NROTC/College Program options

[iceman2115]

I applied for the NROTC scholarship in January 2009 and found it yesterday that I have been rejected. I am still interested in joining the Navy ROTC and I was wondering what my options are from here. I will be a sophomore in college in September, so I know that I can do the college program at my school and possibly apply for a 2 year NROTC scholarship. Basically my uestions are the following:
1. How does the College Program work as far as taking Naval science classes are concerned? Do programmers have to take them?
2. What is the likelihhod of recieving a 2 year scholarship or 2.5 year scholarship after one semester as a programmer?
3. Will the scholarship pay full tuition?
4. Are there any other navy options that will pay for my undergraduate education and allow me to become an officer?

 

[navy09]

1. You take them just the same as scholarship Mids. You'll have some catchup to do as you've missed the first two courses, they're incredibly easy though.

2. Depends. Usually pretty good, though if your package wasn't strong enough with a year under your belt, you'd have to drastically improve in just one semester to pick up a 2.5 yr- 2 yr is much more likely as long as you bring your grades up (I'm assuming low GPA is why you didn't earn a scholarship).

3. Yes.

4. BDCP may still be an option for you. It's 2 years of E-3 pay (3 yrs if you're a technical major). There are countless pros and cons to each program discussed ad nauseum on this site. Purely anecdotal evidence shows that it's a little easier to get picked up for (especially at this stage); though if you have low grades, the Navy won't pay for jack.

 

[GO_AV8_DevilDog]

1. How does the College Program work as far as taking Naval science classes are concerned? Do programmers have to take them?

Yes, you will be expected to do EVERYTHING someone with a scholarship has (and then some if you want to be competitive)

2. What is the likelihhod of recieving a 2 year scholarship or 2.5 year scholarship after one semester as a programmer?

Pretty good, depending on your level of involvement within the unit, and your GPA. Be a programmer, be a rockstar, and you will do fairly well.

Be a programmer, be bitter about it, overwork yourself and let your grades slip, then you won't do so well.

3. Will the scholarship pay full tuition?

yes, starting from the semester you were selected on. What you payed out of your pocket as a programmer, stays out of your pocket.

4. Are there any other navy options that will pay for my undergraduate education and allow me to become an officer?

Kind of, look into BDCP, it won't pay for your tuition outright, but if you get selected, you will be making enough monthly to cover tuition at a public/state school.
The search function will go far in helping you understand BDCP and there are many AW's on here that are currently selected for/in/graduates of BDCP.

 

[GO_AV8_DevilDog]

looks like I took to long mess'n with the quotes and the I was beat to the punch

 

[iceman2115]

My GPA was a 3.03 after my first semester of college when I applied, and I now have a 3.16. I know that the minimum GPA requirement is a 2.5, but to receive a scholarship it has to be competitive. How competitive are they looking for because I know I can get my GPA up to a 3.3 after the fall semester this year, but will that be good enough? Also I am not pursuing a technical major so I am guessing that is one of the reasons I got rejected. I originally stated that I was going to major in business: finance. However, now I am double majoring in political science and economics. Do you think this will further hurt my chances?

 

[USF_Bull]

My GPA was a 3.03 after my first semester of college when I applied, and I now have a 3.16. I know that the minimum GPA requirement is a 2.5, but to receive a scholarship it has to be competitive. How competitive are they looking for because I know I can get my GPA up to a 3.3 after the fall semester this year, but will that be good enough? Also I am not pursuing a technical major so I am guessing that is one of the reasons I got rejected. I originally stated that I was going to major in business: finance. However, now I am double majoring in political science and economics. Do you think this will further hurt my chances?

Calculus and Physics. Those two classes make or break you in regards to your selection, especially if you're not a technical major. The Navy wont accept Business or Life Science Calc either, only Engineering and Regular Calc, along with Calc Based Physics. You need two years of each and with at least a 'B' and a solid 3.0 gpa you should be golden.

 

[navy09]

3.3 is better than 3.03. My firsthand knowledge is a few years old, but 3.3 is definitely on the right track. Get it to a 3.5, that's why I said that, in your case, the 2 yr scholarship is probably more realistic.

Fellow ECON major here, it's a great degree, but it's not "technical." Technical matters a lot now.

 

[jitiola]

Don't forget about the 3 and 3.5 yr scholarships that are available. I went in as a CP'er, worked hard and stayed involved in my battalion; and myself and a bunch of other Mids got picked up for 3.5 yr scholarships after our first yr. Perk to that was Uncle Sam gave us back pay for the spring semester we paid for. If you work hard it WILL pay off (most of the time at least)

 

[MrFreakinKite]

You could try NROTC Marine option. They don't care about your degree.

From marineofficer.com

Do I need to be studying a particular major to apply for the Marine officer program?
All majors and areas of study are acceptable. Marine officers must have the desire to be a leader, have a well-rounded background and experience, and be flexible.

 

[bunk22]

I was a NROTC College Programer and picked up a 2 year scholarship. As I recall (it was 1990 when I picked up the 2 year scholarship), it didn't seem that difficult relative to the 4 year. Obviously things have changed over the years adn I was a business major but had a strong recommendation from my units CO. I really think that's what got me the scholarship. I had around a 3.1 GPA, not very strong for a non-tech major. Could have been the need outweighed the supply as well. Are the scholarships only for tech majors now??

 

[GO_AV8_DevilDog]

You could try NROTC Marine option. They don't care about your degree.

From marineofficer.com

Do I need to be studying a particular major to apply for the Marine officer program?
All majors and areas of study are acceptable. Marine officers must have the desire to be a leader, have a well-rounded background and experience, and be flexible.

WRONG

do not go Marines just because you want an "easy in" because it is anything but.
It would be easier to just suck it up and take the extra calculus and the physics class.

And no, you cannot get a commission with ANY degree,
I think there was someone a few years ago, going through my recruiter's office with a "degree" in wine tasting or something.
Fact is, any ACCREDITED Bachelor's Degree is the answer.
same is true for the navy.

If you want Navy, GO FOR IT. Look very hard at BDCP, and if you're serious about NROTC, then being a college programmer is not a bad way to pick up a scholarship. You can believe that they are going to want to pick someone who has already showed initiative within the unit as opposed to some outsider.

 

[torpedo0126]

also, make sure you WANT to become a Naval Officer. Your original post made it very clear that you want the Navy to pay for your education...that's great but that should be just an added benefit to getting commissioned. If your just looking to get your college paid for there are several other options.

 

[GO_AV8_DevilDog]

also, make sure you WANT to become a Naval Officer. Your original post made it very clear that you want the Navy to pay for your education...that's great but that should be just an added benefit to getting commissioned. If your just looking to get your college paid for there are several other options.

+1, I didn't catch that but you should take heed to these words

 

[JTB7]

You could try NROTC Marine option. They don't care about your degree.

https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/scholarship_criteria.asp

Check out the tier 1, 2 and 3 majors. I think choosing a tier 1 will help you, even in the Marine Option. But dont take tier one if you hate engineering :icon_tong

 

[iceman2115]

My desire to serve in the United States is undoubtedly fervent and I don't need advice from other people about that. I recognize the seriousness of joining the Navy and I understand the various aspects of what committing to the Navy truly means. Nevertheless, I am committed to finishing my undergraduate degree first and foremost. I already have a few scholarships to the university I attend, however, I am an out of state student. Thus, if I can pursue two goals at once, i.e. college and the Navy, and benefit from one paying for the other, than I undoubtedly want to take advantage of it. Thus, I asked the questions I did so that I can better understand how I can go about attaining both of my goals without money hindering either.