Accepted SUNY Maritime Student LOOKING FOR INFORMATION

I am looking for any and all advice/information/ etc. about SUNY Maritime as I would like to seriously consider it one of the schools I would like to attend. I received a decent aid package and am a contender for the NROTC scholarship at this school, and realized that I do not know enough about it.

Is the regiment lifestyle similar to a “traditional” service academy (USNA/USMA/USAFA)?
What does that mean per the requirements (PFA, courses, watch, etc.)?
What about uniforms, everyday or only certain ones?
Activities and extracurriculars?
Participating in the regiment and what that means in term of service out of school, is it just Coast Guard or are there other options?

I am not looking for anything specific, just want to make sure I am making the correct decision for myself and my future as I would like to serve the county yet want to make sure the Engineering degree I receive will be respected in the ‘real world’.

Thank you for your help!

I’m a senior here at Maritime in the regiment. It most definitely is not as structured as a traditional Service Academy, however it does have its simularities. We wear uniforms everyday from 0700 until 1600. We have rules and regulations that we must follow or we receive demerits and there is a regimented structure. Chain of Command, mandatory watch standing, formations, uniform and room inspections, hard freshman year, and regimental officers to enforce rules…etc

However aside from your MUG (Midshipman under guidance freshman year) once you get used to the shaving every morning, the uniform everyday and structured lifestyle, its pretty normal. THIS IS ONLY IF YOU WANT TO JOIN THE REGIMENT. I would consider how badly you want the experience of the regiment, and if you want to pursue your coast guard Assistant Engineer license (for merchant marine vessels) before you decide to join the reg. Also for ROTC purposes, of you do not get scholarship you can go after ROTC SSO program (if you get a license)

Our NROTC program is good and you do not need to be in the regiment if you want to pursue ROTC or your engineering degree. Our engineering degree is accredited so it does carry ‘real world’ value. If you get your ROTC scholarship and dont want your coast guard license, i recommend coming as a civilian student (non regimented) . If you dont get the scholarship, you can still join ROTC as a civilian , but will risk competition with ither students for the scholarship and if you do not receive it after 2 years, you will be removed from the program unless you are or become SSO option which involve regiment and license involvement…

To my understanding you can do the MARGRAD program for coast guard commissioning, NROTC here of AROTC at Fordham (but still be at our school) or do PLC or MECEP option for marine corps. If you want to serve as an officer after.

We have tons of extracurricular activities such as a regular college including sports and clubs…and you can even start your own clubs.

Sorry if thats a lot of information but I just want you to know as much as you can.

FutureCaptain-

In reading your response, wondering if you can answer my question. someone advised my DD that if she is attending on NROTC scholarship program, that she would be better off NOT going SUNY Maritime under the regimented program if she doesn’t absolutely need her deck license because it would be extremely difficult doing both programs and maintaining her GPA for scholarship. Just wondering your thoughts on it since you are a senior there… Thanks!

@tiredmomx3 - After visiting and speaking with several students and faculty members, I have surmised that the SUNY Maritime program is more focused on the Coast Guard License portion of the curriculum rather than many of the other programs. I was looking into doing NROTC at SUNY as well, and believe that I would be more successful choosing a school without the (incredibly cool) license program. Hope this helps, but I would definitely recommend checking out SUNY just in case.