NROTC questions

[Robert_F]

I am also applying for the NROTC scholarship. Could anyone out there tell me how my profile stacks up?

29 ACT
3.2 GPA
97 ASVAB
perfect on interview
Sports: JV wrestling
Leadership: Debate Team captain, German club president, school ambassador
Community service: coach 10 year-old flag-football team
Other: Student pilot liscence, consistant job

I know it varies from year to year, but I am quite nervous about this. My application is complete for the first review board in November. Any comments would be appreciated.

The schools I put in for are in order:

1. Embry-Riddle
2. University of Jacksonville
3. Purdue
4. Auburn
5. The Citadel

Does school choice matter?

 

[viv]

The scholarship will be assigned to a school by the review board. School preferences will matter when they assign it, and it will also matter if you don't get accepted to your top choice school. For instance, I was chosen for a scholarship assigned to Duke University. But then I did not get accepted to Duke, so I had to transfer my scholarship to another school on my list (GA Tech).

I hope that made sense. good luck.











GO NAVY BEAT ARMY

 

[BigWorm]

Rob, my $.02
I applied for all the scholarships. The Army lost mine, the Air Force said their 12 y/o could have done better on the SAT than me…and then I was very competitive with the Marine Scholarship. I didn’t get it.
Just a side note, there is a college program option in rotc I did this, and by the time I finally got my college gpa high enough for scholarship levels, I was accepted for advanced standing with the Navy…but by that time, I didn’t want to be in the Navy anymore, and then I went to PLC for the Marines.
My advice, if things work out with the scholarship, awesome. If not, keep the end result in mind. Focus on college; you have a lot of time to worry about the military stuff. By not getting the scholarship, I wasn’t locked into anything and sort of floated between the Marines and the Navy until I figured things out. There are a lot of commissioning programs out there, some with money, some without and some with more strings attached than others. Just keep an open mind…not in the “mind enhancing sense..dude” but if you stay clean, keep fit, and do well in college, the military will want you.

 

[Robert_F]

Well I am currently in the Marines DEP program

 

[BigWorm]

Is your plan to join the reserves through college? Reserves, and rotc will take a lot of time. Are there financial constraints, or is it mainly to become a Marine? Also, what are the ultimate goals, is it Marine aviation, becoming an officer, etc..
If you go reserves, you’ll learn a lot, but it isn’t the ultimate road to becoming the best possible officer. A lot of people go that route to get the prior enlisted experience, but if they strut too much in front of someone who is active duty, they will be ripped apart…basically the argument being that they haven’t felt the effects of the operating forces. I am just saying this by observing some prior reservists at TBS, some were good, others weren’t. The only conclusion I could draw was that reserves are not an indicator of future performance, although I am sure that it would give you a lot of extra discipline in college, + you’ll show up to ocs with greater confidence. If you are thinking in terms of military career, I am not sure exactly how the calculations work, but you’ll have a few extra “time in” years than your peers.
Again, two more cents…just stuff to think about.

 

[Robert_F]

Well I am in the Marine DEP program right now. I have to take my flight physical in Nov. and my ATSB test. However, if I get the Navy scholarship I will be released from the Corps. If not I get to go to PI in May and go to Auburn University under PLC. Thats what they told me anyway.....

 

[BigWorm]

It sounds like you are in similar shoes as me. At age 17, the only thing I wanted to do was enlist, but of course my loving father stepped in and wouldn’t sign the paperwork…off to college for me.
It sounds like you are all set, just understand that going through boot camp is not a requirement for PLC; however, there were a lot of reservists in PLC.
Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions, and make sure you read everything before you sign the dotted line.
From what I saw, it sounds like you have some good stats, but if it doesn’t happen don’t worry, you have plenty of time to get from point A to B. Even without the scholarship, you can join any rotc program on any college that you are accepted into, and go through the same training as them. If you get your class advisor’s thumbs up, alongside a gpa > 3.0, you’ll have good chances of picking up the scholarship after a semester.
Persistence is the key word.
The only other advice that I leave, which was given to me by a Marine SSGT from the tank community is “Rock the House!” For some reason that phrase stuck in my head. In other words, when the surrounding environment sucks maintain intensity and aggression.

 

[Robert_F]

Cool. Thanks for the advice. I already enlisted because both my parents signed the papers.(I am indeed 17) Ive been to MEPS and have been sworn in. If I get a scholarship, I am released though. Have you been to the OCS school yet? I hear its really hard.

 

[BigWorm]

Yeah, I went through the two 6 week program of OCS, then off to TBS, and now in flight school. There is a lot of good gouge in the OCS section, + some guys and gals that will share their experiences, where it is a little fresher in their mind.
One step at a time though, if you are going to PI in May, that should be at the top of you list. I haven’t been through boot camp, so no stories there. But I did do a few years in rotc, both on the Navy side, and on the Marine side, and then switched to PLC, which was my commissioning source. If you’ve got questions about those, ask away.
I assume there are some Sergeants you work with, listen to what they say. Memorize your general orders, and all the other info they tell you to. It may seem a little silly now, but when the DI is in your face, it won’t be so silly anymore.

 

[FrogFly]

Yep, Robert_F, if you've got any specific questions go ahead and ask now. There's a few of us (maybe only a couple) who just got back from OCS this summer. It's pretty fresh on our minds considering we just got back a few weeks ago. I don't know much of anything (from experience) about TBS though (I've still got that ahead of me), but I'd be happy to share my OCS experiences if you need the information. Fire away, bro.

 

[Robert_F]

Whats the minimum time you have to run the 3 miles in? I know you have to score a 225 on your physical test or something along those lines; is that correct?

 

[Spin]

Well .... the way things are now u will need MUCH higher than a 225. The run must be under 24 min. but realistically you should be doing it around 21. I am applying OCC but that has been my experience. Just act as if you have to score a 300 and push yourself as hard as you can.

Peace,

-Spin

 

[FrogFly]

I believe that if you want your package to even be competetive, you'll need a 270 or above on the PFT. However, at OCS, you'll have to get under 24 minutes on your inventory PFT to stay and proceed with training. You'll see the CO of OCS if you exhibit unsatisfactory performance on the in-PFT and he'll decide if you should stay. As was stated earlier, shoot for the 300 and all this stuff will be irrelevant.

 

[Robert_F]

a 300 is 30 pull-ups 100 sit-ups and a 21min. 3 mile run right?

 

[FrogFly]

18:00 or less 3 mi. run
100 sit-ups
20 pull-ups
That's what you need to max (300) the PFT.