College Information
THE ARMY ROTC PROGRAM
THE ARMY ROTC PROGRAM
Army ROTC provides college-trained
officers for the Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard, and is offered
at more than 600 colleges and universities throughout the nation. As the
largest single source of Army officers, the ROTC program fulfills a vital
role in providing mature young men and women for leadership and management
positions in an increasingly technical Army. Though the Army is getting
smaller it still needs thousands of new officers each year. ROTC's benefits-training,
challenges, excitement, money, career preparation and post-college employment-remain
intact.
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
You must meet the following general eligibility requirements to receive an Army ROTC scholarship.
Be 17 years of age by October 1 of the year you enter college as a freshman and must not reach your 27th birthday by June 30 of the year in which you will graduate from college and receive your commission. If you have prior active duty military service you may be eligible for extension of this age requirement-the age is extended for 1 year for each 1 year of military service. The maximum extension is 3 years.
Be a high school graduate or possess an equivalent certificate before September of the year you enter college. If you are taking or have taken college courses, you must be considered a beginning Freshman and have 4 academic years remaining for a baccalaureate degree upon enrollment in college.
If you are in an accelerated program and will complete your senior year of high school and first year of college concurrently-you must have 4 academic years remaining in an approved baccalaureate degree program upon enrollment into college.
Have no moral obligation or personal conviction that will prevent you from-
(1) Supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies-foreign and domestic.
(2) Conscientiously bearing arms.
Receive at least a minimum SAT score
of 920 or and ACT composite score of 19.
If you are selected for a U.S. Army ROTC scholarship, you are required to-
a. Sign a contract with the Secretary of the Army. If you are 17 years of age when you enroll, your parents or guardian must also sign this contract. If you are 18 or older, only your signature is required. This contract contains a requirement to repay the United States Government for all financial aid received if, after you begin your Sophomore year, you fail to comply with the terms of the contract. This repayment may be monetary or in the form of enlisted service. The choice rests with the Army and not the scholarship cadet.
b. Enlist in the U.S. Army Reserve for a period of 8 years. You must be 17 years of age by the time of enrollment in order to sign an enlistment contract.
c. Pursue the academic discipline (if applicable) identified in the letter that notifies you of your selection as a scholarship recipient. If you have indicated engineering, you must attend an accredited engineering school. As a nurse scholarship recipient, you must attend one of the Partnership in Nursing Education Schools.
d. Attend the 6-week ROTC Advanced Camp normally between you Junior and Senior years of college.
e. Accept a commission to serve on active duty or reserve duty (Army Reserve or Army National Guard) upon completion of the required academic and ROTC courses.
f. Serve in the military for a period of 8 years. This may be fulfilled by:
The Army ROTC Four-Year Scholarship program is available to students who have graduated from high school or possess and equivalent certificate before September of their Freshman year in college.
Students are awarded U.S. Army ROTC 4-year scholarships through a highly competitive national selection process. Scholarships pay up to $16,000 a year for college tuition and educational fees. Scholarship benefits cannot be applied towards room and board. An additional scholarship benefit is a designated book allowance. Army scholarship winners also receive a tax-free subsistence allowance of $150 a month for to 10 months for each year the scholarship is in effect. Scholarships do not pay flight fees.
NOTE: Limited numbers of 3-and 2-year scholarships are available once a student is on campus. Applicants should check with the Professor of Military Science once they are attending classes.
ROTC scholarship recipients may attend one of the Military Junior Colleges hosting the U.S. Army 4-year program. Scholarship recipients may not attend ROTC Basic Camp (Camp Challenge) for training experience. Attendance at camp forfeits an individual's eligibility for scholarship.
However, upon completion of Military Junior College requirements, you must agree to transfer to one of the institutions listed for enrollment in the Advanced Course and attainment of your baccalaureate degree.
Scholarship students lead essentially the same life as other college students. You may pursue any course of study leading to a baccalaureate degree that is listed in the ROTC Scholarship Application and you may engage in any activity that does not interfere with your ROTC requirements-which include prescribed Military Science courses, participation in scheduled drill periods, and attending a 6-week ROTC Advanced Camp between your Junior and Senior years.
Upon successful of ROTC and baccalaureate degree requirements, you will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Active Army, Army Reserve, or the National Guard.
SELECTION CRITERIA
a. Results of a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). You must achieve a minimum SAT score of 920 (composite of Verbal and Math) or an American College Test (ACT) composite score of 19 to qualify for competition. If you take both the SAT and ACT, please furnish the results of both tests to the ROTC Scholarship point of contact-your best score will be used.
b. High school academic standing - your class size and rank are required.
c. Three school officials' evaluations. These evaluations are to be completed by teachers, coaches or the principal. If you are attending the United States Military Academy (USMA) Preparatory School you must have one of these evaluations completed by a USMA Preparatory School official.
d. Extracurricular participation, athletic activities, and leadership positions held. If you have held part-time jobs during the school year and do not have the time for extensive participation in sports and extracurricular activities you will be given credit based on the number of hours you worked per week.
e. Personal interview.
f. Academic Discipline. The Department
of the Army has a requirement for highly technical and other specific academic
disciplines. Final awards will be based on academic discipline.
