CHOOSING A MILITARY OPTION FOR COLLEGE.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
– Colin Powell
There are three types of post-graduate military schools: Service Academies, Senior Military Colleges, and Military Junior Colleges. Students attend for a variety of reasons. Some attend for the purpose of preparing for military service, some do it for the cost, some do it with no military aspirations at all. Attending a military school can provide a foundation of leadership and confidence that lasts a lifetime.
There are many benefits to attending. Some of those include: Educational and career training (technical and professional), opportunities for promotions and pay raises, trained consultants, counselors, resources, and references, and for travel opportunities. There are longer-term benefits as well: GI Bill, scholarships, 75% tuition costs paid for college courses taken while in service, 30-day paid vacation each year while in service, housing, medical, and educational services for families, lifetime retirement benefits after 20 years of service, veterans can have job retention rights over non-veteran federal workers, and life-long medical insurance.
There are mainly two ways to achieve a military officer’s commission: Service Academies and ROTC. Both ROTC training and Service Academy training will yield the same commissioned officer’s rank and bachelor’s degrees, but students must consider beforehand how much of a military experience they desire during their four years of college.
SERVICE ACADEMIES
Students who attend an academy have two main goals: earning a degree and preparing for a career in the military. One of the biggest selling points of a service academy is cost. Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have tuition, books, room and board, medical, and dental fully covered while enrolled. Each of the academies has separate admissions requirements. It is valuable to apply to more than one academy rather than limiting it to only one.
The five Service Academies are:
Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs, CO
Coast Guard Academy – New London, CT
Military Academy (Army) – West Point, NY
Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
Merchant Marine Academy – Kings Point, NY
Graduates from a Service Academy must accept a commission as an officer, typically as Second Lieutenant or Ensign. Those who graduate from the Army, Naval, and Air Force academies must serve a five-year military obligation.
The Academies have challenging admissions requirements. Attendees who do not complete their education or fulfill service duties typically need to repay the tuition.
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING UP FOR
Everything is regimented. Students follow strict schedules from early morning through evening, including academics, athletics, and training commitments. Uniforms are required. Meals are scheduled, with specific protocols followed at mealtime. Academic demands are high, as are expectations from faculty and leadership. Students must participate in varsity or intramural sports and it is mandatory to attend home football games. Off-campus privileges are limited and are granted in small increments through years of attendance. Summers vacations may last only a few weeks, as students report for summer duty assignments.
APPLYING TO A SERVICE ACADEMY
The application process is designed with layers of responsibility. The process begins your Junior year and each Academy has their own standards. There is a rolling admissions policy: as soon as you complete each task, submit the documentation. In addition to meeting the multitude of requirements, applying to a Service Academy is similar to applying to any other very competitive college. Good grades and exemplary test scores are integral, as are extracurricular activities: especially those where you’ve held a leadership position. Athletic excellence is also a coveted characteristic; athletic achievement, along with a leadership role such as team captain, can be particularly prized.
Be prompt with the medical examination! It is a requirement of acceptance.
The most challenging application requirement for many applicants is a Congressional, Vice Presidential, or Presidential nomination for admission. Only the Coast Guard Academy does not require a nomination, and the Merchant Marine Academy will only accept congressional nominations. Congressional nominations are the most common nomination and account for about 75% of all appointments. This should be done no later than the beginning of October of your Senior year. It is a first come, first serve basis, so the sooner you can contact the Representative or Senator, the better! They will then schedule you for an interview.
In some cases, students who do not gain admission can be offered an appointment to an Academy prep school for a year and then be admitted the following year.
Applicants to the Service Academies are encouraged to also apply to ROTC programs in their chosen branches of the military, to give themselves the option to participate in training for service if not admitted to the Academy.
NOTE: Do not apply to an Academy unless you desire a career in the military. The lifestyle is rigorous and only those strongly committed will be motivated to complete the experience.
ROTC: RESERVE OFFICER’S TRAINING CORPS
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) offers students a chance to study and serve after they complete their degree, or to participate for a short time in the program without a post-college commitment. There are about 1,700 colleges and universities that offer an ROTC program.
