My daughter will be attending VMI starting this summer. Looking for scholarship opportunities at VMI. Accepted and has a swimming scholarship but paying out-of-state tuition. Composite 23 ACT with a 25 in Math and a 26 in Science. Her English is only 20 so she doesn't qualify for some scholarships. Her High School Unweighted GPA is 3.3 and her Weighted GPA is 3.8. She takes several weighted classes each year. She has been a junior class officer and senior class officer in a very large high school. Swam at state every year of high school. Covid has interfered with her ACT testing and so she hasn't been able to take it enough times to increase her score like our other children were able to do a decade ago. We are looking for any financial means to help cover $45,000 tuition/room & board costs without taking out loans.
Looking 4 scholarship opportunities @ VMI. Accepted & have a swimming scholarship but paying out-of-state tuition. 23 ACT w/ a 25 - Math & 26 - Scie
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Banshee Mom
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My DD was recruited to swim for VMI and received what we were told was a generous academic scholarship for VMI . We were honestly surprised at how little money she received from VMI compared to other colleges she had applied to , civilian and SMC . We were out of state also and appealed her financial aid offer and heard crickets . She was told that she could compete for an ROTC scholarship once she competed her Rat year. . Fortunately she came off waitlist for USNA for Foundation program . We both loved VMI , it’s a very special place . Are there opportunities to qualify for academic scholarships after the Rat year, maybe see if that might be an option ? Good luck !
27BearDad
DD USCGA '27
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Similar experience here. Out of state, daughter recruited to swim. Academics are pretty solid...30 ACT, around a 3.9 unweighted. She finally received financial offer letter in her portal this weekend, and it wasn't overly impressive. Between merit scholarship and athletic scholarship we'd still be out of pocket around $34K a year. Much more merit money at other SMC and civilian schools.
She just received some paperwork in the mail to apply to the Institute Scholars Program which offers anywhere from $5000 to a full scholarship, but I think it's very competitive, and awards don't come out until sometime in April, but it's something you may want to look in to.
Comparatively speaking, Norwich came to the table with about 50% more total scholarship money.
Fortunately, she also received an appointment to the Coast Guard Academy and has decided to go that route, so I guess it's a non issue. However, she really liked VMI and Norwich as well, and was fully prepared to choose one of those if the SA path didn't work out. Each one of them has certain "uniqueness" about them. She was probably leaning toward Norwich because they offered the Cyber major she wanted (VMI only has it as a minor) as well as the better financial aid package.
She just received some paperwork in the mail to apply to the Institute Scholars Program which offers anywhere from $5000 to a full scholarship, but I think it's very competitive, and awards don't come out until sometime in April, but it's something you may want to look in to.
Comparatively speaking, Norwich came to the table with about 50% more total scholarship money.
Fortunately, she also received an appointment to the Coast Guard Academy and has decided to go that route, so I guess it's a non issue. However, she really liked VMI and Norwich as well, and was fully prepared to choose one of those if the SA path didn't work out. Each one of them has certain "uniqueness" about them. She was probably leaning toward Norwich because they offered the Cyber major she wanted (VMI only has it as a minor) as well as the better financial aid package.
vmi1991fromva
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I recommend applying for the ROTC Army Scholarship. You should be able to get the application in before the second and/or third board. Even if she is not awarded through the Army, VMI has some extra slots. You are most likely looking at a three-year scholarship, however. The ROTC scholarship covers full tuition and a monthly stipend, but not room and board. That means it would be approximately $9K per semester/$18k per year. However, VMI is working on supplementing the costs similar to what the Citadel does for ROTC scholarship cadets. An Army ROTC scholarship is also very attainable after rat year with a solid B average.
Has your daughter looked into the Army National Guard? State benefits vary, but here in Pa tuition is covered in full at state schools. Many other states are similar. Federal education benefits for Guard members are uniform across the country. Depending upon your state (or Virginia, if she enlists there), a 6-year enlistment could land her a nice tuition package, monthly drill pay, GI Bill, kicker, and possibly an enlistment bonus. That could add up to between $500-$1,000/month on top of whatever tuition reduction she receives. She could attend ROTC at VMI, join the Guard's Simultaneous Membership Program, and get a contract to commission through that route. She'll be at VMI having already attended Army basic and possibly advanced individual training. Nothing like a little maturity and life experience prior to Rat Line.
My son's at Norwich and he has several close friends who are on this path.
BTW, if she signs up for SMP, she'd be non-deployable as a student, and the ANG is good about allowing students to drill at a unit near campus.
One drawback to consider is that students do not collect the GI Bill until both basic and AIT have been completed and it's not generally possible to do that in a single summer. She'd have to decide to accept reduced benefits her first year or delay her start to VMI.
My son's at Norwich and he has several close friends who are on this path.
BTW, if she signs up for SMP, she'd be non-deployable as a student, and the ANG is good about allowing students to drill at a unit near campus.
One drawback to consider is that students do not collect the GI Bill until both basic and AIT have been completed and it's not generally possible to do that in a single summer. She'd have to decide to accept reduced benefits her first year or delay her start to VMI.
RBI90VMI
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Don't forget, if awarded an Army 3 year scholarship, VMI now has the Call to Duty Scholarship.
VMI will award one hundred Call to Duty Scholarships to members of the Class of 2027 who are recipients of the three and four-year ROTC national scholarships. ROTC national scholarships are awarded independently by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The ROTC units at VMI are valuable resources for information about specific program requirements and expectations.
VMI will award one hundred Call to Duty Scholarships to members of the Class of 2027 who are recipients of the three and four-year ROTC national scholarships. ROTC national scholarships are awarded independently by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The ROTC units at VMI are valuable resources for information about specific program requirements and expectations.