January 4, 2011 AROTC Board

Quick Question

The timing is the issue -- DS has five schools on his list -- accepted to four --- the fifth -- he has an option - go on waiting list for engineering or take an acceptance now to the Arts and Sciences and then transfer into engineering. If he accepts waiting list and does not get in -- he has no chance of getting accepted. We have to respond in two weeks -- we thought we would know the NROTC outcome by now. Does NROTC have any influence over the final push OFF the waiting list? Should we contact NROTC at the school? Will they know prior to the DS?

BTW, I am not feeling we are end the of the tunnel.
 
Pima said:
Which is also why you probably see a bump in the amount of candidates applying, thus why the competition level has increased, AND why it takes longer for them to decide who to award the scholarships to for ROTC.

This thread is quickly becoming the thread to understand why receiving an ROTC scholarship is not just fill the paperwork out, and you get one.

It is also explaining how the economy, the SA's and military manpower impacts their decision making process.

I hope someone does create a blog of FAQs for ROTC scholarships, using this thread as the fountain of info.

Best of luck, and although you may not believe it, you are at the end of the tunnel for this process... I can hear the radio now starting to do that in and out thing you get when you are in the tunnel:wink:
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We are thankfully at the end of the tunnel of the process as my son is a contracted AROTC Cadet in his freshman year and loving it.

All the stress that we went through last year was so worth it as our son LOVES his school and LOVES ROTC. He's in Honor Guard and Drill Team and it's such a huge part of his life. The pride that I feel when I see pictures of him in his uniform and listen to his dreams of serving is amazing.
 
ratchet1368 said:
The timing is the issue -- DS has five schools on his list -- accepted to four --- the fifth -- he has an option - go on waiting list for engineering or take an acceptance now to the Arts and Sciences and then transfer into engineering. If he accepts waiting list and does not get in -- he has no chance of getting accepted. We have to respond in two weeks -- we thought we would know the NROTC outcome by now. Does NROTC have any influence over the final push OFF the waiting list? Should we contact NROTC at the school? Will they know prior to the DS?

BTW, I am not feeling we are end the of the tunnel.
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This question will likely be better answered on the corresponding NROTC thread, not the AROTC thread.
 
patentesq said:
My advice to those reading this post is that it is MUCH more important to improve your credentials than completing your file early in the HOPE that someone MAY think you are more committed than the others, because you simply have an earlier date on your application.
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Sorry to disagree, but I think it is important to improve your credentials AND apply early, they are not mutually exclusive.
 
gojack said:
Sorry to disagree, but I think it is important to improve your credentials AND apply early, they are not mutually exclusive.
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You're probably right, gojack. My DS's path in life is becoming clearer and clearer by the day. He's starting to see more and more signs directing him to the gates near the Thayer Hotel.

The only thing I don't fully understand is if my DS had presented himself to the October AROTC board and, by the grace of God, was selected for an AROTC scholarship, how could he intelligently decide where to apply that scholarship when applications to his selected schools weren't even being looked at until after Jan. 1??? If he had gone Early Decision with any of the AROTC schools and was selected, the "agreement" with the ED school would require him to withdraw his co-pending USMA application if selected at the ED school. Maybe that little "agreement" thing wouldn't be a big issue, though, because I'm sure USMA knows how to deal with the admissions offices of civilian schools (especially when the 82nd Airborne Division is only a short flight away).
 
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February 17th

cjs said:
We are thankfully at the end of the tunnel of the process as my son is a contracted AROTC Cadet in his freshman year and loving it.

All the stress that we went through last year was so worth it as our son LOVES his school and LOVES ROTC. He's in Honor Guard and Drill Team and it's such a huge part of his life. The pride that I feel when I see pictures of him in his uniform and listen to his dreams of serving is amazing.
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Thanks for posting this. I needed a reminder why we are living thru some of this stress, today has not been a good day here in Ohioland...but tomorrow is another day and with good thoughts like your post(and the support of our huge extended SAF family) we will all get thru the damn tunnel one way or another.....:smile:
 
cjs said:
We are thankfully at the end of the tunnel of the process as my son is a contracted AROTC Cadet in his freshman year and loving it.

