ROTC To USAFA

[afconsidering]

I am a current AFROTC freshman on HSSP at a prestigious university but I am thinking about reapplying to USAFA. For context I was admitted last cycle and chose ROTC over the academy. I am wondering if anyone has been in a similar position and reapplied/what their experience has been like going from ROTC to USAFA. I am also curious to hear from current freshman at USAFA what their experience has been like.

 

[T-37IP]

If the goal is to commission you are currently on the most direct path. You would have two years of college behind you if you start over at USAFA. Why would you do that? The commissioning source is irrelevant.

You could apply to do a semester exchange at USAFA instead.

Big decisions. Good luck!

 

[usafacandidate29]

I don't have an answer for you, just wanted to say you're not alone. I was not admitted last year, but am re-applying this year. Freshman in AFROTC, feel like I'm pretty competitive and trying to get the AFROTC nomination too. Definitely interested to see what this thread says.

 

[Future Falcon]

**As a side note, this is also for anybody who comes across this post in the future**

The biggest thing I would ask is why the Academy? As an AFROTC reapplicant myself, I’ve come to know some cadets who said they would reapply, but ultimately chose not to. It’s important to know your why and really sit and think about what life at the Academy may look like compared to where you’re at now. Is it worth all the time and effort if you are going to end up in the same place you would if you went through ROTC? Maybe.

I would say the “keys to success” would be getting stellar grades in college and retaking the SAT if needed. Then it would be ROTC performance. In AFROTC, don’t just be the middle cadet. Be the one who stands out for the right reasons and display your leadership qualities boldly. Then, extracurriculars. If you can, having a job looks good, especially as a full-time student and an ROTC cadet. If a job isn’t possible, volunteering or being involved in clubs are also good ways to show you’re proactive. One underestimated tip is connections. My calculus teacher taught at USAFA, and having this individual write an evaluation about how I would be successful at the Academy surely added some weight to my file. Make the meaningful connections with the right people, since sometimes, it’s really about who you know. Finally, knowing what it is you want from the Academy and how you can’t get that from ROTC. I’m sure there might be some questions about why you are changing commissioning paths. Even on this site, people will ask ROTC cadets why they want to go to an Academy. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I suggest having a good, defensible, and purposeful reason as to why that is, and that circles back to your why.

Nobody can tell you exactly how things will pan out, what’s the best decision to make, or what path will be best suited for you. At the end of the day, it’s a lot of self-examination and knowing what it is you truly want. Being in ROTC can make you competitive, but not on its own. If you really want to attend the Academy, work your tail off, both inside and outside of school, and in ROTC. Good luck!

 

[USMAGRAD1988]

My son went through this very same scenario back in 2021. He was accepted to USMA for the class of 2026 as well as to a 'prestigious' university on a 4-year AROTC scholarship. He struggled mightily with his decision but ultimately chose to go the AROTC route. Early on in his first semester he had immediate regrets over not going to USMA and decided he would re-apply the following year. I counseled patience to see if that is something he really wanted to do. After a full first semester his freshman year he decided he would stick with AROTC. He will commission in May 2026 in the Cyber branch and is very happy with the path he chose and the friends he has made. While USMA offers many phenomenal opportunities, he has had opportunities in Army ROTC at his University that he would never have been afforded as a cadet at USMA. Life is full of trade-offs. Find your happiness.

 

[99Gold]

I am a current AFROTC freshman on HSSP at a prestigious university but I am thinking about reapplying to USAFA. For context I was admitted last cycle and chose ROTC over the academy. I am wondering if anyone has been in a similar position and reapplied/what their experience has been like going from ROTC to USAFA. I am also curious to hear from current freshman at USAFA what their experience has been like.

My ds dis this last year. He had a great year at his university and it was 100% covered with his HSSP plus additional scholarship. However, his heart was at USAFA so he reapplied. He was also slated to take 5 years to graduate as an engineering major so he didn't lose any time by going to USAFA. AFROTC had already confirmed they would pay for all 5 years so money wasn't a consideration either.

