army rotc scholarship essays

EWU Army ROTC

Eastern Washington University

10 Tips for a Successful Army ROTC National Scholarship Application

Each year between October through March is the ROTC National Scholarship season where high school seniors apply for ROTC scholarships through the GoArmy website .  The Eastern Washington University Army ROTC office helps dozens of applicants each year navigate the ROTC scholarship process.  Based on this experience we have some tips we recommend to all ROTC National Scholarship applicants to maximize their opportunity to be awarded an ROTC scholarship.

  1.  Submit Your Application Early :   The first scholarship board usually meets in October, the second board in January, and the third board in March.  Getting your application completed before the first board will increase your chances of receiving a scholarship because the application will be seen three times.  Additionally the first board is where a lot of four year scholarships are awarded from as well.  If you really want a four year scholarship get your application complete prior to the first board.  Key things that need to be done to have the scholarship ready for the first board is to upload your high school transcripts, upload your SAT or ACT scores, complete the physical fitness test, and conduct an interview.  Here at Eastern we can complete both the fitness test and interview for you.  Contact us at [email protected] to schedule.

  2.  List 5 or More Schools on Your Application :  Applicants need to be realistic when putting down universities on their application.  Putting down only Harvard and MIT on the ROTC application, but only having an 1150 on the SAT means you are probably not getting a scholarship for those universities.  However, if you list Harvard & MIT plus three or more other schools you could likely get admitted to with an 1150 SAT score will increase your chance of receiving a scholarship to a school other than Harvard or MIT.  A scholarship to your third of fourth school is better than no scholarship at all.  Each university’s ROTC office has a Recruiting Officer called a “ROO” that can assist with learning what the admissions requirements are for each university.

  3.  Find Out What Type of ROTC Program You Are Applying to :  Something to keep in mind is that not all ROTC programs are created equal.  If you are planning to attend a university that has a host ROTC program you are likely going to have more military cadre and resources to better prepare you for the challenges ahead in ROTC.  Other universities have ROTC programs that are extension or satellite campuses.  Extension programs may require their students to drive to the host program to take courses.  If going to an extension program find out how far you have to drive to do physical training and ROTC classes.  The amount of driving to do ROTC may influence your decision to attend that school.  Satellite campuses may have very limited cadre, as little as two full time ROTC instructors.  If going to a satellite campus find out how many instructors they have assigned.  At EWU Army ROTC we are a  fully staffed host program with a proven track record of getting Cadets ready to succeed in both ROTC and the Army.

  4.  Visit Multiple ROTC Programs :   The best way to figure out if an ROTC program is right for you is to visit it.  If possible try to visit multiple ROTC programs to compare and contrast them.  This will also help you determine if you are attending a host, extension, or satellite program.  If attending a host program make an appointment with the ROO and ask to meet with the Professor of Military Science (PMS) who is usually a Lieutenant Colonel in charge of the ROTC battalion.  Ask about how well the program scores at Advanced Camp?  How many first branch choices did the MS-IV class receive?  Ask about where they train at?  How many Cadets are on scholarship?  How does the program perform at Ranger Challenge competitions?  This should give you an idea of how well the ROTC program is performing.  Also bring your parents to the ROTC program to meet the ROO and PMS.  At EWU Army ROTC, our ROO and PMS always makes time to visit with parents.  We want you and your parents to be as comfortable as possible with your decision to dedicate four years of your life being part of our ROTC program.

5.  Ask What Other Scholarships Are Available :  Even if you do not receive an ROTC National Scholarship talk to the ROTC program you are interested in about other scholarship options.  They should be able to inform you about ROTC campus based scholarships, Minuteman Scholarships , and Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) Scholarships.  Some schools also have various academic and alumni scholarships that Cadets can apply for as well.  For example at EWU we have four Cadets on a fraternity sponsored Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship and another on the Chertok Memorial Scholarship which is an academic scholarship awarded through the College of Social Sciences.

6.  Train to Take Your Fitness Test:   Applicants that are not in the best of shape should spend a month training to improve their fitness prior to taking the fitness test.  ROTC scholarships are highly competitive and running a seven minute mile could be the difference between receiving a 4 year or 3 year scholarship.  If possible try and take the scholarship fitness test while visiting the ROTC program you are most interested in.  Fitness is a very important attribute of being an Army officer and preparing for the test and doing well on it will make a good first impression with the ROTC Cadre.

