Wow! Congrats! How early did he turn in his application? Or was he an auto-admit?
@Ethan_K will you be National Merit Semi or Finalist? If not, I’d say pretty much zero chance of getting $$ for an OOS student, at Texas A&M.
You sound amazing-I’d take the Florida $$!
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Pretty much guaranteed a Semi-Finalist and after that I was chanced an 80% certainty of getting Finalist.
I understand TAMU treats Finalists as in-state tuition and gives a one-time 40k award, but that is still too expensive for me. I would love to go to TAMU the culture is just amazing and the nuclear engineering program is something I am very interested in.
Just to add to my profile in case that helps
- While our school doesn’t do rankings, my guidance counselor has ranked me top 10%
- My SAT score is 1580 (800 Math + 780 R&W)
- My PSAT score is 1480 (740 Math + 740 R&W) - This score guarantees me Semi-Finalist and I will just need to work on the essay for Finalist, which my guidance counselor is pretty confident that I will be awarded.
- I co-founded my school’s first ever rocketry club and got us to the Nationals-level for the American Rocketry Challenge Competition in our first year
- I have 16 APs, all 4’s and 5’s
- I participated in a research program over the summer that specializes in material science and nuclear engineering (X-Ray detection) and created a poster about my findings
- I am a Media Captain at my school’s rocketry team, 4-year Yearbook student, and won 2 Honorable mentions from the Scholastic Awards for photography
- I intend to go Early Action for Engineering and hope to get a major in Nuclear Engineering
Are any of you aware of opportunities based on merit and my metrics that could get me basically full ride? (tuition + r&b)
I’m in that awkward pocket where my family’s income doesnt qualify me for aide, but we cannot afford sending me to TAMU at all.
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That’s great!
Maybe @FriscoDad can give more details about chances of OOS NMSF getting additional money.
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Yes, he is auto-admit. Tech app was submitted on 7/6 and Lamar & UTSA apps were submitted on 8/2.
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Amazing!
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As a semi-finalist STEM major, you’ll likely get an interview for the Brown Foundation Scholarship. If you get that, it’ll provide the rest of the scholarship money needed to be a “full ride” that will cover room and board.
If you are considering military service and receive a 4-year ROTC scholarship you will receive a full ride, which includes everything except the parking pass (includes sports pass!). However, the Corps of Cadets is too hard for most kids and most will not qualify for military service, so there are only a few that even consider that path. Other than that, slim chance of a significant scholarship.
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I wouldn’t call 165 a few
Call it easy if you want, but I’m willing to bet you were a non-reg if you do. It is not an easy path, and most kids don’t have what it takes, plain and simple. What is the percentage of the student body that joins the Corps? (Hint, approx. 3%!) So, yea, I’ll stick with a few. How many kids graduated spring '24? I’ll gladly wait for your response on the percentage of those that commissioned (Hint, just over 1%). Once again, I’ll stick with “a few”!
Talking these kids into joining for the scholarship money without them knowing what they are getting into is doing them, the Corps, and the University a disservice. It’s not supposed to be easy! Even the Corps will say it’s hard. Ask them!
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Never once did I call The Corps ‘easy’…
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Do the corps members who have a two year commitment also count as rotc? My nephew is in that camp.
I thought a four year ROTC scholarship was quite competitive and limited. I have friends who have freshmen kids at Notre Dame and Vandy on ROTC scholarships. Is that the same type of program as A&M?
Please calm down I didn’t mean to start any conflict 
You’re right, while I may not have what it takes to get into Corps, I’m still going to apply and see if I do get in.
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So ROTC is just like an “easier” version of the Corps? I know ROTC is a nation-wide thing while the Corps seems to be specific to TAMU
Generally speaking, at TAMU you can be in the Corps of Cadets without wanting to join the military (approx. 60% choose not to commission), but those with an ROTC scholarship are required to be in the Corps of Cadets. As a side note, all members of the Band are also required to be in the Corps. The Drill & Ceremony (D&C) Cadets (those that have no interest in joining the military) will participate in ROTC for two years, which I believe is what your nephew is doing, while those that wish to commission will participate in ROTC for all four years. However, the Corps of Cadets is typically a four year program for all. After the first two years, the D&C cadets will no longer take the military ROTC classes, but will take other leadership classes taught by the School of Military Science and fully participate in all other Corps activities and training.
Each ROTC unit will have a required training curriculum (which is somewhat similar among all universities), which includes military classes, field exercises, physical training, etc. Then the Corps has specific training in addition to the ROTC requirements. There is some overlap, but being in ROTC at TAMU requires much more time than other universities due to the additional Corps requirements.
ROTC scholarships are very competitive, and sometimes more competitive than academy appointments. Notre Dame and Vandy have similar training as far as military specific ROTC programs are concerned, but they don’t have the extra responsibilities and training associated with the Corps of Cadets.
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I am not sure if you mean you are applying for the Corps of Cadets, or you are going to apply to TAMU. I’ll submit this response as if you mean are going to apply to the Corps.
If you are admitted to the University, you can join the Corps. There is no application process for the Corps other than you having a desire to be a part of it. There is no way I can know whether or not you have what it takes. Only you know that. There have been those make it that nobody believed they had a chance, and those that punched that surprised everyone. It is a constant test of physical, mental, and moral fortitude. However, I have never heard anyone that completed the program say it was not worth it!
There is a lot of money offered, especially for out of state kids, for joining the Corps. Even more with an ROTC Scholarship. Because of the financial incentives, it can be tempting for students to join but not truly have the desire to be in the Corps. If anyone joins the Corps without a true desire to be in the Corps, it won’t be pleasant. For those that have the desire, it is tough, but the results will put you leaps and bounds above many of your peers, and a decision you will never regret (once you are out of college, or at least after your first year 
).
Financial benefits:
Nearly every student in the Corps of Cadets receives a Corps scholarship, ranging from $600 to $4,000+ each semester.
Out of state kids get an out of state fee waiver. You will be charged as an in-state student.
ROTC scholarship - the military pays all tuition and required fees
If on an ROTC scholarship - the university will cover room and board and an unlimited meal plan.
Therefore, if on an ROTC scholarship, the only fee you will pay is for your parking permit.
If you have no interest in the Corps, I still wish you the best of luck. Texas A&M is a great school and has an awesome culture. Hopefully, you can get enough merit aid to attend TAMU if that is where you want to be, and it sounds like you will be just as competitive as anyone for merit aid based on the stats you posted.
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I’m definitely interested in the program, I thought it was like an ROTC thing where I had to do a whole fitness test and other applications to join. Thank you for your insight!
What happens if someone has a corps or rotc scholarship but then drops the program, say after a year? Do they have to pay back that first years scholarship money? I think this happened to my nephew at another school
Thanks!
if they have an scholarship from the Army, Navy, etc. and quit then I do think they have to pay it back. I don’t think they have to pay back the corps scholarship from A&M. They corps scholarships are generally small and basically just offset the cost of being in the corps. (many people do not know what being in the corps cost more than being a regular student due to uniform fees, mandatory events such as the Arkansas game, etc.). Larger corps scholarships are also available.
I think the biggest kicker is if you are OOS and you get a corps scholarship, you can get an in-state tuition waiver/scholarship. If you quit the corps, that would go away and you would face the full OOS cost.
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Their is no obligation until the beginning of the second year for an ROTC scholarship. At that point, you will be obligated to either pay back the ROTC scholarship or serve in the enlisted ranks.
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