ISR Scholarship

J_PapiChulo

5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
27
Greetings! I just made this account and joined the forums because I have some questions!

About a week or so ago, I got awarded the ISR NROTC Candidacy. If you aren't familiar with that, the ISR is a special type of NROTC Scholarship. It stands for Immediate Scholarship Reservation and has some perks to it. Instead of my application going through the selection board several times before getting selected, I get notified immediately if I got the scholarship. I got offered to shoot for the ISR based on my academics, application in general, and interview. I went to San Jose MEPS and had an interview with Commanding Officer Shane Ruben, who is the head honcho in charge of the Navy Recruiting District of San Francisco, so it was a pretty big deal. Since he has the power to award me the scholarship right then and there, a lot was on the line. All 4 of the ISR Candidacies on the West Coast were already taken up, so he had to request from the Commodore (his boss) to "steal" an ISR from another region in the country for me to obtain. Luckily I managed to pull through and he congratulated on my success. He informed me that getting an ISR is extremely prestigious because you have to be invited to even apply for it after the regular NROTC is set and done with. It still hasn't hit me that I got the NROTC scholarship yet haha. My parents were literally crying and I was just sitting there in a blank stare. Maybe because I was hungry and tired haha!

Anyways with my application already submitted and me being awarded an ISR, I was wondering how they assign me to a unit? CO Ruben told me that based on my top 5 ranked schools (Stanford, UCLA, USC, Yale, and UC San Diego in that order), the Navy goes to the first pick and negotiates to get me into that school. That is also one of the perks of having an ISR also. I was told that since I am priority over all other NROTC future Midshipmen, my acceptance rate into my picks are higher. He said they go through all 5 of my colleges and negotiate an acceptance. After that is all set and done they will inform me quite promptly of the result.

Nothing is guaranteed nowadays, but CO Ruben was excited for me because he feels I will get into Stanford. Does me having an ISR NROTC Candidacy help big time in my accetance into Stanford DESPITE my GPA/SAT/ACT being slightly under par from everyone else on campus? I am what you would consider the perfect wholistic person. I do literally everything and am not necessarily a "specialized" person with an adverse "weak" quality on the other side if that makes sense.

That brings up another question! If I get accepted into several colleges, do I get to choose where I want to go or does the Navy say where?

UC Berkeley isn't on my top 5 but I am applying to it anyways. I understand Stanford is a cross-town affiliate and I would need to travel to Berkeley once a week to do my Naval activities, which can be hectic and time consuming. Now thinking about it, I want to change my top 5 and include Berkeley in there and bump out another, is that possible even though my application already submitted?

Thank you in advanced and I look forward to being on this forum as a future Midshipman!


NOTE for people wondering about my basic stats:

I am a Tier 1 Mechanical Engineering Intended Major.
3.85 Cum GPA, will go higher after MidYear of Senior Year
Top 10% in class out of 425+ students
When I graduate, I will have taken 9 AP/Honors courses
Regular old Public School in Stockton, CA
My SAT was 1810, 650Math, 560CritRead, 600Writing
My ACT was 28 Composite, 29Math, 29English
several regional and national academic honors/awards
4 year Track and Field athlete
2 year Cross Country athlete
Involved in a handful of clubs on my campus
I have been apart of numerous community services efforts and have racked up a couple hundred hours of time
A few of my leadership roles include: Current Senior Class President of my school, PTSA Student Rep, Site Council Student Rep, VP of Key Club, VP of California Scholarship Federation, and more.
 
Last edited:
My DS was also awarded an ISR. It was our understanding that it is his responsibility to get into the 5 colleges he chose. Because of ISR, he should get his first or second choice of schools, but it depends on how many scholarship recipients are already in the program. Wasn't aware NROTC had anything to do with the schools as far as DS's admissions goes. Would be curious to see what others take is on this.
 
My DS was also awarded an ISR. It was our understanding that it is his responsibility to get into the 5 colleges he chose. Because of ISR, he should get his first or second choice of schools, but it depends on how many scholarship recipients are already in the program. Wasn't aware NROTC had anything to do with the schools as far as DS's admissions goes. Would be curious to see what others take is on this.

Yeah from what I read I could've sworn it was my responsibility to get into at least one of the five colleges in order to active the scholarship. That's my biggest reason for posting this thread because I am a little confused on the admissions to a college or a couple of colleges. When the CO told me that the Navy will work with the admissions office to see the openings available, I was a little thrown back because it went against what I was previously told.
 
Congrats on the ISR, that's a great accomplishment. I would double check with the person you spoke to about having pull with admissions at Stanford or any other super elite school. I also have heard its up to the applicant to get accepted. DS was rejected by Stanford and MIT with 4.0 UW, 2100 SAT 6 AP's with all 5's and CC captain and track captain so I think its about the hardest school in the country to get into. There are a number of other ISR recipients on this board so I am sure they will chime in. Best of luck.
 
Agreed it is up to the applicant to get accepted. The PNS might be able to put in a good word but they aren't going to accept someone just because Navy says so.
 
Schools

I would agree with Kinnem. To add and not to pop the bubble, I did not see if you have taken your DoDMERB medical. If you haven't you have one more major hurdle. Good luck!!
 
Congrats on the ISR, that's a great accomplishment. I would double check with the person you spoke to about having pull with admissions at Stanford or any other super elite school. I also have heard its up to the applicant to get accepted. DS was rejected by Stanford and MIT with 4.0 UW, 2100 SAT 6 AP's with all 5's and CC captain and track captain so I think its about the hardest school in the country to get into. There are a number of other ISR recipients on this board so I am sure they will chime in. Best of luck.

That's what I supposed. Thank you and I appreciate your valued input!

Agreed it is up to the applicant to get accepted. The PNS might be able to put in a good word but they aren't going to accept someone just because Navy says so.

Thanks for clearing that up, I had suspected that so I just wanted to research more to see the validity!

I would agree with Kinnem. To add and not to pop the bubble, I did not see if you have taken your DoDMERB medical. If you haven't you have one more major hurdle. Good luck!!

My DoDMERB wont be until the beginning of the new year from what I was informed. I will know the specifics by Christmas time. My past medical history is pretty clear except for the fact that I had childhood seasonal asthma. That might get me a DQ or a remedial so we will just have to wait and see! I also had surgery on my knee my freshman year to remove a benign bone tumor but since then I am at 100%+ of my previous strength. Other than that, I'm healthy in regards to past sicknesses, height, weight, injuries. Thanks though, I hope I pass it!
 
Back
Top