7.  Prepare for Your Interview:   The interview for the ROTC National Scholarship is very important since it is worth 200 points.  Additionally the interviewer who is usually a Professor of Military Science, will write an assessment of you that will be read by the scholarship board.  Making a good first impression is critical, show up on time and come dressed for success.  Don’t wear torn up jeans and t-shirts to an ROTC interview.  Business dress for both males and females is very appropriate for a scholarship interview.  Don’t be taking calls or answering texts on your phone during the interview.  Yes I have seen this happen!   Be prepared to answer simple questions like, “Tell me a little about yourself”.  Remember you are selling yourself to the PMS to write the best assessment possible of you to the scholarship board.  Be well prepared to answer questions and think on your feet.  Finally be prepared to ask the interviewer some questions at the end of the interview.  This further demonstrates how prepared you were for the interview.

8.  Spend Time Writing a Quality Essay:  On the ROTC application you will have the opportunity to write a little bit about yourself.  Make sure to spend the time to write a quality essay, personal statement, and achievements.  You especially should highlight why you want to be an Army officer.  Make sure you use proper grammar and don’t have misspellings.  Writing is an important skill for Army officers to have, so show the board you can write a quality narrative.  In the narrative make sure to highlight aspects about you that will make you stand out from the crowd.  Mentions things like if you ranked nationally in some event, how many hours you were per week at your job, any awards you have received, volunteer service, etc.

  9.  Play a Sport:   Points are awarded on the ROTC scholarship application for sports played.  Remember that Cadets in ROTC are scholar athletes, just like members of the university’s sports teams.  The Army wants its officers to be athletic.  If you know you plan to apply in the future for an ROTC Scholarship than find a sport to play in high school, preferably two of them.  Having all-conference and all-state sports honors on an ROTC application will really help the application stand apart from the crowd.

10.  Get Involved in Organizations:   On the scholarship interview there are points that can be awarded for being involved in school and community activities.  For example being elected to student government and being a member of the National Honor Society are worth points.  Being involved in Scouting or Civil Air Patrol are examples on community organizations that points can be awarded for.  Volunteering for local organizations are other great things to include on the application and mention during interviews.

Following these tips will help you be competitive for an ROTC scholarship.  However, these tips cannot overcome poor performance in the classroom.  Keeping a high GPA and scoring well on the SAT or ACT are very important for being competitive for an ROTC scholarship.  The Army is looking for Scholar, Athlete, Leaders so try to work towards meeting all three of these criteria in your application.  Good luck to everyone pursuing an ROTC scholarship and feel free to leave a comment or email us at [email protected] with any questions.

2 thoughts on “10 Tips for a Successful Army ROTC National Scholarship Application”

ROTC scholarship application question

This is the summer after my Junior year, I’m supposed to be starting the application right? The reason why I ask this, is the on the deadline section the boards still say 2018-2019.

2.For the school year it says 2020-2021, what does this refer to?

I’m basically looking for conformation I didn’t screw up the start of the application by being too early. Again, I’m going to my senior year starting in august, and I graduate 2020.

The 2020-2021 scholarship season is for current high school seniors that submitted ROTC applications. The 2020-2021 scholarship season is about to be over. Since you are a junior currently your first year in college would be the 2021-2022 academic year and thus this is the timeframe you will be competing for a scholarship for.

This summer you can start putting your application together. Make sure to take your ACT or SAT early to have time to take a retest if needed. This is something I have seen issues with applicants before with. Once you are good with your ACT or SAT, you will need to contact your nearest ROTC department to conduct the fitness test and interview. If you live in the Spokane region we can easily take care of this for you.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. Go Eags!

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Find Your School

Army rotc scholarships and list of colleges, army rotc: scholarships, colleges, and requirements.

There are a number of paths to becoming a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army. One of the most well-known is the Army ROTC scholarship program. ROTC is an acronym for Reserve Officer Training Corps. This program is available at over 1,100 military-friendly colleges and universities nationwide. Some of these schools you may have heard of:

Georgetown University

• Los Angeles
• Santa Barbara
• Ohio State University

Florida State University

Princeton University

Army ROTC Scholarships

One of the most attractive prospects of the ROTC program is the ability for students to attend college with no tuition debt. Scholarships and stipends in Army ROTC pay for college courses and help students focus on getting their degree.

ROTC scholarships pay full tuition!

These scholarships are available for:

• High school students
• Students currently in college
• Enlisted soldiers who wish to become commissioned officers but do not meet the education requirements.

Scholarships are awarded based on a student’s merit and grades, NOT on financial need.

