How much does school preference effect scholarship chances

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gooseblitz

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My DS will apply for 2nd board.
If my DS is qualified and would his school choices effect his chances of 4 year scholarship?

Do they review all applicants against each other and award scholarships then just let the respective top school choices know that they have a potential cadet coming? Where does if you are accepted to college or not play into it?

My DS has applied early action to 8 schools. 7 of those are on his saved ROTC application. if he is selected by 2nd or 3rd and accepted by admissions at say 5 of the 7 schools does he then automatically have the option to attend any of those 5 schools or does the local PMO or ROO have to accept him as well.

Does his order of preference have any effect on this at all?

Just when I think I have no more questions I find another one.

Thanks in advance !
 
No preference for NROTC. This is a semi-recent change that wasn't in effect 4 years ago. Choose the school that is best for you.
 
I know school choice has no part in NROTC scholarship selection. Award and school assignment are two separate processes. In fact, IMHO, I don't see why order of preference would have anything to do with scholarship selection in any service. If they want you they'll assign the scholarship where they want, although they all do their best to give you their first choice (when possible).
 
For the Army ROTC is doesn't matter. The top 1000 get 4YR scholarships. However, if you chose to transfer the scholarship to a new school, sometimes it gets reduced to a 3 YR. Not sure of the specifics that cause that, just have seen it happen a couple of rare times.
 
Thanks all. Wondering specifically about Army ROTC. I see most 4 yr winners getting their first 3 schools. My DS does have 6 of his 7 schools he'd love to attend. Trying to maximize his options if he gets 4 year to top 3 schools. He is applied to all of them and waiting results of admissions and planning to apply to 2nd board. Just trying to figure out which schools to list in that top 3. He has 3 private schools (Santa Clara, USD, Pepperdine) that have already indicated he "should qualify" for merit based scholarships. He has 4 public schools 2 of which (UCSB and UCLA) at may be harder from admissions standpoint and less likely to get merit scholarship money (but he really loves UCSB.) Then has has SDSU (public, he likes school, low chance of merit aid as non resident) and Hawaii (easiest admission and he meets qualifications for Manoa Excellence Merit Scholarship)
 
gooseblitz said:
Thanks all. Wondering specifically about Army ROTC. I see most 4 yr winners getting their first 3 schools. My DS does have 6 of his 7 schools he'd love to attend. Trying to maximize his options if he gets 4 year to top 3 schools. He is applied to all of them and waiting results of admissions and planning to apply to 2nd board. Just trying to figure out which schools to list in that top 3. He has 3 private schools (Santa Clara, USD, Pepperdine) that have already indicated he "should qualify" for merit based scholarships. He has 4 public schools 2 of which (UCSB and UCLA) at may be harder from admissions standpoint and less likely to get merit scholarship money (but he really loves UCSB.) Then has has SDSU (public, he likes school, low chance of merit aid as non resident) and Hawaii (easiest admission and he meets qualifications for Manoa Excellence Merit Scholarship)
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Perspectives:

FYI that I believe the Manoa merit is 2k per year for 4 years. Room and Board there is : $13,642. 2k in Hawaii will cover about six orders of Mozzarella sticks, with no sauce. It won't even cover flights to/ from Hawaii for schooling and breaks, unless you're already in Hawaii or a parent is a pilot so he would fly free.

Santa Clara, Pepperdine are two of the most expensive schools in the nation. Beautiful, and if room and board are covered at either, that would be a home run on maximizing use of the scholarship.

However: You should research which schools on and off this list already provide room and board and even let students keep merit aid (make money!) while in school on a full ROTC scholarship and which do not. Malibu (Pepperdine)and Hawaii are frightfully expensive just to go out for a burger and fries off campus- please keep in mind that a percentage of scholarship winners in each branch do not make it to commission- mechanical injury, lateness, failing to meet standards, PRB, drug test, arrests for anything - mischief or more serious, drunken driving, GPA, etc. So choose a school you can afford without the scholarship as you may have to pay it back if DS does not make it all the way to commissioning and serving. Or, go in eyes open you're taking a risk you may owe Pepperdine 300K for a several semesters if he is dropped or cannot meet standards later in his path.