LEADERSHIP, EXTRACURRICULAR AND ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES
Our scholarship winners are usually well rounded, active students with good grades and above average potential. More than half of them have held an office either in one of their classes or the student body. Most our National Honor Society members, and a few are editors of school publications. Many are members of clubs (at school, church, or private organizations), and others are varsity letter winners and varsity team captains. As you can see, we look for achievers with broad interests, leadership ability, and a demonstrated willingness to take on challenges and overcome them.
The following data gives an average
leadership, extracurricular and athletic activities profile for a scholarship
winner for school year 1997-1998.
PROFILE
President of student bodies of senior class....................................16%
Other class officers......................................................................56%
National Honor Society members..................................................78%
Varsity letter winners....................................................................89%
Varsity team captains...................................................................59%
Junior ROTC Participants............................................................17%
Club Presidents...........................................................................27%
RANK IN CLASS/COLLEGE BOARD SCORES
We also look for academic excellence
as most of our winners fall in the top 25% of their class. Most also score
between 900-1600 on the SAT and 19-35 on the ACT. School year 1997 average
SAT was 1308 and 29
ACT.
NURSE PROGRAM
Army ROTC commissions more new Army
Nurse Corps (ANC) officers each year than any other source. Nurse candidates
take Army ROTC in college with their other studies. Successful cadets compete
for the privilege of beginning their professional careers as officers in
the ANC.
NURSE SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAM (NSTP)
NSTP is an optional clinical elective
conducted before or after Advanced Camp at Army hospitals throughout the
United States. Nursing cadets are introduced to the roles, responsibilities
and expectations of the junior ANC officer. The NSTP provides progressive
experience and leadership opportunities in a clinical setting while working
side by side with an ANC officer.
PARTNERSHIP IN NURSING EDUCATION (PNE)
Army ROTC offers scholarships to students seeking a degree in nursing. Scholarship winners attend one of the PNE schools identified with a (P) in the Scholarship Application list of schools.
Nursing is an extremely competitive
degree program. Fewer than 50% of sophomores nationwide are accepted into
the upper division of nursing. PNE schools guarantee entry for Army ROTC
nursing cadets who maintain the established grade point average.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES
Army ROTC offers a limited number of scholarships to those individuals who desire to attend an Historically Black College/University (HBCU).
To apply for one of these HBCU scholarships, complete item 11 on the first page of the ROTC application. You will still be considered for the national 4-year scholarship program. Your first school choice must be one of the schools identified in the ROTC application as a HBCU. If the first school choice is not one of these schools, your application will not be considered for the dedicated HBCU scholarship.
If you are offered one of these
scholarships, you must enroll in an HBCU for the duration of the scholarship.
Transferring to other than another HBCU is not authorized.
SAT AND ACT TESTING
TAKE THE SAT OR ACT EARLY!
Be sure to list Army ROTC as a test score recipient on your test forms.
Experience has shown that many applicants have been disqualified because they failed to allow sufficient time for processing test results. The SAT and ACT agencies require approximately 4 weeks to process test results. Do not wait for test results to mail scholarship application forms. By listing Army ROTC as a test score recipient, your scores will be automatically furnished to this office. The Army cannot schedule or administer these tests nor initiate a request for scores. Those test scores received from the testing agencies require no further verification. If your transcript indicates your test score, no further verification is required. In order to accept your test scores from any other source, you must submit a copy of your official SAT or ACT scores.
If you are living in an overseas area, we recommend that you contact your high school guidance counselor or the SAT and ACT agencies for specific test dates and assistance. Test agency addresses follow:
SAT-Educational Testing Service
Rosedale Road
Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6200
ACT-The American College Testing Program
P.O. Box 168
Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168
All applicants must meet all eligibility criteria to receive further scholarship consideration. Unfortunately, all applicants cannot be selected as finalists. Those applicant advancing to further scholarship consideration are scheduled for a personal interview and a medical examination.
PERSONAL INTERVIEW
The interview is conducted by an
Army officer who will ask you questions and will answer any questions you
may have about Army ROTC and the pursuit of an Army commission. The interview
will be scheduled as close to your home as possible. You must pay any cost
for transportation, food and lodging for the interview.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Individuals selected for an interview will be contacted and scheduled for a medical examination by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DODMERB). The following will apply if you are scheduled:
a. You are responsible for your own transportation, food and lodging related to this examination. Results of the medical examination will be furnished directly to you by DODMERB.
b. If you are unable to report for the examination as scheduled, you must notify DODMERB immediately. You will be rescheduled at that time. Current height and weight requirements for a 4-year scholarship and subsequent commissioning can be found on page 17 of the ROTC Scholarship Application.
c. Your medical condition is not
a consideration in the selection of winners; however, all winners must
be medically qualified in order to enroll as a scholarship cadet and receive
benefits.
ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST (APFT)
The APFT will be given to all scholarship
winners when they enroll in college in the fall. Scholarship
benefits will not begin until you have successfully passed the APFT.
This fitness test consists of repetitive
push-ups and sit-ups and a two mile run. A male between 17 and 21 years
old should arrive at college able to do 42 push-ups, a female 18 push-ups.
A male needs to be able to do 52 sit-ups and a female 50 sit-ups. A good
time for the two mile run for a male would be 16 minutes and a female 19
minutes. Good physical conditioning is critical and prior physical conditioning
and muscle toning are essential.
GOOD LUCK!