Question About 4 Year Graduation

[swimdude76]

I got the NROTC Marine Option and am attending the University of Southern California with it. I was wondering if due to the fact that the scholarship lasts 4 years do you have an easier time getting classes or is it not always a 4 year graduation? My major is Intelligence and Cyber Operations which has classes like Into to Programming, International Relations, and other classes along those lines. I don't think those are very popular classes as I've heard my major is very small but even still I am wondering if having the scholarship guarantees a 4 year graduation.

 

[tpaine7]

I got the NROTC Marine Option and am attending the University of Southern California with it. I was wondering if due to the fact that the scholarship lasts 4 years do you have an easier time getting classes or is it not always a 4 year graduation? My major is Intelligence and Cyber Operations which has classes like Into to Programming, International Relations, and other classes along those lines. I don't think those are very popular classes as I've heard my major is very small but even still I am wondering if having the scholarship guarantees a 4 year graduation.

Yes it should guarantee a 4 year graduation - as long as your grades are up and don’t make any decisions that would revoke the scholarship. The Marines don’t care at all what your major is, they focus on making you a 2ndLT as fast as possible. Hopefully that helps. I’m not the best resource since I am actually currently applying for the NROTC Marine option. If you have any tips for obtaining the scholarship I’d greatly appreciate it, such as things you did to really stand out.

 

[Herman_Snerd]

Work with a Navy academic adviser (and USC academic adviser) at USC and outline a 4 year plan - you and your Navy academic adviser will follow-up update that plan to ensure you are on-track through your progress of your course of study. That plan will outline per semester the specific courses you will take / did take including Navy/Marine and degree requirements in order to complete your studies. Not all ROTC scholarship winners complete their degree in 4 years. But you need to align with your adviser on your individual plan for when you'll graduate and commission. It will be up to you to manage ensuring you sequence/ get a seat in the required classes and get this tackled. If there are courses on your plan that are full, it will be up to you to work with your adviser to shift your courses around and keep yourself on track, or work with the university to request an exception/ override. You're the owner. She or he is the adviser. You can ask for help from your adviser when there are jams but to the essence of your question, no, the navy does not manage this or guarantee you'll graduate in 4 years and you don't have a "excuse me, make way people" card that puts you at the front of the line as a freshman/ sophomore to schedule courses first - except your Navy science and labs - for those you and your fellow midshipmen are VIP/ will be guaranteed a seat

 

[kinnem]

^ This.

 

[MinnMom]

In addition to what others have said about staying on track and providing a plan to his CO, my MO/4C son has now registered for his second year (fall term) of college, and because he is NROTC, he is given an earlier registration date/time. Not sure this holds true for all schools obviously, but it does ensure he gets into the classes that he needs earlier than others. So far, in three registrations, he has not been wait-listed or missed out.