Questions from a 2007 Applicant

[STARFlight145]

Hello folks,

Despite what many people here suggested, I have decided to go to Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach. I figured that if I can't get a pilot seat in a Naval aircraft, I atleast have a pretty good chance at getting a pilot seat elsewhere.

I'll be heading out to ERAU here in roughly a month...I was denied a 2006 NROTC scholarship but my recruiter told me to re-take the ACTs and write some better essays for the 2007 scholarship ASAP. My ACT Math score this time around was a 24 (better than the 23 that I had) and with a lot of help from my dad (an ex-Navy Seahawk pilot) I rewrote my essays. My app has long since been submitted and, like everyone else, I await the results.

Here is my question:

When I go to Embry-Riddle in mid-August of this year, should I join my NROTC unit as a "college programmer"? Or do I wait for the results of my 2007 application before participating with the unit?

 

[ChunksJR]

When I go to Embry-Riddle in mid-August of this year, should I join my NROTC unit as a "college programmer"? Or do I wait for the results of my 2007 application before participating with the unit?

Yes to first ?. No to 2nd. I'll tell you why. If you don't pick the 2007 scholarship, you'll already know the people to talk to to pick up a CP scholarship.

The extremely moto guys were the CPs that waited (sometimes until their JR year) to pick up the scholarship...and they were the apple of the eye of the PNS...and good on them. Doing something because you WANT to do it is worth every penny you don't get paid.

Just a thought.

 

[navychick]

definitely go in as a cp. No doubt about it.

 

[beuxbunk]

When I go to Embry-Riddle in mid-August of this year, should I join my NROTC unit as a "college programmer"? Or do I wait for the results of my 2007 application before participating with the unit?

What is this "College Programmer"? How many different ways can somebody join the unit?

 

[FMRAM]

definitely go in as a cp. No doubt about it.

Just remember that you have to spend two fun filled months in Newport if you go CP. Not trying to dissuade you, just realize what will happen. Good luck.

 

[pennst8]

What is this "College Programmer"? How many different ways can somebody join the unit?

CP is where you are in the unit but not on scholarship. The Navy isn't cutting you a check for tuition, fees, etc or throwing a monthly stipend your way.

The downside is you're going on your own dime and doing a lot of NROTC BS without getting paid... the upside is it gives you a better shot at getting the scholarship and in some cases you can get commissioned after doing 4 years of CP ("advanced standing"... do a search or wait for a CP guy to jump on explaining this).

As far as ways to get in... CP, 4/3/2 year scholarships are the only ways I am aware of.

 

[pennst8]

Just remember that you have to spend two fun filled months in Newport if you go CP. Not trying to dissuade you, just realize what will happen. Good luck.

I thought they only did that to the 2/3 year scholarship MIDN... to get them caught up on Naval Science classes...

People who start CP freshman year and take all the classes don't go to Newport, do they?

 

[FMRAM]

I believe your right. The people that are here now are two year CPs. Why on earth would you want to go CP with for 4 years?

 

[pennst8]

I believe your right. The people that are here now are two year CPs. Why on earth would you want to go CP with for 4 years?

Well I can think of two reasons off the top of my head...

1. You'd have no committment to the Navy until later in college.
2. You didn't get offered a scholarship but really want to be a Naval Officer.

I know there are people out there who graduated via CP. One of them is bound to throw their story in here.

 

[FMRAM]

Well I can think of two reasons off the top of my head...

1. You'd have no committment to the Navy until later in college.
2. You didn't get offered a scholarship but really want to be a Naval Officer.

I know there are people out there who graduated via CP. One of them is bound to throw their story in here.

I understand about really wanting to be a Naval Officer...I really want to be a Naval Officer, but there are so many good programs out there that offer financial support. It seems like a raw deal...however, it does offer a commission at the end.

 

[navychick]

I thought they only did that to the 2/3 year scholarship MIDN... to get them caught up on Naval Science classes...

People who start CP freshman year and take all the classes don't go to Newport, do they?

