Difference between USMC enlisted and commissioned 2nd lieutenant?

[rabbit9020]

I am a 17 year old US citizen and will be graduating from high school at the end of next school year (2011). I am planning on joining the Marine corps after 4 years of college but cannot decide wether to enlist after or do PLC and become a 2nd lieutenant. I know that officers get better salaries, nicer housing, and many other nicer things; but those things are not really as important to me as serving my country. I would like to know the differences between the two paths. As an enlisted I would go to boot camp, then MOS school and infantry school, then what would my life be like? What kind of stations and missions would I carry out? If I did PLC I would hopefully be offered a commission after college and then head to TBS for 6 months, then what would my life be like? What kind of stations and missions would I carry out?
I also had a few questions concernint the PLC program:
When should I get in contact with a recruiter to ensure that I get a spot at a PLC program during my college years?
What are the service obligations after having completed PLC and accepting a commision?
When would I find out wether or not I will be offered a commission?
What should I excpect the first six weeks? second six weeks? And how wil that be different from TBS?

I really do not know a lot about this and would greatly appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you for your time.

[Lisa 23]

You may want to fill out all of your profile so the Marines who are going to answer your questions, know who they are talking to. You may also want to read the site rules in the poolee and Ask A Marine forums too.
And when suing the word Marine Corps, it will be capitalized at all times.
And do a search on the site, as going enlisted or officer with a college degree has been covered before.

Good luck to you.