Joshrk22

Hey,

Which route did you or would military guys go? I'm a junior this year and I need to start thinking about college. I was trying to decide between civilian and military. I think so far I'm leaning towards AD AF until my committment is up, then on to an airline job while flying for the Guard.

I'm currently a Junior in HS, with a 3.892 GPA and a 26 on the ACT (took it as a Soph. and I have to take it again this year) with a lot of tough classes. I'm involved in many clubs and leadership positions and I play 3 sports a year. I also work and I fly during my off days. Yes, I am very busy, but I like pushing myself I guess.

I think I would rather do ROTC, because I get to have a normal college life; hang with my girlfriend and friends, flight instruct, go to football & basketball games, etc. Just grow as a person and I think the Academy wouldn't offer me that.

I am aware they get more flying positions offered then what ROTC does. But, I think if I bust my butt I can get a spot through ROTC.

Another thing, by the time I graduate I will have enough AP classes and college courses finished (enrolling in Community college this summer) that I will be able to skip my freshman year of college. Will this hurt me when it comes to getting an SQ/CC recommendation since I have not progressed through all 4 years of the ROTC program.

Also, how does the whole ROTC scholarships work? I want to attend U of M - Ann Arbor or University of Chicago (I think they have a ROTC program), but I think these would be highly competitve for a flying spot.

Thoughts?

DiamondZ

Its been a while since I applied but there is an application package you have to fill out with recommendations. I also had to do an interview with the Officer recruiter. I would suggest contacting an Officer recruiter so he can lead you down the right path.

I went the NROTC route. I was just as prepared as my Boat School peers for flight school. Its all a personal choice as to where you want to get your education, provided you have the choice.

LAfrequentflyer

USAFA - why not? If you like to puch yourself why not go there...

Just my two cents worth...


-LAFF

Pilot_135

If you want a life that badly outside of school go ROTC. In my experience as an ROTC guy...
pros of ROTC: "real" college experience, scholarship opportunities, options for your future AF career (see below)

pros of USAFA: free, almost guaranteed a pilot slot if you want it, free, top notch education, free (you see a trend as to the biggest benefit in my oppinion - I'm still paying off loans after 9 years).

I see you are also thinking of the guard/reserve route in the future. Great idea, but realise that if you go through ROTC, you still have the option of graduating college and going to a G/R unit right away. If you play it right, get hired with a unit while in college for a UPT position, graduate as a 2LT, and go to UPT knowing exactly where you will be going.
As far as I know, the academy doesn't offer that option to go to a guard unit after graduation - only active duty.

Don't worry about only having three years in ROTC if you take AP classes. no harm in that. As a matter of fact, they wil probably look at you more because you worked so hard in HS and were able to do that looks good on your records.

kronan

biggest benefit of an academy slot is that your vision doesn't have to be perfect at the end to go to pilot training. The AF just spent a bunch of $$$$ educating you, and will set the medical standards for entry at a level to accomodate XXX number of pilot slots. Might be perfect now, but after 4 years of college, might not be....
ROTC, you are competing for only a few slots with every other college campus in the land. And if you are fortunate enough to get a pilot slot, your vision slipping to 20-25 may take you out.
Guard slots are different. Most of the guard pilot slots get used by people already in the unit....so the health doesn't have to be perfect. But, getting hired straight off the street is rare. Possible, but rare

Mox Nix

When I was a young LT, myself and a couple other junior officers were joking with a LtCol about the "free" education he got at the Academy. He gave us an exasperated look and said "ain't nothin' free!".

...lots of extra work, less "freedom", high academic load with demanding classes, etc. In other words, how much work do you want to do to earn this "free" education. If you're a pretty gung-ho guy, you could do well there.

I was an ROTC guy and enjoyed the civilian college experience and all it offered. Many of the academy guys I know seem to be fond of their academy experience, though they admit they had to put up with a lot of extra b.s.

Once you get to UPT though, you're all equal (no matter how much the zoomies try to convince you that they're somehow "better")

LAfrequentflyer

Either way the one thing you'll have to learn on your own as a LT is the "fine line between leaning forward and bending over."