All the stress that we went through last year was so worth it as our son LOVES his school and LOVES ROTC. He's in Honor Guard and Drill Team and it's such a huge part of his life. The pride that I feel when I see pictures of him in his uniform and listen to his dreams of serving is amazing.
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Woot woot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I walked in your shoes yrs ago, I am walking in them now, just in a different way re: our own child...career board.

Believe it or not, I swear to you, you are at the end of this tunnel, there will be more tunnels to come before graduation.

Tonight you will close your eyes, and when you wake up, you will be snapping Prom pictures. Open again and you are sitting in an audience and hearing your child's name. You will close them again, and before you know it you will be dropping them off for orientation. You will close them again and holding someone's hand telling you not to cry as you walk away from their dorm.

That is how fast it will go. Trust me, I have that t-shirt, honestly, I would love the opportunity to re-do that yr where I got the shirt.

In a blink of an eye...!

Patent...we have XM, but even in tunnels it does short out:shake:

The fact is everything is now out of your hands. Nothing you do now will guarantee a scholarship or the lack of a scholarship.

Now it is about living life. Now it is about finding a shoulder to commiserate with. That shoulder will also say it is all in the hands of fate.

It kind of reminds me of wedding vows...what G*d puts together no man should put asunder.

Yet, divorce happens. Maybe it happens because it was not what was their destiny, and we forced it. We plan G*d laughs!

The true mark of the best officer is how they handle the bad along with the good.

Some here will get the thin envelope, the question is what they will do when that occurs.

Some will get the Congrats envelope, again, the question is what will they do next?

I cannot stress enough that this seems like the be all, it isn't re: ROTC. There are alot of ROTC cadets that outshine scholarship cadets.

DO you get an edge, yes, but like HS it is what you do in hs that matters...not middle school.
 
Thank you Pima, I know only too well the senior year goes too fast, the dorm drop off etc... DS is not our oldest - our DD is away already living life at another college...it does go quickly. The parents who are dealing with all of the first child issues on top of the ROTC snafu are really getting double teamed, so to speak. I wish them the best come graduation and all the other milestones coming yet this year for them. It is all very bittersweet.

Even for those young adults not involved in the military, the events unfolding have huge impact. Our DD is currently a Chemistry/Physics secondary education major(BA Chem, minor Physics). Seeing the future of our financial situation at the federal and state level, nothing is guaranteed for any of them. She thought chem teachers would be needed no matter what....guess what, schools are going to online instruction to cut cost/budgets. It isn't just the military seeing changes. She called me this morning, Organic Chem isn't anyone's friend:smile: So keeping her and DS focused is a little difficult. Sorry to go so OT, but kids, money and futures are all tied together in our hearts.
 
patentesq said:
You're talking about me!!
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Yes, dear, talking about you and probably a lot of our posters. Maybe everyone should chime in with their kiddo count and if the current applicant is oldest, middle or whatever...

It is a really amazing thing to sit at their graduation and see the start of their new 'adult' life. Dropping off at a dorm(or wherever they go) is exciting, scary and sad in so many ways. I will state for the record, I didn't cry - until DH and I were in the car, he cried first, and that got me going. :smile:

In the end, celebrate the milestones whole heartedly, the uncertainty can keep you company on lousy days in February when they aren't there to see it.:wink:
 
Patent welcome to the new economy :mad:

Ohio, anyone who has to do Organic Chem has the same feeling as your DD...AGAIN, TELL ME WHY I CHOSE THIS MAJOR?

Back on topic, as I am one who always throws in cliches with my posts...remember DORA from Finding Nemo...JUST KEEP SWIMMING, SWIMMING, SWIMMING.:biggrin:

You could also say JUST KEEP ON VENTING, VENTING, VENTING!

We all get how it is no longer about the scholarship, it is about get me off this dang ride already!:rolleyes:
 
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You know, an SAF mug would be a great thing...better patent that design now. You wouldn't need ROTC scholarship money, because I bet you could make enough money selling it on this site, if the price was right.