Since the cost of tuition is not standard across the country, the amount of tuition paid by each scholarship depends on the school you attend. The ROTC program is intended to pay full tuition expenses in exchange for service in the Army after graduation, as an officer in either the Active or Reserve Components.

Army ROTC Scholarships consist of:

• 2-, 3-, and 4-year scholarship options based on the time remaining to complete your degree
• Full-tuition scholarships
• The option for room and board in place of tuition, if you qualify
• A monthly stipend ($420 in 2023, your experience may vary)
• $600 per semester for books at press time (your experience may vary)
• Language Courses – up to $3,000 per academic year to study strategic languages in 2023, your experience may vary.

Use this location tool to find Army ROTC Colleges .  Or you can use the CollegeRecon School Finder tool to locate ROTC schools as well.

The application window for each scholarship year ends in early February. So, for students graduating high school in 2022, your application window will open later this year and close in February 2022.

4-Year College Scholarships

This option is mainly for high school students planning on attending a four-year college program. Read the following information on Requirements and Commitments .

3-Year College Scholarships

This program is available for students already enrolled in college with three academic years remaining. The following page covers the program’s Requirements .

2-Year College Scholarships

This program is tailored to those students who have already completed half of their degree and only have two academic years remaining. Here are the Requirements for the program.

Hip Pocket Scholarships

The Army ROTC program also has a Green to Gold Hip Pocket Scholarship Program that provides selected Soldiers the opportunity to complete their undergraduate degree requirements and obtain a commission by participating in the ROTC program. 

Each year, division commanders may nominate deserving Soldiers for two, three, and 4-year Green to Gold scholarships. Here are the enrollment options for Green to Gold:

• Green to Gold Scholarship Option – For Soldiers who are considering leaving Active Duty to attend college while receiving full tuition or room and board, flat rate book payment, and a monthly stipend.
• Green to Gold Active Duty Option – For Soldiers who want to remain on Active Duty and attend college.
• Green to Gold Non-Scholarship – For Soldiers who are considering leaving Active Duty to attend college while receiving a monthly stipend.

Download the Hip Pocket Guide to get started. You will also want to check out the Green to Gold Scholarship application booklet.

Army ROTC Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

In order to be accepted for any ROTC Scholarship, you must meet these standards:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be between the ages of 17 and 26
• Have a high school GPA of at least 2.50
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Score a minimum of 1000 on the SAT (math/verbal) or 19 on the ACT (excluding the required writing test scores)
• Pass the Army fitness test
• Meet the physical weight and height requirements
• Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in Army Reserve or Army National Guard

Army ROTC Commitment

By accepting this scholarship, you agree to a commitment of

• 8 years in the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard
• You may be eligible to serve part-time while pursuing a civilian career immediately after graduation

Simultaneous Membership Program

The Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) allows you to attend Army ROTC and serve in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard at the same time. This option gives you the opportunity for additional training and experience. Cadets will serve as officer trainees in the Army Reserve or National Guard while completing college. This option also allows you to earn Army Reserve/National Guard pay and benefits in addition to your Army ROTC allowances.

Army Partnership for Youth Success Program

The Partnership for Youth Success (PaYS) program is a strategic Army marketing and recruiting program that establishes partnership programs with a cross-section of U.S. industries and public sector agencies. ROTC Cadets enrolled in the PaYS program are eligible for a job interview and possible employment after college requirements and commissioning.

Learn more about the Army PaYS program.

Living Expenses

Army ROTC scholarships provide a $420 per month living allowance for each school year. Non-scholarship Cadets in ROTC advanced courses (juniors & seniors) also receive this allowance.

There is a ton of information on the Army’s ROTC website, but if you’re looking for something specific, the best place to start is their ROTC FAQs webpage. If you are curious about what degree programs Cadets can select or your service obligation after graduation, then check out those FAQs.

GOARMY.COM Account

In order to apply for any of the Army’s ROTC programs, you will need to register for a GoArmy.com Account . Don’t miss another opportunity to get that degree! Read on to check out the most current list of ROTC colleges and universities!

Army ROTC Colleges List by State

Follow the links to the ROTC pages for each school. They will provide more specific information for each program.