This being said, if it works out, what an awesome way to get a pepperdine or other ridiculously expensive education. Keep lining up options ABCDE. Good luck. I believe those who make through advanced camp summer are more likely to commission in Army than those who make it 1 year in Navy or Air Force. Air force this year is dropping scholarship participants after 2 years with high GPAs and no blatant issues - needs of the branch - which is in their contract but still stinks. Navy drops people from NSI and each semester when NO Navy options cannot pass Calc / Physics, and the aforementioned reasons to name a few.

Eyes open on the risk we all are taking as ROTC parents, some families or students have to pay the scholarship back when they least expect it.
 
Herman_Snerd said:
Perspectives:

FYI that I believe the Manoa merit is 2k per year for 4 years. Room and Board there is : $13,642. 2k in Hawaii will cover about six orders of Mozzarella sticks, with no sauce. It won't even cover flights to/ from Hawaii for schooling and breaks, unless you're already in Hawaii or a parent is a pilot so he would fly free.

Santa Clara, Pepperdine are two of the most expensive schools in the nation. Beautiful, and if room and board are covered at either, that would be a home run on maximizing use of the scholarship.

However: You should research which schools on and off this list already provide room and board and even let students keep merit aid (make money!) while in school on a full ROTC scholarship and which do not. Malibu (Pepperdine)and Hawaii are frightfully expensive just to go out for a burger and fries off campus- please keep in mind that a percentage of scholarship winners in each branch do not make it to commission- mechanical injury, lateness, failing to meet standards, PRB, drug test, arrests for anything - mischief or more serious, drunken driving, GPA, etc. So choose a school you can afford without the scholarship as you may have to pay it back if DS does not make it all the way to commissioning and serving. Or, go in eyes open you're taking a risk you may owe Pepperdine 300K for a several semesters if he is dropped or cannot meet standards later in his path.

This being said, if it works out, what an awesome way to get a pepperdine or other ridiculously expensive education. Keep lining up options ABCDE. Good luck. I believe those who make through advanced camp summer are more likely to commission in Army than those who make it 1 year in Navy or Air Force. Air force this year is dropping scholarship participants after 2 years with high GPAs and no blatant issues - needs of the branch - which is in their contract but still stinks. Navy drops people from NSI and each semester when NO Navy options cannot pass Calc / Physics, and the aforementioned reasons to name a few.

Eyes open on the risk we all are taking as ROTC parents, some families or students have to pay the scholarship back when they least expect it.
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Thanks for the reply. Yes DS and especially dad know what happens if he doesn't commission. Santa Clara offers Room & Board if he receives 4 Year ROTC, He loved SCU, Pepperdine and Univ of San Diego . USD was maybe the nicest campus of the three private schools(which is saying something because SCU and Pepperdine are stunning.. The cross town ROTC is at SDSU which is really close by. Pepperdine is not so close to USC. The Manoa Excellence Scholarship from admissions is $22,032 (annually) on top of ROTC. That is less than what USD came up with in prelim response. The issue is nothing is done until it is done....Admissions won't be final until after Jan., Financial Aid won't be final until March/April and he will apply to 2nd board in January. My real dilemma is I believe the expensive private schools will have a lower cost of attendance after Financial Aid from school and ROTC if stars all align. Do I advise him to leave his first choice UCSB at #4? If he gets a 4 year R&B are still 20K + and he may not get anything merit since UC schools are very need based and resident based. Dilemma #2 Hawaii is not in top 7 right now since he couldn't visit school in person. Do I suggest replacing UCLA with Hawaii since chances of a much lower overall cost to attend. I believe costs aside he has UCSB #1 and all the equally tremendous backups.
 
