Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 17:43     Subject: ROTC experiences
DC1 rising junior at ivy (RD) on AFROTC scholarship. Immediately after being awarded the scholarship schools that were on the kids top 5 list started to reach out and asked to ED. DC1 enjoys AFROTC and time management is very important. DC1 has been offered research positions at different base last year and this year. DC1 is off to field training in a few days.

DC2 will be attending ivy (ED) on NROTC scholarship in the fall. scholarship was awarded on the Dec board after ED decisions, so not sure if it helped.

Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 17:19     Subject: ROTC experiences
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Thank you for starting this topic. My rising junior is also seriously considering ROTC. His older sibling is at one of the HYPMS which also has a great ROTC program. For admissions (assuming he gets the scholarship), does ROTC provide any sort of boost at all?

I know how hard it is to be admitted so really trying to manage expectations.


I'm OP and clearly I am in the process of learning about this, so I defer to any corrections on this, but my understanding is that you apply to the college's ROTC once you've been admitted to the school. You can also apply for national ROTC scholarships but they make it clear that listing the colleges you're interested in as part of that application in no way guarantees admission.


Ok, thank you. From our very early understanding, it sounds like (if sibling's college is first choice), that he should apply REA while simultaneously planning for the first ROTC board which happens in October. Then the board decision will come out just a few weeks before the REA decision, and hopefully if it's a yes, then DC will update his application that he received the ROTC scholarship. I don't know what happens after that point... but hoping that the ROTC scholarship will give a small boost?

Don't count on getting in the first round. It's a very small percentage that do.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 16:27     Subject: ROTC experiences
My kid at a T20 has ROTC friends -- those friends reported applying for ROTC in part due to the admissions bump. Not sure the bump is real, but current students perceive it to be so.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:32     Subject: ROTC experiences
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have an Ivy ROTC who really likes it. they were a high school athlete and didn't want to play D3 in college and it feels like the fraternity of ROTC replaces being on a team. it's definitely a commitment-they're up at 6/6:30am, 5 days a week from the first week of college. however this quickly becomes routine.

it's hard to say whether it gives an admissions boost. My child applied prior getting the scholarship so they personally got in on their own merit. Everyone they know in their program had Ivy level stats and are now some of the top students at the university. I think the discipline required of the program helps foster academic discipline.


This is really helpful, thank you. I thought it was one weekend a month and then several weeks over the summer? I didn't realize it was 5 days a week. I'm not sure my kid does either and honestly I don't know if that will dissuade him but that is important info to have.



It is 4 mornings a week (I misspoke),
one weekend a semester and a month in the summer following junior year. this is army. the other branches vary.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:31     Subject: ROTC experiences
Hunting fishermen like it's a videogame--what could be better?
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:28     Subject: ROTC experiences
Anonymous wrote:Military retiree family. I'd prefer to pay for college and not have my kids owe anything and go in as officers. Its a lot during college.


Fair enough but my kid loves the program, is fine with 4 years of military commitment, and ROTC is saving us $400k.

Plus this guarantees they'll have an entry level job when they graduate. Which in 2026+ is far from a given for new grads.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:28     Subject: ROTC experiences
Anonymous wrote:I have an Ivy ROTC who really likes it. they were a high school athlete and didn't want to play D3 in college and it feels like the fraternity of ROTC replaces being on a team. it's definitely a commitment-they're up at 6/6:30am, 5 days a week from the first week of college. however this quickly becomes routine.

it's hard to say whether it gives an admissions boost. My child applied prior getting the scholarship so they personally got in on their own merit. Everyone they know in their program had Ivy level stats and are now some of the top students at the university. I think the discipline required of the program helps foster academic discipline.


This is really helpful, thank you. I thought it was one weekend a month and then several weeks over the summer? I didn't realize it was 5 days a week. I'm not sure my kid does either and honestly I don't know if that will dissuade him but that is important info to have.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:27     Subject: ROTC experiences
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Thank you for starting this topic. My rising junior is also seriously considering ROTC. His older sibling is at one of the HYPMS which also has a great ROTC program. For admissions (assuming he gets the scholarship), does ROTC provide any sort of boost at all?

I know how hard it is to be admitted so really trying to manage expectations.


I'm OP and clearly I am in the process of learning about this, so I defer to any corrections on this, but my understanding is that you apply to the college's ROTC once you've been admitted to the school. You can also apply for national ROTC scholarships but they make it clear that listing the colleges you're interested in as part of that application in no way guarantees admission.


Ok, thank you. From our very early understanding, it sounds like (if sibling's college is first choice), that he should apply REA while simultaneously planning for the first ROTC board which happens in October. Then the board decision will come out just a few weeks before the REA decision, and hopefully if it's a yes, then DC will update his application that he received the ROTC scholarship. I don't know what happens after that point... but hoping that the ROTC scholarship will give a small boost?
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:24     Subject: ROTC experiences
Military retiree family. I'd prefer to pay for college and not have my kids owe anything and go in as officers. Its a lot during college.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:22     Subject: ROTC experiences
I have an Ivy ROTC who really likes it. they were a high school athlete and didn't want to play D3 in college and it feels like the fraternity of ROTC replaces being on a team. it's definitely a commitment-they're up at 6/6:30am, 5 days a week from the first week of college. however this quickly becomes routine.

it's hard to say whether it gives an admissions boost. My child applied prior getting the scholarship so they personally got in on their own merit. Everyone they know in their program had Ivy level stats and are now some of the top students at the university. I think the discipline required of the program helps foster academic discipline.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:20     Subject: ROTC experiences
Anonymous wrote:Thank you for starting this topic. My rising junior is also seriously considering ROTC. His older sibling is at one of the HYPMS which also has a great ROTC program. For admissions (assuming he gets the scholarship), does ROTC provide any sort of boost at all?

I know how hard it is to be admitted so really trying to manage expectations.


I'm OP and clearly I am in the process of learning about this, so I defer to any corrections on this, but my understanding is that you apply to the college's ROTC once you've been admitted to the school. You can also apply for national ROTC scholarships but they make it clear that listing the colleges you're interested in as part of that application in no way guarantees admission.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 15:12     Subject: ROTC experiences
Thank you for starting this topic. My rising junior is also seriously considering ROTC. His older sibling is at one of the HYPMS which also has a great ROTC program. For admissions (assuming he gets the scholarship), does ROTC provide any sort of boost at all?

I know how hard it is to be admitted so really trying to manage expectations.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 13:48     Subject: ROTC experiences
Thank you, I'm happy to hear it. My grandfathers served in WWII but we aren't what I would call a "military family" so this is coming entirely from my kid and I really don't know what to expect but he is determined.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 13:46     Subject: ROTC experiences
DC is at HYPMS with ROTC. Great group of serious students who are disciplined. Many come from senior ranking military families but not all.
Anonymous
Post 05/19/2026 12:31     Subject: ROTC experiences
I know this must vary widely by program and school but if anyone has ROTC experience to share, especially at a T20 school (nothing is for sure but some of these are target schools for my kid) I would be grateful. Basically, I'm wondering if your child (or you) felt happy and satisfied with the decision to do ROTC.