USNA vs. NROTC

[DylanT]

I plan on becoming a Marine officer. I have looked at the Naval Academy and Marine option NROTC. I know the Academy has a lot of persteage, but Marine option NROTC is Marine orented rather than Navy orented. Are Marine option NROTC graduates or USNA graduates usually more sucessful Marines?

[Burke7051]

I plan on becoming a Marine officer. I have looked at the Naval Academy and Marine option NROTC. I know the Academy has a lot of persteage, but Marine option NROTC is Marine orented rather than Navy orented. Are Marine option NROTC graduates or USNA graduates usually more sucessful Marines?

In all honesty, there is no difference on who is a more successful Marine. It depends on how you act, how you develop as a leader, and what you make of your service. Yes, while Annapolis is highly regarded, it is still a 4 year institution. Personally I see Annapolis and NROTC at other Universities / Colleges as the same thing, in the sense that they both guarantee Commissions, even though they technically are not the same thing. If you are looking at the Naval Academy, I highly recommend beginning the process no if you have not already. From what I have been told, the process begins around your sophomore and junior years of High School. The Naval Academy is highly, highly selective, so I would recommend applying to both NROTC and Annapolis (unlike NROTC, you also need a Congressional nomination from your Congressman for the USNA) The most important thing to remember about Annapolis though is that you are there courtesy of the American people. Remember, the American taxpayer is paying for your tuition, your room and board, uniforms, etc. Do not let them down if you get in, because like I said WE, as the taxpayers are paying for your education!

Good luck man, your gonna need it....

[josephd]

I plan on becoming a Marine officer. I have looked at the Naval Academy and Marine option NROTC. I know the Academy has a lot of persteage, but Marine option NROTC is Marine orented rather than Navy orented. Are Marine option NROTC graduates or USNA graduates usually more sucessful Marines?

Not sure if anyone is really going to be able to answer that question really....becoming a Marine Officer whether it be through PLC, OCC, NROTC, or the academy is very tough. I am sure there are great ones that come from each as well as horrid ones that come from each.

If you had the choice between the two I would suggest going to the academy just because of the stigma it holds being an academy graduate. With that said you don't have to go through either to be an officer. You can go to any college and apply for PLC (platoon leaders course) or OCC(officers candidate course). Don't think that the academy and a NROTC program are your only options.

[03Mike]

Are Marine option NROTC graduates or USNA graduates usually more sucessful Marines?

I can guarantee you that your commissioning source has nothing to do with what kind of success you will experience as an Officer of Marines. Quite frankly, once you are in the fleet, nobody cares. I have seen great officers and crappy officers come out the academy, out of NROTC, out of PLC, out of ECP - it really has little impact on your success. Your success is based upon you and you alone.

That being said, the Academy offers a great education - as do most colleges and universities. The key here is they offer it - you need to make the most of it. Go to the school that "fits" you the best.

[giveen]

The only difference is bragging rights, kinda like enlisted people talk about San Diego or Parris Island.

[DylanT]

Thanks for the input! I have heard of the other commissioning programs, but since i have pleanty of time to apply and get good grades I am going to try to get a scholarship. One thing attracting me toward a Marine Corp option NROTC scholarship is that from the beganing you are working toward entering the Marine Corp. I would hate to go through the Adcadamy and not get one of the limited number of Marine slots and be left with a Navy service obligation. I also like how with NROTC you get to go to Mountain Warfare Training Center and OCS for your summer cruises.

[AAV Crewchief]

Please learn to spell correctly as a hint of things to come if you choose this route. I am not giving you a ration of crap, just letting you know that you only have once to make a first impression. Marine leaders have to articulate themselves well, both speaking and writing. Not graduating from the Naval Academy will far from diminish your chances of a successful career, but it does enhance the reception you will get from your commanders and fellow officers out in the FMF. Much will be assumed about you because of a Naval Academy pedigree and you WILL have a choice over career options where NROTC and other selectees will get what is left over unless they are straight A folks or end up as Rhodes Scholar which some do. That selection process for the USNA is much more selective than NROTC or other programs and if you make the cut, you are already assumed to be "cream of the crop" from the start.

[Geagle05]

If I had to do it all over again, I would have looked into the Academy or NROTC programs. I commissioned through the PLC-C program. There is nothing wrong with it. But simple fact is that my school offered a NROTC program. I would have been qualified for the scholarship, and the end result should be the same as where I am now, minus all the college loans... :mad:

Good on you for starting early. Definitely look at all your options. I grew up around the Academy and know a few of their Marine officers. It's all about leadership which is an answer I feel only the enlisted on this board can answer best. Having said that, even at TBS you see a good spread of the Academy guys, the NROTC mids, and the regular joe's like myself. It doesn't matter. There are awesome leaders out there, and ones you're not so sure of. Anyways, keep pursuing your goals and good luck!

[JNAnderson]

Here's the thing, going to either the Naval Academy or NROTC won't make you a little Rommell before you get to TBS. Everything you learn before commissioning, and I do mean everything, is incredibly watered down and designed to see if you can actually retain information rather than being designed to teach you anything.

Both routes are great because they put you with like minded individuals and give you outstanding mentoring. I would go so far as to say that if you went to a senior military college with a Marine scholarship, you would probably have a very similar experience to the Naval Academy. If you went to a normal college with a Marine scholarship, you would get the same "training", but would probably actually enjoy life a little bit more.

Honestly though, once you get to the fleet, you're still a brand new 2ndLt, and nobody gives two *expletive of choice*.