I'd buy one!

BACK ON TOPIC.
 
Pima said:
Patent welcome to the new economy :mad:

Ohio, anyone who has to do Organic Chem has the same feeling as your DD...AGAIN, TELL ME WHY I CHOSE THIS MAJOR?

Back on topic, as I am one who always throws in cliches with my posts...remember DORA from Finding Nemo...JUST KEEP SWIMMING, SWIMMING, SWIMMING.:biggrin:

You could also say JUST KEEP ON VENTING, VENTING, VENTING!

We all get how it is no longer about the scholarship, it is about get me off this dang ride already!:rolleyes:
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Heck, I wish the ride was only about scholarships....the big, bad beyond is what's got my head in a fog today, four years of college is only a drop in their bucket of life....If venting could fix anything I'd scream all day, but it won't change a darn thing and then I'd be too hoarse to coach, comfort and reassure the troops:wink: Parenting, the job there is no training for.:smile:


ps. yes, Organic is a major changer no doubt. She's got a 75%, but to Little Miss I never get "c's" this is a life lesson more than a chemistry lesson:wink:
 
Hi All,
Just thought that I'd add that there is a lot of stress during this time (senior year) for parents and kids.
My DS is the last of three boys.
The oldest has already graduated from college and is working for the VA - helping returning vets get set up for benefits. It's interesting looking back on his senior year and all the stress we went through with him. He actually took a year off between high school and college. He thought he chose a major that he'd really use, but so far that hasn't worked out, but he's working, paying his bills and being an adult - so YEA!!

My middle son will graduate from college in May - in Philosophy - don't say anything!!! There is a long story behind that and I won't bother to go into that here, but we are just thankful that he'll have that diploma and hope that he can find a career that pays his bills and makes him happy!

Now the youngest is a senior and for some reason has chosen to walk this path - we aren't a military family - so we really had no idea that this process would become all consuming for all of us. (I say "for some reason" - I do know and respect his reasons). But we have prayed since the beginning that God would lead - we are just ready to find out which way that is.

Thanks to all of you and for this forum. It's nice to know that there are people out that there who understand what all this waiting is like.
 
patentesq said:
Jcleppe, I certainly hope that CC is MUCH more sophisticated than simply using the DATE appearing on one's application as a measure to gauge whether an applicant is commited to the Army or not. My DS INTENTIONALLY did not complete his file before the first board because (1) he wanted and needed extra time to improve his PT scores as much as possible to improve his WCS (both for AROTC and USMA), (2) there is a MAJOR issue with AROTC having the board so early and awarding a scholarship MONTHS before my DS will ever know about an admissions decision before his selected civilian college; and (3) THE PMS AT THE SCHOOL WHERE MY DS INTERVIEWED SPECIFICALLY ADVISED HIM THAT VERY FEW WOULD BE AWARDED FROM THAT FIRST BOARD, BECAUSE THE BOARD WANTS TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE, AND THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE A HIGHER PUSH-UP SCORE FOR THE JANUARY BOARD THAN A LOWER SCORE.

None of these strategic reasons for deciding when to drop the AROTC application have ANYTHING to do with one's commitment to the Army. The time to gauge someone's commitment to the Army is during the INTERVIEW, not by the date when the application is complete (my DS actually started the process in July!!). Perhaps CC would also be interested in knowing that my DS was simultaneously applying for an appointment to USMA. I am certain that there are applicants who filed their applications early who have ZERO interest in AROTC (many of whom have already accepted appointments in USNA or USAFA!!).

Taking the PMS's logic one step farther, suppose Applicant A submits his/her AROTC application on October 15 and Applicant B submits his/her AROTC application on October 16, does this mean that Applicant A is MORE committed to the Army than Applicant B? I think not! If your PMS turns out to be right at the end of the day, then the procedures at CC would seem to MUCH more amateurish than I ever thought! Certainly, the United States Military Academy at West Point does not operate this way, and they have a lot of experience with gauging applicant interest (maybe it is unfair to compare CC to USMA, though, because the application process for an appointment to USMA is MUCH more difficult than filling out a form for AROTC).