For students who wish to serve as officers in the military, but still want to enjoy most elements of a traditional college experience, ROTC could be a great option. Students attending ROTC programs for Army, Navy, and Air Force service generally enroll in military training courses that take place during the week and also meet several mornings each week with fellow cadets for training. While uniforms are required when attending ROTC classes and drills, civilian clothing can be worn other times. The time commitment for instruction and training may only amount to several hours per week during the semester. Some summer commitments will become necessary as well.
More than 600,000 commissions have been earned through the ROTC. Their goal is commissioning officers into the military once graduating from college. It serves as an important pipeline for bolstering the ranks of the military.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Contracted cadets in ROTC are typically those receiving a stipend or scholarship. When enrolled in college ROTC, some of the training costs are funded by the particular service affiliated with that college or university. ROTC time is not counted as military service. If you are on scholarship, you have signed a contract saying that upon your graduation you will commission into the U.S. military: either active duty, National Guard, or reserves.
APPLYING TO AN ROTC
The application process for ROTC programs takes place alongside a student’s application to colleges that offer ROTC. The application process does not involve as many layers as the Service Academy application does, but applicants still must pass a physical fitness test.
SENIOR MILITARY COLLEGES
Senior Military Colleges are four-year, degree-granting institutions with more immersive ROTC. They are more closely related to the lifestyle at a Service Academy than at a traditional college or university.
The six Senior Military Colleges are:
Norwich University – Northfield, VT
Texas A&M University – College Station, TX
The Citadel – Charleston, SC
Virginia Military Institute – Lexington, VA
Virginia Tech – Blacksburg, VA
University of North Georgia – Dahlonega, GA
Very important to remember: Students attending a senior military college can choose whether or not to accept a commission. All students who commission as officers will owe a service commitment to their branch. There is no service requirement for students graduating from a Senior Military College (unless service is tied to an ROTC scholarship). For students interested in pursuing a career in the military, each school provides paths into the various branches of service. There is also the option to leave the service behind and pursue civilian life.
Another way that SMC’s differ from Service Academies is cost. Students attending an SMC do not receive the free tuition and other financial benefits that Service Academies give. However, there are a number of ROTC scholarships available to assist in covering the cost of college.
APPLYING TO A SENIOR MILITARY ACADEMY
SMC’s have less competitive admissions and fewer requirements that need to be met than Service Academies. The most notable difference in the application process between the Academies and SMC’s is that applicants do not need a nomination for acceptance consideration.
Applying to an SMC is not all that different from applying to a traditional four-year college. Applicants are evaluated on grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities. Like any group of colleges, selectivity varies by the institution. Schools like The Citadel overwhelmingly attract students with an interest in military service. Other schools, like Texas A&M where the Corps of Cadets represents just a fraction of the overall student body, attract a more diverse student body.
MILITARY JUNIOR COLLEGES
Military Junior Colleges are two-year, associate degree-granting schools with more immersive military training similar to that of a Service Academy or an SMC. MJC’s provide a fast track for students who want to have a career in the service, although, unlike other programs, students are limited to career paths in just the Army and Air Force.
Early Commissioning Programs are popular at MJC’s. These programs allow graduating students to commission as officers in the Army Reserves, allowing them to receive the benefits of being an officer in the Army while completing their bachelor’s degree. Students participating in an Early Commissioning Program have a service obligation of either serving eight years in the Reserves or National Guard, or four years of active duty.
The four Military Junior Colleges are:
Valley Forge Military Academy – Wayne, PA
New Mexico Military Institute – Roswell, NM
Marion Military Institute – Marion, AL
Georgia Military College – Milledgeville, GA
APPLYING TO A MILITARY JUNIOR COLLEGE
Military Junior Colleges are the least competitive of the military colleges. Completion of high school is a requirement, and some colleges require standardized tests. However, Early Commissioning Programs are more selective. To qualify it is necessary to meet certain GPA and standardized test score thresholds, along with meeting other requirements such as a medical exam, passing a fitness test, and meeting height and weight standards.
SERVING YOUR COUNTRY IS A BIG HONOR AND A BIG RESPONSIBILITY. TALK TO CADETS AND GRADUATES, INVESTIGATE THE OPTIONS, AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU ARE DILIGENT BEFORE MAKING A DECISION!
