OTS vs USAFA vs AFROTC How do they compare?

Fine officers (as well as bad ones) come out of all sources.

As a Navy OCS grad and career naval officer with command experience, my observation is that SA graduates are the most professionally prepared, due to their full immersion AD status and exposure to military life. But - performance, performance, performance in the assigned job is the key. The “SA effect” wears off in a year or two. ROTC and OTS/OCS grads are no dummies and quickly catch up. Often they have a bit more life experience, having handled living on their own, renting apartments, etc.

It all depends what you feel is the best fit for you and where you would thrive.

The SA grads do have that tremendous network and bond with classmates and fellow SA grads. We all feel a kinship with fellow veterans across service lines, but that network-within-a-network they have is unique and lifelong. That pays off post-military career and provides a lifetime of friendships and support. I watched my USNA grad husband at his recent reunion, and am always impressed by the concern and care they extend to ailing or mobility-challenged classmates, rallying alongside the same way they did as plebes. I watched one classmate, with early onset dementia and cognitive issues, always be accompanied by a companymate, roommate or former lacrosse teammate, to allow his wife to go get some food or visit with others, accompany him to the restroom, and make him feel safe and welcomed. He knew he was at a reunion among friends, but wasn’t necessarily clear on which one. That bond is the only thing I feel I missed out on by attending OCS, but there wasn’t any other choice at the time for me.
 
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I'm going to echo CaptMJ's comments; they're absolutely spot-on. I'm an academy grad with command experience. SA grads...yes, I agree with her; they're better prepared professionally "at the outset." And I agree with her, that wears off in maybe a year or so. After that...lots of "catch" phrases: "the cream rises to the top" and such...but, again, she's 100% correct.

I was NEVER asked where I received my commission, after graduation. I once had a very senior E-9 remark: "Captain...what's that ring you have on your hand?" I said it was my academy class ring, and he responded: "HUH?! You're an academy grad? Damn, and here I thought you were normal!" In 33 years and 6 days of service, I think that's the only reference to my commission source ever mentioned. Are you good at your job? Do you take care of your people? Are you a professional officer/leader? That's what your seniors and subordinates want to know.

Now...in speaking with many friends that went to OCS (my wife for one) and ROTC...it seems to me (IMHO) that we SA grads have a "closer" community. But that's it.
 
Similar to what others have said, at the Academy, you don't have to worry about a lot of the things that normal college students have to deal with. Finding a place to live, tuition, working a job, etc. At the Academy, you are able to fully focus on academics/professional development if you desire. A full ride AFROTC scholarship is comparable, but not quite as seamless.

The only major career difference I feel comfortable pointing to is pilot slots. Currently, getting a pilot slot from the Academy is almost guaranteed if you are medically qualified and don't slack off as a cadet. ROTC is a different story, with pilot slots being decently competitive. Finally, I don't think there's any situation where it would be a wise idea to try to compete for a pilot slot in OCS if you have the option to go one of the two other routes.
 
On another note, OTS board selection rates have been abysmally low for the past several years. Sometimes 1-5% and sometimes to the extent that boards have been canceled altogether. The "real" selection rate is probably even lower after considering that many potentially qualified applicants are rebuffed by Officer Recruiters. Those recruiters typically only process applicants that are deemed "extremely competitive." The OTS program mostly just supplements accessions from USAFA or ROTC. It's like the "faucet" that the USAF can turn on/off as needed to balance the on-boarding of new officers.

Bottom line. . . do not pass up an opportunity to attend USAFA or ROTC because you're banking on an OTS slot.
 
I can only speak from OTS experience. Aside from the length of the respective programs, perhaps the biggest thing that sets OTS apart from USAFA/ROTC is the fact that all military training is conducted by commissioned officers and NCOs. The upper class/lower class construct went away several years ago, around the time that the Academy of Military Science merged with OTS. No more OTs yelling at other OTs (at least when it comes to training one another. Disagreements regarding the best course of action, on the other hand...:director:). This works better for OTS than constructs like the Fourth Class System. Many OTs are going to be prior service, with many having been NCOs with several years of enlisted service under their belts. They're going to have a knowledge of Air Force culture which gives them at least some common ground with most other OTs in their flights/squadrons. Non-prior OTs will be behind the curve on this and it can be a communication barrier at the beginning of training.