I started out as a College Programmer and no you do not go to newport, pennst you are right. We make it up through Naval Science classes during college. When you go in as a cp, you are a member of the nrotc in every way except you are not getting money. I picked up my scholarship half way through my freshman year without any problem. As long as you do well in school and in your unit, you shouldn't have a problem getting a scholarship.
As a cp you have your first 2 years to either get a scholarship or get picked up for advanced standing but you cannot enter your junior year without one or the other. On advanced standing you will get a monthly stipend but you will not get tuition paid for.
I have found that most of the time the cp'ers are more motivated to be where they are because it really is what they want and are not just there for the money. You will find that many of the freshman that show up on scholarship will drop the program for one reason or another within their first year, but the cp'ers usually dont.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[pennst8]

As long as you do well in school and in your unit, you shouldn't have a problem getting a scholarship.

Unless big Navy has no money lying around. Then it becomes a much tighter competition among all the CPers nationwide.

I have found that most of the time the cp'ers are more motivated to be where they are because it really is what they want and are not just there for the money. You will find that many of the freshman that show up on scholarship will drop the program for one reason or another within their first year, but the cp'ers usually dont.

Maybe at your unit this is the case... but I don't think there's that much of a difference in attrition rates between the two groups based on what I saw in 4 years of NROTC.

I never saw a strong relationship between quitting and getting $ from Uncle Sam.

You get the initial drop outs right after Indoc, the first semester academic washouts (CP and scholarship in both of these), the people on scholarship who decide it isn't for them (start of sophomore year) and the CPers who can't get advanced standing (start of junior year). Everyone else is forced to drop because of medical or legal problems.

Motivation and reasons for staying vary among both groups... but if you're just in it for the money they will find you and wash you out so quickly it will be like you never had the scholarship at all.

 

[STARFlight145]

Looks like I'll join the Embry-Riddle NROTC unit as a cp. Anything to boost my chances of getting a 2 or 3 yr scholarship and, even more importantly, anything to become a Naval Officer. I really appreciate the encouragement and help from everyone!

For those of you who went through or are in an NROTC unit, what's it like (I have the general idea, but I'm looking for specifics)? I figure I'll be spending 4 yrs in the unit, so I might as well find out as much as possible before I go in head first. Do they run your butt off every day? Do you get much personal time, or is it a deal where the unit consumes every minute of your life?

Whatever it is that I have to do, I'm ready and willing - I just want to know what life's going to be like for the next 4 yrs.

 

[pennst8]

Looks like I'll join the Embry-Riddle NROTC unit as a cp. Anything to boost my chances of getting a 2 or 3 yr scholarship and, even more importantly, anything to become a Naval Officer. I really appreciate the encouragement and help from everyone!

For those of you who went through or are in an NROTC unit, what's it like? I figure I'll be spending 4 yrs in the unit, so I might as well find out as much as possible before I go in head first. Do they run your butt off every day? Do you get much personal time, or is it a deal where the unit consumes every minute of your life?

Whatever it is that I have to do, I'm ready and willing - I just want to know what life's going to be like.

You know the first half of full metal jacket?

Its nothing like that.

Think Animal House (ah college) with the occasional bit of Navy stuff. Read around the NROTC forum, there's lots of knowledges already posted on the subject.

Oh and If you're lucky enough to graduate and do stash duty at your unit... think "Office Space".

 

[navychick]

Unless big Navy has no money lying around. Then it becomes a much tighter competition among all the CPers nationwide.
Maybe at your unit this is the case... but I don't think there's that much of a difference in attrition rates between the two groups based on what I saw in 4 years of NROTC.

I guess it varies on location because throughout the past 4 years of nrotc, I have seen maybe 1 or 2 cp'ers drop and a ton of those on scholarship. It makes sense to me though. THey do have their whole first year to figure it out and its better that they drop realizing it's not for them. For example, my class started with 25 midns. of which 4 started as cp'ers. We dropped 10 sholarship midns after the first year and another 5 got out during their second year for one reason or another. THat was just my class though...

Motivation and reasons for staying vary among both groups... but if you're just in it for the money they will find you and wash you out so quickly it will be like you never had the scholarship at all.

i only had this situation one time where I watched someone get commissioned who I knew just wanted in and out. I couldn't stand watching that...but I do hope you are right otherwise.