Alabama A&M University

• Athens State University
• University of Alabama – Huntsville

Auburn University

Auburn University at Montgomery

• Alabama State University
• Huntington College
• Troy University

Jacksonville State University

Marion Military Institute

The University of Alabama

• Stillman College

Tuskegee University

University of Alabama – Birmingham

• Birmingham Southern College
• Miles College
• Samford University
• University of Montevallo

University of North Alabama

University of South Alabama

University of Alaska – Anchorage

University of Alaska – Fairbanks

Arizona State University

• Grand Canyon University

Northern Arizona University

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott
• Coconino Community College

University of Arizona

• Pima Community College

Arkansas State University

• Harding University
• Lyon College
• Arkansas State University – Beebe

University of Arkansas

• John Brown University
• Northeastern State University

University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff

• Henderson State University
• Ouachita Baptist University

University of Central Arkansas

• Arkansas Tech University
• Philander Smith College
• Hendrix College
• Central Baptist College

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

California State University – Fresno

California State University – Fullerton

• Biola University
• Cerritos College
• Chapman University
• Cypress College
• Fullerton College
• Golden West College
• Mount San Antonio College
• Orange Coast College
• Rancho Santiago College
• Vanguard University
• Whittier College

Claremont-McKenna College

• Azusa Pacific University
• California Baptist University
• California State Polytechnic University – Pomona
• California State University – San Bernardino
• Chaffey College
• Citrus College
• Harvey Mudd College – Claremont
• Loma Linda University – Loma Linda
• Occidental College
• Pitzer College
• Pomona College – Claremont
• Scripps College – Claremont
• University of California at Riverside – Riverside
• University of La Verne
• University of Redlands – Redlands

San Diego State University

• California State University San Marcos
• Grossmont College
• Mesa College
• Mira Costa College
• Miramar College
• Palomar College
• Point Loma Nazarene College
• Southwestern College
• University of California – San Diego
• University of San Diego

Santa Clara University

• Foothills College
• Mission College
• San Jose State University
• Stanford University
• West Valley College

University of California – Berkeley

• California State University East Bay
• Saint Mary’s College
• Mills College

University of California – Davis

• California State University – Sacramento
• Simpson University

University of California – Los Angeles

• California State – Los Angeles
• Loyola Marymount University – Los Angeles
• Pepperdine University
• The Master’s College
• California State University – Northridge
• California Lutheran University

University of California – Santa Barbara

• California State University Channel Islands
• Westmont College
• Santa Barbara City College

University of San Francisco

University of Southern California

• California State University – Dominguez Hills
• California State University – Long Beach

Colorado State University

• The University of Northern Colorado
• Front Range Community College – Larimer Campus

University of Colorado – Boulder

• Colorado Christian University
• Colorado School of Mines
• Colorado Technical University
• Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Regis University
• University of Colorado at Denver
• University of Denver

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

• Colorado State University of Pueblo
• DeVry University – Colorado Springs Campus
• National American University
• University of Phoenix

Connecticut

University of Connecticut

University of New Haven

University of Delaware

• Delaware State University
• Wesley College
• Salisbury State University
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore
• Wilmington College
• Lincoln University (PA)
• American University
• Catholic University of America
• George Washington University

Howard University

• University of the District of Columbia
• Trinity University
• Corcoran College of Art and Design

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

• Bethune-Cookman College
• Stetson University

Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University

Florida Institute of Technology

• Eastern Florida State College

Florida International University

• Barry University
• Broward College
• Florida Atlantic University
• Florida Memorial University
• NOVA Southeastern University
• Miami Dade College
• Palm Beach Atlantic University
• University of Miami

Florida Southern College

• Southeastern University
• Polk State College

University of Central Florida

University of Florida

• Santa Fe College
• University of North Florida

University of South Florida

• Clearwater Christian College
• Saint Leo University
• Saint Pete College

University of Tampa

University of West Florida

Columbus State University

Fort Valley State University

• Albany State University

Georgia Institute of Technology

• Agnes Scott College
• Emory University
• Kennesaw State University
• Southern Polytechnic State University

Georgia Military College

• Georgia College State University
• Mercer University

Augusta University

• USC – Aiken
• Troy University – Augusta
• Paine College

Georgia Southern University

• Armstrong Atlantic State University
• Savannah State University

Georgia State University

• Clark Atlanta University
• Clayton State University
• Morehouse College
• Spelman College

University of North Georgia

University of Georgia

University of Hawaii at Manoa

• Brigham Young University – Hawaii
• Chaminade University of Honolulu
• Hawaii Pacific University

Boise State University

• Brigham Young University – Idaho
• Idaho State University
• Northwest Nazarene University

University of Idaho

• Lewis-Clark State College

Eastern Illinois University

Illinois State University

Northern Illinois University

Southern Illinois – Carbondale

Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville

• McKendree College
• Southwestern Illinois College
• Lewis and Clark College

University of Illinois – Chicago

• Chicago State University
• DePaul University
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Indiana University Northwest
• Northeastern Illinois University
• Purdue University – Calumet
• Robert Morris College

