I applied for the Navy-Option Scholarship basically about little more than a month ago and I just wanted to know how soon the selection board would give me an answer. Also if I should bug my recruiter about the status of my application.
Other questions:
Can anyone provide me with their "accomplishments" in gaining the scholarsship? (GPA, SAT/ACT Scores etc...) just curious.
How is the whole NROTC-College experience. I would like to know how those two work out as I will be going off to college in less than a year with or without the scholarship. Personal experiences would be nice.
When I applied five years ago I recieved a notification that the board had recieved my application. I don't know if they're still doing that. Don't bug your recruiter about it, he won't know anything off hand. If you still haven't heard anything in a month or so you may try and see if he can get in contact with NETC or CNET or whatever they're calling it now to see about your application.
As for qualifications: go with what you got. The year I applied (pre 9-11) I was denied for an NROTC scholarship but had almost the same grades as two friends of mine who went to West Point and still didn't get a scholarship. Maybe that's more of a comment on who they let into Army U. I ended up picking up a three year scholarship after having been in the college program for a year. Go with the grades and SAT scores you got and don't worry too much.
Life in NROTC is pretty good as naval life goes. Not every unit is the same but you can expect to have a drill period once a week as well as PT once a week. On drill days you wear your uniform to classes. On top of that most freshmen were also on the drill team. Upper classmen had the option of being on something like the rifle or pistol team as well, which usually practiced once or twice a week.
In addition to whatever normal college classes you end up taking you'll also have to take Naval Science classes. These are pretty low threat, at least they were at Oregon State, and cover naval history, shipboard engineering, navigation, and leadership. On top of all that if you do pick up a scholarship you'll also have to take a year of calculus and calulus base physics. They might not be the easiest courses, especially if you're a history or business major, but you should have plenty of ready made study partners in the other mids who have to take the class at the same time.
Summers for scholarship mids are paid vacations in which you get to do some pretty cool stuff like go flying, play marine, and ride a submarine for a month (fun for a month, but I'd never do it again).
Good luck with the scholarship. Any questions you know where to PM me.