He started the application and almost had it finished before he even started his freshman year at college which helped a lot. He was so busy at school that completing the application would have been very challenging. He did a great job getting to know his rating professors fall semester so that was pretty smooth.

His ROTC unit (or more specifically the captain in charge of him) was not supportive and would not give him an ROTC nomination because he was thriving in college and ROTC. The captain thought jumping to an unknown (USAFA) was the wrong move. We felt it was unfair, but knew he'd have other nomination opportunities. It ended up being a minor setback since he got a nom from one of his senators.

He got his appointment in early March (I think). He did not decide to accept it until late April. It was a really hard decision for him.

Fast forward to today and he is loving USAFA. It is somewhat similar to his SMC experience, but easier militarily. Everything he learned last year is helping him succeed. Academics are way better for him since he has more resources at USAFA despite taking more credits. USAFA took almost all of his credits from last year so he is in more advanced classes and doing very well.

Overall, he made the right decision for him. He did have to leave some great things behind, though. Honestly, he would have been great in either place and commissioned innthe AF either way.

 

[MD11Driver]

There is somewhat of a trend toward older cadets. I had two years at a civilian university and enlisted ANG service. I was much better equipped to handle USAFA after all of that, compared to many of my classmates who’d graduated from high school a week or two prior to BCT. FWIW.

 

[fullspeedahead]

Not a USAFA grad, but I did graduate from USNA and did two years of NROTC at a university before the academy.

Whenever candidates ask which source is better, I always respond with whichever source you are going to dedicate more time towards bettering yourself. I have met several incredible officers and people from both sources and on the other hand I have met people who wasted their time and all of the opportunities granted to them. Do not let admission into the academy be the reason you perform well in ROTC. Perform well in ROTC to build yourself and build your unit so that if you do leave you are prepped for the academy and are leaving behind a great culture.

ROTC is an incredible program that does a great job of balancing the regular college life with some military regiment. The academy is also an incredible program that comes with a lot of pain, but also a lot of opportunity. Knowing what I know now I would have applied four, five, or six times to the academy until I aged out because it truly made me who I am today. There were some rough moments for sure and the academy does a great job of hitting you when you are down. But the opportunities to fail, learn, and grow as an individual are unmatched. Traveling around the world, meeting some incredible Americans, taking a part of the service academy exchange, and leading the best company in the brigade were moments that I never would have gotten if I did not stay persistent in applying to the academy. I would have been blessed to commission out of ROTC, but for me I could not live with the idea of not trying again for my dream.

Ask yourself this question and truly reflect. In five, ten, twenty, or thirty years down the line can you look back and live with your decision?

 

[MD11Driver]

If the goal is to commission you are currently on the most direct path. You would have two years of college behind you if you start over at USAFA. Why would you do that? The commissioning source is irrelevant.

You could apply to do a semester exchange at USAFA instead.

Big decisions. Good luck!

Does USAFA have an exchange program with ROTC? If so, never knew that.

As for which school, you might also do an A/B comparison academically. If what you’re studying is highly regarded at your “prestigious” university, I’d stay put. But if you think your academic interests might be better taught at USAFA, then also put that into your decision matrix.

But remember one thing…. USAFA is a small school. It does a very good job of educating young people, but it’s not top shelf, not even in Aero. That’s fine if you want to become an officer and lead, fly, etc. But if you place a high emphasis on your academic studies and your current situation fills that well, then there’s not much value-added in starting over at USAFA.

 

[Falcon74]

Admittedly, I am biased in favor of USAFA. My first choice was always USAFA. While on that path to USAFA, I also applied for AFROTC and NROTC scholarships. The final question I was asked during my Navy ROTC interview was, "We see that you also applied to USAFA. If you could pick from all of your choices, where would you go?" I quickly responded, "USAFA." The board of Navy officers laughed, but I was awarded the scholarship anyway. In the end, I got lucky and received a USAFA appointment offer which I accepted. I turned down both AFROTC and NROTC 4-year scholarships.

