-Currently in Junior Year
-Not intending on applying for ROTC Scholarship
-Many leadership roles and awards in JROTC
How do admissions officers at elite universities view JROTC?
I am very involved and love the program for the confidence and opportunities but I am concerned about how I will be perceived. I never really intended on going into the military and taking many AP and Honors courses.
(Dream school is UPenn, but more realistically NYU and Wake Forest)
Any input is appreciated.
I would say it looks like a nice EC, especially with leadership experiences.
I agree it is a nice, strong EC and demonstrates hard work and leadership. It might mean more if you were committed to ROTC in college, but it isn’t a big tip either way.
It’s not the basis for an admission, but it can be a good EC that shows your ability to succeed within a larger organization, make a difference that others recognize, and provide a space where you could develop and grow. It illustrates what you did in high school, not necessarily what you’ll bring to their institution.
If you’re wondering about political or militaristic bias, don’t. A lot of great kids, the vast majority of them, succeed in JROTC without any intention of further ROTC or service commitments. Colleges understand this and expect each applicant to tell the story of what JROTC did (or did not) mean to them.