NROTC essay prompt question

[electric_boogaloo]

Hey all. This is my second attempt at a national scholarship. I have a question about this prompt.


Discuss your reasons for wanting to become a Marine Officer. Specifically comment on leadership positions you've held, the challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned.


The first part is simple enough, but the second part seems like a whole different essay question. How should I navigate this? Half my space for why, and second half for leadership stuff? Honestly, I don't see how leadership lessons should have anything to do with why you want to be a Marine officer. Should I just focus on why I want to be a Marine officer?

Thanks for the input guys!

 

[Stevenson]

To be an officer is to be a good leader. I'd say you talk about your leadership positions and your difficulties in these positions that make you become a better leader. Mention how these obstacles and positions influence you to want to be a greater leader. (i.e taking what you learned into the real world and serving your country perhaps.)

 

[kinnem]

I agree with Stevenson. A Marine officer IS a leader. If wanting to be a leader isn't at least part of the reason you want to become a Marine OFFICER, then one has to wonder. I'm sure you have other reasons for wanting to become a Marine officer that you can perhaps work in but I would think leadership is a part of it.

 

[USMCGrunt]

I went back and checked and a few years ago the prompt was "Discuss your reasons for wanting to become a Marine Officer."
I suspect it was amended to guide the applicant in the response. As the others have noted, leadership is/ should be a large part of your response. There is no simple approach like splitting the essay in half. You need to compose a well thought out response that holistically addresses the prompt.

Essays are a chance to present things about yourself and your background that can't be gleamed from the checkbox and other parts of the application. Use it wisely.

 

[Sampia]

Think of it as the difference between becoming a Marine officer vs enlisted. As an officer, you will be a leader. I would suggest including your reasons for wanting to be an officer, but as they requested focus on your leadership because as an officer that will be very important and they will probably look at your views and experiences when they are handing out scholarships. Why do you want to lead Marines? What in your past has helped you get to the point where you think that you will become a good leader?