Sorry to be so terse (I am a HUGE Jclepp fan!!!!!), but if CC says the deadline is X and people follow that instruction, they should not interpret anything behind the motives of an applicant other than compliance with the stated deadline. Many of the SOPHISTICATED SCHOOLS in America do NOT care if a student submits a Regular Decision application in October, November, or December when they publicly state that the deadline is January 1. Those applications that are submitted early do NOT get "brownie points" for filing early; early application simply collect dust on the application pile until the January 1 filing deadline. I would think that CC is just as sophisticated.

My advice to those reading this post is that it is MUCH more important to improve your credentials than completing your file early in the HOPE that someone MAY think you are more committed than the others, because you simply have an earlier date on your application.



A trophy? I think Ohio2015Parent shouldn't settle for that -- she deserves nothing LESS than the coveted SAF Coffee Mug!! :shake:



Sounds like the time has come to remind your DS -- despite all of the demonstrations we've seen lately in the Middle East calling for democracy --that the regime in the Ohio2015Parent household remains authoritarian and will always remain authoritarian! Your son therefore has NO choice but to show you how to cut and paste a link into an SAF post! :smile:
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I really should not post something when I am in a hurry to run out for a meeting. Lack of greater explaination can lead to chaos. Let me try to explain a few of the points in the post that resulted in your reply.

Since this was the second time we had gone through the ROTC roller coaster we got a very early start. My son interviewed (Not the official interview) with several PMS'a during his junior year, as early as the Fall.

The PMS I mentioned in the post was not the PMS that he had his official interview with, in fact my son did not even list that school on the application. So don't worry this was not the PMS that sat on the Jan. 4th board.

When he advised getting the application completed in time for the Oct. board to increase his chances he was referring to the fact that this year there would only be 3 boards unlike the 5 the previous year.

The implications that early applicants had a stronger comittment were directed more to applicants that showed up at his office in mid December asking how the scholarship worked and how much it paid. By early he meant in time for the second board. All the PMS we spoke to mentioned that while some applicants start a conversation with them as early as the spring of their junior year, many for different reasons do not complete the application in time for the first board. They all stated the reasons such as improving their PT scores or re-taking the Sat or ACT in the Fall, some such as your son would have issues with college applications if they were selected the first round.

Every PMS said that during the official interview they can usually tell whether the applicant is sincerely interested in the military or just doing this to pay for school.

The conversation only came up because we got on the subject of attrition within the ROTC. Because of the looming budget reductions they need to be careful, paying the first year of a scholarship only to have the cadet drop the program wastes that scholarship money. The PMS that made these statements had just had 2 scholarship cadets disenroll after their first year, he was not happy he had wasted 2 scholarships.

I truly believe that the intent of his conversation was not that only those who apply early are committed. He was speaking of those that come out of the woodwork at the last minute, he also said they are pretty easy to spot.

One other thing, The PMS at my son's school who did sit on the Jan. Board is one of the best officers I have met, my son thinks the world of him. If I had a son or daughter that was reviewed on this board I would be glad he was on it. Also, when he talked about the budget not being a large part of the delay which is in contrast to the email I attached later, I think that just shows that information is not free flowing from CC to evem the ROTC batallions. The ROO that emailed us even admitted that he was just giving his best guess.

Oh, I do have a pretty thick skin and no offense was taken at all. I forget sometimes the frustration you are all going through. I have my hot buttons as well, don't get me started on the debate of Elite vs "Crappy Schools", I could fill a page.

Like you I did my time, I was Coast Guard, entered enlisted, went Mustang, left as LTJG. I can remember the lack on information on several occasions, I guess things never change.
 
Pima said:
Now it is about finding a shoulder to commiserate with. That shoulder will also say it is all in the hands of fate.
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I have to say, this forum has become my shoulder...

DS is our oldest and first to graduate. I cried on the first day of Kindergarten, Middle School and High School; these days it is the smallest of tasks that bring me to tears. Buying his socks, doing laundry, etc..someday these won't be mine to do; so I think college move in will be unbearable for me. :frown:
 
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