<p>the best drill team thread finally makes me ask the question that i've wondered about for awhile.</p>
<p>just curious. is there a ranking of best NROTC units? i was reading some old posts about how Holy Cross has one of the best NROTC units according to some recruiters, and i was wondering how they even know.</p>
<p>do NROTC units compete against each other? do they get numerically scored by the Department of the Navy?</p>
<p>Found this fact on the Holy Cross site: The Holy Cross NROTC unit boasts 15 Navy and Marine Corps flag or general officers and one Secretary of the Navy.</p>
<p>According to them, Villanova has commissioned more flag officers than any other institution, other than the Naval Academy.</p>
<p>A lot of people say Notre Dame's is one of the best, but I don't know if they are the best.</p>
<p>We definitely have a good reputation in the fleet.</p>
<p>I know that villanova has graduated more admirals than any program other than USNA, but ND's NROTC website touts very much that it's program is the best.</p>
<p>If you are looking for a NROTC scholarship you are more than likely looking for both a regular college experience AND a naval based military experience. Villanova University’s NROTC has produced more admirals and generals in the navy and marine corps than any other school (excluding the naval academy) making it one of the best if not the best NROTC units in the nation.</p>
<p>The story of Villanova NROTC is interesting. Any idea where this information might be researched, validated? Seems very odd. Do we know what “vintage” or time frame these 'Nova Navy and USMC flag officers have been minted? This is an intriguing contention and there must be an interesting explanation.</p>
<p>btw, while the flag officer info may (or may not be) accurate, I’d in no way buy the contention that Villanova’s NROTC program is “one of if not the best …” That’s a math/logic if/then statment that remains unproven.</p>
<p>Can you guide us in knowing more about your hypothesis?</p>
<p>Here’s hoping you’re not going to tell us “Dr. Kat” or some other play-for-pay college counseling guru. Give us real meat on this one, please. Villanova’s site notes the number (22 over a period of nearly 70 years) but makes no claim of “the most” beyond USNA.</p>
<p>My son was wondering about the different NROTC units as well and how the experiences may differ. He has already been awarded a scholarship and is accepted to Villanova and Notre Dame. When we visited Villanova, they definitely told him how their unit produced more Admirals than any other program excluding USNA. The midshipmen seemed very proud of their unit and happy there. We are going to visit ND and UVa next month. Anyone have any input about the unit at UVa?</p>
<p>My gouge says the “inside” scuttlebutt tends to see ND as far and away #1 unit in modern day ROTC w/ UVA #2. I’ve not heard much of Villanova, altho it obviously has a significant history.</p>
<p>Have recent exposure to UVA unit. It is top-shelf and has had some really great kids who’ve landed exceptional community assignments. UVA’s science/eng programs and selective admissions seems to fuel this.</p>
<p>Hoping that someone(s) might be able to enlighten the history of 'Nova’s unit that produced sufficient numbers to produce 20+ flag officers. My guess is that it captured many of the best from surrounding campuses … Penn, Drexel, LaSalle, Temple … maybe? Was there some particular circumstance/program during WW II that pumped out lots of quickie officers? In any case, those looking to top NROTC programs might want to look well beyond the bragging point of number of admirals and generals produced. Were that the measure of “the best” beyond USNA, they ought to be looking at VMI, VA Tech, Tex A&M, even The Citadel, Norwich. By the very nature and chronology essential for rising to that level, that is the most ancient, antiquated measure one might enlist in assessing current-day quality. Think about it, peel back the layers of this onion.</p>
<p>There is one more fly in this ointment, that promises to become VERY important in the very near future. What? </p>
<p>$$$!</p>
<p>And as far as ROTC programs go, that may well mean that public institutions like VA, MI, Penn State, NC STATE … all great units … may become increasingly supported while the privates might merit less. Why? Simple … Navy can send 2 or even 3 Mids to their in-state publics for what they can send one to these highly selective privates. This has become an increasingly important issue for units at places like Cornell, MIT/Harvard, etc. Simple math in a shrinking economy and White House admin determined to diminish Defense.</p>
<p>Whistle Pig, I was hoping you would post a reply! I always enjoy reading what you have to say on another forum as well. We are excited to soon be visiting the units at ND and UVa so my son can see firsthand what the colleges have to offer and how the NROTC programs differ. So far, he likes what he has heard. We also looked at Cornell and Penn State; however, my son didn’t particularly care for either so decided not to apply. Still hoping to hear from USNA!</p>
<p>WP, after typing a very long private message I learned I do not have enough posts to send a PM. 
