NROTC at UCLA or UCSD!? Help!

[Navy_ROTC_Mom]

Son was accepted to both UCSD & UCLA for Aerospace Engineering on a NROTC Scholarship. He has met with both Units and likes them both for different reasons. We are stuck. Can anyone speak to the opportunities each one might offer?

 

[GWU PNS (emeritus)]

Son was accepted to both UCSD & UCLA for Aerospace Engineering on a NROTC Scholarship. He has met with both Units and likes them both for different reasons. We are stuck. Can anyone speak to the opportunities each one might offer?

This may not be fair but it's relevant. You can have a nice leisurely drive around SD.

You can admire a lot of brake lights in LA. With gas around 6 bucks a gallon it might be a consideration.

 

[dlr27]

UCLA is a better school, academically speaking, although UCSD is definitely a top-35 university in my mind. Locationwise, both are in gorgeous areas, with UCSD being in La Jolla and San Diego, and UCLA being near Westwood, Santa Monica and downtown LA. I've heard great things about the UCLA NROTC Unit, and their program is supposed to be top-tier. I haven't heard much about UCSD's NROTC Unit, but I'm sure that they are also a top-tier unit. Ultimately, it comes down to which schools is the best holistic fit for your DS. Congratulations on his acceptances!

 

[AROTC-dad]

Both are in the top tier of UC's and both are arguably considered "Public ivies."

• Don't choose based on the NROTC unit. Choose the school as cadre changes periodically.
• Examine the two AE programs. Which one offers the best curriculum?
• Visit both campuses. Which one "feels right?"
• UC San Diego has a very different set up compared to UCLA. UCSD breaks the campus into seven "residential colleges" giving it a more small school feel.
• UC San Diego has closer proximity to the Naval Fleet. It may be therefore more advantageous for your Naval career.
• UCLA has more National prominence, some of it due to NCAA programs. It is the more recognized "Brand Name."
• Westwood has more "glitz" being near Santa Monica, Sunset Strip, Malibu, etc.
• La Jolla is more chill and just as affluent, if not more so.
• UCLA has more activity than UCSD. La Jolla can be pretty sleepy on weekends. Westwood is active 24/7.
• If you like sports, UCLA has it hands down. Just the USC vs UCLA crosstown rivalry is massive. School spirit is off the charts.

Full disclosure:
My wife was a Bruin,
My brother was a Bruin,
My oldest DS was a Bruin
My oldest DD was a Bruin.

 

[AROTC-dad]

versus

 

[AROTC-dad]

One more thing....
There is no more iconic college building to take your graduation photo in front of on the West Coast than Royce Hall:

 

[cyclist2028]

Both are in the top tier of UC's and both are arguably considered "Public ivies."

• Don't choose based on the NROTC unit. Choose the school as cadre changes periodically.
• Examine the two AE programs. Which one offers the best curriculum?
• Visit both campuses. Which one "feels right?"
• UC San Diego has a very different set up compared to UCLA. UCSD breaks the campus into seven "residential colleges" giving it a more small school feel.
• UC San Diego has closer proximity to the Naval Fleet. It may be therefore more advantageous for your Naval career.
• UCLA has more National prominence, some of it due to NCAA programs. It is the more recognized "Brand Name."
• Westwood has more "glitz" being near Santa Monica, Sunset Strip, Malibu, etc.
• La Jolla is more chill and just as affluent, if not more so.
• UCLA has more activity than UCSD. La Jolla can be pretty sleepy on weekends. Westwood is active 24/7.
• If you like sports, UCLA has it hands down. Just the USC vs UCLA crosstown rivalry is massive. School spirit is off the charts.

Full disclosure:
My wife was a Bruin,
My brother was a Bruin,
My oldest DS was a Bruin
My oldest DD was a Bruin.

I am planning on applying to both schools for ROTC scholarships as backup to my service academy plans next year. UCLA has a really nice campus when I visited. Does ROTC cover all the tuition, dorm, books, etc costs your freshman year, or do you have to be in the program for more than one year to receive the full benefits? (I was planning on doing a year of ROTC at a civilian school if I get rejected and reapply again). Thank you for any information.

 

[AROTC-dad]

Does ROTC cover all the tuition, dorm, books, etc costs your freshman year, or do you have to be in the program for more than one year to receive the full benefits? (I was planning on doing a year of ROTC at a civilian school if I get rejected and reapply again). Thank you for any information.

I can only speak to Army ROTC as my DS was commissioned via AROTC. (@GWU PNS is absolutely the expert on all things NROTC)

For Army, it depends on whether you receive a 4 year or 3 year scholarship.

If it is 4 year, once you pass DoDMERB, pass the physical fitness requirement (not sure if the ACFT is now in place or not). the program will pay for tuition, and all mandatory fees (you can choose to use the scholarship toward Room and Board but this has a cap and more limitations). Some schools (but not UC's) will throw in discounted or free room and board if you are an ROTC scholarship recipient. In addition, you receive a $1,200 cash stipend each month to go toward books and an additional stipend of $420 for other expenses.

For three year scholarships, you are on your own the first year, and so long as you are in good standing (behavior, health, fitness and grades), your scholarship will kick in for the fall of your sophomore year.

Graduating debt free is a wonderful thing. My DS just bought his first house (no help from mom/dad), on an O-2 salary and he is "allowing" his room mates to pay most of his mortgage.

For more info, here is a nice Army ROTC benefit recap from UTSA:
Benefits | Army ROTC (utsa.edu)

 

[cyclist2028]

I can only speak to Army ROTC as my DS was commissioned via AROTC. (@GWU PNS is absolutely the expert on all things NROTC)

For Army, it depends on whether you receive a 4 year or 3 year scholarship.

If it is 4 year, once you pass DoDMERB, pass the physical fitness requirement (not sure if the ACFT is now in place or not). the program will pay for tuition, and all mandatory fees (you can choose to use the scholarship toward Room and Board but this has a cap and more limitations). Some schools (but not UC's) will throw in discounted or free room and board if you are an ROTC scholarship recipient. In addition, you receive a $1,200 cash stipend each month to go toward books and an additional stipend of $420 for other expenses.

For three year scholarships, you are on your own the first year, and so long as you are in good standing (behavior, health, fitness and grades), your scholarship will kick in for the fall of your sophomore year.

Graduating debt free is a wonderful thing. My DS just bought his first house (no help from mom/dad), on an O-2 salary and he is "allowing" his room mates to pay most of his mortgage.

For more info, here is a nice Army ROTC benefit recap from UTSA:
Benefits | Army ROTC (utsa.edu)

Thank you very much for the insight! This was very helpful.

 

[Mylifeismid]

This may not be fair but it's relevant. You can have a nice leisurely drive around SD.

You can admire a lot of brake lights in LA. With gas around 6 bucks a gallon it might be a consideration.

Im part of the USD consortium with friends at the LA Consortium. The availability our unit has to the big Navy alone makes it worth it. Camp Pendleton, Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Point Loma, MCAS Miramar, and Naval Base Coronado are right here. Between ROTC units there’s no comparison.