Marine Option - Success - First Board!

NDROTCDad92

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May 31, 2017
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My son just got the call! He was awarded the 4 year scholarship! He was told that he was the top of the District 4 candidates. He is on Cloud Niner!

Love to see a child's hard work paid off. He has a hoops game tonight, and my best buddy says he's going to yell "Semper Fi" every time he scores!

Proud Dad!
 
upload_2017-12-15_16-57-59.png
Coincidentally, a Navy friend of mine gave me this the other day.
He couldn't figure it out so I showed him.
Of course I ate the crayon.
 
I also got the call today, but my portal hasn't updated yet. Has anyone's portal updated already?
 
I have been reviewing posts on this forum for months now, and it has been tremendously valuable and, frankly, calming for us parents, so thank you. Thank you to all of the military, past and present, who share your wealth of knowledge to us newbies and for your service, to the military families, and to the youth who are committed to serving our country some day.

DS was notified yesterday he received the NROTC-MO scholarship for his first choice school. He is honored, humbled and shocked, and we are exceptionally proud and happy for him, and also thankful for the Marines for believing in him.

As to status, Netfocus changed to "The NSTC Selection/Placement Office has received your application" a few days ago with other information, including five colleges. Site still says "No decision has been made." Since notified, no further status change. From searching posts from prior years, this change is the final change until a decision is made. If no change, you roll over to second board. Good luck to all, and do NOT give up!

Given the early date of this award, he has not yet been admitted to any of his NROTC schools, including his assigned school. Also waiting on USNA. We will be updating DS's college applications to indicate the receipt of this award. I have given thought to the best way to do that because many colleges have need-blind admissions policies and would not want to be perceived as having taken into account whether or not an applicant can pay for college. But colleges of course consider merit-based awards, and this is a significant one, so DS will update applications by focusing on the competitiveness of the award and the factors that are evaluated, including academic performance and test scores, potential to lead, community service, desire to serve, an interview, essay, and physical fitness test. Is there any reason DS should not update his applications to include this scholarship? DS also was urged to reach out to the CO at the university to which he was assigned, which he plans to do asap.
 
Correction: DS is not waiting on USNA, but rather is still in process of seeking nomination and appointment.
 
WestCoast22: Congratulations to your DS. In my opinion, there is no harm in notifying schools of the scholarship or in contacting the CO of the assigned unit (although you may consider contacting the MOI instead).

For those who have been notified the journey is just beginning. The next two significant hurdles are getting through the DODMERB process and getting accepted into the selected school (or requesting a transfer to an alternate school).

Good luck!
 
@USMCGrunt Thank you, Sir. We have very much valued your comments and guidance throughout this process. When you say get through the DODMERB process, if DS received notification that he was qualified for (I believe for both NROTC and USNA), is there more we should expect in the process? We assumed getting the scholarship meant all conditions were met. Thank you!
 
Others with more current experiences can confirm but it is my understanding that NROTC scholarship winners are sent to DODMERB after winning while USNA applicants go beforehand. It is my understanding that the two don't share the results. You can also search this forum for some discussion on that topic.

I believe I am correct but hope I am wrong as it seems inefficient and costly to do things this way but this is the government... ;)
 
Oh... and the other thing is that earning the scholarship and passing the physical are not the only two hurdles. You have to get into the selected school or succeed in transferring to another NROTC unit at a school that will accept you (much less a hurdle but it still exists).

I recall over the years that a few scholarship winners have ultimately had to find an open unit and apply last minute to that school in order to work everything out. It could be a school off your radar. Rare but a possibility.
 
Yes -- thanks to this forum, we were aware of that and DS applied early (and will be applying regular decision) to multiple schools of interest with NROTC units to increase chance that he will find a home at the end of the process. I think he did the medical for USNA but his status reflects both NROTC and USNSA, so it seems they do share thankfully. But we will see.
 
Since my son was selected on the first board and has a lot of time to apply to a few reach schools, does anyone have history of using the scholarship to secure admission to one?

When I got mine in December of 1988, I got a letter from Notre Dame on my acceptance 2 weeks later - outside of the normal notification dates. I always assumed it was because I got the scholarship.
 
Observed a young man at a wrestling tournament today win by fall and come into the stands to his team mates, not celebrating the win, but celebrating the call he got while warming up... "I am going to college on a Marine scholarship worth xxx dollars. I'm going to be a Marine Officer!" He was ecstatic.
 
My son just got the call! He was awarded the 4 year scholarship! He was told that he was the top of the District 4 candidates. He is on Cloud Niner!

Love to see a child's hard work paid off. He has a hoops game tonight, and my best buddy says he's going to yell "Semper Fi" every time he scores!

Proud Dad!

I imagine he'll say "Semper Fi" a few more times for the rest of his life.

Congratulations........but a bit jealous.

Naw.....just congratulations.

Semper Fi.

P.S. Keep us posted on his progress.
 
My portal has changed to “nstc placement office has received your application”, but I was never contacted by my recruiter. Does the change in my portal indicate that I received it?
 
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