Instant Decision Scholarships are possible
An amazing thing happened to my DS (who applied to the NROTC, USNA, and the USMMA) this week. He received a phone call on Monday (12/27) from a Chief at the Great Lakes Naval Center who stated my son had been selected as a highly qualified candidate and they were prepared to make an offer for an immediate decision NROTC scholarship, but he had to have an interview with the Base Commander before 12/30/10 and be willing to make an honorable verbal commitment to follow through on the acceptance (not changing his mind). The only exception to this would be if he received an appointment to an academy.
We went to the base yesterday and DS was prepped by the Chief and then my husband and I were invited to sit in on the interview with the Commander, but if we said anything without being asked a question, the interview would be over. The interview was 1 hour and fairly brutal. At the end the Commander stood up and offered our son a scholarship for $180,000. We have pictures with the "big check", that they said they would come to his graduation and offer there. I am sitting in awe at this whole thing that has happened over the past couple days and know this was a gift from God.
The amazing part is that DS applied as a Tier 3 with pre-law and political science as his majors. His stats are 3.9 GPA, ACT 28, SAT 1300, football (captain), drama, band section leader, tons of church group leadership, many, many hours of volunteer/community service, foreign mission trips of service. When I read many of these posts and see the qualifications that many of these yound men and women have, on paper they appear so much more qualified than DS. He has received 3 congressional nominations to the USMMA and 1 to the USNA
We received feedback from a couple people that DS has phenomonal interviews and his letters of recommendation were also stellar. After sitting in on the interview yesterday, (this was one on one with the commander) I agree that this is really his strength, his honesty and honest self-assessment of what he wants to do, his ability to lead and where he wants to grow put me in awe... The Commander didn't give him any breaks and everything he said was open for challenge. Needless to say, it was an amazing event.
So as the Chief stressed now all the stars have to line up, he has the scholarship, needs to get accepted into the schools (so far 3 out of 5), and they have to have NROTC openings (so far 3 out of 5). The Commander also stated the that the privilege of getting this offer has the expectation that our son will commit and follow through on it, and only if he gets an appointment will there be understanding that he could not fulfill the offer of this scholarship. So DS signed the papers and gave his word of this agreement. So we are truly on an adventure. I understand this is a unique way of receiving the scholarship and thought it might give hope to some of you who have worked so hard on all the applications and processes. Blessings to you.