Pleasantly surprised by Norwich!

USNAismyplace

USNAismyplace

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I applied to Norwich a couple weeks ago just out of curiosity as a USNA hopeful, and I just received my acceptance in the mail with a respectable merit scholarship! I could not be more excited about this! My NROTC scholarship results still await me, but Norwich is definitely up there with some of the other civilian universities/NROTC programs I am interested in. SMCs are such an excellent commissioning source, to all the SA hopefuls out there, don't forget about them!
 
Congrats! Norwich great SMC! Offers nation’s top Cyber Program.
 
@USNAismyplace - congratulations on your acceptance to Norwich. You are wise to explore all options and backup plans to achieve your goal of commissioning. Norwich would be a great choice.
 
DS also applied to Norwich and was accepted with a sizeable merit scholarship (a lot more than we expected). He has an AFROTC Type 2 and we are still waiting on NROTC and the SA's.

Don't forget Norwich has the ID White Scholarship that covers R&B if you have an ROTC scholarship of any kind. That's also big $$$ in and of itself.

Norwich really wasn't on his radar until over the summer but it is definitely now on his short list along with Va Tech, VMI, and Texas A&M if the SA's don't work out this year.

Stats as Hut234 asked:
GPA 4.0
SAT 630 R / 780M
3 Sport Varsity athlete x 2 Captain
Typical other stuff most SA candidates have
 
Hut234 said:
May I ask what your stats are?
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Hi Hut234, here's a summary of my stats. I expected to get in, but I did not expect to get so much $. Still waiting to hear about NROTC!

GPA 4.2
ACT 30
Varsity Captain
Extensive athletic resume
President of 3 clubs
Extensive volunteering

This is all I am going to post, I'm not really a fan of posting stats because everyone is different and you never really know what schools are looking for, you can just put your best package forth and shoot your shot, like I did with Norwich.
 
there's really not a bad choice in the SMC

If you're footing the bill your self and are of the Army persuasion University of North Georgia offers a reasonable price with a good dose of real army training during Frog Week

even VMI! I kid! I Kid! I KID!
 
Congratulations!

I suggest you visit for NU101 in April and stay the night with a newly minted private. Once my son visited he knew Norwich was home and totally forgot about USNA.

Norwich as a SMC stands out and because of that gets opportunities other schools don't. I won't go into much detail but my son calls home every Sunday with new and exciting opportunities he never could have dreamed of.

If you'd like to chat with him over Christmas break, send me a PM and we can make that happen.
 
@USNAismyplace Congrats! Looks like you may have been awarded the Provost Scholarship. Add that with your NROTC Scholarship, you have a free ride for 4 years. SMCs will take advantage of your ROTC Scholarship fund first before allocating their own. But what you got on Merit Scholarship from SMCs is yours to keep as long as you maintain the grades. I believe all SMCs and on campus ROTC Programs are excellent places to commission whether it is your Plan A or B. I believe SMCs will give you the closest tradition and cultural experience to SAs, still with bit more flexibility in life style. You have some time until all cards are on the table for you to decide your path in late April/May 1. In the meantime, continue to learn more about yourself and options available to you. Enjoy the remaining Thanksgiving Week!
 
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CrewDad said:
@USNAismyplace Congrats! Looks like you may have been awarded the Provost Scholarship. Add that with your NROTC Scholarship, you have a free ride for 4 years. SMCs will take advantage of your ROTC Scholarship fund first before allocating their own. But what you got on Merit Scholarship from SMCs is yours to keep as long as you maintain the grades. I believe all SMCs and on campus ROTC Programs are excellent places to commission whether it is your Plan A or B. I believe SMCs will give you the closest tradition and cultural experience to SAs, still with bit more flexibility in life style. You have some time until all cards are on the table for you to decide your path in late April/May 1. In the meantime, continue to learn more about yourself and options available to you. Enjoy the remaining Thanksgiving Week!
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or a bit less flexibility if you pick Citadel and a LOT less if you pick VMI

all solid choices
 
CrewDad said:
@USNAismyplace Congrats! Looks like you may have been awarded the Provost Scholarship. Add that with your NROTC Scholarship, you have a free ride for 4 years. SMCs will take advantage of your ROTC Scholarship fund first before allocating their own. But what you got on Merit Scholarship from SMCs is yours to keep as long as you maintain the grades. I believe all SMCs and on campus ROTC Programs are excellent places to commission whether it is your Plan A or B. I believe SMCs will give you the closest tradition and cultural experience to SAs, still with bit more flexibility in life style. You have some time until all cards are on the table for you to decide your path in late April/May 1. In the meantime, continue to learn more about yourself and options available to you. Enjoy the remaining Thanksgiving Week!
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Thanks @CrewDad ! Your input is always valuable. I actually received the Presidential Scholarship, which is a three-year scholarship. I am very excited about Norwich as a backup because it would cost less to go to Norwich than my State U, and they have the cyber major I want. I waiting to hear from USNA, NROTC and my other civilian schools before I decide anything!

Also, I just got my ACT up to a 31 composite to update my earlier stats post.
 
There is a calculator on the admissions web page that will estimate the merit aid you could be offered.
My son had a 3 yr AD AROTC scholarship.
His first year he used his merit scholarships (paid 60%).
He missed and upgrade to 3.5 waiting for his DoDMERB waiver.
Now between AROTC for tuition, books, and fees and the ID White room and board scholarship the only thing we pay for is his parking permit.
Just got the statement for Spring 2019, balance due $0.00
And with the stipend he has not asked us for spending money.
Important to note it is free only for his parents, he owes 4 years.
 