My DS was in a similar situation a couple of years ago. He applied second board (AROTC) and we looked at several of the schools you listed. He ended up at a private school in Texas with a 3 year scholarship. The first year was expensive, although we did get some school aid. Just be prepared for that possibility and have a clear game plan with DS regarding school choice if he gets a 3-year or no scholarship at all. Not sure the timing of early action at the schools you mention, but DS already had 5 of 7 acceptances in hand at the time he applied for the second board. Winners don’t always get top 3. My DS got his 1, 2, and 4. I’d have your DS give some serious thought to crosstown and what that would mean for his experience. Commuting from Pepperdine to USC for labs? Yikes. DS considered USD crosstown to SDSU and is really glad he didn’t end up going to a crosstown school. +1 to @Herman_Snerd regarding the possibility of being dropped or self-dropping. Several kids in DS’s cohort lost scholarships or dropped them after the first year. Just make sure DS knows the consequences of being dropped or dropping in advance, especially at those high price schools. Good luck!
 
gooseblitz said:
Thanks for the reply. Yes DS and especially dad know what happens if he doesn't commission. Santa Clara offers Room & Board if he receives 4 Year ROTC, He loved SCU, Pepperdine and Univ of San Diego . USD was maybe the nicest campus of the three private schools(which is saying something because SCU and Pepperdine are stunning.. The cross town ROTC is at SDSU which is really close by. Pepperdine is not so close to USC. The Manoa Excellence Scholarship from admissions is $22,032 (annually) on top of ROTC. That is less than what USD came up with in prelim response. The issue is nothing is done until it is done....Admissions won't be final until after Jan., Financial Aid won't be final until March/April and he will apply to 2nd board in January. My real dilemma is I believe the expensive private schools will have a lower cost of attendance after Financial Aid from school and ROTC if stars all align. Do I advise him to leave his first choice UCSB at #4? If he gets a 4 year R&B are still 20K + and he may not get anything merit since UC schools are very need based and resident based. Dilemma #2 Hawaii is not in top 7 right now since he couldn't visit school in person. Do I suggest replacing UCLA with Hawaii since chances of a much lower overall cost to attend. I believe costs aside he has UCSB #1 and all the equally tremendous backups.
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Just quick thoughts.
  • Monies used for Room and Board is taxable, monies from the scholarship, fees, and stipend are not.
  • If you get the scholarship it will cover tuition, fees, a book stipend, and a monthly (while in school only) stipend per month. Not room and board. But as you know some schools will cover or allow you to use merit moneys to cover that.
  • You can walk after the first year/ before the start of the second year and not owe moneys back. But if you start the second year and don't finish, you MAY well be on the hook for paying it all back.
  • It's good that you're thinking about what your costs will be beyond the scholarship as there is risk if you lose it- so what if that happens - can you afford that school - or at-least a semester at that school? It's also good to know in case he doesn't get a scholarship but wants to compete for one as a college programmer.
  • For now I think you finish all applications to the schools and rotc/ SAs as you would like and then keep a dialogue open - but you're not pressured to make decisions yet that are binding.
  • I think you're overthinking the school list - waaaay overthinking it. get the apps in, gather data, get your decisions, see which scholarship(s) he's offered, and get yourself in a position so that by next April you can know what decision he'll make once all details are on the table. For my DS he had a matrix of pros / cons and if/thens so that he knew what he wanted- almost and a final trip to his top 2 cemented his decision of school and branch. My position is that top 3-4 schools should be his top interests that you can realistically afford if they have no merit or room and board support, or if they do.

By the way - Hawaii is on my DD's list for next year too, but have you looked into the lack of academic rigor at U Hawaii? No offense - just take a look before you start buying lei's and sunscreen.

Hopefully he'll have lots of choices among the schools he applied to and the scholarships he is pursuing. Good luck and thanks to your DS for his willingness to serve.
 
gooseblitz said:
Thanks all. Wondering specifically about Army ROTC. I see most 4 yr winners getting their first 3 schools. My DS does have 6 of his 7 schools he'd love to attend. Trying to maximize his options if he gets 4 year to top 3 schools. He is applied to all of them and waiting results of admissions and planning to apply to 2nd board. Just trying to figure out which schools to list in that top 3. He has 3 private schools (Santa Clara, USD, Pepperdine) that have already indicated he "should qualify" for merit based scholarships. He has 4 public schools 2 of which (UCSB and UCLA) at may be harder from admissions standpoint and less likely to get merit scholarship money (but he really loves UCSB.) Then has has SDSU (public, he likes school, low chance of merit aid as non resident) and Hawaii (easiest admission and he meets qualifications for Manoa Excellence Merit Scholarship)
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FYI- Don't count on merit-based from UCs when you plan for college finances:
UCB/UCSD offers $2500 for Regent's scholarship. $2k for UCLA.
It's for residents.
I'd assume it'd be more strict to non-resident.

