Santa Clara University and ROTC scholarship? PARENTS CANT AFFORD TO PAY FULL TUITION!!

<p>Ok, so I'm applying to Santa Clara University for transfer because I don't really want to go anywhere else, but my parents are struggling right now, and they said they won't be able to help pay for school unless I get the majority of the tuition covered by an ROTC scholarship. The only problem is, Santa Clara doesn't allow application for an ROTC scholarship until I'm actually enrolled in the school! So if I get enrolled, and I somehow don't qualify for an ROTC scholarship, I'll be screwed! My chances of applying for FAFSA are very slim. Can someone give me some further information about how to maximize my chances of getting an ROTC scholarship here?</p>

<p>Um…you don’t “apply for FAFSA”. FAFSA is a financial aid application form. Santa Clara also requires the Profile for a financial aid application. </p>

<p>I don’t know anything about ROTC there, but it sounds risky to enroll not knowing for sure that you can pay the costs. SCU costs over $50,000 total cost of attendance. </p>

<p>I personally think you need to know the likelihood of getting accepted to ROTC for scholarship purposes. My guess is it isn’t a guarantee.</p>

<p>Our DD is a SCU grad and we think very highly of the school. But there is absolutely no question…if we had not been able to pay her college bills, she would have matriculated elsewhere.</p>

<p>All right, well I’m not really sure how competitive my grades are right now. My application to Santa Clara is going to be largely dependent on high school grades, since I’m planning on transferring after first semester freshman year. I had a 3.5 unweighted (3.7 before a not-so-great 2nd semester senior year), and I got a 32 on the ACT, and I’m enrolled in ROTC at the school I’m currently attending, but I’m not sure how competitive that is compared to other cadets. Any information would be greatly appreciated!</p>

<p>And yes, I didn’t mean to say “apply for FAFSA.” My apologies.</p>

<p>Are you saying you want to enroll at Santa Clara for fall 2015? Or next semester…January 2015?</p>

<p>Next semester. They offer ROTC scholarships for the spring.</p>

<p>I hate to say it…but why are you transferring so soon? The semester just really started at your current school.</p>

<p>Why don’t you see if you can contact the ROTC folks at SCU. Maybe they can tell,you what your chances are. </p>

<p>It would be awful to transfer only to find out that you can’t stay.</p>

<p>Well, my decision to attend the school I’m currently at was completely obligatory. I started applications to other schools, SCU included, but my parents had expectations of me that were completely set in stone (the school I’m currently attending is BYU-Provo), and I enrolled there because THEY wanted me to, not because I wanted to. Now It’s hitting me hard, because I realize I don’t have any personal motivations for being here, and it’s really hard on me. SCU is where I really feel I could have the most fulfilling time at.</p>

<p>

Congratulations! At least you know what your risks are. As we used to say in the Navy, you are “between a rock and a hard place.”</p>

<p>Unfortunately, there is no way to predict whether you will obtain a scholarship or not. In your case this is doubly difficult, because you are not yet enrolled at SCU. Hate to say it, but the ROTC department at SCU is probably more inclined to give scholarships to people who have been there since the beginning – because they have had more time to observe them in person (grades are not even half of it).</p>

<p>What your really need is a “Plan B.” If a ROTC scholarship at SCU does not work out, then what are your real alternatives? Would you just transfer to your state flagship?</p>

<p>To “MAXIMIZE” your chances of a scholarship at SCU, you need to make the best grades that you possibly can AND get very physically fit.</p>

<p>Worst case scenario… join the Army as an enlisted man. If you have what it takes to become an officer, the Army would be happy to send you to college. ONLY DO THIS as a last resort, if you cannot afford college otherwise. Even with this option, the chances of attending SCU are slim. In fact, the Army would prefer that you attend a state university.</p>

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<p>Are you sure they said that? or did they say until you are accepted?</p>

<p>For more information and any questions about Santa Clara University Army ROTC, please contact our enrollment officers:
Mario Morales, <a href=“mailto:mcmorales@scu.edu”>mcmorales@scu.edu</a>
650-497-5007 or 408-554-6840</p>

<p>Army ROTC Scholarships
Whether you’re a college-bound high school student or already attending a college or university, Army ROTC has scholarships available. Scholarships are awarded based on a student’s merit and grades, not financial need.
Army ROTC scholarships consist of:</p>

<p>Two-, three-, and four-year scholarship options based on the time remaining to complete your degree
Full-tuition scholarships
The option for room and board in place of tuition, if you should qualify
Additional allowances for books and fees
A room and board scholarship for SCU students based on merit
Living Expenses
Army ROTC scholarships also provide monthly living allowances for each school year. You can earn certain amounts depending on your level in the Army ROTC curriculum:
1st year, $300 per month
2nd year, $350 per month
3rd year, $450 per month
4th year, $500 per month</p>

