You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months…….to borrow a line from General Eisenhower;
I am weeks away from completing my senior year in High School and I am the proud recipient of a 4 Year Navy NROTC Scholarship – I began the Scholarship Application Process over a year ago and wanted to share some lessons learned as I went through the process – these are humbly presented with the hope it can help during the process – it is by no means intended as expert advice.
Purity of Heart – For over a year I was on this site every day, several times a day. You see many motivations in applying for this scholarship – if it is your intent, hope and dream to become a Naval Officer, there are many ways to earn a commission, the scholarship is one of several. Be sure this is not being sought as just a means to pay for school, that motivation will be discovered in the process – go into this with eyes wide open and with the attitude that becoming a Naval Officer is your primary goal. During the Scholarship Selection Process – take the time to educate yourself about all the options the Navy offers.
P A T I E N C E – The most difficult aspect in my humble opinion of all. I went for my Officers Interview, submitted my Package by the end of May and thought I’d have an answer by August after the first Selection Board met…I was awarded the Scholarship in February….it was a long six months and was my Day of Day’s when I was notified. Once your application is submitted, focus on academics, fitness and the continued exploration of all your options in the Navy and other Services should those appeal to you.
The Application – Pay specific attention to detail – be sure you speak to teachers and references in advance. Be mindful of instructions and seek clarity where you find ambiguities on the Application. For instance, in my case there was some confusion around a directive that you had to select one In State School where you were eligible for In State Tuition in your top three school choices – I had to make changes in the application during the process once I we got clarification on this matter – communicate with your local Navy Recruiting Officer, be vigilant in getting Fact Based Information.
School Choices – Number 1 Choice – Remember getting selected for an NROTC Scholarship is independent of getting into colleges & universities you list as your choices. Be sure you have a pretty good chance of getting accepted to schools you list, people have found themselves a recipient of a scholarship and did not get into the school the Navy chose off their list – there is no guarantee and more challenges in getting your scholarship transferred – this may not be the place to list your stretch schools. I was initially granted my scholarship to my Number 3 Choice, was thrilled to be in this University and honored to be part of the NROTC– Three Months Later…the opportunity to move my Scholarship to my Number 1 Choice was offered and I accepted it – don’t bank on this ability to move, it’s rare and a lot has to fall in place, but it can happen, so keep the faith.
L I S T E N, Pay Attention, Seek Facts, Not Opinions & Remember To Say Thank You
On a site such as this you have dedicated professionals committed to helping people and sharing information – you will quickly discover who these people are. There are others who while well intentioned, may not have accurate or complete information. Be sure to check the information you get with “Official Sources” and recheck the information from time to time.
Some of the dedicated professionals you will encounter here check in after 12-16 hour days on the job…it is a remarkable amount of care, concern and commitment these people bring to this forum….remember to thank those that help you, they care more than you could imagine and we all owe them an enormous debt of gratitude!
As stated I am no expert, far from it. I am a future Midshipman who had many people help me, I want to do the same for others where I can. Being a recipient of an NROTC Scholarship and the ability to earn the opportunity to become a Naval Officer was as stated my Day of Days. I have told those who have helped me here I will never forget them and that I will work as hard as I can to make them proud.
Few if any on this site make decisions on who gets a scholarship, many have years of experience, invaluable advice and a great deal of wisdom…..respect and listen and it will make your journey a memorable one.
Very Respectfully,
Charlie
I am weeks away from completing my senior year in High School and I am the proud recipient of a 4 Year Navy NROTC Scholarship – I began the Scholarship Application Process over a year ago and wanted to share some lessons learned as I went through the process – these are humbly presented with the hope it can help during the process – it is by no means intended as expert advice.
Purity of Heart – For over a year I was on this site every day, several times a day. You see many motivations in applying for this scholarship – if it is your intent, hope and dream to become a Naval Officer, there are many ways to earn a commission, the scholarship is one of several. Be sure this is not being sought as just a means to pay for school, that motivation will be discovered in the process – go into this with eyes wide open and with the attitude that becoming a Naval Officer is your primary goal. During the Scholarship Selection Process – take the time to educate yourself about all the options the Navy offers.
P A T I E N C E – The most difficult aspect in my humble opinion of all. I went for my Officers Interview, submitted my Package by the end of May and thought I’d have an answer by August after the first Selection Board met…I was awarded the Scholarship in February….it was a long six months and was my Day of Day’s when I was notified. Once your application is submitted, focus on academics, fitness and the continued exploration of all your options in the Navy and other Services should those appeal to you.
The Application – Pay specific attention to detail – be sure you speak to teachers and references in advance. Be mindful of instructions and seek clarity where you find ambiguities on the Application. For instance, in my case there was some confusion around a directive that you had to select one In State School where you were eligible for In State Tuition in your top three school choices – I had to make changes in the application during the process once I we got clarification on this matter – communicate with your local Navy Recruiting Officer, be vigilant in getting Fact Based Information.
School Choices – Number 1 Choice – Remember getting selected for an NROTC Scholarship is independent of getting into colleges & universities you list as your choices. Be sure you have a pretty good chance of getting accepted to schools you list, people have found themselves a recipient of a scholarship and did not get into the school the Navy chose off their list – there is no guarantee and more challenges in getting your scholarship transferred – this may not be the place to list your stretch schools. I was initially granted my scholarship to my Number 3 Choice, was thrilled to be in this University and honored to be part of the NROTC– Three Months Later…the opportunity to move my Scholarship to my Number 1 Choice was offered and I accepted it – don’t bank on this ability to move, it’s rare and a lot has to fall in place, but it can happen, so keep the faith.
L I S T E N, Pay Attention, Seek Facts, Not Opinions & Remember To Say Thank You
On a site such as this you have dedicated professionals committed to helping people and sharing information – you will quickly discover who these people are. There are others who while well intentioned, may not have accurate or complete information. Be sure to check the information you get with “Official Sources” and recheck the information from time to time.
Some of the dedicated professionals you will encounter here check in after 12-16 hour days on the job…it is a remarkable amount of care, concern and commitment these people bring to this forum….remember to thank those that help you, they care more than you could imagine and we all owe them an enormous debt of gratitude!
As stated I am no expert, far from it. I am a future Midshipman who had many people help me, I want to do the same for others where I can. Being a recipient of an NROTC Scholarship and the ability to earn the opportunity to become a Naval Officer was as stated my Day of Days. I have told those who have helped me here I will never forget them and that I will work as hard as I can to make them proud.
Few if any on this site make decisions on who gets a scholarship, many have years of experience, invaluable advice and a great deal of wisdom…..respect and listen and it will make your journey a memorable one.
Very Respectfully,
Charlie