NROTC Scholarship

skann.b

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
9
Hello there, new to the forums looking for some helpful advice.
I am a second year NROTC scholarship student attending a University for an engineering major.

My dilemma is that I have come to dislike my campus with a passion. I love the NROTC unit and the program and am fully dedicated to my obligations but I find myself falling into bouts of depression about physically where I am.

So my question is, it is possible to keep the NROTC scholarship and transfer to a different college to pursue the same major? Or am I trapped and just need to get over it?

Thank you very much.
 
Bump.

Also, as a side note I know I'm being selfish with such an amazing scholarship that others have been rejected from... but I feel like I am rapidly slipping away and into a downward spiral. This school, which I won't mention, was my dream school years ago, I put it on such a pedestal. But then I got here and it was no better (if not, worse) than other colleges that I have no interest in. NROTC was the only thing keeping me going and it's just starting to weigh down. Please if anyone has any information if a current scholarship student can be put down for even a waiting list for another university after the academic year (maybe even during the next semester). I would be so thankful to anyone with knowledge about this.
 
I know you can transfer but I don't know the process. My D's unit had a student transfer in from another college at the semester break. He was a full scholarship student unhappy at his first school.
 
What do you not like about your school?

Can you PM me the school your going to?
 
Does your unit have any crosstown affliates? If so, would you be able to transfer there?
 
There are no crosstown affiliates and I would really prefer not saying, because like I said I love the NROTC unit and don't want to slander a school that my brothers have come to enjoy. But I am very glad to hear that there is a chance to transfer mid scholarship so thank you all very much.
 
Have you thought about what it is that is bothering you about the school? Are you not getting a good education? Is it too big or too small for you? Does it have to do with the students going there? It would be a shame to leave the NROTC unit you adore. I'm not saying that, in your case, transferring would not be the best thing for you, but on the other hand are your issues irreconciable? Do you discuss them with anyone, or do you feel ashamed to?

I say this as someone who has suffered serious depression, and I feel for you, but you should ask yourself if the issues you are coping with are, even with the help of your fellow unit members, truly irreconcilable.
 
Have you thought about what it is that is bothering you about the school? Are you not getting a good education? Is it too big or too small for you? Does it have to do with the students going there? It would be a shame to leave the NROTC unit you adore. I'm not saying that, in your case, transferring would not be the best thing for you, but on the other hand are your issues irreconciable? Do you discuss them with anyone, or do you feel ashamed to?

I say this as someone who has suffered serious depression, and I feel for you, but you should ask yourself if the issues you are coping with are, even with the help of your fellow unit members, truly irreconcilable.

I have found no drive to strive for grades. I am Hispanic and family is very important to me with how I was raised, needless to say I am very far away from them and it takes a toll. I know that, once commissioned, I will have no say in where I go... but I would enjoy being able to spend quality time with them before that. Also, once commissioned (and hopefully in flight school) I will be doing what I love and never have a minute of rest. But I am lethargic. As far as an NROTC student, I actually have a lot of downtime but now all I do is spend it in my room getting work done (with no really care as to how I'm doing) and texting/emailing my parents and my younger sibling. Nothing else. The campus has just lost it's luster, it's too small even though I thought that was what I wanted and I just feel like I'm not being "all I can be" here. I do love the unit.. but I need to stay or leave for me.
 
skann.b-

Do you know what school you want to transfer to? Have you persued the matter to that degree? I'm wondering if you have visited the unit at your potential school or--- maybe you haven't gone that far since you weren't sure you could even transfer.

There are a multitude of reasons that bring us all down from time to time and being away from family makes it that much harder. Even though you may have targeted the reasons behind why you are lethargic and feeling the way you are, it really can't hurt to stop over to campus health can it? After all- that is why they are there :wink: I know a lot of people don't want to hear that kind of thing and I don't mean it as a way to change your mind- just as a way to help you deal with the struggle for right now. Something to think about at least.

Good luck to you- kgrmom
 
I actually do know what school I want to transfer to and I know the unit there but am still hesitant. I know that there are different things that bring me down but the main thing, the main reason I'm being dragged down, is because I'm stuck in a tier 1 or nothing school. I'm thinking about changing majors and it falls into tier 2. I am not ruling out staying in tier 1 but if I did want to change to tier 2 then if I stay where I am then I am trapped.
 
If you are worried about your scholarship- You usually can change from Tier 1 to Tier 2 without a problem :smile:
 
kgrmom, thank you for all your help, is there a way I can send you a personal message on this site so that maybe you can help some more detailed information?
 
Absolutely skann.b :biggrin:

You can send any member a private message by clicking on their login name (in my case kgrmom); you should get a selection of about 3 or 4 things and one of them will be to send a private message to that member. That's all there is to it. Just post a message here if you have a problem with it working.
 
I am so glad that you have found someone on this thread to PM. I know that my son's AROTC PMS is always on the look out for depression in his cadets and is very proactive in dealing with it. Being away from home and family is very difficult for some and apathy for other things can set in. Can you speak to your LtCommander?
 
