Should DS accept AFROTC scholarship before AFA or USNA results?

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vareporter

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Just a quick question. I re-read DS' AFROTC scholarship information last night. It specifically says the AFROTC scholarship is non-binding and that if he accepts an ROTC scholarship from another branch his AFROTC scholarship is automatically voided. BUT it doesn't mention the service academies. Does anyone know offhand if that same stance applies to accepting an appointment to either the AFA or USNA?
 
Should DS accept....

If memory serves correctly, the scholarship is non binding until such time he gets a service academy offer, but he should a plan of what he wants, with input from Mom and Dad. If I where your DS, I would accept it. What is the type?

God Bless and God Speed,

RGK
 
He received a Type 2, 4-year offer.

His dream sheet would be: 1. AFA 2. USNA 3. AFROTC 4.NROTC

He has been accepted into ERAU and they have offered him an additional academic scholarship. So unless one of the academies comes through, that will be his first choice. He and his parents feel a little weird accepting a scholarship, only to later turn it down. But it would bring us all a little peace of mind to have the paperwork submitted so we KNOW there's no way we'll miss the May 31st deadline.
 
If the SAs pick him up it is not an issue. SAs trump ROTC.

It is never binding in the way I think you assume. If your DS does not get an appointment and goes to ERAU, the scholarship is not activated until he passes the PFT in college.

No tuition, no stipend, no book allowance.

I get the guilt issue, but don't go down the road you are hurting another candidate.

Think of ROTC awards like hotels and airlines, they typically overbook. The chances of throwing back the scholarship impacting at this stage when only 1 board is left is minimal. They don't expect 100% activation.

You will also see on the SA forum side most posters will say keep it. The thing is at least 5% will not complete BCT. This is their insurance plan. 3 yrs ago a cadet tripped off of the bus on I Day, knee issues and he was turned back the same day. LY, a poster's DD contracted Guillame Barre disease in the 1st week, she was a recruited athlete and sent home. A few yrs back, an appointee played spring sports, broke a bone, and in a cast passed the I Day. Hence the Bubble Wrap joke.

They all paid the school deposit. They kept plan B in place until the last second.

Don't throw away the scholarship, accept it.
 
A couple of years ago my son (USAFA class of 2015) was in a similar situation to which you are describing. He had 3 ROTC scholarships, a few civilian (college) scholarships and an Appointment to USAFA. We were advised at that time (assuming that the Air Force was his chosen branch) to:
1. accept the AFROTC Scholarship
2. accept the USAFA Appointment
3. accept the civilian scholarship(s) and pay the enrollment deposit at whichever college he might use his AFROTC scholarship

It was our understanding that on the day he reported to USAFA for BCT (I-Day) his AFROTC scholarship would be rescinded and no longer available if for whatever reason he was not able to complete BCT. However, he would still have a reserved place (due to the college deposit), and his civillian scholarships available and waiting at whichever college was his Plan B if he didn't complete BCT. It was a nice insurance plan / safety net....just in case.

Good luck to your son!:thumb:
 
Good Info

Good info and advice all. My son could be facing similar circumstances shortly once USMA offers appointments at the end of month.
 
Vareporter, please also be aware that your DS only has 30 days to accept the ROTC scholarship, while the decisions on his academy applications may not be known for another month or more. So don't delay on the acceptance, and fingers crossed for the BFE. Congratulations to your son!!
 
Great point futuremom.

The fact is that is a drop dead date, and what Flieger, CC are saying on the AFA side, Mass Mailing March maybe renamed Appointment April.

AFROTC does not talk to the AFA. They are independent of each other, and in this case silence is not golden. Silence = no thank you.

This is also true for DoDMERB if it has not occurred yet. You have X amount of days to make an appointment.

The saddest thing on this site from the AFA side is reading posts in August about turn back and the cadets now have no fall option because they didn't place a deposit anywhere.

There are 2 trains of thought...place the deposit, it is a safety net for BCT. Place the deposit an it is safety net for college JIC.
 
Sound advice, Pima. As far as having only 30 days to accept his scholarship offer, I think that must be unique to other branches' ROTC, because all of my son's paperwork explicitly says he has until May 31st, 2013, to accept his offer. When he sends his Letter of Intent, he also has to send in the acceptance letter for the college he plans to attend. So it would be unreasonable for them to expect you to send in your Letter of Intent before schools have even made their decisions.
 
And as an aside, he has his DoMERB "all clear" letter. He completed that process in November.
 
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