Should I Even Apply For an AFROTC Scholarship?

afrotc11

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I am currently a senior in high school with a 3.95 GPA and a 1420 on the SAT. With my GPA and test score, I am eligible for a full ride scholarship at the school I am going to. My question is, would it be of any benefit to apply for an AFROTC scholarship? I don't want to steal the opportunity from somebody else. My eventual goal is to get a pilot slot.
 
Applying for, and being awarded a scholarship, puts you on a surer path to commissioning. However, chances are you would lose at least the tuition portion of your current scholarship and should you decide to drop from any ROTC program for whatever reason, including injury, you may not be able to get it back. Therefore, I would recommend simply signing up for a ROTC program at your college by contacting the unit in the spring before you plan to start college. You can still commission but you'll need to get permission to continue after the first 2 years. Generally not a problem if you are a good cadet, but never a guarantee, especially when the military is downsizing (which I don't anticipate). Also, if you drop after your freshman year there wouldn't be any required payback of the scholarship. You avoid some potential financial risks that way. Just one man's opinion and it's worth what you paid for it.
 
Applying for, and being awarded a scholarship, puts you on a surer path to commissioning. However, chances are you would lose at least the tuition portion of your current scholarship and should you decide to drop from any ROTC program for whatever reason, including injury, you may not be able to get it back. Therefore, I would recommend simply signing up for a ROTC program at your college by contacting the unit in the spring before you plan to start college. You can still commission but you'll need to get permission to continue after the first 2 years. Generally not a problem if you are a good cadet, but never a guarantee, especially when the military is downsizing (which I don't anticipate). Also, if you drop after your freshman year there wouldn't be any required payback of the scholarship. You avoid some potential financial risks that way. Just one man's opinion and it's worth what you paid for it.

Okay, that makes sense. I will likely just join as a non-scholarship cadet. That would probably be smartest because I would be able to drop ROTC if I choose to pursue the guard route instead. Also, isn't joining ROTC as simple as registering for a class? What do I need to contact them in the spring for?
 
Apply for both since they aren't guaranteed, and if you get both you can always decline one and then that one will revert to someone else.
 
Applying for, and being awarded a scholarship, puts you on a surer path to commissioning. However, chances are you would lose at least the tuition portion of your current scholarship and should you decide to drop from any ROTC program for whatever reason, including injury, you may not be able to get it back. Therefore, I would recommend simply signing up for a ROTC program at your college by contacting the unit in the spring before you plan to start college. You can still commission but you'll need to get permission to continue after the first 2 years. Generally not a problem if you are a good cadet, but never a guarantee, especially when the military is downsizing (which I don't anticipate). Also, if you drop after your freshman year there wouldn't be any required payback of the scholarship. You avoid some potential financial risks that way. Just one man's opinion and it's worth what you paid for it.

Okay, that makes sense. I will likely just join as a non-scholarship cadet. That would probably be smartest because I would be able to drop ROTC if I choose to pursue the guard route instead. Also, isn't joining ROTC as simple as registering for a class? What do I need to contact them in the spring for?
There are usually a few classes you need to sign up for. Academic, Lab, PT.... they'll get you straight on which classes at that college. Also, you'll need to complete a physical similar to a high school athletics physical (this is NOT DoDMERB at this point). There will be other forms as well. Finally, many if not most units report a few days early for a ROTC orientation. You don't want to miss that. So you contact them to get on their radar and get in the loop.
 
Ask a financial aid officer at the school with the academic what happens if you accept the award, use a AFROTC. Scholarship and then some reason lose the AFROTC scholarship. I know at my dsughter’s School they reinstate all academic and institutional grants if for some reason the ROTC monies don’t come in. She is living that right now. She is on a one semester administrative suspension due to a major change (got approval for a change from a nursing scholarship to a line scholarship) and her school not only reinstated her other scholarships but gave her more to help her out.

Apply - having to decide which to use is a good problem to have, a problem you will not have if you don’t apply. Oh another thing, at my daughters school they give free room and board to kids on AROTC and AFROTC scholarships, kids on academic scholarships would not get that benefit. That is over 13,000 a year for 4 years.
 
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