1001 questions (and answers) concerning BDCP

[Top_Gun_10]

1. It's not a scholarship.
2. You need to choose a school to to even apply. (Any accredited school)
3. The GPAs and stats of those chosen and denied are posted every month in their respected thread. Search the BDCP forum.
4. Use the search function before asking any question.



How is it not a scholarship? They are paying you to go to school, that is just like a scholarship to me. What I really want to know about the school thing is if I am going to a school I want to transfer from, can I do this and go to a school where tution is higher. I want to attend Embry Riddle in Daytona and the only way I could afford the tution is with the BDCP. Becoming a Navy Fighter Pilot is my ultimate goal but if I dont get this scholarship I will have to go the Air Force because you can still do ROTC with more than 30 credits hours...

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

1. It's not a scholarship.
2. You need to choose a school to to even apply. (Any accredited school)
3. The GPAs and stats of those chosen and denied are posted every month in their respected thread. Search the BDCP forum.
4. Use the search function before asking any question.

How is it not a scholarship? They are paying you to go to school, that is just like a scholarship to me. What I really want to know about the school thing is if I am going to a school I want to transfer from, can I do this and go to a school where tution is higher. I want to attend Embry Riddle in Daytona and the only way I could afford the tution is with the BDCP. Becoming a Navy Fighter Pilot is my ultimate goal but if I dont get this scholarship I will have to go the Air Force because you can still do ROTC with more than 30 credits hours...

It's not a scholarship slow one.

It's a program. Your school is NOT paid for by the Navy in this program. You are paid a yearly SALARY based on E-3 pay (promotable up to E-5.)

It will ultimately be up to you about how you spend the money. They don't care about how much tuition costs. If you get accepted while you're at the school you're at right now it's highly unlikely you'll be able to transfer.

Also, why have you not contacted an Officer Recruiter for this program? If you have then you should be asking them these questions.

 

[m26]

How is it not a scholarship? They are paying you to go to school, that is just like a scholarship to me.

That's like calling the money your rich uncle sends you a "scholarship." Call it whatever you like. It ain't a scholarship.

What I really want to know about the school thing is if I am going to a school I want to transfer from, can I do this and go to a school where tution is higher. I want to attend Embry Riddle in Daytona and the only way I could afford the tution is with the BDCP.

BDCP has no impact on tuition, except at state schools where you could get residency. I think it'd take a miracle to transfer while in BDCP. You must be at the school, or have an acceptance and ADCP in hand.

 

[Top_Gun_10]

It's not a scholarship slow one.

It's a program. Your school is NOT paid for by the Navy in this program. You are paid a yearly SALARY based on E-3 pay (promotable up to E-5.)

It will ultimately be up to you about how you spend the money. They don't care about how much tuition costs. If you get accepted while you're at the school you're at right now it's highly unlikely you'll be able to transfer.

Also, why have you not contacted an Officer Recruiter for this program? If you have then you should be asking them these questions.

I have but they told me to call them when I get 30 credit hours. I talked to one the other day and I am going to see him thursday. Slow one? Im sorry I was told they pay you up to 180,000 dollars to go to school. To me thats a scholarship because I will be using it for tution, not to buy personal stuff.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I have but they told me to call them when I get 30 credit hours. I talked to one the other day and I am going to see him thursday. Slow one? Im sorry I was told they pay you up to 180,000 dollars to go to school. To me thats a scholarship because I will be using it for tution, not to buy personal stuff.

They told you that because to qualify for BDCP you have need to have at LEAST 30 hours if you have a technical degree because they will pay you a SALARY for up to 3 years. Only 2 years for non-technical degrees.

It's not what it is to you. It is what it is.

 

[Afterburner209]

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjo2/a/bdcp.htm

Read about the program first before you start assuming or asking about things that are clearly explained in the general description.

A scholarship is a free check that will pay for part your school expenses and the surplus will be given to you as a check if you meet certain criteria or performance. In BDCP you swear into the NAVY. Your job is to go to school and you get paid bi-monthly to do so. Nobody is getting a 180,000 dollar check. Just like lazers explained above. Even then you must be in a technical major to qualify for the 36 months and I think only NUPOC makes the e-5 pay that will even come close to 180,000 in three years.

