January 4, 2011 AROTC Board

[Jcleppe]

Ohio2015parent,

Congratulations to your son on a merit scholarship, that must have been great news.

One thing to think about....(Like you needed more to think about)... your son can use the AROTC Scholarship for Room and Board instead of tuition. I belive he would be able to use the Merit Scholarship for tuition and the AROTC for the room and board which would also include the $1200.00 per year for books and the stipend.

One other route to think about since he received the merit scholarship is that he could attend school for his freshman and sophmore year without enrolling in ROTC. He would then apply for LTC for the summer between his sophmore and junior year and start ROTC as a contracted junior. One benefit of this would be that he would have his first 2 years to concentrate on his studies before joining ROTC. Of couse this would be dependent on the availability of a LTC slot, you would need to talk with the ROO to see how this might work.

Don't you just love all the decisions that are out there, it all seemed so simple when they all started the process.

Parentesq gives great advise....read all the fine print..every word.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is terrific news!

Ohio2015parent's reply: Yes, I'm thrilled -- DS, not so much. His 1st and 2nd choice schools are very different and he STRONGLY prefers 1st choice. 2nd choice school is a little smaller, more commuter students-less social life, less academically challenging(although their Honors program is AWESOME) and their ROTC while good, isn't great. 1st choice school has more to offer on all fronts - their ROTC is very good at preparing for LDAC etc...and he really likes the school in general. 2nd choice is where his older sister attends and was a safe school with a probable full ride (comparable to her scholarship situation). So, he also has in state tuition to #1 school on a merit scholarship, just no housing & books....10K basically for his dream school w/out any ROTC obligation. Thoughts?


I really get annoyed when 17 yr old kids say they've wanted to be in the military their whole life. To date, their "whole life" was watching war movies and running around in the back yard playing Army man.

Ohio2015parent's reply: COMPLETELY AGREE. However, you have a strong minded DS too - can we really tell them they are wrong to want what they think they want right now? Can we say with 100% certainty that they will not love, or at least tolerate well, an Army career?

Well, my "whole life" changed.

Ohio2015 parent's reply: My life has never followed the "script" either.


In short, read the fine print -- every word.

Fine print says, offer to 2nd choice school is renewable for 8 semsters, provided DS earns a cum. 3.0 each semster....basic fine print on life and decision making, I'll get back to you.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Ohio2015parent,

Congratulations to your son on a merit scholarship, that must have been great news.

One thing to think about....(Like you needed more to think about)... your son can use the AROTC Scholarship for Room and Board instead of tuition. I belive he would be able to use the Merit Scholarship for tuition and the AROTC for the room and board which would also include the $1200.00 per year for books and the stipend.

One other route to think about since he received the merit scholarship is that he could attend school for his freshman and sophmore year without enrolling in ROTC. He would then apply for LTC for the summer between his sophmore and junior year and start ROTC as a contracted junior. One benefit of this would be that he would have his first 2 years to concentrate on his studies before joining ROTC. Of couse this would be dependent on the availability of a LTC slot, you would need to talk with the ROO to see how this might work.

Don't you just love all the decisions that are out there, it all seemed so simple when they all started the process.

Parentesq gives great advise....read all the fine print..every word.

Jcleppe- I was replying to Patentesq while you posted...so glad to get feedback!!! First, I should probably give more details on the offers given to DS.

1st choice school - offer of merit scholarship, in state tuition(we're Instate) and would be responsible for room, board, books, approx. 10K. required 3.3 cum to renew

2nd choice school - offer of in state tuition, room and board, membership to Honors program includes books too for 8 semseters 3.0 cum required to renew. We would owe about 4k year for out of state difference.

Yes, its crazy, but he wants the commission and the 1st choice school....now we have to figure out the option that keeps most of his options open and without knowing yet about AROTC scholarship offer (which would pay the room/board/books at 1st choice) it is a little nuts around here waiting. Not that anyone else wait isn't painful too

Don't quite know what he is thinking - he's at a meeting most of today for his civil war reenactors group(at least he gets a little break from it all). Will take input from anyone interested in sharing an opinion -

 

[patentesq]

I was thinking about this some more. The one thing that a merit scholarship will NEVER give a student is an opportunity to have a very good job after graduation. In this economy, many kids are living with their parents after college. Army officers are not.

Clarksonarmy can correct me, but it seems to me that an ROTC scholarhip student would have an easier time of gaining an active duty slot after college than a non-scholarship student. How much easier, I do not know. But after all, the government wants its return on investment.