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Western Illinois University

• Monmouth College

Wheaton College

• Olivet Nazarene University
• Lewis University
• North Central College
• Benedictine University
• Aurora University
• DeVry University – Addison
• University of St. Francis
• Elmhurst College

Loyola University

• Northwestern
• Northeastern
• Resurrection University

Ball State University

• Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne
• Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI)

• Butler University
• Franklin College
• Marian College
• University of Indianapolis

Indiana University at Bloomington

Purdue University

• Wabash College

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

• DePauw University
• Indiana State University
• University of Evansville
• University of Southern Indiana

University of Notre Dame

• Bethel College
• Holy Cross College
• Indiana University of South Bend (IUSB)
• Valparaiso University

Iowa State University

• Drake University
• Grand View College
• Buena Vista University

University of Iowa

• Coe College

University of Northern Iowa

• University of Dubuque
• Loras College

Kansas State University

Pittsburg State University

• Wichita State University
• Garden City Community College

University of Kansas

• Baker University
• Haskell Indian Nations University
• Johnson County Community College
• Kansas City Kansas Community College
• Mid-American Nazarene College
• University of Saint Mary College
• Washburn University of Topeka

Eastern Kentucky University

• Union College
• University of the Cumberlands

Morehead State University

University of Kentucky

• Asbury University
• Centre College
• Transylvania University
• Georgetown College
• Midway College
• Kentucky State University

University of Louisville

• Bellarmine University
• Indiana University Southeast
• Spalding University

Western Kentucky University

Grambling State University

• Louisiana Tech University
• University of Louisiana at Monroe

Louisiana State University

Northwestern State University

Southern University and A&M College

Tulane University

University of Maine

• Colby College
• Husson College
• Thomas College
• University of Maine at Augusta

Bowie State University

Loyola University Maryland

• Goucher College
• Towson State University
• College of Notre Dame of Maryland

McDaniel College

• Hood College
• Mount St. Mary’s University

Morgan State University

• Coppin State University

The Johns Hopkins University

• Maryland Institute College of Art
• Stevenson University
• University of Baltimore
• University of Maryland at Baltimore
• University of Maryland – Baltimore County

University of Maryland at College Park

• University of Maryland University College

Massachusetts

Boston University

• Babson College
• Bentley College
• Brandeis University
• Bridgewater State College
• Curry College
• Eastern Nazarene College
• Fisher College
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy
• Stonehill College
• University of Massachusetts – Boston
• University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Endicott College
• Gordon College
• Harvard University
• Salem State College
• Tufts University
• Wellesley College
• Northeastern University
• Berklee College of Music
• Boston College
• Emerson College
• Emmanuel College
• Framington State University
• Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
• Regis College
• Simmons College
• Suffolk University
• Wentworth Institute of Technology

University of Massachusetts

• American International College
• Amherst College
• Mount Holyoke College
• Smith College
• Springfield College
• Western New England University
• Westfield State College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

• Anna Maria College
• Assumption College
• Becker College
• Clark University
• College of the Holy Cross
• Daniel Webster College
• Fitchburg State College
• Nichols College
• University of Massachusetts – Lowell
• Worcester State College

Central Michigan University

• Ferris State University at Big Rapids Michigan
• Northwood University
• Saginaw Valley State University
• Alma College

Eastern Michigan University

• University of Detroit Mercy

Michigan State University

Michigan Technological University

• Finlandia University

Northern Michigan University

University of Michigan

• University of Michigan – Dearborn
• University of Michigan – Flint
• Wayne State University

Western Michigan University

• Calvin College
• Grand Valley State University
• Davenport University
• Albion College
• Cornerstone
• Hope College
• Aquinas College
• Olivet College

Minnesota State University – Mankato

• Bethany Lutheran College
• Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint John’s University

• College of Saint Benedict
• Saint Cloud State University

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

• Augsburg College
• Bethel University
• Concordia University
• Crown College
• Hamline University
• Macalester College
• Metropolitan State University
• St. Catherine University
• North Central University
• University of Northwestern – St. Paul
• University of St. Thomas

Mississippi

Alcorn State University

Jackson State University

• Mississippi College
• Mississippi Valley State University
• University of MC School of Nursing

Mississippi State University

University of Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi

• William Carey College

Lincoln University

Missouri State University

• College of the Ozarks
• Drury University
• Evangel University
• Southwest Baptist University

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri Western State University

• Benedictine College
• Northwest Missouri State University
• Rockhurst College
• University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC)

