ROTC and Pre-Med or Pre-Law

T

teachermom2832

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My son is a high school junior and has decided not to apply to a SA. He has decided to pursue the Navy or Air Force ROTC options at an Ivy (hopefully). He wants to serve his country and loves the idea of possibly living abroad. He has a very tough course load, 4.9 GPA, top 6% of his class, and will be retaking the ACT to improve his first time score of 31. He’s also an Eagle Scout and NHS member. I want to encourage him to pursue what he wants, but I’m concerned about marrying the military goals with his desire to pursue law or medicine. I’m an army brat and my husband is a lawyer, but I’m at a loss on how to advise him. Any experience with this situation? Thank you
 
Law is an easy one; medicine is a bit tougher. For law I would recommend that he enter active duty as a line officer and then, if he still wants to become a lawyer after 3-4 years, either apply for the Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP) or leave active duty and pursue law school as a civilian/reservist.

Med school is tougher because I suspect it's less common to matriculate with a break like I just described. Candidly, my advice to someone who wants to be a military doctor is to pursue the bachelor's as a civilian and then apply to USUHS or for an HPSP scholarship.
 
franknd said:
Law is an easy one; medicine is a bit tougher. For law I would recommend that he enter active duty as a line officer and then, if he still wants to become a lawyer after 3-4 years, either apply for the Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP) or leave active duty and pursue law school as a civilian/reservist.

Med school is tougher because I suspect it's less common to matriculate with a break like I just described. Candidly, my advice to someone who wants to be a military doctor is to pursue the bachelor's as a civilian and then apply to USUHS or for an HPSP scholarship.
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Thank you. We have no experience with this route, so it’s pretty daunting.
 
franknd said:
Law is an easy one; medicine is a bit tougher. For law I would recommend that he enter active duty as a line officer and then, if he still wants to become a lawyer after 3-4 years, either apply for the Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP) or leave active duty and pursue law school as a civilian/reservist.

Med school is tougher because I suspect it's less common to matriculate with a break like I just described. Candidly, my advice to someone who wants to be a military doctor is to pursue the bachelor's as a civilian and then apply to USUHS or for an HPSP scholarship.
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This is a tough question with no easy answers. I served as a USAF physician but entered through HPSP after civilian undergrad and went to school at civilian med school. While practicing medicine in the USAF was challenging in many respects compared with my civilian counterparts, it was profoundly rewarding and served me well for my career going forward. And, this included the USAF denying my request to practice in the specialty that I now practice in. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.

My DS recently received an appointment to the USAFA and is waiting to hear on USNA. He *thinks* but is not 100% certain on whether he wants to enter medicine as a career. There are very valid reasons not to attend a SA if you want to enter medicine (i.e., limited med school slots). However, I suspect for any career field, the choice to sign up and serve in the military can lead to not being selected for the exact something you want to do (e.g., fighter pilot, dentist, etc.). To this point, all those entering ROTC or a SA have the potential to be re-assigned into a different career field or specialty in the name of service. One last thing, someone on the "USNA or MIT" thread mentioned that the high school student should select the undergraduate school that is the best fit for them realizing that often career plans change -- I think that is terrific advice.
 
So, for law AROTC may offer a good route with scholarship. I did this 50 years ago, and I don't think circumstances are much different today. ROTC scholarship required 3 year active duty (5 yrs active reserves) after college, which earned me the GI Bill. Back then it was enough to pay for in-state tuition at law school. I had no college or law school loans and was practicing law 6 years from graduation. However, I know of AROTC students who earned deferrments to law school and then owed active duty afterwards in either JAG or Quartermaster Corps. SA grads have no guarantee of selection for medical or law school - and a 5 year active duty obligation....so he probably should not go that route if he wants to be practicing in a short period after college. Best of luck to him.
 
If he was open to Army ROTC, he could apply for an education delay after commissioning, then attend Law or Medical school, followed by serving on AD as a Lawyer or Doctor upon completion. Education delay acceptance would be based on his GPA, OML ranking, LSAT or MCAT score, and if he has been accepted to any law or medical programs. If not selected for an Ed Delay, he would be commissioned as a basic branch officer. I also would encourage him to apply to United Services University (https://www.usuhs.edu/) for medical school. It's tuition free (you pay in service obligation) as you get paid as a 2LT while in attendance.
 
glen said:
So, for law AROTC may offer a good route with scholarship. I did this 50 years ago, and I don't think circumstances are much different today. ROTC scholarship required 3 year active duty (5 yrs active reserves) after college, which earned me the GI Bill. Back then it was enough to pay for in-state tuition at law school. I had no college or law school loans and was practicing law 6 years from graduation. However, I know of AROTC students who earned deferrments to law school and then owed active duty afterwards in either JAG or Quartermaster Corps. SA grads have no guarantee of selection for medical or law school - and a 5 year active duty obligation....so he probably should not go that route if he wants to be practicing in a short period after college. Best of luck to him.
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Very similar to what I did, although I didn't have GI Bill because I was ROTC scholarship. But very similar endpoint, graduated law school 7 years after commissioning and entering active duty as a FA officer.

Ed delay is fine if you get it, but in that case you'll definitely be paying for law school on your own, i.e. outside of any military funding. And you can't count on ed delay while you're in ROTC, which is why I recommend just going straight into line officer duty and then tackling law school. Plus, in my experience, three or four years of line service will make anybody a better law student.
 
In the last two years we commissioned 2 Cadets into ed delay for Med school and one to law school. One more vote for looking into Army.
 
+1 to franknd's comments about law school. Look at the profiles of the incoming classes at top law schools and you'll see that a majority of the students have post-college work experience, including a number with military service.

Discipline and good time management will lead to success in both ROTC and academics. (So, lay off the Fortnite and no partying until the weekend.)
 
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