NROTC Without Sports?

collegesomeday said:
And thank you for that story, kinnem. It's nice to know that if things don't work out with this scholarship I will still have great options that will eventually allow me to join the Navy as an officer free of college debt.
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I don't know about the "free of college debt" part. My DS certainly has some. But it does give you some potentially viable options if all works out.
 
In a scenario in which I don't receive a 4-year scholarship, how difficult is it to receive a 3 or 2 year one? If I showed up to every training and consistently performed well on my physical fitness tests and did well in class would I get the scholarship? Does it depend on the school?
 
College,

1. NMSF is national, that is what The N stands for. Your state doesn't play into the equation since it the PSAT.
~~~ Sorry, I have to throw up the BS flag on that defense. Either you are ranked top 5% nationally or you are not. Your state has nothing to do with NMSF.

The I was sick doesn't float with me either.

I am going to debate with you. That is just an excuse.
~~~ our kids never did practice tests. They just showed up and took it. Should they use that as an excuse?
~~~~~~ Remember this a debate defense.

How do you justify a lousy score when NROTC super scores?

Just saying.

2. How does your school work for APs?
~~~ Do you have to take honors 1st or can you choose honors or AP?

If it is the latter you have a problem because the school profile with 4 AP tell them that the academic advanced student could graduate with 9+APs.

Welcome to the nuances of college admission and scholarships.
 
I'm not using that as an excuse for why I didn't get the scholarship. I'm saying that my true sat scores should be higher.
 
collegesomeday said:
In a scenario in which I don't receive a 4-year scholarship, how difficult is it to receive a 3 or 2 year one? If I showed up to every training and consistently performed well on my physical fitness tests and did well in class would I get the scholarship? Does it depend on the school?
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It's not easy. In fact it's probably more difficult than getting into USNA. There are only about 100-150, on average, that are given each year nationwide. The average stats for those awarded scholarships are generally higher than the average stats for those accepted to USNA. Showing up for every training, which is mandatory anyway, performing well on fitness tests, and having a high GPA are the minimum requirements. Typically you'll have to do more to stand out. Demonstrate good leadership skills in assigned billets, volunteer for additional duties, maxing or near maxing the fitness tests, maintaining good military bearing and behavior, etc etc probably while making the Dean's list each semester is the sort of thing that's required. Some make it, some don't. It's possible if you want it bad enough.
 
Okay, thanks kinnem! Does your DS like USoC? Does he have a lot of time to pursue activities other than ROTC and class? How hard was it to do NROTC MO as a college programmer? I've always been interested in the school, even before I knew about NROTC.
 
You might check out Auburn. They have NROTC and give generously to out-of-state students who do well on the ACT/SAT.
 
College.

Did I miss a beat...

I'm not using that as an excuse for why I didn't get the scholarship.. I'm saying that my true sat scores should be higher.
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As far as NMSF goes, my kids were in NC and VA. They had to get higher scores than college to become an NMSF. The PSAT rule of thumb is add a zero. College is already saying that they were point below. The board is national. One point means they received a 207. Their neighbor state applicant with 1 point below got a 212. TX and VA were in the 216/17 range.

Roll it anyway you like the board is national and the defense of My State when only ten states rank lower than your state should illustrate that this is not a defense to prove academically you are the top tier nationally. It is a defense if you are from CA where the NMSF is 220 or NJ where it is 221 and you missed it by a point, not when your state ranks the bottom 20%

Sorry, JMPO from a debate perspective.
 
college, do not assume that if you have your NROTC app done early that it will mean you will get a scholarship early. DS has had his app done since Labor Day and we've heard nothing. He's got a good resume and he's still waiting (and his interview went very well).
 
collegesomeday said:
Okay, thanks kinnem! Does your DS like USoC? Does he have a lot of time to pursue activities other than ROTC and class? How hard was it to do NROTC MO as a college programmer? I've always been interested in the school, even before I knew about NROTC.
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He absolutely loves the University of South Carolina. He even worked there as a Freshman Orientation Leader for several weeks last summer. He has time for a girlfriend and a social life but most of his activities and friendships revolve around NROTC. It's sort of like his fraternity. The formal parts of NROTC do take a lot of his time. The leadership billets become more and more time consuming as he takes on more responsibilities, as is to be expected.

