USMAPS or ROTC scholarship info/advice

DDmom said:
One more thing to consider is that I believe the year at usmaps counts as one of the five years they owe as service. So after grad WP they only owe 4 years active duty.
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It does not work this way. Your service commitment starts after you complete your education.
 
Is that just in the army? Because usafaps does work like this. A friend went to the prep there and she confirmed that was the case for her.
 
I find it hard to believe that is what the Air Force is doing. All military schooling requires some sort of Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO). The cadets at the prep school are not on active duty so the can start working their obligation until after the graduate. These obligations all start at the end of the training. A LT going to flight school adds to their ADSO once they graduate. The service time prior does not count towards the obligation. Just like prior enlisted do not get a reduction in their ADSO because they were active prior to entering the academy. She may be talking about the prior years count towards officer pay. Their is a pretty big bump after you hit your two year mark regardless of rank.
 
USMA 1994 said:
I find it hard to believe that is what the Air Force is doing. All military schooling requires some sort of Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO). The cadets at the prep school are not on active duty so the can start working their obligation until after the graduate. These obligations all start at the end of the training. A LT going to flight school adds to their ADSO once they graduate. The service time prior does not count towards the obligation. Just like prior enlisted do not get a reduction in their ADSO because they were active prior to entering the academy. She may be talking about the prior years count towards officer pay. Their is a pretty big bump after you hit your two year mark regardless of rank.
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I will check with her again, that is how she thought it worked. Maybe it only counts towards pay as you explained.
 
Both rotc and West Point are great options. I can only speak though to the experience my son has had at WP. Yes, it is hard, and in some cases it seems like our kid is in prison; especially during the gray winter. But at no other college will your child be exposed almost daily to the types of accomplished incredible people and things that West Point provides. It is truly amazing. And every cadet has opportunity to go places and see things that most people, even accomplished people, can only imagine.

Moreover, the character of the student body and faculty, while not always perfect across the board, is as close to perfect as you will find anywhere. These kids come from every part of the country, and from every background imaginable, but honestly, they all seem to be genuine, honest, incredibly smart and creative, and with a ton to offer. I'm sure there are a few below average apples, but you will have to search to find them amongst the bright stars.

I promise that you will love the West Point experience as a parent. We are halfway through, and already saying, "what are we going to do after Ben graduates".

In short, your child can't make a bad choice here, but, GO ARMY!!!!
 
brovol said:
I promise that you will love the West Point experience as a parent. We are halfway through, and already saying, "what are we going to do after Ben graduates".
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There are many adventures once your DS/DD becomes a 2LT and enters the world of the 'big' Army. Very different, but many shining moments that parents experience with their Officer.
The pride that you feel when they get promoted from 2LT to 1LT and then to CPT. Or when they graduate from BOLC, CCC, or Ranger School. Or when they receive their first Commendation medal.
Then there are all the different the posts that they call home that you get to visit ( some better than others).
Then there are the gut wrenching times when you say goodbye to them as they leave for deployments and the joy when they return home.
The Army is a whole different creature than West Point, but you will never be as proud of them as when you see them for the first time in their Officer uniform moments after graduation. That's when you realize that they did it. They accomplished what they set out to do when they accepted their appointment - to become an Army Officer.
 
buff81 said:
brovol said:
I promise that you will love the West Point experience as a parent. We are halfway through, and already saying, "what are we going to do after Ben graduates".
Click to expand...

There are many adventures once your DS/DD becomes a 2LT and enters the world of the 'big' Army. Very different, but many shining moments that parents experience with their Officer.
The pride that you feel when they get promoted from 2LT to 1LT and then to CPT. Or when they graduate from BOLC, CCC, or Ranger School. Or when they receive their first Commendation medal.
Then there are all the different the posts that they call home that you get to visit ( some better than others).
Then there are the gut wrenching times when you say goodbye to them as they leave for deployments and the joy when they return home.
The Army is a whole different creature than West Point, but you will never be as proud of them as when you see them for the first time in their Officer uniform moments after graduation. That's when you realize that they did it. They accomplished what they set out to do when they accepted their appointment - to become an Army Officer.
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Well said, and your description matches what I anticipate. Thanks for the insight.
 
