NROTC/AFROTC Reference letters

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Shawn

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Jan 23, 2011
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The NROTC application instructs me to send reference requests to my SCHOOL address (The application led me to believe that LoRs are written by hand, or at least the information to write them is not digital). However, with this year drawing to a close, LoR requests wouldn't get to the school before the staff pack up for the summer.

I have the home addresses for my math teacher, counselor and coach for my NROTC scholarship application, but the website specifies the school address. My intent is to have everything squared away by the first board (They've all agreed to do my LoRs during the summer), so how should I proceed from here?

Also, since the AFROTC application opens June 15, I am unsure which teachers I need an LoR from. So this raises my question: Is AFROTC the same as NROTC (math, counselor, coach) or is it different?

Thanks in advance!!:thumb:
Shawn
 
my local coordinator told me that he would send my teachers the evaluation form via email so i'm thinking its electronic.
 
Haha, I left out the important word "scholarship" ... I'm asking about scholarships, not applying to the actual unit.
 
Unless things have changed for AF, it is all electronic. They open a portal for the teacher recs. You never see it, unless the teacher gives you a copy.

Caveat, this is going back yrs to 07/08 and DS also applied to the AFA, thus there may have been the issue of AFROTC accepting the AFA recs. The only hard copy recs I recall DS submitting were personal recs. Teachers and GC's did it all on line. Could have changed, but that is what I recall.

For AFROTC units are not an issue when it comes to scholarships. AFROTC allows you to take the scholarship to any college that they have an agreement with, it is not like NROTC where you give a wish list.

AFROTC will ask for your intended major and schools, but the major is the issue, the school is just a verification that they accept AFROTC scholarships. You will not get:

Congrats you are offered a scholarship to XYZ university from AFROTC.

You will get:

Congrats your are offered a Type X scholarship for intended major (i.e tech or non-tech).

It is very important to understand that the NROTC process is like AROTC, but the competition is like AFROTC.

Tech majors are the bulk of scholarships for AFROTC.

The one thing I would stress to every candidate is ROTC scholarships are very competitive, and this yr is probably going to be like last yr...HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.

The economy in the tank, rising tuition rates, and the AFA/USNA have announced that they are cutting their incoming cadet size, drastically. Most SA candidates apply ROTC as plan B. For a fighting chance of the elusive full ride, you need to look at the stats for these SAs. 99% of SA candidates will follow their ALO/BGO's advice and apply for the ROTC scholarship as plan B. The same cannot be said for the candidate who applies for an ROTC scholarship, because many do not want an SA life, but do want the opportunity.

Look at the original pool for the SA it starts out from the PCQ @15K and gets whittled down to @1500. That should give you insight on how big the pool for ROTC is going to be.

AFA and AFROTC do not talk regarding candidates. I have heard USMA and AROTC do. I don't know about USNA and NROTC. If they are like the AFROTC system. It is all about the score (WCS), from a nationalistic approach. Highest score wins, and they don't care if the highest is applying to the AFA or just AFROTC. In other words in their way it is blind regarding the candidate, AFA, school does not mean squat. It is you earned it, now go, fly to your nest(college)!
 
AFROTC Type 1 Scholarships, COMPETETIVE

I spoke to the AFROTC rep. (Marina Therrien) at Maxwell AFB yesterday and she told me there were less than 100 AFROTC Type 1 scholarships given out for the fall 2011 semester. I asked her if this represnted the total for the whole country and she said "NO" it represented the total for the whole world, saying they receive appilcations from around the world.
 
The reason it is worldwide is because many are AD military dependents who are stationed overseas. I just wanted to put that out for clarification, so people don't start thinking it is a huge pool. I can't imagine more than a few hundred come from overseas.

The real big point to walk away with is that only 100 are Type 1. That shows how competitive it is to get this scholarship.

Yr after yr many cadets get the scholarship, only to realize it is a Type 7 and they must now choose between the school and the scholarship. Type 7 only pays IS. You cannot make up the difference in cost. You can convert it to a 3 yr Type 2, but even at that point you will be out of pocket for 1 yr.

If finance is an issue, you need to have that Plan B in place on how you will pay for school as an OOS student if you get a 7 and convert to Type 2. There is a sticky here of many colleges that work with ROTC cadets regarding tuition, room, board, etc.

Yes, apply, but understand the chance of getting a Type 1, is 100 out of @15000. In other words top 1% of your class on a good day. Even harder if non-tech, since only 5% non-techs get it, in other words @ 5 people out of the entire pool.

Make sure you have every square filled. Max every point available. Don't just think the PFA is just to show you can run, it actually will be given a score and the points vary from a max to a min. Max academically, min PFA, and now you are avg.

Don't try to game the system and tell them that you are going to major in a tech field, and once there plan to change majors to a non-tech. You will need their approval to change majors and keep the scholarship.

Don't think once you get it are golden for the next 4 yrs., esp. the AFROTC program. If you do not get SFT, you do not get to become a POC. No POC, means scholarship revoked. This past yr the selection rate for 200' (sophs) was @50%. The min gpa for a scholarship I believe is 2.8. The min cgpa for the 200's that got SFT was @3.2.

Board for SFT meets in Feb. That means 3 semesters. Get a 2.8 one semester and you need 3.4 for the other 2 to balance it out. There are cadets all over the country that lose that 4 yr scholarship after their sophomore yr. It is rare, but it isn't uncommon.

That gpa also plays into your career field path. It is a big factor for the OML. Higher OML better chances for 1st choice. OBTW, what goes into that OML score besides the cgpa? Your rack and stack at SFT. In other words, you need that SFT (summer cruise for NROTC) to get that dream career path.

I know I diverted the thread, but I wanted to illustrate how everything you decide now regarding school choice and intended major can/will impact your future.

Lastly, remember that the cadets on scholarship are the minority. Most units may have 25% at best that are on scholarship. Do not take not getting one as IT IS ALL OVER, it isn't. Plus, at least for AFROTC when it comes to SFT or boards, scholarship recipients DO NOT get extra points, it is not an edge when it comes to these boards. Yes, many statistically do better, but that is because they need to maintain a min cgpa, and that weight is always on their mind due to fiscal issues.
 
Thank you all for the quick and in-depth responses. I don't think I fully realized the extent of competitiveness of ROTC scholarships (I'm applying to several SA's but plan D and E still might turn into plan A). Also a big thanks Pima for differentiating between NROTC and AFROTC scholarships.
 
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