Navy NROTC Scholarship as College Programmer

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CitadelStrong

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Greetings ~ I’ve searched and read numerous posts throughout this forum and have learned so much over the last few months as I wait to hear the results of my DS scholarship application. Several posts talk about signing up as a College Programmer, however I’m not finding any results receiving scholarships after becoming a College Programmer. I’m hoping many of you can share your experiences/results after applying for scholarship the first year in college.
 
Lots of midshipmen pick up either 2 or 3 year scholarships while participating as college programmers. These are referred to as side load scholarships. As a college freshman (4/c midshipman), your DS can apply fora 3 year side load scholarship. If this is awarded, the scholarship would kick in for the remaining 3 years of college. If he does not receive a 3 year side load, the next year he can apply for a 2 year side load. Both of these receive the same benefits; tuition, fees, book and living stipend, as the 4 year scholarship. If he still does not receive a 2 year side load, he can apply for Advanced Standing, which would allow him to continue in the NROTC program and commission. Advanced Standing does not receive tuition or fees payment, but does receive the living stipend and attend the 1/c summer cruise required to commission.

More info here:
 
@Proud Dad17 is "spot on". The only difference in the above link and the actual requirements is that the "applicant fitness assessment" is NOT used for Programmers. They must pass the PRT, just like scholarship students in the first year. Instead of the 1,1,1 assessment in the link, the PRT is a 1.5, 2, 2 with minimums needed to pass. If you are a good Midn, and pass the PRT, have no medical issues, and maintain the scholarship minimum GPA, the unit will usually help and try to get you the "side load" 2 or 3yr scholarship. The AFA is used for the National Scholarship app and not Programmers.
 
First-year college programmers are eligible to (re)apply for the national NROTC scholarship if they have fewer than 30 credits.
As far as I can tell, it's more likely that a first-year college programmer will be awarded a national scholarship than a sideload scholarship.
Search the forums a little further for more discussion of this.
 
learningNavymom said:
First-year college programmers are eligible to (re)apply for the national NROTC scholarship if they have fewer than 30 credits. As far as I can tell, it's more likely that a first-year college programmer will be awarded a national scholarship than a sideload scholarship.
Click to expand...

Clarifying point, this is no longer the case for Marine Option, regardless of credit hours. As of this academic year, once you are a college programmer NROTC-MO, you cannot apply for National Scholarship, only Sideload. I don’t know if this is same for Navy option.

Here is thread where we discussed this change, and the current MO sideload process.

NROTC-MO -- No National Scholarships for College Programmers

DS is first year at SMC and a college programmer with NROTC-Marine Option (MO). He talked to Marine-Officer Selection Officer (OSO) today after submitting his online application for National Scholarship. Surprise -- OSO told DS that effective this year the USMC is offering no National...
www.serviceacademyforums.com

Good luck to all NROTC college programmer hopefuls, Navy and Marine!
 
Also, unless something has changed you can apply for a sideload spring of freshman year.
 
Apparently it is the same for NROTC and NROTC-MO. Once you are in the Program, you have to apply thru your unit. DS tried to apply over the winter break for the National and was told NO, he needed to apply thru the Battalion. I think if you are college freshman (less than 30 credits total) and are NOT participating in ROTC, then you can apply, reapply for the National Scholarship.
 
Last year they allowed MIDN of any stripe to (re)apply for the high school scholarship. Evidently that didn't work out too well, so it's back to sideloads.
 
Impulsive said:
Apparently it is the same for NROTC and NROTC-MO. Once you are in the Program, you have to apply thru your unit. DS tried to apply over the winter break for the National and was told NO, he needed to apply thru the Battalion. I think if you are college freshman (less than 30 credits total) and are NOT participating in ROTC, then you can apply, reapply for the National Scholarship.
Click to expand...
I'd be interested in hearing who told DS 'NO' on re-applying for the national scholarship - was it the NRD or the Battalion? Yes, freshman CP can still apply for the national scholarship. There are 'new' requirements though - Fall transcript has to be part of the application and the Officer Interview cannot be completed until after the fall semester. This means a freshman CP's application could not be seen by the boards in Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec. But a CP is still allowed to apply for the national. This is for Navy/Nurse options.

-------- (https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/entrance_requirements.html) --------------
If you have attended college, or plan on attending college in the fall of the application period, you must submit the following additional information:

  • All college transcripts including the completed fall term of the application period.
  • If not participating in the NROTC program as a College Program Midshipmen, a teacher evaluation or letter of recommendation from one of your college professors, submitted after the end of the Fall term.
  • If participating in the NROTC Program as a College Program Midshipmen, the officer interview must be conducted with an Officer at the Navy ROTC Unit at your college and submitted after the Fall term.
Click to expand...
 
He was told by his Battalion that even if he applied for the National he would not eligible until probably the last or next to last Board, and still needed the recommendation of his Battalion CO (applying thru the unit). You cannot apply for the National without Commanding Officer interview and recommendation. He would have had to apply and then wait till possibly February to submit the app, whereas applying thru the Battalion for the side-load only required him to ask for it in writing to the CO. Seems crazy, to take the chance on a National if the Battalion is willing to go to bat for you and virtually guarantee you getting the side load. His CO also told him he was over the 30 credit limit for National purposes (he had 35 college credits upon entering college from AP and IB classes)
 
CP re-applying for the national are not applying thru their unit, although the unit is now involved (via the OI). They are still applying through their hometown affiliated NRD. The Officer Interview needs only to be conducted by an officer of the unit at which they are enrolled as a CP (having the CO do it, while helpful, is not a requirement).

My point is this - good units will encourage their freshman CP to re-apply for the national and prepare them for a sideload opportunity. It's not an either or choice. There is zero risk involved in re-applying for the national.

In your case, it's the college credits that prohibited the re-apply for the national.
 
My MO DS was told by Unit MOI and the local OSO that college programmer MOs could not apply for the HS National Scholarship this year; sideload only. That’s all I can tell you.... One MO Midshipman, in one Unit, with one OSO. Like they say on TV, your experience may vary. :zip:
 
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