Third AROTC Board Review

jkrasinski

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Messages
41
Here we are again! Does anyone know when the board will be meeting this month?

Also - anyone have any information on the AROTC program at WVU? My son has been accepted to the school and had a campus ROTC visit today.
 
My daughter did not list WVU on her college list but evidently the PMS there realized that she had some W. PA colleges on her list and invited her to apply and to come visit. He seemed very nice, not too aggressive and was very willing to answer questions.

I was told that WVU offers In-State tuition and free room & board for four year scholarship winners. Anyone with an Air Force Type 7 (or Army) scholarship can get a complete free ride there.
 
The January board is meeting the week of the 25th. I was told that date by the man in charge of all our applications at Maxwell AFB so it's probably right. :thumb:
 
We were told by a PMS at one of my son's top schools that the board met last week. CC also told us the board would meet last week. Go figure...
 
We were told by a PMS at one of my son's top schools that the board met last week. CC also told us the board would meet last week. Go figure...

I think Marauder98 was discussing the AFROTC not the AROTC boards.
 
We are out of state - so I understand that it is either tuition or room and board.

Just curious about how competitive it is to go in.
 
We are out of state - so I understand that it is either tuition or room and board.

Just curious about how competitive it is to go in.
I would try to answer you question.....I'm just not sure what it is.:wink:
 
3rd army rotc board

Several sources stated board started to meet on Monday 1/11. Start crossing your fingers again.
 
I guess I was not real clear......

My son has been accepted to the school - just waiting on the board review. I was wondering what the average SAT score is for incoming Freshman who are awarded scholarships, how many scholarships the give/accept each year, ect.
 
jkrasinski: You may have been clear, it might be that I'm just not too bright.:cool:

Anyway, in answer to your questions: I do not know. I haven't read any post on any site that actually gives those numbers. The Army ROTC site list minimums, but there is some debate about how much over those numbers you need to be to receive a 4 year scholarship. Add in that a potential candidate's success (or failure) might also be tied to which battalion(s) he is applying and the current economic situation of the country and the Army....and it is all guess work for those of us not in the Army hierarchy.

Supposedly the following is true:
That due to the economy the Army (and other military ROTC programs) are seeing more applicants for their ROTC scholarships because these students need money for school (and of course are patriotic) and they want to know they have employment when they graduate.

The Army has cut back on the number of scholarships this year due to budget constraints. How many? Some ROTC people are reporting as much as half some not quite as drastic. It does seem as though there are fewer for more applicants.

One last possible point: It is possible that a potential AROTC scholarship candidate's success might be influenced by which college(s) he is applying. For instance: if your son is applying for admission to the Harvard ROTC program or one of the SMCs, the GPA and SAT scores of the successful applicants are probably gong to be higher than if he is applying to the WVU AROTC program. In other words, your son's chance of success (and required SAT / GPA) may be "somewhat" dependent on who his competition is in the colleges he is applying instead of the overall AROTC program.

Phewwww. Is that about the longest winded answer you've ever seen that says "I don't know but here is my guess"?

Good luck to you and your son!:thumb:
 
My son was told that, at his top school, they are expecting a cut back of about 55%. The PMS said that they gave out 22 scholarships last year but only expect to give out 9 for fall of 2010. He also said that he didn't expect my son to receive one because his ACT score wasn't high enough. Which, in my opinion, is a shame. My son has done everything else well (honor societies, captain of sports, etc) but the math on standardized tests just gets him. Well, I guess it is off to our local state school for my son. He is ok with that, he will still join AROTC. I am proud of all he has accomplished in high school and he is a great kid.
 
He also said that he didn't expect my son to receive one because his ACT score wasn't high enough.
I wouldn't give up hope quite yet. Regardless of how bad the Army scholarship budget is currently they still need to commission ROTC officers. I've heard at least one person on this board argue that come May the Army may very well decided that they need a lot more freshman ROTC cadets and open up the scholarship "coffers". I guess we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, your son could apply to some colleges where is in the top 25% academically and hopefully would also be in the top 50% of the AROTC candidates. If the Army is going to cut the number of scholarships in half the key to success may be to make sure you're in the top half of your college's applicants. Just an opinion...