In the time since my last post I have tried to ask around wherever I can. My academic adviser put aside some time for me and I spoke to her about the possibility of changing tiers from tier 1 to tier 2. She basically straightened up and gave me a lecture of how prestigious a scholarship it is and that losing it would be a mistake I would live with for the rest of my life (which I am aware of - especially since if I lose my scholarship my family has told me that they would turn their backs on me i.e. incentive to stay in my tier). When I persuaded her that I at least wanted to have a plan, she told me that about 80% of tier 1 scholarship students lose their scholarship by moving to tier 2. She said this was the reason, and it made sense to me, ~"The Navy wants people in the Tier 1 scholarships so that, when you commission, they can place you anywhere and you will have your opportunity to serve. Because of this, tier 1 scholarships are the least competitive of all the tiers. What ends up happening is that people used to get a scholarship for tier 1, put up with the suck for a year, then request a change so that they could keep the scholarship and get into their area of study without being as competitive. So now the state of the Navy selection process pegs people as trying to cheat the system."

In my MIDN regulation it says

"Normally, the NSTC will not take favorable action on such a request [transfer] unless it has been favorably recommended by both Professors of Naval Science, and is in the best interests of the student and the Navy"

So here is what I'm stuck with

It has been about a month in this tier 1 major and I can already tell that I have zero passion for the physics and math (unlike the passion I had for biology, pre med). The simple fact, I rushed myself into the scholarship without thinking long term.

My family is telling me to stick it out and put up with the suck.
My advisor is telling me to stick it out because odds are I won't get a transfer.

If I lose I will have no financial backup and shunned from a very close knit family. My gut is telling me that, because I don't have a passion for my tier (I'm NOT doing basics by the way, so it's not like I'm getting bent out of shape from courses everyone needs to take) that I will not do as well in my class. Don't get me wrong I want to succeed in whatever I do, but I also want to love what I do. I do love the program and, even if I lost my scholarship, I would pursue NROTC.

In fact, the only reason I'm not depressed like I was is because I enjoy NROTC so much and it keeps me busy. I want to serve, but am still very confused on just how competitive it is to get a change from tier 1 to tier 2 and keep the 4-year scholarship.

I do believe that I will serve the Navy better through changing tiers and I know that this is the service for me. Can anyone confirm any cases of tier 1 4-year scholarships changing to tier 2? If so how many and was it a long process? On the other side has anyone know people that have lost their scholarship because of this reason? I suppose I'm looking for a little bit of a better statistic then 80% washout and keeping my faith.

Go Navy!
 
I don't know if I can help you but a few points:

This infuriates me:
gave me a lecture of how prestigious a scholarship it is and that losing it would be a mistake I would live with for the rest of my life
it's a bunch of crap and you probably know it. You are what? 19? gonna live another 70-80 years.

You are a sophomore so you have a commitment to the Navy if you drop your scholarship right? If you lose it you still a commitment or you have to pay back some money.

If you change to Tier 2 and keep your scholarship you must still take physics and math - no?

You sound absolutely miserable. Here's an option that you may or may not like - see if you can drop your NROTC scholarship and switch to AROTC. With an AROTC scholarship you can major in anything you want and there is no physics/math requirement.

In any case - singaporemom is right. You need to talk to your NROTC LCDR. Make an appointment and tell him everything you posted here. These officers are here to help you and you need to go have a conversation. This is what grown ups do. You can make the decision that is right for you if you consult the right people.
Finally, this is your life, your school, your major, your career. NOT your parents.
 
This is somewhat of a surprise to me. Much like kgrmom stated, we attended Freshman NROTC Orientation at my son's school a couple of weeks ago and the CO made it clear that switching from Tier 1 to Tier 2 or vice versa was not a problem but that if you wanted to switch to a Tier 3, that was when you had to get a lot of support to get it approved and that it was not a likely proposition. I don't understand why the officer is giving you so much grief over the change you are proposing.

I hope it all works out for you whatever you decide but being miserable for four years does not sound like the right plan. Good luck!
 
If you change to Tier 2 and keep your scholarship you must still take physics and math - no?

Per current NROTC Scholarship Academic Requirements:

In addition to normal university course load, midshipmen must follow these general academic guidelines:

* Calculus (one year by end of sophomore year) (not required for Nurse- or Marine Corps- option students)
* Physics (one year of calculus-based physics by end of junior year) (not required for Nurse- or Marine Corps- option students)
* English grammar and composition (one year) (not required for Marine Corps option)
* National Security Policy/American Military Affairs (not required for Nurse-option)
* One semester of language or culture is required.


# Naval Science course each semester
# Weekly drill instruction periods
# Four- to Six- week training period each summer

* Nurse midshipmen participate in summer training in accordance with their individual nursing curriculum requirements
 
My general courses are completed. They were transfer credit from a previous college before I got into the NROTC program.

Does anyone know if changing schools and not tiers has a risk of losing a scholarship?
If not, does going to a school with less tuition help the process any? I figure if tuition drops a grand or two... that the selection board might look a little bit more favorably on my request.

These officers are here to help you and you need to go have a conversation. This is what grown ups do. You can make the decision that is right for you if you consult the right people.

Officers develop a sense of pride in their school and I feel going up to them and saying "your school just is not a right fit" might make things... awkward. I know they are supposed to be professional but even the best gentlemen turn to brawlers when school spirit is under fire. The reason I do not go to them is because I am looking for unbiased people from neither side of the fence to help give me information that I can't find on my own.
 
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