<p>Im currently a junior in 2014-15 school year. I'm looking to apply to a few Ivy Leagues and other schools for the best education, but at the same time I want to do my part and serve in the Marine Corps. I understand that its one of the most selective programs for the ROTC process, but I want to take that challenge. How do I apply for it? in high school or in college? in college apps? Do I have to join a reserve unit first before i apply for it at a school? How do I apply for a scholarship? do people just earn the scholarship, or is it applied for? Should I speak to my college counselor or a USMC recruiter? Thanks for your time. </p>
<p>Fill out a NTOTC scholarship application online. You want the MO (Marine Option). The application should be available about March/April 2015 for those planning to begin college in the Fall 2016. Even if you are not selected for a scholarship contact the NROTC Unit at the college you enroll in as soon as you send in your enrollment deposit. They will “allow” you to schedule your NROTC military classes and usually you need to show up at school about a week early for some basic NROTC instruction. Good Luck!</p>
<p>what are the benefits of receiving the scholarship?</p>
<p>The major financial benefits are that all tuition is paid for, plus at least $300 per month.</p>
<p>One disadvantage is that the Navy/Marine Corps tells you which college you will use the scholarship at. However, they do make the choice from five colleges you tell them you are willing to attend. </p>
<p>It is easier to get the NROTC scholarship than it is to get into an Ivy League university. A big problem can occur if the Navy assigns your scholarship to, say, Yale, but you do not get admitted to Yale. So, personally, I recommend not reaching quite so high for the NROTC scholarship.</p>
<p>Okay…so if they assign my scholarship to a school I didn’t get into, but I get into another school with an NROTC am I allowed to request that they move the scholarship to the school I got into? What is the purpose of assigning a scholarship to a school that I don’t get into? Is it so that they can have more control over which cadets have priority into the program?</p>
<p>Yes, you are allowed to request that the scholarship be moved to a school that you do get into. But even that can get complicated and end in disappointment. Let me explain.</p>
<p>The Navy has caps for their scholarships at each college. For example, maybe only 10 students can use their NROTC scholarship at Harvard (I just made up that number, I do not know what it really is). Once all 10 spots are filled, the Navy will not assign any more scholarships to Harvard.</p>
<p>Let us suppose that you get one of those 10 spots at Harvard, but Harvard does not admit you – not a rare thing! There might be a large time gap between your scholarship getting assigned to Harvard and discovering that you were not admitted. By the time you find out that you have not been admitted to Harvard, the NROTC scholarship spots at, say, Vanderbilt and University of California will also have been filled (even though you might have gotten admitted to those schools). Perhaps, then, the only spots left open are at Ohio State University and North Carolina State.</p>
<p>To avoid a situation like that, it is smart to determine ahead of time your likelihood of getting admitted to a particular college. If the odds are small (and at Harvard, the odds are small for everybody), then it is prudent to put a different school as your first choice for NROTC. Maybe Southern Cal, or Tulane, for example, if you like them and feel confident of getting admitted.</p>
<p>In other words, this is something of a guessing game. You have to guess whether you can get into Harvard, and you have to guess whether the Navy will assign you there. There is no way around guessing.</p>
<p>However, you can increase your chances of success. For one thing, you can apply very early for NROTC scholarship; which will increase your chances of getting assigned to your top preference. You can also apply Early Action to your favorite colleges, so that you will know early whether you are accepted. If things do not line up, then you have time to make adjustments.</p>
<p>
The Navy does not know if you can or will get into a specific school. They figure that is your responsibility.</p>
<p>The Navy limits the number of scholarship spots in order to have predictable costs. It cannot afford to send everybody to Harvard and Yale. In fact, they really prefer that you go to a state school and require that you include at least one on your list of preferences. </p>
<p>Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks a lot for the explanation- really cleared up a lot of questions. 1 last Q…what is the likelihood of earning a scholarship at one of those schools once I’ve learned that (perhaps there is a god-given chance I receive admittance) around say…early spring? like 1%? Applying for the scholarship early without knowing if I’ve gotten into a school or not won’t improve my ‘priority’ with the selection, right?</p>
<p>
I don’t really understand this particular question. Let me take a stab at what it you might be driving at… </p>
<p>Applying early for the NROTC scholarship dramatically increases your chances of getting your preferred college choice. And you will get informed of that decision early. Perhaps even before Thanksgiving. Personally, I got my notification before Christmas. A bunch of people (probably a majority) do not hear until Spring because they do not apply early. Those folks already know where they have been accepted, but do not know if they have a scholarship. It is better to have it the other way around.</p>
