Army ROTC Scholarship Process
If serving in the U.S. Army and getting a college degree are equally important goals, Reserve Officer Training might be for you. The Army ROTC, open to those just entering college as well as current students, allows you to complete your college degree and army officer training at the same time. The opportunity to apply for an Army ROTC scholarship is an additional benefit that can significantly reduce college costs, as well provide you with monthly spending money.
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Definition
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Types of scholarships the Army ROTC offers depend on the time you have left to finish your degree. If you are just entering college, you may receive a full tuition four-year scholarship or, in some cases, full room and board as an alternative to tuition.
If you are already in college, your scholarship can cover the remaining two or three years you have to finish your degree. In addition to tuition, scholarship funds also pay the cost of your books, miscellaneous fees and provide you with a monthly living allowance that increases each year you are in the program.
Preliminary Requirements
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Enrollment in the Army ROTC is not a guarantee that you will receive a scholarship. To receive a scholarship, you must complete the application process and meet or exceed preliminary requirements.
Educational requirements for all scholarship levels include a requirement that you be a United States citizen between the ages of 17 and 26. You must also have a high school diploma or GED and a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 2.5. On your college entrance exam, you must score a minimum of 920 on the math/verbal portions of the SAT or at least 19 on the ACT, not including the writing portion of the exam. Finally, you must meet height and weight requirements and pass the Army entrance physical.
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The Interview
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Following completion of the scholarship application and all preliminary requirements, the scholarship process begins with an interview in which an Army official assesses a candidate's potential as an army officer. During the interview, the candidate receives up to 1,000 points in four categories that together comprise what the Army calls a "whole person score."
The first category includes up to 250 points received based on the college entrance exam. The second category includes up to 200 points for prior academic, athletic or leadership achievements. The third category includes up to 200 points for performance during the interview. The final category includes up to 350 points determined during a post-interview evaluation.
Post-Interview Evaluation
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Army officials conduct post-interview evaluations on a monthly basis, review the results of individual interviews and assign final points. Officials then rank the scores of all students who qualify according to an Order of Merit listing. Because each month there is a limit to the number of scholarships the board can offer, candidates who qualify but do not receive a scholarship may stay on the OML and may receive one in the future. Officials notify students by mail; recipients have 30 days to accept the scholarship, either by return mail or via e-mail.
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