VMI for the PMS Interview or something closer to home?

DrMom

DrMom

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Good Evening- After a technical glitch, #3 just became eligible for his AROTC PMS interview this afternoon (apparently, having 'pending' in your activities record keeps you from being interview eligible...but he has it fixed now). At this late date, does he try to go to VMI (his number one choice but two hours away) for his PMS interview or does he just go somewhere in the DC area?
Thank you...
 
My DS did his interview in Wisconsin and was just awarded a 4 YR AROTC scholarship and has received an appointment to VMI. It doesn't matter where you do the interview, but if we lived that close he probably would've considered doing it at VMI.
Once completed with everything, the portal should say "Board Ready".
Best of luck!
 
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We are in NC so DS did his interview at Campbell. He was sent a list of local places he could have it done. If we were closer he probably would have done it at VMI.
 
If at all possible, you should interview at your #1 choice school.
If you are only two hours from Lexington, I would recommend doing your very best to make the trip to VMI.
 
If VMI is his first choice and you are only two hours away IMHO he should do it at VMI. We drove 8 hours for DS to do the interview at VMI. VMI acceptance came two days after ROTC scholarship award. I have no doubt that DS's passion, commitment and fitness shone in that interview. Wear a business suit.
 
When our son went through this process last year he had VMI as his first choice but interviewed at a local Battalion.....no matter as he did receive the 4 year scholarship. He would be at VMI now but was fortunate to receive USMA appt... VMI is an incredibly, impressive school.
 
Thanks to all. Given the late date (and that I am his principle driver for long trips--and my job is keeping me v. busy right now), #3 will do the interview at GMU in NoVA. That way he won't miss school--they are taking semester exams mid December this year. He really likes VMI and his application to VMI is complete. Just waiting... For A ROTC, he still has to do the fitness test. I think he will be fine where he is...he is a fit kid who runs, does push ups and crunches all the time and the 1 min., 1 min., 1 mile seems pretty easy. He just wants to kill it. (I guess...hard to get into the psyche of the teenage boy.)
 
DrMom said:
Good Evening- After a technical glitch, #3 just became eligible for his AROTC PMS interview this afternoon (apparently, having 'pending' in your activities record keeps you from being interview eligible...but he has it fixed now). At this late date, does he try to go to VMI (his number one choice but two hours away) for his PMS interview or does he just go somewhere in the DC area?
Thank you...
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I did mine at VMI and VMI was my #1. It was highly recommended to me to do it there by some Army Cadets there before I did the interview. Was a 2 1/2 hour drive. Definitely worth it in the end. Heard it makes a difference so I'd do it. Also, I received the Scholarship first board to there. Hope this helps!
 
I just want to say that you all are right! He should have gone to VMI for the interview. He was in and out of his interview in 20 minutes and the interviewer seemed angry to him. He said that he thought it went well but as an adult I think it must have gone 'less well.' This was the last work day before Thanksgiving--and traffic evolved while he was in it. He called the unit to say he would be five to ten minutes late and should he reschedule but was told to come in. When he arrived he heard the interviewer yelling to the lady who introduced him, "Where the Hell is he?" I suspect he will be starting school with something other than an Army ROTC scholarship. His portal is all the way complete now--but I think this ship has sailed. He can reapply next year or get a 3.5 or 3 year or less when he gets into his college unit.
 
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Hopefully, DrMom, at the end of the day the interviewer is a professional who saw past a ten minute delay and recognized a committed, qualified young adult. I believe the interviewer follows a formatted checklist, so there may be less subjectivity than you think. Perhaps some else has better knowledge of the process.
 
DrMom said:
Good Evening- After a technical glitch, #3 just became eligible for his AROTC PMS interview this afternoon (apparently, having 'pending' in your activities record keeps you from being interview eligible...but he has it fixed now). At this late date, does he try to go to VMI (his number one choice but two hours away) for his PMS interview or does he just go somewhere in the DC area?
Thank you...
Click to expand...
If at all possible interview at VMI. When scheduling your interview I normally recommend coordinating it with an Open House Visit or in conjunction with an Interview with the Admissions office that way you knock out two "optional" events. Demonstrates a level of commitment.
 
DrMom said:
I just want to say that you all are right! He should have gone to VMI for the interview. He was in and out of his interview in 20 minutes and the interviewer seemed angry to him. He said that he thought it went well but as an adult I think it must have gone 'less well.' This was the last work day before Thanksgiving--and traffic evolved while he was in it. He called the unit to say he would be five to ten minutes late and should he reschedule but was told to come in. When he arrived he heard the interviewer yelling to the lady who introduced him, "Where the Hell is he?" I suspect he will be starting school with something other than an Army ROTC scholarship. His portal is all the way complete now--but I think this ship has sailed. He can reapply next year or get a 3.5 or 3 year or less when he gets into his college unit.
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I am so sorry I did not see this thread until now. My son is at VMI on a 4 yr AROTC scholarship. He interviewed at George Mason instead of going to VMI for the interview. He had a similar interview experience as your son -- and my son was on time for his interview.

You can find the AROTC interview form on line that shows the questions and the points you are supposed to get for your accomplishments from the interview.

https://www.goarmy.com/content/dam/goarmy/downloaded_assets/pdfs/rotc-overseas-interview-form.pdf

From those questions, my son should have gotten pretty close to a max score. Recently, he got a peek at his ROTC file and he saw the score he got from the George Mason interview. Either the interviewer could not read or understand my son's very clear resume, and paid no attention to my son's answers, or the interviewer ignored the instructions on the form and applied his own scoring, because my son did not get the scores he was due for even the objective measures for grades, test scores, varsity sports, and leadership. I have been told by others that some interviewers will mark candidates down that are not applying to their school as their #1 choice -- I assume they think this helps clear the way for candidates that do want to come to their school. I don't mean to imply this is the case for all schools or even for all interviewers at George Mason, but we are at least one example. For my son, the impact of his interview score was that he got his 4 yr AROTC scholarship from the second AROTC scholarship board instead of on the first board, so he was not harmed, but that was only because his record was very good and he ended up high on the OML anyway.

My advice for anyone from our experience is to go interview at your #1 school of choice if you can at all -- it will be a friendlier audience.

IMHO -- If your son's SAT/ACT scores are high -- 1200 or above, since his GPA is above a 3.0 he will probably not be hurt by the 3.4. Also, if he does really well on the Fitness Test, that will be a huge plus. Typically to get an AROTC 4 yr scholarship it takes a Service Academy quality record. Army has been awarding about 2500 scholarships a year for the past couple of years or so, with about 600 of those scholarships being 4 yr and the remaining 1900 being 3 yr. Getting a 3 yr scholarship still takes a great record. Competing and getting a 3.5 or a 3 year scholarship while at VMI is definitely doable. Best of luck
 
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