!
Hopefully I can be on the table for 5 NROTC boards


Thanks everyone. I’m going to have to dig up some old threads about the interview and what I should expect. I’m not that nervous, I pretty good at these kind of things, but it is best to prepare.

Thanks again everyone
 
They made it clear that I could get all my stuff in for the December board and they would be there to help me...

..he would help me get everything done in order to be ready for the December Board.
Hopefully Ms. Parker doesn't find out that these guys were giving out confidential information about when the NROTC boards are going to meet.
Boards are considered confidential and unfortunately we are unable to discuss when they actually convene.

Melissa Parker
Ms. Melissa A. Parker
Human Resources Technician
NROTC Scholarship Placement Office
NSTC Officer Development (Code OD2)
250 Dallas Street
Pensacola, FL 32508-5220
DSN Phone: 2-9380
Commercial Phone: (850) 452-9380
Fax: (850) 452-2486
Email: melissa.a.parker@navy.mil
Placement Email: pnsc_nrotc.placement@navy.mil
Hopefully I can be on the table for 5 NROTC boards

How do you know there will be five more NROTC boards? Did someone give you the dates they are supposed to convene?
Thanks.
 
This is true. You do have to report major to the Army, and they CAN ditch your scholarship if you choose to change major, but they have not done so to my knowledge. I'm an AROTC applicant, and you do have to do a physical test. It's just the president's challenge that you've done in gym for years-1 min push ups and sit ups, then a 1 mile run. Not too brutal.
 
Hopefully Ms. Parker doesn't find out that these guys were giving out confidential information about when the NROTC boards are going to meet.

Ms. Melissa A. Parker
Human Resources Technician
NROTC Scholarship Placement Office
NSTC Officer Development (Code OD2)
250 Dallas Street
Pensacola, FL 32508-5220
DSN Phone: 2-9380
Commercial Phone: (850) 452-9380
Fax: (850) 452-2486
Email: melissa.a.parker@navy.mil
Placement Email: pnsc_nrotc.placement@navy.mil


How do you know there will be five more NROTC boards? Did someone give you the dates they are supposed to convene?
Thanks.





They just said that there would be a board in December, they did not mention a date for December or the future board. They just said that there will be a board every month until April.
December + January + February + March + April = 5.
Or maybe I interpreted wrong, maybe they said about every month.



They said they would help me, i.e. go over my application, help me set up an interview.
They just said to be safe, I should do the App ASAP and they would help me get an interview coordinated, hopefully by the end of November.


Not sure how that could get them in trouble. Aren't there threads talking about monthly boards one here? I kind of did ask for a deadline for the December board and they said they didn't really know, just that there is usually one every month and to do it ASAP to be safe.



Edit: In retropsect, I might have remembered wrong, or only heard what I wanted to hear. The guy I talked to at the recruiting office said something allong the lines of there should be one before the end of this year (so December?). He said that the boards usually occur often and there will be more after January, and he thought the last one was in April.


Second Edit:

I knew I heard it somewhere before and I thought I pieced it all together at the recruiting office.


We were told the first NROTC board would be in August with follow on boards every month.
 
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in general, general recruiting guys are not the best people to talk to about ROTC. You need to start talking to the recruiting officers or PMSs.

My son talked with the general Army recruiting staff at the beginning of this whole process. That was a COMPLETE waste of time. Worse yet, a lot of what they said turned out to be completely false. his impression was, these people are there to recruit enlisted soldiers and are completely clueless when it comes to ROTC application.

you get better advice from the experienced ROTC cadets and parents on this board.;
 
in general, general recruiting guys are not the best people to talk to about ROTC. You need to start talking to the recruiting officers or PMSs.

My son talked with the general Army recruiting staff at the beginning of this whole process. That was a COMPLETE waste of time. Worse yet, a lot of what they said turned out to be completely false. his impression was, these people are there to recruit enlisted soldiers and are completely clueless when it comes to ROTC application.

you get better advice from the experienced ROTC cadets and parents on this board.;


Yeah, I just wanted to start there. The Navy guys got me in contact with a guy that helped me .

I have a feeling the Army guy I'm meeting with Monday is going to talk about the reserves and getting my parents to sign when I'm 17. :/

Whatever, I'll see what they say. I was not impressed with the Army guy simultaneously chatting with someone on Facebook and telling me I had to join the Reserves in order to get a ROTC scholarship...
 
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