DDmom said:
One more thing to consider is that I believe the year at usmaps counts as one of the five years they owe as service. So after grad WP they only owe 4 years active duty.
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I pretty sure that you are not correct on this. The payback time for all US military schools that I know of is AFTER the school. You might be confused with retirement credit - the time at USMAPS should count toward a 20 year retirement while actual time as a cadet at USMA does not.
 
I wouldnt want to make that decision, but if the plan is to be nurse in the army, then Rotc would be the most direct way to go. I get going to WP is a whole different animal and there are intangible benefits one cant see until you go through it. Having said that, I am a person who likes a straight line. If I want to be an accountant, I will go to school with a business program and not major in microbiology. I guess the determining factor is she more interest in the journey or the destination. WP, you may wind up in nursing or not. You may have to wait 5 years to do so. Rotc, you do Rotc and get into a nursing program, you will be an officer and nurse in the army four years from now. As incredible as it may be to get into an academy, do we go to the academy because you hit the jackpot and not going is like turning down a lottery winning or do you take the path of least resistance. Again, not my decision to make
 
I currently have a cadet at WP and I also have a daughter who is a nurse, so I have some background for answering this question.
1. at the ROTC school - what kind of nursing program is it: direct admit or do you begin the nursing program in the 3rd year? Many schools offer nursing but they do not guarantee that you will get a nursing slot. You have to slog through 2 years of general coursework before you can take a test to see if you qualify for the nursing program. Imagine the disappointment of the student who chooses a school for the nursing program and then after 2 years discovers that it's no longer an option. There is often fierce competition for the nursing slots. A direct entry program is best in my opinion because you begin your nursing studies right away and can more easily change your major if you discover that you don't enjoy nursing as much as you'd hoped you would.

2. While WP doesn't offer nursing, she will end up with a 4 year degree. After her service commitment, she can go back to school and just study nursing in an 18 month program. There are many of these kinds of programs available. The experience that WP offers (while more difficult, as another poster mentioned) is unparalleled. She will have opportunities for travel and other things that she will not have at a regular university.

I wish her well in her decision.
 
DD accepted her appointment to the class of 2019 USMAPS. After some soul searching she came to the conclusion that the USMA is what she set out to do all along and that, while a great 1A plan, Nursing (through ROTC) wasn't a primary goal and as many have said she can accomplish this later if she so chooses. The primary goal was USMA and serving this great nation. Just took her a little while to hash this all out. GO ARMY!! So proud of her I can't even put it into words!
 
Go Army! Congratulations. Best wishes to your girl. Thank you and your girl for your service to the Nation. Also, thank you for letting those who have been praying (and wondering) know what she decided.
 
2022USMAHopefuldad said:
DD accepted her appointment to the class of 2019 USMAPS. After some soul searching she came to the conclusion that the USMA is what she set out to do all along and that, while a great 1A plan, Nursing (through ROTC) wasn't a primary goal and as many have said she can accomplish this later if she so chooses. The primary goal was USMA and serving this great nation. Just took her a little while to hash this all out. GO ARMY!! So proud of her I can't even put it into words!
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Enjoy the ride! You will laugh, you will cry; it's better than Cats. Lol. It is exciting, I can tell you that. My 2020 is finishing his TEE's today, then off to NYC for the weekend. We will pick him up a week from Saturday. It's always the greatest feeling to pick him up from WP. And I know it is mutual.

That year at the prepschool will be great for your daughter. She will like it and it will get her very ready for USMA. She will have a step up on those who didn't attend prep.

Good luck to your daughter and you.

....and remember: Go Army! Beat Navy!
 
Thank You all for your prayers, advice, insight, encouragement and knowledge shared. We sure will "Enjoy the ride!" Go Army, Beat Navy!
 
2022USMAHopefuldad said:
DD accepted her appointment to the class of 2019 USMAPS. After some soul searching she came to the conclusion that the USMA is what she set out to do all along and that, while a great 1A plan, Nursing (through ROTC) wasn't a primary goal and as many have said she can accomplish this later if she so chooses. The primary goal was USMA and serving this great nation. Just took her a little while to hash this all out. GO ARMY!! So proud of her I can't even put it into words!
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Will she be starting in the fall of 2019? My daughter is looking at going to West Point as well! She received an ROTC scholarship to Duke, but WP is still her number one. All forms completed, nomination received, and waiting on a DodMERB issue (they had two SSNs for her!!). Hopefully everything will be cleared up by next week.
 
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