BUT, for need-based, it could cover 100%, and more, if you're a resident and meet eligibility.
 
gooseblitz said:
Thanks all. Wondering specifically about Army ROTC. I see most 4 yr winners getting their first 3 schools. My DS does have 6 of his 7 schools he'd love to attend. Trying to maximize his options if he gets 4 year to top 3 schools. He is applied to all of them and waiting results of admissions and planning to apply to 2nd board. Just trying to figure out which schools to list in that top 3. He has 3 private schools (Santa Clara, USD, Pepperdine) that have already indicated he "should qualify" for merit based scholarships. He has 4 public schools 2 of which (UCSB and UCLA) at may be harder from admissions standpoint and less likely to get merit scholarship money (but he really loves UCSB.) Then has has SDSU (public, he likes school, low chance of merit aid as non resident) and Hawaii (easiest admission and he meets qualifications for Manoa Excellence Merit Scholarship)
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Pepperdine's AROTC host school is UCLA not USC but most/all ROTC classes and labs are at Cal State Northridge. The commute is tough - your student will likely need a car for the commute. Confirm with Pepperdine that any merit $ offered can be used for housing if using the ROTC scholarship for the high tuition.

Check with USD/SDSU AROTC or USD themselves whether they offer AROTC 3/4 year recipients 'free' housing. We found USD and Santa Clara merit $ much better than Pepperdine.

As a student UCLA, SD State, UCSD, UCSB, are significantly different experience than USD, Santa Clara, and Pepperdine. Small school vs. Large school. California public schools are 'impacted' for many majors so class scheduling can be difficult.
 
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None. At the boards they tell the PMS’s not to consider schools when voting. Ie, kid had all Ivy’s but only a 3.7 and 1400. Judge on their file, not their schools.
 
I'll double-up on the crosstown comments. IMO, that's the bigger issue here long-term.
 
franknd said:
I'll double-up on the crosstown comments. IMO, that's the bigger issue here long-term.
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Despite the wicked commute for AROTC classes and lab from Pepperdine, the % that complete the program through to commission is high. It's a small but dedicated group of quality students.
 
AROTC Parent said:
Pepperdine's AROTC host school is UCLA not USC but most/all ROTC classes and labs are at Cal State Northridge. The commute is tough - your student will likely need a car for the commute. Confirm with Pepperdine that any merit $ offered can be used for housing if using the ROTC scholarship for the high tuition.

Check with USD/SDSU AROTC or USD themselves whether they offer AROTC 3/4 year recipients 'free' housing. We found USD and Santa Clara merit $ much better than Pepperdine.

As a student UCLA, SD State, UCSD, UCSB, are significantly different experience than USD, Santa Clara, and Pepperdine. Small school vs. Large school. California public schools are 'impacted' for many majors so class scheduling can be difficult.
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Thanks for the first hand info. Cal St Northridge is at least closer tan UCLA for cross town. USD and SCU make a lot of sense so far. I will wait to see how this unfolds.
 
Montana State Army ROTC said:
None. At the boards they tell the PMS’s not to consider schools when voting. Ie, kid had all Ivy’s but only a 3.7 and 1400. Judge on their file, not their schools.
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I appreciate your insight into all things ROTC. Can you provide some insight into how the board determines which schools to award the scholarships to? Why do some get top 3 while others get lower ranked schools? Does public vs. Private play a roll?

Just curious. Thanks.
 
JChrisL said:
I appreciate your insight into all things ROTC. Can you provide some insight into how the board determines which schools to award the scholarships to? Why do some get top 3 while others get lower ranked schools? Does public vs. Private play a roll?

Just curious. Thanks.
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$ drives all. Early boards get top 3. Later boards get schools to even out $ amounts.
 
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