Active Duty Marine applying for Scholarship....

[MarineInOkinawa]

Perhaps this belongs in the Enlisted Commissioning Program board but I failed to find an NROTC Marine Option thread. I am in the process of applying for the NROTC (Marine Option) Scholarship with the aid of a Captain back in my old recruitting district in the states. According to him my ACT, essays and other portions of the overall application process will not factor into my selection process like it will for others (the high schoolers I am competing against). From what I have deducted, my success and status as a Marine will be looked at primarily. Applying strait out of high school with a 3.53 GPA and 22 on the ACT I would've been crushed. For Marines that have participated in the NROTC, could one tell me where I stand?

-17 months active duty
-268 PFT (raised from a 217 in bootcamp)
-No NJP's/W6105's/Page 11's/Page 12's/Negative Counseling's
-Recognized once in front of the Battalion for work performance
-4.8/4.8 on last semi-annual pro's and con's
-301 Range
-86 ASVAB (117 GT)
-1 LOA
-WSQ
-Won a Meritorious Corporal Board on Company level and am at Battalion level, strong possibility according to the SNCO's that I recieve an allocation at this level

As far as my civilian side is concerned:
-22 ACT (26 on Math)
-3.53 GPA (with participation in AP classes)
-Eagle Scout
-2 year member of National Honor Society
-No Felonies/Misdemeanors/Arrests

Altogether, I have been told my application is worth submitting. This is with tremendous support from my SNCO's and OIC. Any input is appreciated, and once again, I apologize if I have inconvenianced anyone with the location of this post.

 

[Biles]

I looks like you are good to go. Good luck!

 

[JTB7]

I would be surprised if they do not accept you. How will you attend college full time with NROTC while doing active duty? Wouldnt that be MECEP?

 

[MarineInOkinawa]

I would be surprised if they do not accept you. How will you attend college full time with NROTC while doing active duty? Wouldnt that be MECEP?

You get released from active duty to attend school. Part of the application for active duty includes a CO Endorsement letter. Right now I am trying to get all the additional Letters of Recommendation from Officers I can. No one has told me and I can't do it and I've had HIGH levels of encouragement from almost all ranks (except for generals).

MECEP is a little different. With MECEP everything is paid but tuition. With the scholarship ONLY tuition and books are paid for. I'm hoping I can use the GI bill to pay for rent at my two year mark, or land a spot at Oklahoma University where there is on-base housing.

I don't know a whole lot of active duty Marines who went this route but it worked out for the ones that did.

My former OIC referred to it as a "backdoor" commissioning program and recommended it too me. I also spoke with an F 18 pilot who told me when he did ROTC that prior enlistment was HUGE when issuing the scholarship.

Thanks for the link Crowbar. I'll bookmark it.

 

[Pistol719]

Sounds like you got a very solid package and I think you got a great chance of getting picked up.. Sorta the same thing myself and another buddy of mine did.. I am prior navy of 6 years and put my app in a few years after being out. But my prior good service helped tremendously.

My buddy on the other hand did exactly what you are trying to do. He applied near his EAOS and got picked up at our unit here at USF. Big navy O.K'ed his release and we are starting school this monday with the unit

If you have any questions about the process or what not feel free to PM me I will try to give ya a hand with what I know.

 

[MarineInOkinawa]

Get this....

So I called up the MOI at the top University I am looking to attend and was asked why I am not applying for MECEP. I explained that I did not want to compete against SNCO's and Marines that have done at least one enlistment and a deployment. With time I can be one of these solid enlisted standouts that is looking to go commissioned, but I am not one currently and am not re-enlisting. That is the bottom line. To give anyone an idea that does not understand where I am coming from, Corporal Cox was rejected. Corporal Cox also recieved a Silver Star for his tour in Afghanistan and from what my former OIC who went MECEP told me, he had a great record. Yes, an NCO with a Silver Star and a great record was rejected.

Anyone looking to go BOOST will now be funneled into MECEP. As competitive as MECEP is now, it just became even more with BOOST closed out. One of the attractive traits of MECEP was that is used to be relatively unknown, not anymore. One of the relatively attractive traits of the NROTC Scholarship is that it is relatively unknown to active duty. Another one is that it is not competitive for active duty to get accepted. This was my justification.

As if the conversation could go anymore South, I was told by this very Major that I am "wasting government money" by getting a flight physical tomorrow. As I need new glasses to fire at the range next month and an annual eye exam I set up the appointment along with a PRK consultation. I asked questions about being seen by the same optomotrists that aviators frequent and was scheduled with one and the receptionist happened to offer that I get a flight physical, so I jumped on it.

Other facts I took from the conversation:
Do not get PRK right now.
Justification - You never know what could happen with the surgery.

The ASTB is administered frequently at the university I am applying for.

With the exception of Embry-Riddle, no university will better prepare you for becoming an Aviator than another.

Every university has an aviation officer.

What is anyone's take on this?