Like others have said, big Air Force treats OTS as the accession source of last resort. Its much easier to cancel/reschedule OTS classes and boards since it doesn't run on a predictable academic year calendar like the other two sources. The unfortunate truth is once one's opportunities to commission via USAFA and ROTC have passed, one is usually at the mercy of the state of the economy, government policy, etc. when it comes to OTS selection rates in any given year. Currently, there are only three MOTS005 classes scheduled for the remainder of FY23 (23-01 is in progress). That's a pretty light schedule.
 
I would like to offer a different insight. If you attend an academy, you are immersed in military life and culture 24/7/365, if you attend a traditional college it is a part time gig. There seems to be a MUCH better support system in place at the academies for those students needing "extra" help. The academies seem to do a better job of supporting those students who struggle, either physically, or academically. Having had twins, one attending an academy the other ROTC, we saw a huge difference in the support system in place at the West Point, versus a cross town ROTC unit. The academies take the time and effort to go above and beyond to make sure students succeed, whereas (at least some) ROTC Programs sometimes do not have the time or resources to offer the same support.

I would like to see some statistics on the number of students entering academies who complete the training and commission versus the number of students entering ROTC Programs who finish and commission.

A student has to be more mature and motivated to complete and train on their own in ROTC, whereas the academies plan, motivate, and assist students in all phases of school and military bearing. ROTC programs generally are unable to help with academic issues since they are "separate" from the Universities they fall under. Some have pull and insight and others may not, but what we saw was that the academy gave much more academic and physical training support than the ROTC Unit did. And sometimes with young adults that "extra" support makes all the difference. JMHO and personal observation.:)
 
I have posted this several times answering this question. I make slight modifications every time, however the core message remains the same. Before you read this, I want to make one important point. If after your Air Force career, the biggest thing on your resume was what school you went to instead of what you accomplished in the Air Force, you have bigger problems. When future employers look at my resume, they will see "F-16 Pilot" and the associated bullet points first. The regular school I attended is simply a footnote.

A bit about me: I commissioned in 2015 from AFROTC. I applied to USAFA for the class of 2015 and 2016. I got TWE both times. I graduated from the F-16 B Course, flew the Viper overseas for two assignments, an all expense paid trip to the Sandbox, and now a F-16 Instructor Pilot. Looking back, not getting into the Academy is the best thing that ever happened to me (YMMV).

I can't comment on Academy Pro/Con, but for those individuals on the fence, maybe my AFROTC experience can shed some more light on the issue.

AFROTC Pro's:
1. You get to the same place
-This is something I think so many applicants do not understand. Once you get your commission and get to your first Active Duty base, no one cares if you were USAFA/AFROTC/OTS. They care if you can do your job and if you are a good dude. Once those butter bars are pinned on, everyone is equal. You are not deemed inferior because of your commissioning source. The goal is the commission, not the road to get there. (I can't stress this enough. I have yet to meet one person who cares an iota on the commissioning source. If they do, they are wrong.) Additionally, if your goal is to be a pilot, I never saw an individual in AFROTC who put in the work required not get one. YMMV.

2. Self-Motivation
- This was one of the biggest strengths of AFROTC in my opinion. No one is yelling at you to wake up at 0400 for LLAB, no one is forcing you to go to the gym, no one is forcing you to go to class, no one is forcing you to study. You have to motivate yourself to put in the work when no one is holding you accountable. I had to make my own schedule and stick to it, and I believe this forces you to grow as a person in a way unique to AFROTC. Personally, I credit this factor with my performance in UPT. After a 12 hour day, no one is forcing you to hit the gym for an hour and study the rest of the night. For me, it helped having 4 years of self-motivation under my belt to press through the long year.