Doing NROTC MO as a college programmer is no harder than doing NROTC MO on scholarship. And no easier either.
 
I've been watching this thread for 8 pages, and finally decided to weigh in. Contrary to what most folks here have been saying, I don't believe team sports are a requirement in order to show athleticism or leadership - they are simply an easy way to do so.

My DS last played a team sport as a 9 year old. He did run cross country and swim in high school, and competed at a national level in triathlon and cycling.

He has been ranked #1 on his Bn OML since his MS1 year, and #1 on the Bde OML as well. He consistently scores 330+ on PT tests, he's been Ranger Co Cmdr, and graduated from CDQC with flying colors last summer. He will likely be Bn Cdr next year as an MSIV. He didn't even apply for an ROTC scholarship in high school, but secured a 4 year by September of his freshman year.

He managed to accomplish all of this without ever playing football, basketball or baseball. No one cares. Those sports are not the only path to prove athleticism, and certainly not much of a measure of leadership ability.

All that having been said, if you hope to be awarded an ROTC scholarship out of high school, you need some vehicle to prove both your leadership and athletic abilities. I'll not comment on your current resume, but you need to take a hard look at your activities and decide if you're proving you've got what it takes for ROTC and the military.
 
This has been addressed by several different people and is a very commonly debated facet of the way NMS's are awarded. It was an entirely legitimate point by the OP, given the HUGE discrepancies among qualifying scores for different states, but we still have yet to see something along the lines of "I'm sorry, I was wrong to talk down to you about something I clearly know nothing about, and wrong to dismiss your totally valid point as BS without so much as a cursory google search"....
 
Jcc123 thanks for the story! Glad to hear that your son still got the scholarship even without sports. However, I am a little curious about what you mean about taking a hard look at my current resume and thinking about whether or not I have what it takes to be in the military.
 
Lots of folks on this thread were giving their opinions about your credentials. I wasn't commenting on that. ROTC and the military in general require a high level of academic and physical proficiency. I assume you feel you have what it takes - what I asked is, are you proving that to the scholarship boards?

Edited to add - my son didn't get the scholarship without sports, he got it without team sports. Big difference.
 
I too have been watching this thread from the beginning and I think what the consensus is trying to convey to you is that as a high school student you have excellent credentials the key words are HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
There is nothing special on a higher level, such as a national award winner or something similar that makes you stand out for a scholarship on a national level...While you may be #1 at your high school. How large is your high school?

My DS held a TON of leadership positions including ASB President and Captain of Varsity Baseball team at one of the largest high schools in the Nation (4,500students )as well as catcher on his Pony All-Star team whose play was instrumental in bringing the Pony World Series Championship home to Long Beach with a victory over Chinese Taipai in 2008.

He is currently a NON Scholarship AFROTC cadet going confidently in the direction of his dreams.

What are your dreams if you don't get the scholarship?
 
Jcc123 said:
He managed to accomplish all of this without ever playing football, basketball or baseball. No one cares. Those sports are not the only path to prove athleticism, and certainly not much of a measure of leadership ability.
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I don't doubt your son has done well... and don't doubt someone can get a scholarship without a team sport. However, I have been an Army officer (AROTC grad) my entire adult life. I can say, without question, it does matter and they do care! I'm not speaking just as a concerned parent of a prospective Cadet. I've "been there, done that, bought the T shirt".
 
Then we've had different experiences, ABF, and I've got a couple t-shirts myself. At no point during my time in ROTC or the Army was I ever questioned about my high school athletic prowess, except maybe once when some folks were looking for another player for the softball team.

It would never have occurred to me to quiz any of my PLs or XOs on their glory days as a 16 year old defensive back, because it has absolutely zero bearing on current fitness or capabilities.

My point to the OP is there are many ways to prove to the selection board that one has the requisite leadership and physical capabilities needed to succeed in ROTC and the military. Team sports are one way, but not the only way.
 
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