<p>I recently read through a thread on NROTC scholarships, and while it was useful, it wasn't really relevant to the AF.</p>
<p>So here's my story: i'm a rising senior, currently deputy commander (going to be group in the fall through spring), and I want to major in nursing. </p>
<p>I'm also, unfortunately, very weak. I may or may not meet the minimum weight for the PT program (it fluctuates), and I have trouble with running and other PT aspects in class (bad chest pain after running a mile), even though i've been working at it.</p>
<p>And, to top it all off...there are almost no schools around here that offer both AFROTC and nursing. The only one on my list that is a realistic fit is UNH. I don't understand the lack of AFROTC, but it's frustrating.</p>
<p>So with all of this...is it worth it? A part of me has always wanted to be a nurse in the Air Force since I joined JROTC, but with all of these limitations i'm not sure if it's worth it...i'm not looking to join the Air Force just so they can pay for college, but the reality is I need the help to pay for it. So i'm not asking if i'll get one, i'm asking if it's worth the effort to go through the application process.</p>
<p>It's also worth mentioning that I am interested in learning languages, but all I know is English and Spanish (10 years of FL classes), but I don't know if that helps anything.</p>
<p>Mm, thank you. I guess if I end up at UNH (which is not likely), I can still join ROTC, and build myself up for PT in the meantime. Talked to my mom about it as well, and she agrees.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would disagree with that. Yes, the military is giving out less and less scholarships but they are still giving them out! You should never settle, this is your life we’re talking about here! </p>
<p>I had pretty similar grades to yours in high school and I applied for a navy ROTC scholarship. Unfortunately, I was not selected (perhaps partially because of my tier 3 major but my grades were not up to par either). I decided to join a navy ROTC unit as a college programmer anyways because I so very badly wanted to be in the navy even if the weren’t going to pay for school. This year (my freshman year of high school) I reapplied for a 4 year scholarship. Once again I did not receive one and I was crushed. But I decided I still wanted to stay in the unit. As the top college programmer in my class (I, like you, struggle with pt but my grades were the highest in the class), the unit officers sent an application for me for a 3 year scholarship. Very few have been given out the past few years and I had a very slim chance of receiving one. Sure enough, the commanding officer of the unit pulled me aside and told me I did not receive a scholarship. I was crushed and on the verge of tears. I was strongly considering dropping the program as it seemed obvious the navy did not want me. Three days later, however, the CO pulls me aside again and tells me they only read one of the two pages listed scholarship winners and I had in fact received one. That day was one of the best days of my life. But I never would have gotten there without applying, working hard in school, and never giving up. </p>
<p>So don’t let up on your dreams so easily. The application is free and will be worth every second you spend on it regardless of whether you receive a scholarship. Even the application process is a learning experience and a test of whether you really want this. If you don’t, that’s ok, not everyone wants the military lifestyle. But don’t give up without trying. </p>
<p>And I know you specifically said air force and they have way less schools and a completely different program than navy and army. Navy has a nursing scholarship that only nurse options can apply for so that takes away the different tier competition. </p>
<p>Regardless of what you end up choosing, I wish you the best of luck in school and in your future endeavors. Just remember, you and only you have the ability to dictate your life. That is, after all, one of the very freedoms our military fights for every day.</p>
<p>It happens a lot that AF and Navy ROTC is not available at the schools on ones list. I recommend that you give it a go for the scholarship, and if you end up going to UNH even without the award, work with the ROTC unit even while you continue your nursing classes. I know several young people who got AF scholarships for nursing for their Junior and senior years. I don’t know any who started out in nursing with the scholarship. I was told by one mom that the AF does need nurses and are interested in getting them once the student has made headway in the nursing program, like half way through. Her DD got the award automatically for just applying—that may be an exaggeration, but it was implied that it was quite easy, when it was nigh impossible for her to get as a freshman.</p>