Looking for AFROTC schools to apply RD

[Thegirlinthefireplace]

I was just recently deferred from my top choice Duke with an AFROTC Type 1. I know that doesn't mean rejection, but the chances are slim for RD. Are there other top schools with good AFROTC programs that also have some influence in admissions? I am not fully basing my decisions off that, but it is something I am considering and I only want to apply somewhere that I have a chance at and I think ROTC can help at some schools. I know some of you on here have some experience so please let me know which schools I can consider. I would probably reach out to the recruiting commanders at these schools as well. Also, I have already been accepted to TAMU and UT Austin. My major interest is Computer Science with a minor in Linguistics.

So far I have:

Cornell
Vanderbilt
Princeton
Yale

Thanks in advance.

Georgia Tech, Purdue, Michigan, and USC all have good CS programs I believe (I applied for aerospace, so don’t quote me on that) and have AFROTC. No idea what, if any, sway ROTC has on applications though.

I didn’t get the impression that Rutgers/ROTC would have any effect on admission to Princeton, and know of two other people who also have ROTC (AROTC and NROTC) scholarship's and applied REA. One was deferred last week, and the other rejected. I applied RD so we’ll see.

Honestly TAMU and especially UT are both good for CS so congratulations on those two, even if they aren’t your first choice. Good luck!

 

[Holden100]

I was just recently deferred from my top choice Duke with an AFROTC Type 1. I know that doesn't mean rejection, but the chances are slim for RD. Are there other top schools with good AFROTC programs that also have some influence in admissions? I am not fully basing my decisions off that, but it is something I am considering and I only want to apply somewhere that I have a chance at and I think ROTC can help at some schools. I know some of you on here have some experience so please let me know which schools I can consider. I would probably reach out to the recruiting commanders at these schools as well. Also, I have already been accepted to TAMU and UT Austin. My major interest is Computer Science with a minor in Linguistics.

So far I have:

Cornell
Vanderbilt
Princeton
Yale

Thanks in advance.

Vanderbilt is a crosstown for AFROTC. The Army and Navy units are well supported and really good, but with my son about to graduate I really don't know much about the Air Force program. I do know they did not compete last year in the ROTC Olympics. The CS program there is also good and very popular. Of the four NROTC mids selected for cyber this year, two are from Vanderbilt. DS told me the Army unit also had cyber officers selected.

A very big congrats on the UT Austin admission for CS! That's awesome. My younger son was admitted a couple weeks ago into his first choice major (not CS) and into one of their honors program. It's an excellent school, and the CS program is amazing I've heard. You should be proud!

 

[raag]

A very big congrats on the UT Austin admission for CS! That's awesome. My younger son was admitted a couple weeks ago into his first choice major (not CS) and into one of their honors program. It's an excellent school, and the CS program is amazing I've heard. You should be proud!

Thank you, I am considering Vanderbilt mainly for Army ROTC, considering I get the scholarship in January. The ROO from Vanderbilt has reached out to me multiple times and I have expressed my interest in attending Vanderbilt so that may help a little bit. I think if I get the Army scholarship I can consider more schools that have host AROTC, so please let me know if you know any good Army ROTC programs with influence.

 

[WMSMOM]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Also do you know if crosstown schools can have a pull in admissions at all? For example if I apply to Princeton but the AFROTC detachment is at Rutgers, will it help me at all?

Not sure about crosstown since it seems it's the local Cadre that does the recruiting and the budgets usually come from the host school. I just found out that several scholarship recipients were pulled off the wait list due to getting the scholarship. It's very school specific. CMU didn't seem to care about scholarship, just as an FYI. With regards to Princeton specifically, Army is the way to go there for pull. I'm not even sure you can use scholarships at crosstown detachments. My son had AF and Navy scholarships, so he was specific in looking at schools that hosted those. The nice thing is several people in his detachment turned down academy positions to take the Rotc scholarships since it's all totally free like an academy. Not many top tier schools offer that. So they get top tier candidates in a very fun city.

 

[WMSMOM]

If I apply somewhere with an AROTC program and I get the Army ROTC scholarship on the Jan board, will they consider it even if I update them past submission?

Not sure I understand the question totally. But any awards received after applying to a school can be updated. Send to the schools counselor, update common app and call the detachment. The army rotc person that got in was admitted late, thus likely scholarship helped as it was after application. Some schools fill up rotc slots quickly but usually it's not the uber competitive schools. Based on their numbers I think they look to the recipients that had them as 1 of their 5 designated schools and in my son's case they recruited him then. Even schools that he didn't apply too approached him after he received scholarship. Many weren't a fit for his required tier 1 major of engineering. The # if recipients has decreased substantially and these programs need candidates, thus some recruiting. So apply broadly while you still have time. You never know what will happen in March, April.

