<p>Back in my day ('82) Ronald Reagan was pressing forward with the 600 ship Navy which of course included a large nuclear fleet. Realizing the need for a large number of nuke officers the navy made a full court press to get volunteers. Many graduates (both USNA and ROTC) were “invited” to see Admiral Rickover for screening for the Nuclear Propulsion pipeline. Along with the invite was a stern warning “not to throw the interview” less you wind up at mast for dereliction of duty. I didn’t realize that the Navy was doing it again. </p>
<p>With regard to the differences between USNA and ROTC I have the following observation, albeit from the cold war days. The US Navy is no longer the small group it was in the early part of the last century. Back then if you were not a “ring knocker” you were doomed. Today with so many officers it is not as crucial for advancement as it was at one time. As a NROTC graduate I felt my CO (a outstanding USNA grad) could care less where you got your degree. It was, and I really hope still is, all about your performance as a member of ships company. I hope that has not changed. We had good officers and bad ones and they both came from both commissioning sources. </p>
<p>With regard to USNA non-technical degrees being “technically weaker” I would have to disagree. I sat next to a USNA history major at Nuclear Power School and he had a ton of technical courses including the dreaded “wires” (electrical engineering). His history degree included a ton of technical courses that a normal history major would not have to take.</p>
<p>Choose either path and you will not be sorry. The Navy will give you the chance to do things a civilan company would never give you at a young age. Good luck!</p>