Truman State University

University of Central Missouri

University of Missouri – Columbia

• Central Methodist University
• Columbia College

Washington University in Saint Louis

• Lindenwood University
• University of Missouri Saint Louis
• Saint Louis University
• Webster University
• Missouri Baptist University
• Maryville University
• Harris-Stowe State University
• Fontbonne University

Montana State University

• MSU Billings
• Rocky Mountain College

University of Montana

• Carroll College

Creighton University

• University of Nebraska – Omaha

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

• University of Nebraska – Kearney
• Doane University
• Nebraska Wesleyan University

Chadron State College

University of Nevada – Reno

• University of Nevada – Las Vegas

New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire

• Colby-Sawyer College
• Franklin Pierce College
• Keene State College
• Plymouth State College
• Saint Anslem College
• Saint Joseph’s College
• Southern New Hampshire University
• University of New England
• University of Southern Maine
• The College of New Jersey
• Rowan University
• Rutgers University – Camden

Rutgers University

Seton Hall University

• Bloomfield College
• Caldwell College
• Drew University
• Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Kean University
• Montclair State University
• New Jersey City University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Ramapo College
• Rutgers University – Newark
• Saint Peter’s College
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Union County College
• University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ
• William Paterson University

New Mexico Military Institute

New Mexico State University

University of New Mexico

Canisius College

• SUNY Buffalo
• SUNY Buffalo State

City University of New York (CUNY)

• Baruch College
• Brooklyn College
• The City College of New York
• College of Staten Island
• Hunter College
• John Jay College of Criminal Justice
• Lehman College
• Medgar Evers College
• New York City College of Technology
• Queens College
• York College

Clarkson University

• SUNY Canton
• SUNY Potsdam
• Saint Lawrence University

Cornell University

• Elmira College
• Ithaca College
• SUNY Binghamton
• SUNY College at Cortland

Fordham University

• CUNY Baruch College
• CUNY Hunter College
• CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
• CUNY LaGuardia
• CUNY Lehman College
• CUNY York College
• City College
• College of Aeronautics
• College of Mount Saint Vincent
• College of New Rochelle
• Columbia University
• Columbia University Teachers College
• Cooper Union
• Iona College
• Long Island University
• Manhattan College
• Manhattanville College
• Marist College
• Marymount College
• Mercy College
• Monroe College
• Mount Saint Mary’s College
• New School for Social Research
• New York Law School
• New York University
• Pace University – New York
• Polytechnic University
• Pratt Institute
• Saint Francis College
• Vassar College
• Wagner College
• SUNY New Paltz

Hofstra University

• Adelphi University
• Dowling College
• Long Island University – C.W. Post
• Molloy College
• SUNY Stony Brook
• SUNY Farmingdale
• SUNY Old Westbury
• New York Institute of Technology
• Nassau Community College
• Suffolk Community College

Niagara University

• Buffalo State College

Rochester Institute of Technology

• University of Rochester
• Nazareth College
• Monroe Community College
• Saint John Fisher College
• SUNY College at Geneseo
• Finger Lakes Community College

SUNY Brockport

Saint Bonaventure University

• Houghton College
• University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
• Alfred University
• SUNY Jamestown Community College
• SUNY Alfred State

Saint John’s University New York

Siena College

• Albany Law School
• College of Saint Rose
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Russell Sage College
• SUNY Albany

Syracuse University

• Cazenovia College
• Colgate University
• Hamilton College
• Lemoyne College
• SUNY College at Oswego
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Information about Army ROTC, the scholarship process, and the program at Clarkson University

The Essay – What does the board want to hear – 2019 edition

Time to refresh an oldie, but a goodie. I wrote this Blog post in November of 2010. Apart from updating a couple links I think the information still holds true.

The Army ROTC High School scholarship application asks you for two essays and there is an additional information block. I recommend you use the space. It is going to be looked at by the board before any Resumes or Letters of Recommendation, so focus your time on these essay blocks.

These are the instructions for Question 1

Consider carefully, and then state below in the space provided why you wish to enroll in the Army ROTC Program.  Indicate in your statement how you believe your own objectives in life are related to the education and training offered by Army ROTC and what a career obligation means to you.  NOTE:  Recommend you create your statement on a Word document, review for content accuracy and spelling, then copy & paste into the section below.