3. Experiences
- USAFA gives you unique opportunities, I am not discounting that. However no one talks about the experiences you get going to a normal college. I am not talking about partying and bar hopping (which aren't bad experiences, everything in moderation and legally). During a normal week I got to travel the coast, getting in early morning surf sessions before class and a sunset session afterwards. We would go jet skiing in the local bay on random afternoons. During the weekends you could do anything from go snowboarding up in the mountains, fly ultralights off the coastal cliffs, go windsurfing when the waves sucked, do road trips and travel the state without any real restrictions, literally anything you can think of. The freedom a traditional college entails gives you time to fill with once in a lifetime experiences. My life is owned by the Air Force for the next 10 years, I would not trade those 4 years of freedom for anything.

AFROTC Con's:
1. You aren't locked in to commissioning until after Sophomore year
-This is probably the biggest con. The big cut off is selection for summer field training which happens between Sophomore/Junior year. After you get selected, you are going to commission unless you shoot yourself in the foot with grades/legal problems/PT fails. Even cadets who put in the minimum effort required get a slot. However until that selection, there is still uncertainty.

2. Lack of funding for extra programs
-While this is making a comeback, AFROTC cadets don't get the extra programs that USAFA cadets have. Freefall, powered flight, gliders, ect. are opportunities unique to USAFA.

3. Distractions
-This is the biggest downfall of cadets in AFROTC. While the lack of structure is beneficial for many cadets, it can really hurt those individuals who prefer a structured learning environment. Grades are the first thing to suffer when a cadet gets distracted by all the other time consuming activities a college has. My detachment started out with around 120 cadets for the class of 2015. We commissioned 25. Most individuals dropped out on their own after deciding it wasn't for them. For those who were forced out though, grades was the most common reason.

For the record, nothing I am saying here should be misconstrued as a jab at USAFA. Some of my best friends went there. I simply am trying to illustrate how AFROTC is not just a "backup option", but a completely equal commissioning source with unique inherent strengths. At the end of the day, the best commissioning source depends on the individual.
 
Not sure in what way you want them compared. As a point of comparison, i will compare the programs based on being a pilot.

USAFA is the hardest to get into. Basically, you have to be a Harvard-type student who is athletic and has proven leadership skills. I would imagine school itself is tough but then add on all of the military stuff you have to do during the year and you wind up with the extremely hard and busy program. I am sure its a tough program, especially the first two years. As for being a pilot, the academy gets around 550 pilot spots. Around 1000 students graduate each year. Between those who don't medical qualify for a pilot spot and those who want to follow another career, there is usually less than 550 cadets who want a pilot spot. So you are almost guaranteed a spot if you want it. To generalize, if you graduate, you will commission.

Afrotc is the easiest of all the programs in terms of getting in. You basically fill out a form and you are in. Most people connect with Rotc with a scholarship and while that is true for many people , it isn't true for all. So yes, if you want the corresponding scholarship, you can apply for a National 4-year scholarship. I would assume its like trying to apply to college. They look at your GPA, Test scores and other items like leadership and community service. Even if you don't get a National scholarship, you can still receive a scholarship from the actual detachment if you do well in college. With a National Scholarship, you can quit after the first year without any problems. If you don't have a scholarship, you can quit after two years. The summer between sophomore and Junior year, you get invited to Field Training which lasts 2 weeks or so. If you get invited and pass (most do) you then get invited to attend third year of Afrotc. When my son went in 2014, everyone was invited to Field Training. In the middle of Covid, slightly above 50% were invited although after some complaints more people attended. That means if you weren't invited, you don't continue. Even if you have 4 year scholarship, you don't continue. Meaning they take away your scholarship for years 3 and 4.. Rotc gets around 400-450 pilot spots each year. About 2000 students graduated each year through Rotc. Odds of getting a pilot spot through AFrotc is harder than the academy but not impossible. Actual Rotc stuff is maybe 2-3 times a week. Your degree of responsibility increases every year. You still wind up with a basic college experience. It is obviously the easiest route to go.