For me, I went to a cheap school ($2,000 tuition/year) and save the extra for beer and toys.

 

[nba1290]

Thanks alot Lucy, very interesting, definitely clears up alot of speculation I had

 

[Lucy]

No problem nba. Glad to help.

 

[N83]

Do you guys have any info on whether or not having less time before you graduate will make you more competitive? I've only got one year left before I graduate with a technical degree and thought the Navy would rather accept someone with only a year left over someone with 2-3 for the sake of saving money.

 

[WEGL12]

Do you guys have any info on whether or not having less time before you graduate will make you more competitive? I've only got one year left before I graduate with a technical degree and thought the Navy would rather accept someone with only a year left over someone with 2-3 for the sake of saving money.

I asked my recruiter about this. He said the number of years is not used as a determining factor. However, the difficulty level of courses completed is used as a determining factor. So I imagine someone that has completed three years of engineering has a slight edge over someone with three years remaining. I don’t believe it makes a huge difference either way (I hope it doesn’t because I have three years remaining).

 

[Lucy]

Time does count however if you are between the 12-6 months before graduation(which is counted from when you swear in, not when you apply). At that point you are DA eligible so they would be more likely to give you a DA spot instead of BDCP money. I have read of people applying for BDCP and 1) getting turned down because they are within the 1 year mark, and 2) just chosen for a DA slot. This holds more true when you graduation date would allow you to be within the normal FY selection. For example, if you graduate May 2011, then you would be able to attend during FY 2011 still, which would put you in direct comparison with those applying now for a FY 2011 spot.

Best of Lucy
Lucy

 

[WEGL12]

Time does count however if you are between the 12-6 months before graduation(which is counted from when you swear in, not when you apply). At that point you are DA eligible so they would be more likely to give you a DA spot instead of BDCP money. I have read of people applying for BDCP and 1) getting turned down because they are within the 1 year mark, and 2) just chosen for a DA slot. This holds more true when you graduation date would allow you to be within the normal FY selection. For example, if you graduate May 2011, then you would be able to attend during FY 2011 still, which would put you in direct comparison with those applying now for a FY 2011 spot.

Best of Lucy
Lucy

Lucy, you are right about being switched over to DA if less than 8-12 months to graduation. My recruiter had this happen to one of his candidates. So that is definitely possible. I meant if you have more than a year before graduation. Someone with two years before graduation is not more competitive than someone with three years remaining. That is what I have heard.

 

[Lucy]

The two versus three year thing coinsides with what I know also. Wasn't meaning to contradict , rather just give more specific information since the timeframe mentioned was around the one year mark. And N83, make sure you pay attention to the month measuring versus the school time. One "year" of school, aka fall-spring, is only 10 months or so. They count the months, not the school year.

 

[daniellehenry]

Questions about BDCP

I am applying to the BDCP program..I want to be a pilot. I have talked to a recruiter and everything, i am just waiting for my acceptance letter from the university. My question is, how long once i turn in all my paperwork, will it take for everything to start. Like my benefits and all that? what is the next step? Am i going to go to meps or anything like that? Ive already taken my asvab and everything? Thanks

 

[Lucy]

I am not sure but it sounds as though you got mixed up somewhere. First off, BDCP is for officers so you need to only have 3 years left of school to even qualify for BDCP, and only 2 if you are not a technical major. You university has nothing to do with BDCP, since you are paid as active duty. Also, you have to apply and be selected from a board, not just submit your paperwork (something called a field select allows for this but it does not sound like you are referring to that). Additionally, the paperwork requires the ASTB, not the ASVAB (which is for enlisted). So I would recommend checking back with your recruiter (are you sure he/she is an officer recruiter?) and get things figured out. If you have just worded your information poorly, and have recieved a pro-rec from an officers board, than yes you have meps and the PRT to due before getting a final select, and benefits start accumulating the day you swear in, but your first check will not come until a month or so after you swear in.