ROTC/ Financial

Answered

The costs that the government picks up for you vary widely depending on whether you go to a Private University or a Public University. Also, it depends on whether you go to a Public College in your state or out of your state because sometimes they cap off the max. tuition payout at the prevailing in-state rate. So from what I've read if you live in CA and apply to a UC school, you might get your CA resident tuition covered but if you live in OR and apply to UCLA, you have to come up with the difference which is not a trivial amount, almost an extra $30,000 per year.

Here's a link to the official ROTC how to pay for the College website. After you read through it, you will still have some questions but the contact information is on there so you can talk to your local ROTC office to make sure where you apply will meet your financial needs.

https://www.todaysmilitary.com/education-training/paying-college

ROTC is a good option if you can't get much financial aid or merit scholarships but remember that you have to give up 3 years of your life to repay them. If you apply to WestPoint or Annapolis or the Colorado Springs AF Academy and get in you, you get a full ride and a stipend for your 4 years while attending. The catch is that you have to give back 5 years of your life to serving in the military. But you get a superior education as well.

If you are high achieving and low income, the best options are a.) apply to a program like Questbridge which has 45 Top schools to choose from for a full-ride or near full-ride scholarship for all 4 years, or b.) apply to the same schools directly with a fee waiver and they will pretty much give you the same deal if you get accepted. And you have ZERO obligation to repay the grants after you graduate. No time to serve and no loans to repay.

Therefore, I would only resort to applying to the ROTC or MilitaryAcademies if you really see yourself serving and that is a lifetime goal to be employed by the military or if you are in a unique situation where you come from a large family that is middle class and your parents are not poor to qualify for all the financial aid and not wealthy enough to pay for your college education.

If you are smart enough to get into WestPoint or other academies, you probably can get into a Top 50 Research University or Liberal Arts College that has amazing financial aid. The goal should always be to get into the best possible college that has the best financial aid package for you unless your parents are just plain rich and can afford the $325,000 over 4 years without taking out a loan.

Regarding your STATs, my advice is what I would tell everyone else on here.

1.) Get your UWGPA up to say 3.75

2.) Improve your SAT to 1400

3.) Write great essays

4.) Improve your ECs with key leadership positions at school or your community

Hope that is helpful.