Anyway, I very much appreciate all of your input and will pass along to my son. I am very interested to know if your son and his friend compared the different experiences of NROTC and USNA, and are they glad they chose the route they did? If they were to do it over again, would they do the same?
Any other input, advice, feedback is welcome…babble away!</p>
<p>Sometimes,it’s just luck of the draw rather than reputation. What can be great for one kid is miserable for the next.
S1 had a NROTC scholarship at NC State. When he went in, he didn’t have a clear idea of what capacity within the Navy he wanted to serve. By junior year, he was sure.
He wanted EOD (as did his best friend/roommate). </p>
<p>Since the Officers in the NROTC program rotate in and out, the personality/experience within the unit is fluid. By sheer good luck, one of the NROTC Officers at NCSU had been through the whole prep./application process for EOD himself. He became S1 and his friend’s mentor,guiding them through all the training,paperwork,etc. to be competitive for an EOD slot. </p>
<p>That year the Navy was taking 24 guys for EOD slots…12 from ROTC and 12 from USNA.
On service selection day both S1 and his best friend got EOD slots. NCSU was the only NROTC unit to get two into EOD that year. So for my S, NC State was the best possible place he could have chosen to reach his goal but he didn’t know that going in. He just really loved NCSU. </p>
<p>The schools your S is considering are great schools. Your S can’t lose. You already know both NROTC programs are well respected. He should choose the school he likes the best. NROTC is not their whole life at school. That’s why S1 chose NROTC. My S has never been sorry that he did NROTC. And yes, he did make it through EOD school!</p>
<p>Hi - new poster on College Confidential and just happened to see your question about “best” NROTC units. This will be very difficult to find publically as you can imagine it is a very political issue among universities. The Army Cadet Command does make public awards to college units with the MacArthur Award for best Army ROTC units in different divisions - large, small, etc. As you might guess, colleges like The Citadel, VMI, North Georgia State, Texas A&M which have large Cadet Corps with students who are focused on both military service and academics, dominate this award for large units. I am partial to The Citadel as a grad and having earned a regular Army Commission back in the 70s from this school. My ROTC scholarship allowed me to attend college, serve my country and then attend law school of my choice on the GI Bill. But all the Senior Military Colleges have strong traditions of graduating distinguished military graduates in all branches. I am more familiar with VMI and The Citadel as they are similar small schools vs TAM and VTech. Today both have particularly strong Naval ROTC programs that are more focused on commissioning Marine Corps officers than Naval officers. These schools are very small though - a consideration if your son/daughter does not like small. In a typical graduating class at The Citadel, there will be less than 400 graduates. In 2012, about 40% accepted military service commissions - 92 Army, 42 Marine Corps and 29 Navy. The Army program (the oldest on campus dating to the Mexican American War of 1846) will have about 293 Cadets on scholarship and the Marine Corps about 63. Both The Citadel and VMI have produced the same number of flag officers (Citadel 270 VMI 265). Small compared to the service academies and the large land grant universities, but consider these schools have very small graduating classes. Hope this helps</p>
<p>GREAT gouge!</p>
It’s actually true about Villanova university…they have produced the most flag officers ! The nrotc unit actually saved VU from going under as the navy filled it with naval students after WWII. If you go on their page all this is available for your review. Villanova is listed in the top 25 nrotc schools. Today it is part of the Philadelphia consortium . While VU has over 150 midshipmen, it is run by a combined team of xo and co who also do the three philly schools - penn, Drexel and temple.
And I find it very interesting in all these forums that no one really answers by asking… BEST HOW?! The midshipman experience is unique to what you desire for a college education, military training and where you’d like to live! My spouse was accepted to the Naval Academy and VU. In the end he chose VU because he wanted a more rounded college experience.
Does anyone understand the process for commissioning and how to make a “competitive” resume? Does attending RPI versus other schools change the competitiveness? What about other activities outside of NROTC, does adding those (and which ones specifically) help with the resume? How would someone go about creating a competitive SWO resume, in comparison to that of a Subs resume?