Many people overlook that the credential of being an officer can really be worth millions over one's lifetime (in terms of prior management experience when applying for a job, Veteran's status for preferential hiring and quotas, learning self-discipline to be an effective business person, etc.). Ohio2015Parent, this needs to be factored in as well. It will never show on a balance sheet or financial aid award letter. But it is very real.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

January 24th

I was thinking about this some more. The one thing that a merit scholarship will NEVER give a student is an opportunity to have a very good job after graduation. In this economy, many kids are living with their parents after college. Army officers are not.

Clarksonarmy can correct me, but it seems to me that an ROTC scholarhip student would have an easier time of gaining an active duty slot after college than a non-scholarship student. How much easier, I do not know. But after all, the government wants its return on investment.

Many people overlook that the credential of being an officer can really be worth millions over one's lifetime (in terms of prior management experience when applying for a job, Veteran's status for preferential hiring and quotas, learning self-discipline to be an effective business person, etc.). Ohio2015Parent, this needs to be factored in as well. It will never show on a balance sheet or financial aid award letter. But it is very real.

As DS and I read the posts here late last night, he only made one real comment of merit - Mom, I'm not doing ROTC for the money. So, I guess we will wait here this week and thru April if need be and see what CC has in store for him. The merit scholarship committees at 2 university think he's worth the money, hopefully so does CC.

Be on the look out tomorrow for possible updates. Does CC website need to go down before we realistically expect result positings or can they just start appearing anytime now??? Would love some input from those who might know.

 

[uniform 419]

Congrats to Ohio2015Parent's son on the merit scholarship, best of luck from one Ohioan to another.

I really get annoyed when 17 yr old kids say they've wanted to be in the military their whole life. To date, their "whole life" was watching war movies and running around in the back yard playing Army man. For me, I grew up my "whole life" as an Army brat, moving from post to post. I thought that I wanted to be in the military my "whole life." I even thought in my first few years as a 2LT that I wanted to be in my "whole life". Well, my "whole life" changed.

Yes, yes, a thousand time yes. As a seventeen year old I find this equally annoying, if not more so because I run into it on a nearly daily basis. Not to be rude, but if your seventeen and think you've got your whole life figured out, then either you're not being honest with yourself, or others aren't being honest with you.

 

[paradoxer]

Dodmerb pre-notification

Does CC website need to go down before we realistically expect result positings or can they just start appearing anytime now??? Would love some input from those who might know.

For those that have already completed the Dodmerb process before being awarded the scholarship is there any change that can be seen on the Dodmerb site before the scholarship status page changes?

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

For those that have already completed the Dodmerb process before being awarded the scholarship is there any change that can be seen on the Dodmerb site before the scholarship status page changes?

EXCELLENT QUESTION!! Thank goodness for these boards....just when you think you've thought it all out, someone else has an amazing point too DS is also one of DodMERB first applicants.

Keep checking back here...this is horrible, just can't focus today. I'm baking, cooking and eating anything in the pantry. I just keep watching for Clarksonsarmy to post "let the games begin"......

 

[paradoxer]

Don't eat the broom

EXCELLENT QUESTION!! Thank goodness for these boards....just when you think you've thought it all out, someone else has an amazing point too DS is also one of DodMERB first applicants.

Keep checking back here...this is horrible, just can't focus today. I'm baking, cooking and eating anything in the pantry. I just keep watching for Clarksonsarmy to post "let the games begin"......

Hopefully you don't keep the broom in the pantry like at my house.

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Hopefully you don't keep the broom in the pantry like at my house.

Its in there...that will probably wait until all the brownie and cake mixes are used up. Or if GOD FORBID DS and I must wait thru the next board

hum...wonder if the broom would qualify as fiber

 

[philmont]

For those that have already completed the Dodmerb process before being awarded the scholarship is there any change that can be seen on the Dodmerb site before the scholarship status page changes?

For my DS there was no change on the Dodmerb site before the scholarship status page change.
The first sign of a positive sign was his status changed from "you have been selected for an interview...." to "you have been selected from AROTC scholarship". Then we had to wait to find out to which schools, etc. Good luck. It will come!!!

 

[Jcleppe]

The first change you will see on the status page will be "You may now check your Dodmerb status"

Seeing this is not an official notice of selection, that being said I have never read here that anyone who received that change in status did not receive an offer. That was the first change my son saw on his status on the first board.

It can take up to a week before you get an official update that shows the list of schools. Som ROO'S may contact you but we were advised that they have been told to keep mum until everything is official. There will probably be a few that call anyway.

The best advise is to celebrate with a tiny bit of caution until you see the status change listing the schools and you receive the letter in the mail, or you get a phone call from an over anxious ROO.