USNAismyplace said:
Thanks @CrewDad ! Your input is always valuable. I actually received the Presidential Scholarship, which is a three-year scholarship. I am very excited about Norwich as a backup because it would cost less to go to Norwich than my State U, and they have the cyber major I want. I waiting to hear from USNA, NROTC and my other civilian schools before I decide anything!

Also, I just got my ACT up to a 31 composite to update my earlier stats post.
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Thank you USNAismyplace. That’s outstanding! Your attitude towards your expectation and preparation demonstrates that you are already practicing humility towards greatness. Best wishes!
 
USNAismyplace said:
I applied to Norwich a couple weeks ago just out of curiosity as a USNA hopeful, and I just received my acceptance in the mail with a respectable merit scholarship! I could not be more excited about this! My NROTC scholarship results still await me, but Norwich is definitely up there with some of the other civilian universities/NROTC programs I am interested in. SMCs are such an excellent commissioning source, to all the SA hopefuls out there, don't forget about them!
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Sounds almost like my situation a few years ago! I had my heart dead set on the Academies and eventually got waitlisted to them USNA included. I was devastated but after talking to some Norwich alumni, I ended up as a rook in the next incoming class. 4.5 years later here I am as a USAF 2d LT with no college debt and some great memories/experiences and wouldn't change a thing.
 
I agree the SMC's are an excellent path. My son already had his Norwich sweatshirt and late in the game decided he would rather go to Virginia Tech. For us distance was about equal 500 Miles each way. But seeing him now he knew what felt right for him and he is loving life. One caveat VT does not give free R&B to ROTC scholarship holders as Norwich did. but still 10K a year for the level of academics and leadership he is getting a bargain
 
MPacman said:
Better than the SA's?
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Thoroughly competitive. The NSA centers of excellence certified Norwich as one of the very first Information Assurance schools, West Point followed.

USNA and USAFA are certified different as centers of excellence in cyber defense, so the degrees have a different focus.

Norwich went a step further to now teach digital forensics and cyber crime investigations which earned them an additional DOD certification.

The hands on opportunities are where I think Norwich really earns the IT community's respect. It's not just a degree, you get put to work and a dozen personal certifications can be earned and paid for as part of your tuition. The state of Vermont has contracted the school to completely run their cyber operations center and students will be in the lab through all four years working and learning the tools. Norwich has been hired by the NCAA to run their major event cyber security contracts and also contract with the NFL for Super Bowl cyber security. The students do the work onsite and back in the war room on campus. Students have the opportunity to begin teaching during the NSA funded cyber security camps.

And any parents favorite part- Norwich works with the NSA and DoD to offer government funded contracts/scholarships similar to ROTC - school for service. In addition, we just heard the Navy is going to offer direct restricted line commissions straight to information warfare for a handful of Norwich grads in the class of 2022.

The program is rigorous, 19 credits a semester plus summer school for those crazy enough to double concentrate, but I sometimes shake my head in disbelief when my son emails home and shares what goodness he was allowed to do as a freshman [emoji50]
 
I am so glad to hear the feedback on Norwich. My DS also got his acceptance there this week, and was also awarded presidential scholarship, although his is for 4 years. DS has his heart set on USNA. Second choice USCGA, third VT. So I had not really thought much about Norwich. Unlike his first 3 choices, we've never visited there. After he got the acceptance letter, I started digging around and it looks like their average ACT score is 23. I do not know what to make of that. I'm not big into stats, but DS's is much, much higher than that. Am I looking at this the wrong way? It sounds like a good place from what everyone's said, but I don't think it's generally a great idea to be the smartest person in the room. I apologize if this comes across as offensive.
 
SpchGrl said:
I am so glad to hear the feedback on Norwich. My DS also got his acceptance there this week, and was also awarded presidential scholarship, although his is for 4 years. DS has his heart set on USNA. Second choice USCGA, third VT. So I had not really thought much about Norwich. Unlike his first 3 choices, we've never visited there. After he got the acceptance letter, I started digging around and it looks like their average ACT score is 23. I do not know what to make of that. I'm not big into stats, but DS's is much, much higher than that. Am I looking at this the wrong way? It sounds like a good place from what everyone's said, but I don't think it's generally a great idea to be the smartest person in the room. I apologize if this comes across as offensive.
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Congrats to your DS! What I meant by three year is that the Presidential scholarship totals to 3 years of tuition at Norwich, as it is spread out for four years. So glad to have been considered by Norwich for this scholarship! I know what you mean about their average ACT score, it's a backup school for me with a 31 ACT, but the Corps of Cadets, the cyber program, and the student experience are very unique and compelling to me. I was accepted a week after submitting an application, so it seems like academically, your DS and I would be big fish in the academic pond. I am also set on USNA and NROTC as backup, best of luck to your DS in his post-secondary journey!
 
The course load and the advanced and honors classes are still challenging. The ACT minimum isn't an accurate gauge for the rigor of the coursework. Because military service requires all kinds, and Norwich does look at the entire candidate, there are kids of all backgrounds. The academic achievement center commits to helping those who are on weak academic footing to rise to a new level, and helping those with high performance to challenge themselves.

DS was invited to the honors program, civic scholar program, and is a member of the school server administration team in addition to his major classes. He's surrounded by fellow cadets in his major who are also in his platoon and is challenged every day.

Where Norwich really shines is the practical application of classwork. Students won't just have a degree, they will have project management, scholarly work, research, foreign study, certifications and internships under their belts which make job placement so much easier. There's real world experience the graduates bring to their interviews... and the networking!

Rookdom is intense, and sets every rook off their game. Those who were high achievers can still flounder as their tried and true methods from back home are turned on their heads.

When it comes to civil engineering, CSIA, digital forensics, international accounting, and studies in war and peace, Norwich is very competitive with larger schools.
 
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