I’m about to apply for an NROTC scholarship, and I’ve heard from some that its easy to get, and from some that it is very competitive. Anyone know anyone that has gotten into or been rejected from one of the rotc programs recently, or how difficult it is to recieve the scholarship?
Navy ROTC site listing qualifications/requirements:
Can’t say how “low” they will go. Both of my boys got Navy ROTC scholarships but they had high grades and SAT scores. My oldest son accepted his scholarship, actually got paid every semester for his good grades ($500 for a GPA at 3.7 or above for that semester, decreasing amounts below that), graduated and has just finished his 4 year requirement after college. He has decided to stay in and change jobs (get out of sea duty and into a shore assignment). My other son decided not to accept his scholarship (different university with much more of a time requirement for ROTC)
So your best bet is to find the ROTC recruiter in your area and ask questions. MAKE SURE that you get whatever he/she promises IN WRITING. If it isn’t written in the contract, it won’t happen.
Good luck!
After seeing your other thread, I want to add this.
Scholarships to the Naval Academy are the ones that are highly competitive (and need the help of your congressman)
Regular ROTC scholarships to regular Universities are not as competitive. Being in the top quarter of your class, I don’t think you would have a problem getting one.
I agree. My brother did Air Force ROTC scholarship, and they led him to believe he would be on a path to becoming a pilot. At some point he discovered they had him on a path to be a computer programmer, which he had no interest in whatsoever.
He could’ve handled things a lot better, but he wound up discouraged and quit ROTC and got out of the Air Force. He wound up owing around $25,000 for the one year he had on scholarship. And I mean they were serious about wanting their money, NOW… They docked his pay, confiscated tax refunds, and generally made his life hell over the next few years.
Now, my brother may have brought a lot of this upon himself. I’m just not sure he personally was mature enough at 17 to realize what he was getting into, and, once he was discouraged, his grades suffered.
For every story like his, there are probably several who loved ROTC and it led to huge success. I just relate his story so you’ll just make sure you know what you’re getting into (it’s a binding decision), put your mind to it, and make sure you work your ass off. Adulthood has a way of sneaking up on you and kicking your ass.
Best of luck to you, and thanks for considering service to the country. We need folks like you.
I applied for one when I was in high school. The recruiter was all hot for me to become a Nuclear Engineer. Then I mentioned that I had very mild exercise induced asthma. Curiously, I was no longer eligible for a scholarship, but I could still do ROTC and join the Navy! I decided that spending years in a sub or the belly of an aircraft carrier was probably not for me after all.
Anyway, I guess the point of my story is that it seems any minor physical problem may disqualify you.
Not too recent, but I applied for Army, Navy, and Air Force ROTC scholarships when I was in high school in the 1980s, and got all three of them. (I accepted the NROTC one.)
I had pretty good grades, excellent SAT scores, was on the swim team, and was an Eagle Scout–all of which helped, I think.
Yeah, you don’t want to mention something like asthma. It’s pretty well-known that it’s disqualifying, IME.
I have mild exercise-induced asthma as well, even before entering the service, but just didn’t realize what the symptoms actually meant until years later. Even in the service, the Navy doctors would never actually write down the forbidden word (asthma) in my medical record. Instead, they used euphemisms like “reactive airway.” (Note that “reactive airway” is also disqualifying if you are not yet in the service.)