 

[Government]

Hey all!


I am very new to this forum but I have been watching this thread develop for the past week now. I am a High School Senior and like many of you have been waiting anxiously for the results to come in. I currently hold a 3.5 GPA and a 24 on the ACT. I am a 4 year varsity letter winner for swimming and place 15th in Ohio state championships. I am an Eagle Scout and am active in Boy Scouts. I applied for the AROTC scholarship on October 24th and missed the first board deadline by one day.

About a week ago I received information on setting up appoints for the DoDMERB in the mail. I went to my eye exam last week and have my physical this week. Does this mean anything regarding scholarship status?

I have been in contact with the ROO/PMS at my #1 on a regular basis, updating him on my senior year progress.



OhioParent: Your son received the merit scholarship. What does this mean?


Thanks Ya'll!

 

[dmlhal15]

Its in there...that will probably wait until all the brownie and cake mixes are used up. Or if GOD FORBID DS and I must wait thru the next board

hum...wonder if the broom would qualify as fiber

Ohio,
I think the broom qualifies for fiber for sure! It is -15 degrees here in NH, and I used that excuse to keep the oven and baking going today. I helps to be distracted..I wish you good luck, and hope that we all hear good news soon. My son did the DODMERB later in the fall too, we are working on a waiver now. Keeping our fingers crossed and praying he gets the scholarship, and waiver. He has already been accepted to his #1 school and can not wait to go. He will do AROTC with or without scholarship, but the scholarship would be such a blessing.

 

[Ohio2015Student]

@Government,
Being sent to DoDMERB physicals prior to scholarship selection is, as described by Mr. Mullen, "a good indicator". But with all things, it's not any solid gaurantee until the paperwork is in hand.
The merit scholarship my mom talked about is an academic award to EKU; is totally seperate from AROTC.

@dmlhal15,
I, like your son, will do ROTC regardless of scholarship status. After hearing a presentation about SMP at my first choice school its very viable and just as effective in attaining a comission as the scholarship. However, the scholarship still has definite advantages (like not losing another weekend a month, and 2 weeks in the summer, to Guard/Reserves)

Hopefully we all start hearing good news soon! (as if I need anything else to excel my senioritis )

 

[Government]

Thanks OhioStudent. That's the news I like to hear. Can't wait for the labs next year!


Good luck to all!

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

Ohio,
I think the broom qualifies for fiber for sure! It is -15 degrees here in NH, and I used that excuse to keep the oven and baking going today. I helps to be distracted..I wish you good luck, and hope that we all hear good news soon. My son did the DODMERB later in the fall too, we are working on a waiver now. Keeping our fingers crossed and praying he gets the scholarship, and waiver. He has already been accepted to his #1 school and can not wait to go. He will do AROTC with or without scholarship, but the scholarship would be such a blessing.

Please, God, don't make me eat the broom....may we all hear good news tomorrow. The calculations are solid that news should begin arriving sometime January 25th or at least sometime this week The eve of potential answers, may all the good AROTC applicants and parents dream of scholarships, MS1 status and branches in their future...good night, sleep tight and from the bed bug capital of world, Cincinnati, Ohio don't let the bed bugs bite

 

[pieterm]

Hey guys! Just wanted to join in on the wait! I've been accepted into The Citadel in SC and hope to go there... but my number one choice is the usna. Where is the very first place I can fin out if I won the scholarship? Online? Call the ROTC scholarship office? My school of choice? How are yall giong to check?

 

[Bdl1127]

Im getting anxious! Stayed up till midnight last night to check the status and just got done checking it before school ):still nothing

 

[Ohio2015Parent]

January 25th

Hey guys! Just wanted to join in on the wait! I've been accepted into The Citadel in SC and hope to go there... but my number one choice is the usna. Where is the very first place I can fin out if I won the scholarship? Online? Call the ROTC scholarship office? My school of choice? How are yall giong to check?

Welcome Pieterm! Hopefully sometime today the Cadet Command application status site will begin to upload information for those that have been selected January board. The actual schools that are offering will not be confirmed until a letter arrives snail mail sometime next week or so.

Watch for ClarksonsArmy to post ANYTHING - his information will help us to know when to start checking status. Also, past boards did not always load all notifications the same day, but rather updated over a period of days, so no one should panic(yeah, I know....) until its all over and letters are received in the mail. Its the Army - its their game and they can change the rules anytime they like....so we could possible see nothingand know nothing for several more days (hate to think it another week)

Well, I'll be checking in and out today - off to work - hoping for a distraction!!

Take care everyone