OTS - You must have a college degree in today's world it is very competitive. OTS was created so that if not enough officers commissioned through the academy and AFRotc, then OTS would make up the difference. That means some years they take more people and in other years, less. When Covid hit, no one in the AF was retiring so OTS was accepting very few people. Great thing about OTS, is that you have the option to say you want a Pilot spot and nothing else. So if you only want to join if you can be a pilot, you have that option. Like i said, its very competitive and you have to have a really nice resume. Time wise, it condensed compared to the academy or Rotc
 
My son applied to the USCGA after being accepted and attending AIM for a week in CT. Loved it! He was declined on the final round of decisions. During the wait, he was accepted to a big university in the state we live in (and a few out of state)- so he accepted after the decline. Orientation day, first place he went to, signed up for AFROTC.
Just a few weeks in his 2nd semester, Commander offered him a Type1 and signed.
He got to have a wonderful college experience-was in Honor Guard for 3 yrs- even marched in the big college band and traveled with them.
So, I asked him "are you happy that you were declined to the academy?" He said "yes!, I got to experience a great college life with a taste of military". And as the above said, you have to be extremely self motivated and disciplined in that environment.
He went to college for 5 years - graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.
Today--- he's in his Primary Aircraft Training in the t-6 at UPT. And again, as above, nobody really talks about where they commissioned from at this point. Everyone is just working together, forming a bond in his class to get their wings.
 
Humey said:
Not sure in what way you want them compared. As a point of comparison, i will compare the programs based on being a pilot.

USAFA is the hardest to get into. Basically, you have to be a Harvard-type student who is athletic and has proven leadership skills. I would imagine school itself is tough but then add on all of the military stuff you have to do during the year and you wind up with the extremely hard and busy program. I am sure its a tough program, especially the first two years. As for being a pilot, the academy gets around 550 pilot spots. Around 1000 students graduate each year. Between those who don't medical qualify for a pilot spot and those who want to follow another career, there is usually less than 550 cadets who want a pilot spot. So you are almost guaranteed a spot if you want it. To generalize, if you graduate, you will commission.

Afrotc is the easiest of all the programs in terms of getting in. You basically fill out a form and you are in. Most people connect with Rotc with a scholarship and while that is true for many people , it isn't true for all. So yes, if you want the corresponding scholarship, you can apply for a National 4-year scholarship. I would assume its like trying to apply to college. They look at your GPA, Test scores and other items like leadership and community service. Even if you don't get a National scholarship, you can still receive a scholarship from the actual detachment if you do well in college. With a National Scholarship, you can quit after the first year without any problems. If you don't have a scholarship, you can quit after two years. The summer between sophomore and Junior year, you get invited to Field Training which lasts 2 weeks or so. If you get invited and pass (most do) you then get invited to attend third year of Afrotc. When my son went in 2014, everyone was invited to Field Training. In the middle of Covid, slightly above 50% were invited although after some complaints more people attended. That means if you weren't invited, you don't continue. Even if you have 4 year scholarship, you don't continue. Meaning they take away your scholarship for years 3 and 4.. Rotc gets around 400-450 pilot spots each year. About 2000 students graduated each year through Rotc. Odds of getting a pilot spot through AFrotc is harder than the academy but not impossible. Actual Rotc stuff is maybe 2-3 times a week. Your degree of responsibility increases every year. You still wind up with a basic college experience. It is obviously the easiest route to go.

OTS - You must have a college degree in today's world it is very competitive. OTS was created so that if not enough officers commissioned through the academy and AFRotc, then OTS would make up the difference. That means some years they take more people and in other years, less. When Covid hit, no one in the AF was retiring so OTS was accepting very few people. Great thing about OTS, is that you have the option to say you want a Pilot spot and nothing else. So if you only want to join if you can be a pilot, you have that option. Like i said, its very competitive and you have to have a really nice resume. Time wise, it condensed compared to the academy or Rotc.
Click to expand...

