<p>ROTC mids definitely look upon Academy mids with as much contempt as Academy guys do ROTC. Everyone in my unit has told me the same thing: "Don't become like them! Don't become a ring-knocker!" haha</p>
<p>They're experience is based upon the mids they've met on summer cruise, and while all the guys I've met at Annapolis were great guys, I'm sure that, like you said, there are a few bad apples who have to ruin everyone's reputation.</p>
<p>It's the same with ROTC. Some dumba$$ mid gets drunk in San Diego and caught by an MP and sent home. I've heard it happens. It's just fuel for the fire.</p>
<p>I was looking at the goarmy website just to get a general overview at all the colleges I was looking at, I guess that was the problem. Also I haven't applied to any colleges yet I am only a junior.</p>
<p>So far this thread is convincing me that ROTC is the way to go.</p>
<p>"so far this thread is convincing me that ROTC is the way to go"</p>
<p>I've felt that way from time to time, listening to the upperclassmen in the unit talking about their bad experiences with Academy mids. But after I did my Candidate Weekend Visit at USNA in April, I knew in my heart that I wanted the academy. ROTC units can only dream about the immense number of opportunities presented at the academies. The atmosphere of the school is much more energetic, I think.</p>
<p>IE...my calc class has 200 people in it...chem has 300. I went to my mid's class when I was there...it had less than 20!! Though it kinda felt like a high school setting on a college campus, I loved it. Believe me, after sitting through those lectures, and then getting to go to a class where the professor can actually speak to YOU is amazing.</p>
<p>If you're serious about becoming a career officer, I would tell you to go for the Academy in an instant. Don't do ROTC just because you can party on the weekends and wear jeans to class. Do ROTC if the Academy doesn't offer the major or course of study you want. If USXA doesn't accept you, ROTC is a great alternative to the same goal.</p>
<p>I am not going to go ROTC because of booze and girls, more because I need to build more SELF discpline, because I still don't have much of a base for it.</p>
<p>I didn't want to go to New York to study. I actually wanted my college life to include my family and friends (but with a distance of course). So I'm attending a University in California that specializes in Engineering (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo). I figured ROTC gives me the flexibility to pursue a more normal college experience that allows me to visit home whenever I want to or atleast more frequently.</p>
<p>So maybe the four year scholarship doesn't offer me free housing, food, and insurance but atleast tuition, travel pay, and books are free.</p>
<p>Anyhoo see you other 10's in 4 years in the army!</p>
<p>looking back, rotc seems like a better route. much easier and you'll be in the exact same position as an academy grad when you graduate. </p>
<p>"In some ways, I believe that ROTC is more challenging than the academies. For instance, we have no designated study hours, and therefore we must have an extreme amount of self discipline to buckle down and work while our friends and roommates go off and have fun, or simply take a nap."</p>
<p>Try a year at the academy and then say that again.</p>