1. Personally, in almost anyone's situation, I would have NEVER turned down USAFA for AFROTC unless there was some overwhelming special circumstance - possibly a family crisis that needed time to get squared away. Either a candidate does or does not want a USAF career. USAFA isn't a "party school", but it does provide the best foundation for future USAF officers.

2. People do re-apply - usually because they were not offered an appointment the first time around. My last roommate at USAFA spent one year in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M and then left to come to USAFA. Although he was commissioned a year later than if he had stayed at A&M, he made that year up when he was promoted below the zone for major.

3. If you are a freshman and haven't started the reapplication process, I assume that you are talking about finishing two years in ROTC before USAFA. I think that you may (depending on your state) already be late to apply for next year's class unless you qualify for a Presidential nomination. Although some enter USAFA after completing a freshman year of college somewhere else, I don't recommend USAFA after two years of college since you will reach your fist goal (USAF commission) two years later than would otherwise have been the case. Admittedly, some candidates re-apply not just once but more than once. To me, one year - Yes, but two years - No.

4. I don't know what the timeline is for candidates already in ROTC. You might still be eligible to apply from the ranks of ROTC. I am not familiar with that process. Good luck.

 

[unkown1961]

Either a candidate does or does not want a USAF career. USAFA isn't a "party school", but it does provide the best foundation for future USAF officers.

These are kind of disparaging and misleading remarks. My kids wanted an AF career, but chose AFROTC. Lots of kids do, and it has nothing to do with a lack of commitment, nor does it lead to a less-than-stellar foundation for the AF. I could argue that AFROTC, in addition to creating just as prepared officers, does a better overall job by making them more prepared for being an adult, handling real-life adult issues.

And it's a broad generalization to say that schools other than USAFA must be a "party school." MIT? Yale? My kids didn't party much at their schools, and they seemed to be studying harder than the cadets we sponsored (no 2.0 and go in AFROTC for instance - sophomores with that GPA aren't heading to AFROTC Field Training).

In the end, USAFA vs. AFROTC both have their own appeal and reasons to attend - and these can be stated without disparaging the other with misleading information.

 

[OldRetSWO]

In the end, USAFA vs. AFROTC both have their own appeal and reasons to attend - and these can be stated without disparaging the other with misleading information.

OK. . . yet you disparage the Service Academy with the "real Life adult issues" statement below.

I could argue that AFROTC, in addition to creating just as prepared officers, does a better overall job by making them more prepared for being an adult, handling real-life adult issues.

As it happens, I teach at a University that has AFROTC and even before that knew many ROTC cadets/mids and their degree of "handling" adult issues can vary greatly. The University where I teach is mostly commuters and lots of our students don't have to "adult" very much as they live with their parents with food laundry, etc provided. No getting apartments/leases/etc.

 

[unkown1961]

OK. . . yet you disparage the Service Academy with the "real Life adult issues" statement below.

As it happens, I teach at a University that has AFROTC and even before that knew many ROTC cadets/mids and their degree of "handling" adult issues can vary greatly. The University where I teach is mostly commuters and lots of our students don't have to "adult" very much as they live with their parents with food laundry, etc provided. No getting apartments/leases/etc.

I prefaced that statement with "I could argue" inferring that I won't, and I end the post with: "In the end, USAFA vs. AFROTC both have their own appeal and reasons to attend - and these can be stated without disparaging the other with misleading information."

Regarding commuter students, of course this is true. Let's hope the parents at least make them do their own laundry though.

 

[Afterburner14]

I am a current AFROTC freshman on HSSP at a prestigious university but I am thinking about reapplying to USAFA. For context I was admitted last cycle and chose ROTC over the academy. I am wondering if anyone has been in a similar position and reapplied/what their experience has been like going from ROTC to USAFA. I am also curious to hear from current freshman at USAFA what their experience has been like.

My son applied to USAFA 3 times. He was going through ROTC at Cal State San Bernardino when he was accepted to USAFA. He is currently there.