My parents are pushing me into an ROTC scholarship. I'm not ready for life with the military.?

Hi,

I've known several people who were forced/pressured into joining an officer candidate program (USNA/ROTC), and I see a couple of possible ways you can approach it.

First, for ROTC you don't sign your commitment papers till the beginning of your sophomore year. So, if you do apply and accept an ROTC nomination, there's nothing saying you have to stay after that first year, and your mother might take more kindly to it since you have had the experience and she knows you aren't making an uninformed decision. Even if you decide not to sign after your first year, that first year is still paid for by the military.

You could also try sitting down with your mom and having a discussion about your long-term goals. If you are seriously considering medical school, ROTC is probably not the best option for you (unless you plan to work in military medicine). Medical slots are VERY difficult to get from ROTC or a military academy, because they are focused on commissioning unrestricted line officers rather than staff/restricted line. It's all dependent on your mom and how she reacts, but from experience the best strategy has seemed to be getting as many facts as possible so that your mom (who, as you said, only wants the best for you) knows you are not making an uninformed decision.

Best of luck!

You can wait and get a 2 year scholarship when you are about to start your junior year. You will still get a commission in the AF that way with ROTC. Or apply for a 3 year scholarship through ROTC after you turn 18.

I know how you feel. Both my parents were in the military. My father has two other children. My little sister is in JROTC and hates it with a passion. She's always getting into trouble and won't follow orders. Me on the other hand am doing ROTC on a scholarship. My advice to you, like I told my sister is to just apply (don't accept the scholarship) and ask if you can sign it in the spring. This will give you time to think about it. When you register for classes take the two ROTC classes. You don't have to be on a scholarship to take them. This will give you a chance to get feet wet and if you hate it like you have already determine then don't sign the contract. And if your parents see/hear how much you hate it then they'll hopefully come around and won't cut off the finical support.

There are also a lot of scholarships for dependents of the military. Look into that too.

Good Luck

Hi Jina

I'm on the receiving end of cadets who don't want to be in the program and its no fun for either of us.

I'm not sure if you know that we'll pay for medical school also?

One thing to consider is the freshman option. If you want to come try it out, you can. If at the end of the year, you don't like it you can quit and you don't owe anything.

However, if you you have your heart set on the civilian path, work very hard on obtaining other scholarships. You probably know that there are scholarships for medical students who agree to work in under served areas?

EDIT: In which case, I'm with Scorpion....If you don't get a healthy scholarship at a 4 year, check out community college. The ones here average $2K a semester (not counting books or living expenses) That's very cheap. Could you live with a relative to cut down on rent and utilities? When you do go to a 4 year, look at being an RA, resident advisor to get a free room.

Yes, a huge upside to joining the military is that you can go to school. But, dont do something because your parents want you to, thats ridiculous. joining the military is a huge decision, you should do it not only just for money but because you want to be a part of defending our country. people who join just so they can go to college and make money make me sick. youd be miserable everyday if your hearts not really in it. dont do it, go online and fill out applications for every scholarship possible. also there are student loans, etc. ask your guidance counselor on how to get as much aid as possible, dont turn to the military just so you can go to school.

Your parents can't make this decision for you. But you do recognize it is a good decision. So don't allow your current anger at your parents to decide the problem. Given your feelings, I would recommend against the ROTC scholarship. But that is no more informed (less so) than your parents' recommendation. Good luck!

Well, I would say this... remove the idea from your brain that you need or should have your parents financial support to go to college. College does not have to be expensive, you can go to jr. colleges for two years, work, get scholarships etc. I think it's wrong for them to push things on you in this particular way. Find a less expensive college for your final two years, low in state tuition, and just go to jr. college for your first two, and tell the rents they can go jump in a lake. Free yourself, be independent.

If you don't want to be in the military, do your country a favor and don't take the ROTC Scholarship. Let someone who wants to be here go in your place.

Dude rebel against them, I don't blame you for not wanting to go in.

It's so simple rebel.

Good luck, peace.

tell them that you do not want to go into the military and that it is your choice in whatever you want to do