NROTC

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Navy1503

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Jul 9, 2021
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If I do not get in this year, I plan on reapplying next year. However, I will not be in an NROTC program like other reapplicants might be. Will that hurt my application? I do plan on taking plebe courses.
 
If your college offers NROTC, you may have to justify why you didn’t join. USNA seeks candidates who want to become a commissioned officer. NROTC offers such a path. So it would seem odd that you passed on it. Could raise eyebrows in your interview with the B&GO.

B&GO: Why didn’t you do NROTC?
You: I didn’t have time.
B&GO: Hmmm…

B&GO: Why didn’t you do NROTC?
You: I wasn’t interested.
B&GO: Hmmm…

B&GO: Why didn’t you do NROTC?
You: I wanted to focus on academics.
B&GO: Hmmm…

B&GO: Why didn’t you do NROTC?
You: It’s not the same as USNA.
B&GO: Hmmm…
 
Agree with MidCakePa ... the NROTC addition would be quite valuable. However, if the school you choose to attend does not offer ROTC (and I mean any version: Navy, AF or Army), then clearly that is an excuse that covers some of the questions. I have a student this year that followed that path joining AFROTC on campus as a freshman, and she is now a principle nominee for USMA with nominations to all three service academies. It is a great option and you should consider it as an important component of a 're-applicaton strategy.'
 
It honestly depends what you plan to do in college. I was appointed as a college freshman…didn’t participate in the cross-town ROTCs, but did practice with a varsity team, participated in some competitions, and fit in time with a campus Semper Fi Society club and local Marine Selection office. Didn’t end up going Marine Corps, though 😂. While ROTC is good experience, I don’t think it’s a “requirement” whether it’s offered on the campus or not. Someone who fills their schedule with a consistent, almost year-round sport, and is involved in some campus activities while performing exceptional in plebe-like/STEM courses, might be as competitive, if not more, than as a freshman in ROTC. Additionally, someone can complete their degree and then go OCS…so not doing ROTC doesn’t mean someone isn’t considering service.

What also matters is what the USNA admission office says to improve on.
 
Navy1503 said:
If I do not get in this year, I plan on reapplying next year. However, I will not be in an NROTC program like other reapplicants might be. Will that hurt my application? I do plan on taking plebe courses.
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As mentioned by others -- if your college has NROTC and you didn't try or involve yourself, that potentially looks odd with the B&GO.

However, if the school you attend doesn't have an NROTC, my advice would be to immerse yourself in valuable extracurriculars and absolutely rock your studies, hopefully in a technical degree. Remember: yes, USNA is amazing but the end-result is commissioning. If you do all the things to be as competitive as possible but don't end up going to USNA, you'll still be damn competitive OCS applicant. In the end, I call fresh OCS graduates the same thing I do USNA grads: Ensign. :)
 
If I’m being totally honest. I wanted to do NROTC. But I was led the wrong way and was told I had to apply through the college I was applying to, to get the scholarship l. By the time I realized that wasn’t true. It was too late to apply. I am still going to try to go for the navy college program that my school offers though. It’s non-scholarship.
 
Navy1503 said:
If I’m being totally honest. I wanted to do NROTC. But I was led the wrong way and was told I had to apply through the college I was applying to, to get the scholarship l. By the time I realized that wasn’t true. It was too late to apply. I am still going to try to go for the navy college program that my school offers though. It’s non-scholarship.
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Work hard, get good grades, volunteer at every opportunity, get great PT scores, and you stand a good shot of getting a sideload.
 
Navy1503 said:
If I’m being totally honest. I wanted to do NROTC. But I was led the wrong way and was told I had to apply through the college I was applying to, to get the scholarship l. By the time I realized that wasn’t true. It was too late to apply. I am still going to try to go for the navy college program that my school offers though. It’s non-scholarship.
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College program isn't a bad deal either - coming from a college programmer. As if often reiterated here, there are many paths to commissioning. It doesn't always start with a scholarship. One of the 1/Cs I know well is on advanced standing, and he was our BXO last semester. So there are many ways to be successful, scholarship or no.
 
AN21 said:
College program isn't a bad deal either - coming from a college programmer. As if often reiterated here, there are many paths to commissioning. It doesn't always start with a scholarship. One of the 1/Cs I know well is on advanced standing, and he was our BXO last semester. So there are many ways to be successful, scholarship or no.
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Thank you!
 
AN21 said:
College program isn't a bad deal either - coming from a college programmer. As if often reiterated here, there are many paths to commissioning. It doesn't always start with a scholarship. One of the 1/Cs I know well is on advanced standing, and he was our BXO last semester. So there are many ways to be successful, scholarship or no.
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Thanks for the information.
 
Navy1503 said:
If I’m being totally honest. I wanted to do NROTC. But I was led the wrong way and was told I had to apply through the college I was applying to, to get the scholarship
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Be careful with that answer -- like USNA, all the relevant and official information regarding applying for NROTC is available online and /or through an Official Source. I don't know how you were mistaken (hopefully not by an official source, but it happens), but if queried, own the problem and have an answer -- College program walk on is good., i.e I made a a mistake an didn't apply in time for a ROTC scholarship, but I am participating as a College Program, and doing really welll..."

One comment-- do not rely upon your BGO as a official source for NROTC information. Of course I did my initial BGO training 20 years ago, and my have forgotten, but don't recall much discussion about the details of NROTC during either initial training or the various refresher trainings I have attended. That said, you can expect a BGO to inquire whether you are applying for NROTC --as that is a pretty good indicator of your interest and motivation to serve as a Naval/Marine Corps officer instead of someone that is simply seeking the "prestige" of attending Service Academy.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Be careful with that answer -- like USNA, all the relevant and official information regarding applying for NROTC is available online and /or through an Official Source. I don't know how you were mistaken (hopefully not by an official source, but it happens), but if queried, own the problem and have an answer -- College program walk on is good., i.e I made a a mistake an didn't apply in time for a ROTC scholarship, but I am participating as a College Program, and doing really welll..."

One comment-- do not rely upon your BGO as a official source for NROTC information. Of course I did my initial BGO training 20 years ago, and my have forgotten, but don't recall much discussion about the details of NROTC during either initial training or the various refresher trainings I have attended. That said, you can expect a BGO to inquire whether you are applying for NROTC --as that is a pretty good indicator of your interest and motivation to serve as a Naval/Marine Corps officer instead of someone that is simply seeking the "prestige" of attending Service Academy.
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Thank you for the advice!! Hopefully if I have to reapply next year that mistake does not affect the turn out of the result🤞🏻. My admissions counselor at Auburn University is the one that confused me, and my parents as well(who went through the application process with my brother). I was balancing academics, varsity sports, two SA applications, and one regular application. So when I was told that I had to wait until I got into Auburn before applying for NROTC, I believed them. I made a mistake, I know that. I will own up to it next year in my interviews. I also plan on applying for the NROTC 3 years scholarship, as well as being a part of the college program AU offers.
 
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Do students who receive an NROTC scholarship report early to school like in the SAs?
 
Navymom4 said:
Do students who receive an NROTC scholarship report early to school like in the SAs?
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Sometimes they report to school about a week early. Depends on the unit. Of course all scholarship MIDN attend NSI during the summer.

If they're going to an SMC then they'll report to school far earlier and probably not attend NSI if they follow the pattern of past years.
 
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