ROTC to Service Academy

nukepharm

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I am not sure the best place to post this question so I will start here. My son is applying for Naval Academy, AFA and USMA. He has also applied for all the ROTC branch scholarships. If he does not get into an academy this year, he plans to reapply next year. He has a MOC nom for the AFA, and a presidential to all three. He was turned down for the AF ROTC scholarship and not reboarded. In talking to the Army ROTC at his school of choice, it seems he is at least a viable candidate for a ROTC scholarship there and Navy was not very informative about his chances there. His concern is IF he gets an Army ROTC scholarship and starts, but still wants to reapply to the academies next year, is he going to be looked at unfavorably at the Naval and AFA because he is doing Army ROTC? He has interest in all three branches and is actually still open to any of them.

Thanks for any insight!
 
His concern is IF he gets an Army ROTC scholarship and starts, but still wants to reapply to the academies next year, is he going to be looked at unfavorably at the Naval and AFA because he is doing Army ROTC? He has interest in all three branches and is actually still open to any of them.
Not at all.
 
From what I've heard I don't believe it'd hurt his chances. I've heard of people switching from ROTC to an Academy on multiple occasions. What are his grades, class rank, and extracurriculars like? That'd be the major thing I believe.
 
Our DS opted to go AFROTC (scholarship) he met with the Commander prior to pulling his USAFA packet. The CoC told him if he regretted his decision and wanted to reapply as a freshmen they would back him 100%.

True to his word in September they approached him and asked if he wanted to apply for USAFA. DS loved the college and the unit so he stayed put.
~ I know at his unit every year there was at least one cadet that did go to USAFA after their freshmen year.

Most Commanders at a good unit will have no problem supporting the cadet.

That being said, many cadets once at the college decide not to reapply.
 
His concern is IF he gets an Army ROTC scholarship and starts, but still wants to reapply to the academies next year, is he going to be looked at unfavorably at the Naval and AFA because he is doing Army ROTC? He has interest in all three branches and is actually still open to any of them.

I think the OPs question was if they go Army ROTC does that look unfavorably on an application to the non army SA's if they choose to reapply the next year?
 
One would probably need to contact admissions at the academies for a definitive answer to that question. Here is my opinion - Although the academies do not poach from the other academies I suspect they have no trouble accepting someone from another ROTC program. Perhaps someone was in that other program for financial reasons, or their college didn't offer the academies particular ROTC program. There could be a zillion reasons and I don't think they would care... as long as you can honestly explain it, whatever it is.

That and $5.00 will buy you a latte.

And even if my opinion is wrong what do you have to lose by trying except, perhaps, a little bit of time.
 
I am a current MS3 in AROTC, and last year we had two stellar cadets that were denied academy entrance and attended my college. Some background, one came in with a 4 year AROTC scholarship, and the other was awarded a 3 year. They both reapplied in the second semester of their freshman year (in college) to both USMA and USNA. Both cadets were accepted to each academy, and oddly enough they both choose to attend USNA. Yes, they switched branches, and yes we still keep in touch and make jokes about them. Were they worried AROTC didn't look good on an application to USNA, yes, but in fact its the opposite. When they met with their board to gain a nomination for the second time, the answer they got about having AROTC was very positive. It spoke for itself and separated them from high school seniors when it came down to the question "what makes you think you have what it takes," because they had a year of ROTC under their belt. These were gentleman that came into ROTC scoring 300's on the PT test and maintained above a 3.7 throughout their first year in college. Where ever you end up, work hard and don't have this make or break your end result of gaining a commission.
 
In my view as a business person who had done a fair amount of hiring, the hiring decision is based more than anything upon attitudinal factors, rather than technical ones. I look for a person who is excited to be working in that position, but not excited in a general way. I like it when a person has some real life experiences that educate and inform him/her that they are a good fit for the position.

Now, for the Academies, it is much the same. They like ROTC cadets because they have proven their attitude and fit for military service, vs. HS applicants who are unknown quantities as far as attitude/fit is concerned. Words are cheap, actions speak loudly. Pariticpating in ROTC demonstrates those attitude/fit qualities in a way no HS application can. Oh, and as a bonus, the ROTC applicant has proven that they can succeed in college courses and are not an academic risk.

By participating successfully in ROTC (any branch), you have removed the primary question of attitude/fit asked of an applicant by any Academy.
 
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