BTW - it sounds as though you have every reason to be proud of your son regardless of which way this AROTC thing plays out. Good luck to both of you! :thumb:
 
I am thinking along the same lines as teach2 - afraid SAT scores may be more of a hinderance this year than in past.

Our thought is that we go to his #1 school, enroll in Military Science classes and apply for a 3 year ROTC scholarship.
 
Thank you, aglages..

Sad thing is, he got accepted to the schools he wanted to go to. Now he has to go to the local university. Not that I am crying, I get to see him when he needs money, food, or his laundry done!
 
Thank you, aglages..
You're very welcome.:thumb:

Sad thing is, he got accepted to the schools he wanted to go to. Now he has to go to the local university.
Are all his schools in the same ROTC battalion or has each of the ROTC reps at every battalion told him the same thing?

I get to see him when he needs money, food, or his laundry done!
I suspect that regardless of where any of our children end up going to school we are going to need to provide at LEAST two of the above. :biggrin:
 
I think aglages gives pretty good advice here. To quote Yogi Berra: "it ain't over till it's over" and there will definitely be shuffling as the springtime comes to an end as to what schools you will be able to go to if you are lucky enough to get a scholarship but currently have not gotten selected for one at your primary choice; as well as probably offering more scholarships due to kids who changed their minds at the last minute and declined theirs. Secondly- if your goal is to be an Army officer - join ROTC and work hard to get a 23 or 2 year scholarship. There are plenty of folks who get commissions and active duty without the scholarship money- when your Junior year rolls around you will still be able to get the stipend even if you don't get selected for a scholarship. I think that the last few years really were just an unusual phenomenon in terms of scholarship availability and this is bringing things back into a more normal state.
Finally- the sad reality may be that lots of good kids this year may not get offered a scholarship who would have had one last year- but it's not a reflection on them. It's painful but you have to see things as not personal. When I retired from the Army- selection rates for Battalion command were literally in the hopper and promotion rates were dropping thru the floor. 2 years later breathing seemed to be the principal requirement. It's not a reflection on you or your kids-it's just the timing of things. As aglages says- you have every reason to be proud of them whether or not they get selected for a scholarship.

I wouldn't give up hope quite yet. Regardless of how bad the Army scholarship budget is currently they still need to commission ROTC officers. I've heard at least one person on this board argue that come May the Army may very well decided that they need a lot more freshman ROTC cadets and open up the scholarship "coffers". I guess we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, your son could apply to some colleges where is in the top 25% academically and hopefully would also be in the top 50% of the AROTC candidates. If the Army is going to cut the number of scholarships in half the key to success may be to make sure you're in the top half of your college's applicants. Just an opinion...

BTW - it sounds as though you have every reason to be proud of your son regardless of which way this AROTC thing plays out. Good luck to both of you! :thumb:
 
"Are all his schools in the same ROTC battalion or has each of the ROTC reps at every battalion told him the same thing?"

He has had contact with an out-of-state school (this is the school that said he probably wouldn't get a scholarship). His local choice thought he might get one in the later rounds but I think this was before they heard about the cut-backs.

"...but it's not a reflection on them. It's painful but you have to see things as not personal."

We never saw it as personal. How could we? My son was just a file to the powers that be. He was just a little bummed. He is a realist, though, and two hours later was talking about the local university as if it had been his first choice all along. I wish I had that quality :biggrin:
 
He has had contact with an out-of-state school (this is the school that said he probably wouldn't get a scholarship). His local choice thought he might get one in the later rounds but I think this was before they heard about the cut-backs.
I'm not trying to be a pest, BUT the above only accounts for two schools....isn't there 5 or 7 on the list he submitted for AROTC? Has he checked with any of those?
 
3rd board date

Son received emails from PMS's at two different schools today and they both said the Army boards will conclude tomorrow 1/15. Good luck to all that are waiting.
 
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