10 reasons why college students should consider ROTC
If you’re a college student, have you ever considered joining your school’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program? If not, it might be worth a look.
Here are a few reasons why joining ROTC could well be the best thing you’ll ever do while completing your college education:
1 – Financial aid
The prospect of paying the high price of college tuition can be daunting. Tuition costs are constantly rising, resulting in countless graduates finding themselves stuck with many thousands of dollars in student loan debt after graduation.
ROTC offers a wide range of scholarships, some of them full rides. That means you’ll be able to concentrate on your studies without having to worry about how you’re going to come up a mountain of cash every semesters for tuition, books and fees.
While it’s true that the G.I. Bill will help pay for your education after your military service comes to an end, an ROTC scholarship will pay for it up front, potentially leaving you less debt-free when you graduate.
2 – Leadership training
The aim of the ROTC program is to create leaders out of its students. Whether you are looking for a lifelong military career or an eventual job in the civilian sector, leadership skills are incredibly important for building a successful career.
3 – Transferrable skills
You will also learn a ton of skills that you might not as a regular college student. Endurance, discipline, and survival skills are just a few examples of the things that you will learn in the ROTC program that will transfer over to many other areas of your life.
4 – Military fast track
If you are looking for a career in the military, the ROTC is the best route to take. Why? Because joining ROTC will allow you to begin your career as an officer instead of an enlisted recruit.
Now don’t get me wrong, enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) are incredibly important for the success of our military. In fact, our nation could never be militarily secure without them.
But that being said, there are a number of important advantages of beginning your military career as a commissioned officer instead of walking into your local recruiter’s office.
5 – Service
If you do get an ROTC scholarship, a few years of military service will be required, but that can be rewarding in its own right even if you have no intention of staying in long enough to retire.
6 – ROTC still allows for a normal college experience
While in the ROTC you do not have to live in barracks or follow the “military lifestyle” 24/7. You can still be a part of your university’s student body and enjoy the same college experience your friends and non-ROTC classmates enjoy.
7 – Resume enhancement
Being a member of the ROTC program looks great on a resume and will greatly increase your chances of getting a job after college. Whether you are looking for a job in the military or elsewhere, employers will be impressed by you discipline and training.
8 – A sense of accomplishment
The ROTC program will really help you to push your personal limits. Every new task that you complete will be a milestone and a great achievement for you to enjoy and look back on with pride in your later years.
9 – Teamwork and camaraderie
There are few things as rewarding as working with others to accomplish a shared goal. You will find that the sense of camaraderie between you and fellow cadets will be one of the most memorable parts of your ROTC (and college) experience.
10 – Physical benefits
You will find that the physical benefits to being in the ROTC program are endless. Being in top physical form will help you to feel good about yourself, and instill in you good habits that will remain with you for the rest of your life.
Bottom line: All of the above benefits are things that you will feel not just during your college years, but throughout your entire life. Joining your school’s ROTC program is a big decision and should not be taken lightly, but once you make it, you will almost certainly be glad you did.
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