<p>Ok, so I toured UM yesterday, and I liked the school before and now I absolutely love it and Ann Arbor...to bad it is $45k+ to attend if you are out of state. </p>
<p>But...fortunately I want to join the military when I get older, so ROTC might be suitable for me and paying for a couple expensive schools I have on my list. </p>
<p>So I was wondering overall what was the NROTC program like overall at UM? </p>
<p>I just checked the UM NROTC web site and was happy to see that you only had to attend two PT sessions a week(seems like a lot of units are 3, so this is really cool)...which I am assuming are like other schools, at like 6 in the morning?<br>
One thing I heard is that you get to train/workout in the Big House? Is that true? It sounds cool now, but sure I'm going to hate running up and down those steps if I am a mid at UM haha. </p>
<p>I know there are some academic requirements like physics (but I did not see this on UM's NROTC's page...), but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. </p>
<p>My biggest concern is the getting up for early morning workouts, but I'm glad I'd only have to do it twice a week. Going to bed early in college is gonna suck! My tour guide at UM was complaining that he had to get up at 8 a couple times this year, haha. So the time commitment in college doesn't seem that bad...</p>
<p>Any thoughts? Anyone in any branch of ROTC or know something about it? In searching through old threads, someone said it was intense but very rewarding. </p>
<p>I’m applying for NROTC-Marine Option and have U of M as my number one. If you haven’t already applied for NROTC, you need to do that ASAP. They have their first board in 2 weeks. This doesn’t mean you need to complete it by then, as there are boards every month. NROTC is highly competitive. Not everybody gets a scholarship. Anybody with a 2.5 GPA can join NROTC, but that doesn’t mean you get the scholarship.</p>
<p>Now with regards to U of M’s unit. Yeah it’s good. All NROTC units are fine. If they weren’t the Navy/USMC wouldn’t pay for them.</p>
<p>PT at 6. If PT early in the morning is a problem for you then the military probably is not your best bet. If you are seriously picking U of M’s ROTC unit because of less PT sessions, then the military is probably not a great route for you. You should really be striving to be in the best possible physical shape. Seriously, two sessions is nothing. In OCS, PT is everyday. Once you hit the fleet, it’ll usually be up to you if you are going to be on a ship. But that means you need solid habits formed. If your enlisted men are in better shape than you, how do you think that looks as an officer? The idea is lead by example. Not trying to be harsh, but just saying out of all the problems with the military—and your only problem is PT, there’s more you need to think about. Trust me PT is the easy part.</p>
<p>Yeah, NROTC-Navy Option has a physics and calc requirment.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m starting me app process now, apparently the August board is filled already though And I’m applying for a tier 3 major, haha, great. </p>
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<p>Early in the morning is not so much the problem once I’m in the Navy, but in college, it’s gonna suck, going to bed early and I hope I can room with someone in ROTC just cause I’d be ****ed if I was woken up at 5:30 when I didn’t have to. </p>
<p>And lol, coming from a military brat, not a lot of officers care about being in better shape than the enlisted guys haha, but that is speaking from a Navy/Coast Guard branch perspective. But I suppose it would be a little different in the Marines…they are their own breed. </p>
<p>Lemme guess, you are applying to the Academy?</p>
<p>Tier 3 as well. Sucks that they don’t like the mushy majors!</p>
<p>Yeah it does suck. Just think of it as getting paid 45k a year for waking up early twice a week.</p>
<p>With regards to officers caring or not. I guess this is specific to your experiences. I guess me being more familiar with Marines, my views may be a bit different. But who knows what the enlisted Navy guys are saying behind the junior officers back as they’re waiting for him to finish up his mile for the PFT. Just because the officers that you are exposed to don’t care, doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter…</p>
<p>Marine board doesn’t meet until Nov. so I’m not up to date with the Navy board. But I heard that it’s just a rumor that it is filled up. Some of the officer coordinators are saying the board hasn’t even met yet. Who knows </p>
<p>Yup USNA is my number one. Pretty much finished up with my app. You applying as well?</p>
<p>The August NROTC board is not scheduled to meet until the 20 something of the month. The board is not “filled” they just have cut off processing any more applications for this board. It takes a few weeks to evaluate the applications and prepare them to meet the board and the NROTC program has to draw the line somewhere. Evidently they decided that any application submitted after the first couple of days of August would be reviewed by the next board. Good luck to both of you.</p>
<p>Just to add on to the fitness bit:
Leaders must have a certain level of fitness. The leader has to have their own issues squared away before they can lead effectively. In “field” situations, this often means they need to be fit. You may not need to be able to beat your troops in PT. You will need to be able to keep up, and have enough energy and focus to organize others at the same time.</p>
<p>The only issue I have with NROTC PT is that 80+% are going to be commissioned into the Navy after graduation, yet many/most college NROTC programs perform PT to USMC standards. Clearly there is a difference between the physical conditioning needed for a Commissioned Naval Officer and a USMC officer that needs to “keep up” with his troops. Just my opinion…</p>
And I’m applying for a tier 3 major, haha, great. </p>