#1 United States Naval Academy admissions is most selective with an acceptance rate of 7%. Half the applicants admitted to United States Naval Academy have an SAT score between 1200 and 1420 or an ACT score of 26 and 32. (NOT NATIONALLY RANKED)

#2 United States Military Academy at West Point admissions is more selective with an acceptance rate of 11%. Half the applicants admitted to West Point have an SAT score between 1200 and 1440 or an ACT score of 28 and 33. (NOT NATIONALLY RANKED)

#3 United States Air Force Academy admissions is most selective with an acceptance rate of 12%. Half the applicants admitted to United States Air Force Academy have an SAT score between 1208 and 1490 or an ACT score of 29 and 34. (NOT NATIONALLY RANKED)

#4 United States Coast Guard Academy admissions is most selective with an acceptance rate of 13%. Half the applicants admitted to United States Coast Guard Academy have an SAT score between 1200 and 1390 or an ACT score of 24 and 30. (NOT NATIONALLY RANKED)

#5 United States Merchant Marine Academy admissions is more selective with an acceptance rate of 16%. Half the applicants admitted to Kings Point have an SAT score between 1220 and 1360 or an ACT score of 25 and 29. (NOT NATIONALLY RANKED)

For Comparison:

Princeton University admissions is most selective with an acceptance rate of 4%. Half the applicants admitted to Princeton University have an SAT score between 1460 and 1570 or an ACT score of 33 and 35. NATIONALLY RANKED #1 IN THE UNITED STATES

Massachusetts Institute of Technology admissions is most selective with an acceptance rate of 4% and an early acceptance rate of 4.8%. Half the applicants admitted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology have an SAT score between 1510 and 1580 or an ACT score of 34 and 36. NATIONALLY RANKED #2 IN THE UNITED STATES

Harvard University admissions is most selective with an acceptance rate of 4%. Half the applicants admitted to Harvard University have an SAT score between 1480 and 1580 or an ACT score of 33 and 36. NATIONALLY RANKED #3 IN THE UNITED STATES

SOURCE: Current -2022
1667410746180.png
 
Just a further comment on selectivity for AFROTC scholarships if money is an issue. Significant changes to the scholarship program will likely make it more difficult to be selected for a four year AFROTC scholarship out of high school than to obtain an appoitment to the USAFA based on academics. There are no more Type 2 and 7 scholarships. A small number of full tuition Type 1 scholarships will be awarded (less than 500). I believe beginning this year, most Air Force scholarships will be awarded to in college AFROTC participants selected for the Advance Course. These will be full tuition scholarships awarded for Junior and Senior year. According to a consultant message on the ROTC Forum - typical SAT/ACT scores needed to be competitive for the four year scholarship will be above 1400 SAT or 32 ACT. See:

"Excellent SAT and ACT scores will be required to earn a scholarship​

The changes highlight the importance of scoring above a 1400 SAT or 32 ACT composite to have a chance of receiving a scholarship. Air Force ROTC is best sitting rather than super score for standardized tests."
 
a400831 said:
I have posted this several times answering this question. I make slight modifications every time, however the core message remains the same. Before you read this, I want to make one important point. If after your Air Force career, the biggest thing on your resume was what school you went to instead of what you accomplished in the Air Force, you have bigger problems. When future employers look at my resume, they will see "F-16 Pilot" and the associated bullet points first. The regular school I attended is simply a footnote.

A bit about me: I commissioned in 2015 from AFROTC. I applied to USAFA for the class of 2015 and 2016. I got TWE both times. I graduated from the F-16 B Course, flew the Viper overseas for two assignments, an all expense paid trip to the Sandbox, and now a F-16 Instructor Pilot. Looking back, not getting into the Academy is the best thing that ever happened to me (YMMV).

I can't comment on Academy Pro/Con, but for those individuals on the fence, maybe my AFROTC experience can shed some more light on the issue.