 

[Holden100]

Thank you, I am considering Vanderbilt mainly for Army ROTC, considering I get the scholarship in January. The ROO from Vanderbilt has reached out to me multiple times and I have expressed my interest in attending Vanderbilt so that may help a little bit. I think if I get the Army scholarship I can consider more schools that have host AROTC, so please let me know if you know any good Army ROTC programs with influence.

The recruiting officer at Vanderbilt is very helpful in talking about Vandy and all things AROTC. Stay in touch with him if Vanderbilt is on your radar. If Princeton is on your radar then the PMS and recruiting officer there were also great in checking in with my younger DS, meeting with him, etc. But be very honest with all your contacts about where everyone ranks and don't be afraid to ask them how you stack up relative to the general pool of applicants and those applying with ROTC scholarships. I think they really appreciate that, and it's just a really good life lesson. If you have any questions about Vanderbilt or the CS program, message me. My son can put you in touch with a couple of AROTC cadets, but I'm sure you're already getting the emails! Good luck to you!

 

[raag]

Not sure I understand the question totally. But any awards received after applying to a school can be updated. Send to the schools counselor, update common app and call the detachment. The army rotc person that got in was admitted late, thus likely scholarship helped as it was after application. Some schools fill up rotc slots quickly but usually it's not the uber competitive schools. Based on their numbers I think they look to the recipients that had them as 1 of their 5 designated schools and in my son's case they recruited him then. Even schools that he didn't apply too approached him after he received scholarship. Many weren't a fit for his required tier 1 major of engineering. The # if recipients has decreased substantially and these programs need candidates, thus some recruiting. So apply broadly while you still have time. You never know what will happen in March, April.

Yes I mean if I get the army scholarship after applying since the board results only come out end of January.

 

[myDDnotme]

Yep I was considering CMU but I think their CS department is insanely hard to get into, even with the help of ROTC.

Reach out to the NROTC at CMU (hear me out!). Although CMU has NROTC Pitt has AROTC and AFROTC literally next door. Environment is very positive for ROTC students with all of these programs right there. There is a gentleman at CMUs NROTC program who acts as kind of a liaison for ALL ROTC kids at CMU. My DD is a junior there now and when applying he did put a word in at admissions about her success in getting an ROTC national scholarship for all 3 branches. While she as applying he was kind enough to offer advice and very helpful to her. She’s AROTC with majors/interest in information/cybersecurity mgmt and policy. CMUs program for CS is one of the best in the country. She chose AROTC because it aligned best with her career interests. Last gentleman on this list:

Unit Staff - Steel City Naval ROTC - Carnegie Mellon University

Unit Staff

www.cmu.edu

 

[myDDnotme]

Reach out to the NROTC at CMU (hear me out!). Although CMU has NROTC Pitt has AROTC and AFROTC literally next door. Environment is very positive for ROTC students with all of these programs right there. There is a gentleman at CMUs NROTC program who acts as kind of a liaison for ALL ROTC kids at CMU. My DD is a junior there now and when applying he did put a word in at admissions about her success in getting an ROTC national scholarship for all 3 branches. While she as applying he was kind enough to offer advice and very helpful to her. She’s AROTC with majors/interest in information/cybersecurity mgmt and policy. CMUs program for CS is one of the best in the country. She chose AROTC because it aligned best with her career interests. Last gentleman on this list:

Unit Staff - Steel City Naval ROTC - Carnegie Mellon University

Unit Staff

www.cmu.edu

One more thing about CMU: if you have a full ROTC scholarship, they award you $8,000 scholarship for room and board annually! I’d say that CMU looks favorably upon having ROTC students within their study body kix.

 

[SJFC]

Does AFROTC type 1 cover transportation from home to school? The website (https://www.afrotc.com/scholarships/high-school/types/) says:

TRAVEL EXPENSES​

All high school scholarship recipients are authorized to have their travel expenses covered from their home to the Air Force ROTC detachment’s college where the student enrolls. Reimbursement for travel will be received approximately 30 days after the start of school.

Does this mean every semester or only the first trip as a freshman?

​

 

[AA787DRIVER]

My kid got the attention of the football team at CMU, they had one or two CS students on the team out of a hundred. My kid is a engineering major if he gets in.