In terms of admission, the College Program is easier. You're not likely to be excluded from the College Program because of a few lousy grades in math class. College pre-freshman can apply for the four-year track, and freshman and sophomores can go for the two-year plan. Once in, you'll get a uniform, naval science textbooks, and, during junior and senior years, a $150 monthly stipend. The Scholarship Program has extra benefits, but it's regarding this that those two unfortunate math grades might come back to bite you. This program takes into account everything from class rank to entrance exam scores to after-school activities. If you're accepted, the Navy will pay your tuition and fees, and you'll get free textbooks and a monthly stipend of around $200. If you're successful in the College Program, you can apply to switch to the Scholarship and its extra generosities. Largess aside, though, the structures of the programs are nearly identical.
One thing that you can count on in Navy ROTC is a time commitment. At UCLA, for instance, NROTC midshipmen meet for two-hour lecture and drill sessions every Tuesday and an hour-long weekly workout. There are required naval science courses, beyond the normal class load. And there's a month-long summer training trip. But there's a social element to all of this, too. Take Penn State's: in spring 2001, they held a volleyball tournament, a Mardi Gras event, a "sea stories" competition, and an awards banquet.
Regardless of which program you choose, you'll be serving in the reserves after graduation. All midshipmen can anticipate an eight-year obligation. Midshipmen in the college program spend as few as three of those years in active duty. On average, the time in active duty is four to five years. All graduates begin their Navy careers as ensigns, the Navy's lowest ranking officers. Depending on merit, they can receive promotions every few years.
Sound appealing? Now you have to figure out if the college or university of your choice even offers Navy ROTC programs. Currently, 140 institutions in 35 states participate. Because standards and procedures for admission tend to vary from place to place, you're best bet is to find a school that suits you and call their NROTC office for details and admissions forms. If you had a particular school in mind that doesn't offer NROTC on their campus, you should still contact that school's admissions office directly. Many colleges have relationships with other area colleges that may offer NROTC to students from other schools.
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