AFROTC Pro's:
1. You get to the same place
-This is something I think so many applicants do not understand. Once you get your commission and get to your first Active Duty base, no one cares if you were USAFA/AFROTC/OTS. They care if you can do your job and if you are a good dude. Once those butter bars are pinned on, everyone is equal. You are not deemed inferior because of your commissioning source. The goal is the commission, not the road to get there. (I can't stress this enough. I have yet to meet one person who cares an iota on the commissioning source. If they do, they are wrong.) Additionally, if your goal is to be a pilot, I never saw an individual in AFROTC who put in the work required not get one. YMMV.

2. Self-Motivation
- This was one of the biggest strengths of AFROTC in my opinion. No one is yelling at you to wake up at 0400 for LLAB, no one is forcing you to go to the gym, no one is forcing you to go to class, no one is forcing you to study. You have to motivate yourself to put in the work when no one is holding you accountable. I had to make my own schedule and stick to it, and I believe this forces you to grow as a person in a way unique to AFROTC. Personally, I credit this factor with my performance in UPT. After a 12 hour day, no one is forcing you to hit the gym for an hour and study the rest of the night. For me, it helped having 4 years of self-motivation under my belt to press through the long year.

3. Experiences
- USAFA gives you unique opportunities, I am not discounting that. However no one talks about the experiences you get going to a normal college. I am not talking about partying and bar hopping (which aren't bad experiences, everything in moderation and legally). During a normal week I got to travel the coast, getting in early morning surf sessions before class and a sunset session afterwards. We would go jet skiing in the local bay on random afternoons. During the weekends you could do anything from go snowboarding up in the mountains, fly ultralights off the coastal cliffs, go windsurfing when the waves sucked, do road trips and travel the state without any real restrictions, literally anything you can think of. The freedom a traditional college entails gives you time to fill with once in a lifetime experiences. My life is owned by the Air Force for the next 10 years, I would not trade those 4 years of freedom for anything.

AFROTC Con's:
1. You aren't locked in to commissioning until after Sophomore year
-This is probably the biggest con. The big cut off is selection for summer field training which happens between Sophomore/Junior year. After you get selected, you are going to commission unless you shoot yourself in the foot with grades/legal problems/PT fails. Even cadets who put in the minimum effort required get a slot. However until that selection, there is still uncertainty.

2. Lack of funding for extra programs
-While this is making a comeback, AFROTC cadets don't get the extra programs that USAFA cadets have. Freefall, powered flight, gliders, ect. are opportunities unique to USAFA.

3. Distractions
-This is the biggest downfall of cadets in AFROTC. While the lack of structure is beneficial for many cadets, it can really hurt those individuals who prefer a structured learning environment. Grades are the first thing to suffer when a cadet gets distracted by all the other time consuming activities a college has. My detachment started out with around 120 cadets for the class of 2015. We commissioned 25. Most individuals dropped out on their own after deciding it wasn't for them. For those who were forced out though, grades was the most common reason.

For the record, nothing I am saying here should be misconstrued as a jab at USAFA. Some of my best friends went there. I simply am trying to illustrate how AFROTC is not just a "backup option", but a completely equal commissioning source with unique inherent strengths. At the end of the day, the best commissioning source depends on the individual.
Click to expand...
Another perspective, my DS was in AFROTC and excelled. Went to USAFA and left on a medical (thank you mandatory boxing class)
USAFA is not perfect and comes with its own set of unique issues and problems (think immature kids with too much power and AOCs that aren't there to be involved). There is nothing wrong with going to a regular college and doing AFROTC. If your goal is to fly, you don't need USAFA as your golden ticket anymore. The commercial airlines are desperate for pilots. Choose wisely and trust your gut
 
ROTC probably a "Bit" more difficult and chaotic than an SA, how is that possible? Sure, total military 24/7 at the SA, a total rewarding military experience, but you're in a well-organized machine, controlled environment, support network, a bubble, being under the microscope, sized-up and spoon fed, free thinking? To a point, you're being guided on a course to succeed. You have to figure out life on your own and carefully balance your civilian and ROTC schedules, no one there to hold your hand and yell at you to get up in the morning, you're in the driver's seat and success will mostly be left to your own devices.
 
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