What are my odds?

[Bitterguy]

I'm a junior n hs. I've been in marching band since 10th. Did xc my sophomore year, couldn't fit it in my schedule my junior year, plan to do it next year. Next year will also be my 4th on track. Unfortunately I only got a 1500 sat :/ I plan to take it again when it comes to my school in the spring though. I haven't taken and APs but took a dual enrollment html class (couldnt pay for it though) and am going to take H physics, dual enrollment calc AB, and dual enrollment visual basic class. I have about a 3.6 gpa and don't think I could get into PSU so ill have to look at different schools for CS.

Any predictions as to my chances for rotc or suggestions for a college?

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[dunninla]

You've probably got about a 1/4 chance, but what does that matter? Would that make you not apply?

You can only control a few things at this point:

1) Get your application in earlier than later... certainly by September.

2) take the SAT and ACT several times. For the SAT, the highest score from muliple test in Math, as well as CR, are recorded, even if they are from different test dates. Lastly, some do better on the ACT than the SAT, so you need to do both. Take at least 6-8 full practice tests in your preparation this summer, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, figure out why you got wrong the ones you got wrong. Then study the part of the SAT or ACT study book that teaches that concept. I'm talking about 75 or so hours committed to SAT/ACT prep over the summer, on your own. Sinc you couldn't afford the dual-enrollment class, I fugure you can't afford SAT prep classes either, so do it on your own.

3) ROTC is offered at over 800 colleges, with about 270 of them being "Host" Battalions. There will be a college just right for you where ROTC is offered. If you don't get a scholarship, then join the Battalion as a non-scholarship participant, bust your butt, and get a scholarship during sophomore year if possible. If you don't get a scholarship, no matter, as long as you perform, you can still commission at the end of your MSIV year, and become an officer just like the scholarship cadets....by the way MOST ROTC cadets are not on scholarship the first two years.

P.S. why are you a "bitter guy"?

 

[Thompson]

+1 dunninla

I have about a 3.6 gpa and don't think I could get into PSU so ill have to look at different schools for CS.

Who said you probably wont get into PSU? I did; w/ approx. a 3.7 GPA and a 1580 SAT score and a 24 ACT score. Now lets look at the admissions statistics from 2012. University Park (50th percentile) GPA ranged from: 3.52-3.97; SAT: 1730-1980; ACT: 25-30. As you can see, I only met 1 of the 3 ranges to get into University Park; my other scores would have placed me at one of the satellite campuses. BUT I STILL GOT UNIVERSITY PARK.

If there is one thing that I learned going through the ROTC process, it would be to NEVER sell yourself short. With your stats you should have no problem getting into one of the satellite campuses and later transferring to UP; but that's even if you don't get into UP to begin with. ... on another note; which ROTC program are you planning on doing? If it's Army, be aware that AROTC exists only at several satellite campuses (Altoona and Hazelton). There are other campuses that have the program BUT they are cross-town with different units! PSU - Harrisburg cadets belong to Shippensburg, PSU - Lehigh Valley reports either Lehigh or Kutztown (think it's Lehigh, not 100% positive).

Penn State has an extremely strong engineering college; if CS stands for computer science - (I can't specifically vouch for this), but I am sure that CS is a good program up here (CS is classified under the College of Engineering). I have never heard anything bad about CS here; in fact when I went up for orientation a few days ago, there were quite a few CS kids present.

Extracurricular looks good - I did not see any leadership examples however. It's a bit difficult to say based upon the information you gave. Also, please know that what all of us posters say on here is purely speculation. If you came here looking for an answer .. well you aren't going to get one. If you came here for advice and guidance, you came to the right place. Asking the cadre of the program what you just asked us will give you a better idea of an "answer."

In regards to dual enrollment - have you talked to that respective school to see if you can get any sort of reduced tuition price, since money is an issue? Also, why not take AP courses - they are equivalent in level to dual enrollment; and it's technically free too. Or does your school not offer the APs you are looking for?

Going off of what dunninla said about completing the applications - make sure you do so; have everything squared away by the end of Sept at the earliest. For the Army at least, the board traditionally meets in Oct. You might think this might not be an issue; but it can be - depending on when the ACT/SAT exams are - because they take a couple weeks to process, which by then might be past the board meeting date.

If you want, feel free to come up to PSU for a summer day visit, or just a nonofficial visit, and I'd be happy to show you around. (And) if you are interested in the Army program, I can introduce you too the cadre.

Lastly I want to reiterate to not sell yourself short. Why not apply and forever wonder if you could have gotten in?

 

[Bullet]

Chance for ROTC in college? 100%, all you have to do is sign up for it. Anyone can take it your freshmen or sophomore year.

Chance for a ROTC scholarship year freshmen year?? Well, based on the stats you give, I have to be honest and say less than 50%. But that is only MY OPINION, and I won't be sitting on the selection board that year, and neither will anyone else here on these forums. The ONLY guarantee I can give is you will have ZERO % chance if you don't try.

Chance for getting through ROTC and getting your commission (which should be your goal)? Too many factors to tell you at this early stage, as this mostly depends on how well you do in college and ROTC.

Good Luck!

 

[Jcleppe]

I'm a junior n hs. I've been in marching band since 10th. Did xc my sophomore year, couldn't fit it in my schedule my junior year, plan to do it next year. Next year will also be my 4th on track. Unfortunately I only got a 1500 sat :/ I plan to take it again when it comes to my school in the spring though. I haven't taken and APs but took a dual enrollment html class (couldnt pay for it though) and am going to take H physics, dual enrollment calc AB, and dual enrollment visual basic class. I have about a 3.6 gpa and don't think I could get into PSU so ill have to look at different schools for CS.

Any predictions as to my chances for rotc or suggestions for a college?

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app.

Try and get your SAT score up to at least 1100 for Math and Reading, try the ACT as well and try for at least a 24, this will give you the max points for the academic section of the interview sheet.

See if you can make Captain of your Track Team, it shows leadership.

What other things are you involved it, leadership is one of the 3 main things they look at, such as Class officer, President of certain clubs, Boy Scouts, ect. List your community service and don't forget any leadership positions in organizations outside of school as well.

There were applicants this year that received scholarship with GPA's like yours and SAT/ACT scores I mentioned above. These applicants were well rounded in the Academics/Athletics/Leadership matrix, something that is impoortant.

School selection will be important as well, try and find a school that you are in the upper percentage of applicants, this will give you a better shot. Smaller public schools are great to look at, talk to the ROTC programs and see where you might fit the best, make sure you fit well with the school as well, that's very important.

If you do not receive a scholarship, don't get discouraged, just enroll in ROTC, work your butt off getting in shape and do very well on your first APFT, and have a good GPA your first semester and you will put yourself in a good position to receive a ROTC Campus Scholarship.

There are a lot of options to complete ROTC including the SMP Program, talk to a program and discuss all of them and find what works best for you.

 

[Thompson]

If you do not receive a scholarship, don't get discouraged, just enroll in ROTC, work your butt off getting in shape and do very well on your first APFT, and have a good GPA your first semester and you will put yourself in a good position to receive a ROTC Campus Scholarship.

In this case; recommend getting 270 minimum on APFT for a competitive chance for in-school scholarship.