NROTC Side Load Scholarships

NavyFlightTest

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Does anyone have any recent information regarding NROTC side load scholarships? Have read here that they were few and far between in past years. Our son is currently a college programmer (completed one semester) hoping for a side load (and his parents would fall in that category as well!). Any advice to pass on to him to better his chances? He did one year at a community college and just completed one semester at a 4-yr college. He nearly maxed out his PRT score and did very well in his NAV101 class. He's a tier 1 major, but his first semester away, his GPA suffered a bit. Will they consider his community college grades as well?
 
Class of 2016 51 3 yr and 119 2 yr side loads available. For class of 2017- 93 3 year and 119 2 year available. These numbers can change throughout the year depending on the needs of the Navy. DS recieved the 2 year side load last April. There are a number of posters on here that have recieved them recently and all performed highly. It really depends how many are applying for them which we can't get an exact number but would guestimate 400-500 nationwide. SO basically perform near the top of the unit, great GPA PFT and PNS recomendation.
 
Does anyone have any recent information regarding NROTC side load scholarships? Have read here that they were few and far between in past years. Our son is currently a college programmer (completed one semester) hoping for a side load (and his parents would fall in that category as well!). Any advice to pass on to him to better his chances? He did one year at a community college and just completed one semester at a 4-yr college. He nearly maxed out his PRT score and did very well in his NAV101 class. He's a tier 1 major, but his first semester away, his GPA suffered a bit. Will they consider his community college grades as well?

Don't know if they'll consider the community college grades. However, if I were a guessing man, I'd guess they'll use whatever GPA is on his transcript. Therefore it would/should include whatever courses and grades the new college accepted from the community college. That's how I would do it anyway. It's not unusual for GPA to take a hit at what is, is some sense, his first semester away at college so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Dunninla posted the number of sideload scholarships available for Navy Options for the next couple years (including this year) sometime last year. As I recall there were over 100 available each year (maybe 120?). Anyway you could do a search to find the details. [Edit: Looks like Terp already took care of that issue]

They will look at the same old things they always look at: Leadership, Scholarship, and Athletics including intramural sports. Sounds like he is OK on the PRT front but he also needs to keep up the good work. He has to keep his grades high which is not easy to do with a Tier I major. I do not know if they give extra points to a Tier I (as they do in Air Force) but I expect there is some level of consideration. He should volunteer in the unit for anything he can and of course keep his nose clean.

Marine Option scholarships are much rarer and probably about 20 a semester on average (so far as I know) are given. I think there was only 11 given this fall but I'm not convinced that info is reliable. In any case it's a different pool of money from Navy Option.

DS just received a sideload Marine Option scholarship last month (he is a sophmore). CGPA was 3.6 and he's been on the Dean's list each semester. He had done two stints as a squad leader. Your DS might have an opportunity to do his first this spring. He participated on Drill Team and Boat Crew and volunteered whenever he could. He has consistently maxed or been within 4 points of maxing the PFT. SAT was 1330 M/CR. I know the average GPA for Marine Option sideloads last year at this time was 3.5. Just thought I would pass this along to give some idea of what your son needs to strive for. Navy may have more lenient targets than the Marines do though so take it with a grain of salt.

One other thing. Your son (as you know) will be able to apply for a sideload scholarship this spring. Last spring my son submitted his 1 day late (he says they never told him exactly when it was due, just end of Feb.) and they did not send his application onward for review. Be sure to tell you son to get on his application ASAP and to keep on it until finished. Also tell him it's his responsibility to know when its due, it's not their responsibility to tell him. In my son's case I really think there was just some miscommunication but if your son takes the attitude (right or wrong) that it's his responsibility to know when its due then he'll be fine. In any case that's the approach my son took this fall and I consider it a lesson well learned, although kind of expensive for Dad. :biggrin:

Good luck to your son. Never give up! And there is always Advanced Standing if a scholarship doesn't come through. :thumb:
 
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Navy may have more lenient targets than the Marines do though so take it with a grain of salt.

I was reconsidering this post while driving to an appointment and decided using the word lenient was a poor word choice. What I should have said is that Navy sideloads with a vast majority of Tier I and II majors vs Marine sideloads with a vast majority of Tier III majors would probably have lower average GPAs due to the rigor of their academics.
 
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