I stand by what I wrote in 2010…start here:

For the essay I suggest you look at three things (follow these links or Google them):

• Army Values
• Soldier’s Creed
• Army Leadership Doctrine

Once you have looked at these three topics I feel you have enough information to know what we are looking to instill in an Officer, and what we want in our Cadets. If you sit down and now write your personal statement describing why you wish to enroll, how your objectives relate, and what a career obligation means to you and throw in some statements that show your values and beliefs align with the Soldier’s Creed/Warrior Ethos/Army Values/Leadership Dimensions you should have a personal statement that will convince a board member that you have what it takes.

The second question asks:

State below in the space provided how you spend your time in a typical week during the school year.  For Example, how many extra hours do you spend: at school, doing homework, engaged in athletic activities, engaged in extracurricular activities (i.e. clubs), engaged in volunteer work, or other (explain). 

Pretty straight forward. Don’t make stuff up or exagerate. Hopefully you are fairly active and know how to manage your time.

The last block says:

Please expand on any additional information outlining scholastic, athletic and leadership achievements not otherwise annotated in the previous sections.  Although you are not required to do so, you are highly encouraged to do so if applicable.

Use this white space to highlight anything you think the board should know that you didn’t check a block for or wasn’t explained elsewhere. This is a good place to explain any “other” block you may have checked in the Activities tab.

Don’t agonize over this stuff. Be honest, be thorough and proof read and you’ll do well.

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• Other Sources of Commission

Former Army ROTC PMS Observations regarding ROTC Application Essays

• Thread starter AROTCPMS
• Start date Aug 11, 2019

Former Army ROTC PMS for Claremont McKenna and USC

• Aug 11, 2019

Hi Everyone. Having sat an Army ROTC scholarship board, conducted hundreds of applicant reviews in my role as a PMS and in discussing applicant essay content with my officer colleagues, I wanted to give you my observations about what makes the best impression on these essays. What I am referring to the following essays prompts for the Army and Navy ROTC. I believe these are the most important essays for both applications and is why they are the first essay for both Services: Army ROTC: Consider carefully, and then state below in the space provided why you wish to enroll in the Army ROTC Program. Indicate in your statement how you believe your own objectives in life are related to the education and training offered by Army ROTC and what a career obligation means to you. Navy ROTC: Discuss your reasons for wanting to become a Naval/Marine Officer. Specifically comment on leadership positions you've held, the challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned. I firmly believe that what this essay SHOULD NOT be is a laundry list or rundown of what the applicant achieved in high school or why the applicant believes he/she is an outstanding leader. The attitude that board members get out of essays such as these are: “Hey, I’m a talented wonderful person and you have to select me because of my past accomplishments.” But—how can the applicant really say this if they have no idea of what life will be like as a cadet/midshipman and future officer? What should you do instead? Do your research about the service you are interested in, visit your local ROTC unit and talk to cadre and cadets/midshipmen, visit your local national guard or reserve unit and “shadow” an officer for a few hours, and speak to serving or former officers. Learn all you can about what the challenges are in ROTC and what life will be like as a future officer. Then, when you write your essay, talk about those experiences in your essay. Be humble. Tell the board members you did your due diligence to understand the challenges ahead of you. Tell them you have prepared yourself as best you can (here you can speak to your past leadership experiences) and feel confident that based on your past leadership and these visits/talks you are up to the task of being an officer candidate and a future military officer. If you write this type of essay, you will be in the 5% category of those who have gone out of their way to actually validate the statement that they are ready to be an officer candidate. Good luck everyone as you work on your applications. LTC (Retired) Rob Kirkland “The Insider’s Guide to the Army (and Air Force) ROTC Scholarship for High School Students and their Parents” (Amazon)  

