The ROTC scholarship program is often overlooked when seniors are looking into college. Many young adults graduating high school all over the U.S. do not even know that this pathway exists. One thing you must keep in mind is that once you graduate from college you are in the military for 4 to 6 years of active duty (full time) service. When enrolling in this program, you select the branch of armed service that you wish to be a part of. These branches consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps. There are so many people every year who want to go to college, but cannot afford it. Joining the ROTC scholarship program allows you to go to college while still being enrolled in the military, but if you pay no fees to be in this program, there’s no tuition to pay, and you do not even need to pay for books. Depending on what college you are admitted to this program will give you around $1,000 to $1,400 for school necessities every year, along with $300 to $500 worth of spending allowance per month. 

Contrary to popular belief you don’t have to serve on the front line of defense. Something that gets confusing to people is the difference between ROTC and JROTC programs which could be part of the reason that people turn down this opportunity before finding out what it’s actually about. The ROTC scholarship program is for people who want to go to college. The JROTC program is for people looking to go into the military straight out of high school.But if you want to go to college for a medical degree, then you can go be a nurse or doctor, and work behind the scenes. This can be a great way to pay for medical school, which is notoriously expensive. Of course, you must have high enough grades and a minimum GPA to be accepted into any college’s ROTC scholarship program. However, I do not feel like this is asking too much, considering you have the opportunity to go to college for free. 

Another great thing about the ROTC scholarship program is you have a guaranteed job for at least four years after college if you decide to leave the military you are, in many cases, a much more desirable employee because of your military and work experience.I know a person who decided to go down the ROTC path. He is now out of college, debt-free and he works for the Air Force. He will never have to owe his college any money, and he was guaranteed and give a job immediately after they graduate. This program is also a great opportunity to gain technical and leadership skills. The ROTC program is made for people who would like to serve their country and go to college while still learning leadership skills that apply to everyday life. The ROTC program is a great experience and something young adults considering college should look into.