My brother did an ROTC (went to Havard/ROTC at MIT). He said many of the kids went in thinkngthat because the military was paying their way at these elite schools there was no way they would be sent into a combat type zone. But several of them graduated and ended up in conflict zones right out of college. He ended up on a ship doing drug interdiction which was, as I understand it, more boring than dangerous. Still it was a long period of service as @carolinamom2boys points out. I think he was required to be in the reserves for a period after his period of active service too.
I worked at the Shock Trauma center in Baltimore during Desert Storm and many of the nurses were in the reserves or National Guard . The Hospital ship was docked in Baltimore and many of the nurses were called up to be deployed. They were outraged. Several had small children at home. They had no problem having the government pay for their education or for their benefits , but didnât seriously believe they would ever be called to serve. With the situation in the world today, I donât believe that itâs an âifâ you are called, but a âwhenâ and for âhow long.â
I really wouldnât encourage D to join the military, to be honest. She has ADHD and some other issues-- and while she does just fine in JROTC, and might be fine in ROTC, active duty is a whole different kettle of fish. She might survive the experience, but I wouldnât lay odds on her flight surviving her.
As for S, thereâs absolutely no interest. Heâd serve if he were drafted, but heâs really hoping not to ever face that issue
I have read various suggestions that we should submit FAFSA and CSS as early as possible. We get one of our tax statements (K1) in the last week of March every year and then we file our tax returns.
Can I use my 2014 tax returns (or 2015 estimates) while filling FASFA and CSS ? Complete and submit FAFSA and CSS by 1/31/2016 and then in the last week of Mar 2016, go back and update FAFSA and CSS with actual 2015 tax returns. Or we cannot make any modifications after we submit the forms ?
Agreed. Every one of my friends and acquaintances with kids in the military has had to face the call. Iâll never forget the day one of my friends called and said âMy baby is going to Afghanistan.â I am sure my time will come. I know my son feels like itâs a calling. I donât love it, but I am proud of him. And sadly two of his 2013 classmates have passed away already, one from an illness and one in a car accident at college. Those tragic deaths remind me that nothing is guaranteed and we cannot always protect them.
S was not interested in ROTC programs, but his friend is applying for Navy ROTC. Very competitive from what I understand - the kid spent some time in the summer with the guidance counselor working on ROTC specific essays.
@indsfolax you can make modifications to both the FAFSA and CSS Profile after you initially submit them. With the FAFSA you can do it online by importing your 2015 tax info directly from the IRS. Itâs a little more difficult with the CSS since you canât change it online. Instead you have to make changes by hand to the printed document and mail or fax the revised form to all of the colleges that require it. Itâs probably best to contact the individual schools to see what their procedure is for this. I will be filling both of them out with estimated numbers to submit before Feb. 1.
So I sent off the FAFSA, does everyone wait to send the CSS profile or do they send it now and make and make corrections on the paper and fax it in once taxes are done?
@Mysonsdad I donât think there is a choice to wait for taxes. Most of my sonâs schools want the profile on Feb 1. Most people barely have their W2s by then. We will actually have our taxes done because we have our own business but I think we are the exception.
Our family has a long tradition of military service also and I live in a military town. As a matter of fact I can hear the gunfire from the base where the Marines and SEALs are playing war games right now. That said none of our kids are interested in military service but many many kids around here go into the military because it is completely normal here. My best friendâs son (c/o 13) is in the Army in Hawaii now. My husband got out of the Navy in 98 and used up all of his GI Bill so it doesnât matter that he was never eligible to pass it down to the kids. Of course the change after 9/11 was made not out of the kindness of the governmentâs heart but as a tool to help retain service members.
Thanks all for the input re: ROTC. We will check it outâŠour son is an Eagle Scout and I think the training and discipline have a certain appeal to him now, but he definitely would need more information. One of the main schools he is looking at offers ROTC for all three military branches. I like the idea of it helping keep him focused and supported while in college, but of course, there are many tradeoffs.
@GoldenWest My son is also an Eagle Scout and he is very respectful of what ROTC offers. The question that is most important is does he see himself actually serving in the military. The answer for my son was âNot willingly, but if he was called he would serveâ. Good luck to your son.
Heard on the news tonight that the CA budget passed and the tuition at CA schools will âremain flatâ. I do not have any additional details but it sounded like good news so I am sharing it.
Since we are waiting on admission news from CA state schools, that is indeed good news!
Iâm so confused! Grandparent had set up a 529 for D. When we found out it would be treated as a student asset, Grandparent added undercoverdad to the 529 as an owner so that it would be treated as a parent asset. So, for FAFSA and CSS do I include the 529 along with our savings and investments?
I think the CA budget was proposed by Gov. Brown today, but has not been passed yet by either the State Senate or Assembly. I think that doesnât happen until June (at least thatâs when it passed last year). It is true that the proposal includes keeping tuition at CA state schools flat, which is indeed good news for all of us in CA with students who are hoping to go to state schools!
Super Congrats @Sophmore1!
Does anyone know if merit scholarships are considered income and taxed?
@bookmom7 : "Anyone else seeing those PSAT threads popping up & thinking âsure am glad we donât have to go through that again!â
Speaking of whichâŠover 1400 emails in my notifications because of that thread. Anyone know how to opt-out of thread -specific notifications?
@GoodGrief16 : âFinally, Iâve made plans to attend the board meeting for the school next week and advocate for a staff person with some expertise in high school/college prep issues.â
Are you prepared for your nomination to become a self-nomination?
It has been my experience that a finely articulated statement about the need for a staff position to be established, or a role filled by someone with a comprehensive understanding of navigating the waters one has just (by a hareâs breath) stepped through and out of, can become oneâs own stump speech.
It can happen.