Parent of USNA C/O 2025

AROTCPMS said: Hi Everyone. Having sat an Army ROTC scholarship board, conducted hundreds of applicant reviews in my role as a PMS and in discussing applicant essay content with my officer colleagues, I wanted to give you my observations about what makes the best impression on these essays. What I am referring to the following essays prompts for the Army and Navy ROTC. I believe these are the most important essays for both applications and is why they are the first essay for both Services: Army ROTC: Consider carefully, and then state below in the space provided why you wish to enroll in the Army ROTC Program. Indicate in your statement how you believe your own objectives in life are related to the education and training offered by Army ROTC and what a career obligation means to you. Navy ROTC: Discuss your reasons for wanting to become a Naval/Marine Officer. Specifically comment on leadership positions you've held, the challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned. I firmly believe that what this essay SHOULD NOT be is a laundry list or rundown of what the applicant achieved in high school or why the applicant believes he/she is an outstanding leader. The attitude that board members get out of essays such as these are: “Hey, I’m a talented wonderful person and you have to select me because of my past accomplishments.” But—how can the applicant really say this if they have no idea of what life will be like as a cadet/midshipman and future officer? What should you do instead? Do your research about the service you are interested in, visit your local ROTC unit and talk to cadre and cadets/midshipmen, visit your local national guard or reserve unit and “shadow” an officer for a few hours, and speak to serving or former officers. Learn all you can about what the challenges are in ROTC and what life will be like as a future officer. Then, when you write your essay, talk about those experiences in your essay. Be humble. Tell the board members you did your due diligence to understand the challenges ahead of you. Tell them you have prepared yourself as best you can (here you can speak to your past leadership experiences) and feel confident that based on your past leadership and these visits/talks you are up to the task of being an officer candidate and a future military officer. If you write this type of essay, you will be in the 5% category of those who have gone out of their way to actually validate the statement that they are ready to be an officer candidate. Good luck everyone as you work on your applications. LTC (Retired) Rob Kirkland “The Insider’s Guide to the Army (and Air Force) ROTC Scholarship for High School Students and their Parents” (Amazon) Click to expand...

• Aug 15, 2019

LTC Kirkland, Thanks for the insights. We have your book as well and found it a great resource while going through the AROTC scholarship application process. This darn essay gave us a heck of a challenge. My daughter answered the question freely, without regards to how long it was. We were happy with her essay, then we went to paste it into the portal and found out it was waaaay too long. You are only allowed 2000 characters (including spaces). Her original essay was well over 4500 characters. We cut it in half, and took out what we felt were supporting details to her points, and we finally got it down to 2000 characters. Just as a reference, that's 386 words, and the Common App College essay can be up to 650 words. So I would encourage applicants to be concise with their essay and try to pack in as much as they can in a few words.  

• Aug 18, 2019
• Aug 31, 2019
• Oct 12, 2019

A question: do you think that the applicant should make these essays shorter or fill up the whole space?  

Parent (no longer active on SAF)

• Oct 13, 2019

Realtor10 said: A question: do you think that the applicant should make these essays shorter or fill up the whole space? Click to expand...

• Oct 23, 2019

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Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AROTC)

Scholarships, scholarship opportunities, over 80% of norwich university's army rotc juniors and seniors are on an army rotc scholarship.

The Army ROTC Scholarship pays full tuition and applicable fees, provides a $600 per semester book stipend, and a $420 per month Cadet stipend once the student contracts and activates the scholarship.

Any Army ROTC Cadet who receives any of the scholarships below automatically receives the General I.D. White scholarship from Norwich University, which covers full Room and Board - this constitutes a full ride for all semesters the Cadet is on an ROTC Scholarship.

FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS - National ROTC Scholarship: 3- or 4-year scholarships are available that cover full tuition and fees for the period of the scholarship

To apply for the Army ROTC scholarship complete the following:

Step 1 - Create your Army account .

Step 2  -  Complete your Army ROTC 4-Year High School Scholarship Application

• Upload HS transcript and College Board scores
• Complete all biographic information and write an Applicant Personal Statement and Applicant Essay
• Download Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) form and have PE instructor, JROTC instructor, coach, or Army recruiter administer the test and upload the form
• Conduct an interview with a Professor of Military Science. This step is completed after all other steps. The PMS with whom you conduct your interview does not have to be with a college/university to which you are applying. Your performance in the interview will be factored into whether you earn a scholarship. The PMS with whom you conduct your interview has no influence on earning a scholarship.

Campus-based Scholarships

Campus-based scholarships are merit-based. There is no application for campus-based ROTC scholarships. Cadets compete for these scholarships and based on the Army’s whole person concept of Scholar, Athlete, and Leader. Students will be evaluated on:

• College GPA weighted by academic major
• Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) score
• Extracurricular athletics and activities
• Assistant Professor of Military Science (APMS) assessment

Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship (GRFD):

Same merit-based scholarship opportunity as a campus-based scholarship but requires active participation in the National Guard or Army Reserve. This is an excellent option for students who desire to serve in the Reserve Component upon graduating college.

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Norwich University’s US Army ROTC unit, known as the Pioneer Battalion, had 23 students in its 2021 class recognized as national Army ROTC Distinguished Military Graduates.

In 2021, 90% of Norwich University’s U.S. Army ROTC students earned their #1 branch choice when they commissioned.

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Our U.S. Army ROTC students exemplify success. Thirty Army ROTC students from the Class of 2022 earned Norwich Tri-Service Awards, which honor achievements in the classroom, athletics and ROTC training. Join our legacy of success.

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