<p>contact them… it doesn’t sound like you have to be enrolled</p>

<p>@NROTCgrad‌ </p>

<p>So then from purely an objective standpoint (I can definitely pass the Physical Test: 80+ pushups in two minutes, 60+ sit ups in two minutes, and a two mile run in 13 minutes or less), how competitive of an applicant would I be? And how much do they look at leadership, community service, and other extracurriculars? (I am an Eagle Scout and I have around 100 community service hours; I’m an avid MMA practitioner and I became an assistant instructor during high school, as well as playing several conventional sports during high school like football and track). Honestly, even if I were to just get a 2 year scholarship, that would be enough for me and my parents to be able to fund the rest ourselves.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids‌ </p>

<p>Hmm, that’s a good question. I was in contact with one of their lieutenants who told me, and I quote, “you must apply once you are at the school.” I’m not sure if this means if I was accepted to the school, or enrolled at the school. I’ll call them and double check. Thanks so much for your help!</p>

<p>

I was assuming you needed a 3 year scholarship.</p>

<p>Yes, you are an excellent candidate for a 2 year scholarship. All the things you mention are very good; especially the physical fitness, sports, and Eagle Scout. When the time comes – in about 18 months – the Army will be looking mostly at your college record and high school activities will count only a little.</p>

<p>To successfully obtain a 2 year scholarship, you need to maintain the physical fitness, have excellent grades (certainly well above a 3.0) and be VERY active in the ROTC unit as a non-scholarship cadet. Just remember, you won’t know if you have a 2 year scholarship until at least the spring of 2016.</p>

<p>In sum, although your chances of a 3 year scholarship are questionable (you might get one, or maybe not), your chances of a 2 year scholarship are high.</p>

<p>Also, it is likely that the Army will wonder why you transferred from BYU to SCU so quickly. I recommend that you never say anything bad about BYU. Try to make your story about the positive elements of SCU, and not about BYU being some sort of mistake. If SCU has some program (or major) that you really like, but BYU does not have it, then that is the core of a good reason for transferring. The military, in general, does not like people who do not adapt well to circumstances. However, it does like people who seize opportunities. Make your transfer about opportunity. Think about this sooner rather than later, because you will be asked about your transfer (by somebody; classmate or professor) within a week of arriving at SCU. You will be telling your transfer story many times. You want this story to be consistent from the beginning.</p>

<p>Ideally, I’d get a three year scholarship, but if that doesn’t work out, I can make do with two. Now does the two year scholarship only apply for my last two years in school, or could I “use” the scholarship in the Spring of 2015, should I qualify? Is there a particular way in which I could use my scholarship for the spring of 2015, up until the Spring of 2017, and have it “expire,” after which I just pay full tuition, or is it only available to those with two years remaining?</p>

<p>No, the two year scholarship is only good for the junior and senior years. In other words, for you, the two year scholarship would not kick in until the fall of 2016. You would not even know about it until the spring of 2016. Occasionally, the Army does offer scholarships that begin in the middle of the year. Not normal, but it could happen and you might get a 2-1/2 scholarship starting January 2016.</p>

<p>Also, if it turns out that it takes you an additional semester to graduate, the military might pay for that (or they might not).</p>

<p>You might take a look at the link below to Colorado State’s ROTC program, it mentions both 3-1/2 year and 2-1/2 year ROTC scholarships. Like I said, these are kind of rare, and I wonder if they are limited to certain schools, or if maybe the Army is phasing them out. There does not seem to be any mention of 1/2 year type scholarships on the ROTC main website.
<a href=“http://armyrotc.colostate.edu/Prospective/Scholarships.aspx”>http://armyrotc.colostate.edu/Prospective/Scholarships.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Have you contacted the school yet to get clarification on whether you have to actually be enrolled (attending) at the school before you can apply? That seems odd.</p>

<p>@mom2collegekids‌
Actually this is normal for ROTC. Only one type of student (among those already in college) can typically get a ROTC scholarship, without previous enrollment in ROTC at the college where the scholarship is issued. That would be students going into their junior year. Even these are contingent upon completing summer military training prior to the junior year. </p>

<p>I think the logic is that they want to observe the students behavior and attitude. Also, personally, I suspect that the military does not want to encourage transfers. In fact they expect officers to be adaptable. Transferring might indicate less adaptability.</p>

<p>Of course, high school students make up the bulk of ROTC scholarships.</p>

<p>@NROTCgrad‌ </p>

<p>What if I were to attend BYU for one year, and attend the ROTC program there? What effect would that have on the “maybe, maybe not” chance of getting a three year ROTC scholarship?</p>

<p>You may want to look into the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) where you are in the National Guard while in ROTC at the same time. This can give you some of the financial benefits for school that you might be looking for on the timeline you are seeking. SCU has a Cadre member on staff that can talk you through this program. If you transfer to SCU, there is no guarantee that you will get an ROTC scholarship. As NROTCgrad pointed out, most of those 3 year scholarships would go to cadets who have been in their program from the beginning of their freshman year. The 2 year scholarship is probably the most you would be looking to get if you go that route. </p>

<p>The scholarships are university specific, so if you are enrolled in ROTC at BYU and apply for a 3 year scholarship there, it will be awarded for that school only and is not transferrable to another school. </p>