<p>The Navy assigns the scholarships on a “first come, first serve” basis. So, if you apply early, yes, there is higher likelihood of getting assigned to Harvard. If the Navy can see, for a fact, that you clearly do not have the credentials for Harvard, they might not assign you there. But I wouldn’t bet on it. They want you to live with your own decisions, because making decisions is what officers do.</p>
<p>If you get the scholarship early, then you can really put some extra effort into persuading the college to accept you. You will be more motivated, because you know you can pay for it. You can afford to put time and money into the visiting campus. You can tell admissions that you have the scholarship. They might, or might not, be impressed by that. If you find out about the scholarship early enough, then you can afford to take the chance to apply Early Decision (if Harvard has it). Some people believe that applying Early Decision significantly increases your chances of acceptance at a college. If you are rejected for ED, you can then focus on your second choice (maybe ED2).</p>
<p>Is having the scholarship early a guaranteed benefit? No, but it will not hurt a thing and makes everything easier. No disadvantages, several potential advantages.</p>
<p>In developing your strategy for this, you might consider how happy you would be in attending the best NROTC state university in the state that you live in. If you live in California, going to Berkeley is a pretty good back up plan to attending Harvard and I bet the Navy would be happy to move your scholarship from Harvard to Berkeley if Harvard does not accept you. If you live in Iowa, maybe Iowa State is really not what you want. In which case, maybe it is best to “go for broke” with Harvard. In short, this is a matter of how much risk you want to take.</p>
<p>Thanks man. On a definite roll with answering my questions- I appreciate you taking the time to answer all these very much. I think I’ll continue with studies and doing the best I can and apply for it maybe…summer before senior year? When did you sign up? Also…(i know Im asking a lot of questions, sorry to bother you dude, but you have been extremely helpful) are there any specific characteristics in an application that the scholarship board is looking for? Essentially, what steps did you take to earn the scholarship? And absolutely, i was planning to apply there as well (absolutely keeping an open mind). </p>
<p>I think the first NROTC scholarship board meets in August. So, I recommend applying by the end of July, if possible.</p>
<p>First and foremost, Marine Option wants physical fitness. They would rather that you can run three miles in less than 20 minutes, do 100 sit ups, and 20 pull ups… than have an ACT over 28. Academically you are undoubtedly in a good position. If you want Marine Option take a look at the following physical fitness standards and the recommended “exercise routine.”
<a href=“http://nrotc.tamu.edu/new_student_forms/2010%20Forms/PRT.PFT%20Standards.pdf”>http://nrotc.tamu.edu/new_student_forms/2010%20Forms/PRT.PFT%20Standards.pdf</a></p>
<p>Normal Navy is the other way around. Strong academics are expected, especially in science and math. Physical fitness is important, and necessary, but not equal to academics. Navy does push ups instead of pull ups. You still need to exercise.</p>
<p>In either case, it would be best to participate in some kind of varsity athletics, and to be involved with some extracurricular activities which show leadership. If you cannot manage to do varsity sports, the Marines would look positively on martial arts.</p>
<p>I play Varsity Lacrosse- my resume is on the other post. Yeah, my physical condition will definitely need work- I can get 50 push ups in under 2 minutes, but my pull-ups are …not that great. I’m working on it. What school are you doing NROTC at? You are doing MO correct? </p>
<p>Actually, you dont have to answer that if you dont want to. None of my business. </p>
<p>I have been out of college for a long time actually. I served my four years in the Navy already. Was in nuclear power. Majored in Industrial Engineering at Auburn University. Could have gone to Vanderbilt (my grandfather was an alum), but was too dopey to realize that it was a lot better than Auburn. At the time, my attitude was sort of the opposite of yours. I thought college was more or less the same everywhere.</p>
<p>By the way, I made a poor illustration above. If I lived in Iowa and did not want to attend Iowa State then I would never try to get a NROTC scholarship to Harvard or Yale – way too risky – but lower my sights to Tulane or Rhodes College. Yet if I lived in California, and thought I had a chance at Harvard I would apply because I probably could get my scholarship moved to Berkeley or UCLA or San Diego State. You have to develop your own strategy based on the real options you have, and what you are willing to settle for.</p>
<p>That makes sense. Hahah, I definitely get what you mean. When you were serving your 4 years, did you serve abroad? My parents think that I’m gonna be sent to the front lines or something, but I’m pretty sure thats not the case. I know Marines are largely stationed in Okinawa, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Miramar (like 30 minutes away from where I live), etc. Camp Pendleton is 30 minutes away to the north, miramar air base is 30 minutes south. Coronado has the Naval Base, with the Navy Seals and what not. Large Marine/Navy community here.</p>
<p>Like most sailors, I visited foreign countries; but was never stationed in one. Visited Japan, Philippines, Australia, and Kenya. Usually stayed less than a week (except the Philippines).</p>
<p>The Marines are always a lot closer to the front lines than the Navy is. Lots of Marines on the east coast too – Virginia and North Carolina especially. The Marines have a lot fewer foreign bases than the Army.</p>
<p>Okay, good to know. Well, thats why they’re the Marines- best of the best, always ready for combat. Thats why I wanted to become one. Thanks for your help- Semper Fi</p>