So, I've been fed some horrible information from all kinds of different sources, including a navy.com online chat advisor. I'd hate to see others be misled by poor information, so here are a few fallacies you may have heard.
1. If I haven't applied for NROTC by the time I've graduated high school, I'm going to have to go CP.
-From the NROTC website :
"Students w/30 or more semester hours or 45 or more quarter hours of college credit upon application or students already enrolled in NROTC College Program are not eligible for four-year NROTC Scholarships; these students should see professors of naval science at host university's NROTC unit to discuss other scholarship opportunities." (https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/eligibility.aspx )
-Now, are your chances for the 4 year scholarship lowered if you're already a college student? I don't know, but you are still eligible if you've completed 29 or less semester units, so you should still apply.
2. I am a shoo-in.
- No, you're not. As fewer people are able to pay for college, more are looking into ROTC programs, thus making the scholarships VERY competitive. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched (or however you're supposed to say that).
3. I should go for an engineering degree to improve my chances of selection.
-Okay, it WILL improve your chances quite drastically. However, if you're not interested in engineering/math/science, then you'll probably desperately try to kill yourself multiple times before you barely graduate. Best case scenario: all of your gruesome suicide attempts fail, and you finally squeak out of your academic misery with a 2.5 gpa and "I HATE MATH" carved into your chest with a red-hot razor blade.
4. This is the one that the Navy chat advisor told me: Once your application is submitted, you can't update it.
- False. Be persistent. Once you complete a semester, send in your new transcript. They will update your app. This might not be a huge deal, but every little bit counts, and hopefully your new grades show that you are a consistent high-achiever.
5. My vision sucks, so I'm going to go to the place across the street from that crackhouse for PRK.
-NO! First off, you shouldn't go anywhere NEAR that crackhouse without your rape whistle. Second, PRK is a very specialized process, and the Navy is very picky about how it is conducted, and by whom. You're going to have to dig through piles of ever-changing rules, regulations, and waivers before you even think about making specific plans.
The moral of the story: trace the source your information. If the trail doesn't lead to an extremely reputable source, then there's a good chance it's not true.
Any other common myths/misconceptions/misinformation floating around out there that you guys can think of?
1. If I haven't applied for NROTC by the time I've graduated high school, I'm going to have to go CP.
-From the NROTC website :
"Students w/30 or more semester hours or 45 or more quarter hours of college credit upon application or students already enrolled in NROTC College Program are not eligible for four-year NROTC Scholarships; these students should see professors of naval science at host university's NROTC unit to discuss other scholarship opportunities." (https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/eligibility.aspx )
-Now, are your chances for the 4 year scholarship lowered if you're already a college student? I don't know, but you are still eligible if you've completed 29 or less semester units, so you should still apply.
2. I am a shoo-in.
- No, you're not. As fewer people are able to pay for college, more are looking into ROTC programs, thus making the scholarships VERY competitive. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched (or however you're supposed to say that).
3. I should go for an engineering degree to improve my chances of selection.
-Okay, it WILL improve your chances quite drastically. However, if you're not interested in engineering/math/science, then you'll probably desperately try to kill yourself multiple times before you barely graduate. Best case scenario: all of your gruesome suicide attempts fail, and you finally squeak out of your academic misery with a 2.5 gpa and "I HATE MATH" carved into your chest with a red-hot razor blade.
4. This is the one that the Navy chat advisor told me: Once your application is submitted, you can't update it.
- False. Be persistent. Once you complete a semester, send in your new transcript. They will update your app. This might not be a huge deal, but every little bit counts, and hopefully your new grades show that you are a consistent high-achiever.
5. My vision sucks, so I'm going to go to the place across the street from that crackhouse for PRK.
-NO! First off, you shouldn't go anywhere NEAR that crackhouse without your rape whistle. Second, PRK is a very specialized process, and the Navy is very picky about how it is conducted, and by whom. You're going to have to dig through piles of ever-changing rules, regulations, and waivers before you even think about making specific plans.
The moral of the story: trace the source your information. If the trail doesn't lead to an extremely reputable source, then there's a good chance it's not true.
Any other common myths/misconceptions/misinformation floating around out there that you guys can think of?
how about you?
