Potential Future Marine

[Beach Warrior]

Hi, it's my senior year of high school which is almost over. I may want to become a marine but i am not sure about my future.

i wish to attend a 4 year college and get into the officers program. i also want to make a career out of either engineering or biology while in the marines.

any advice? :)

[chulaivet1966]

Well...from what I've seen in the past here my 'advice' would be to fill out a detailed profile then maybe someone will chime in....only YOU can decide on YOUR future.

Good luck...

[Tennessee Top]

Yeah...fill out your profile.

No profile = no advice (site rule).

[gkmoz]

your name, and your profile will come up click on it and fill it out. It is a site rule, and you will get some advice I'm sure. Moz ;)

[Beach Warrior]

sorry, i literally just joined this forum a few hours ago and havent had the chance to do everything yet

[DrZ]

The best advice I can give you is to make up your mind. You can do one...perhaps two but not all three at once.

If university is paid by the parental units, go to university. That will give you four years to make up your mind.

While you are on the site, please capitalize the word Marine.

Good luck

[Beach Warrior]

Let me reword this. My concern is being able to go to college while being a Marine. And I want to go to college for engineering and be in ROTC.
I understand that if you're a Marine, your housing is paid for. But what are the restrictions and criteria for that? And how much of college is paid for? Because my parents arent paying for it.

[Tennessee Top]

Your best bet is to sit down and talk to a recruiter. He is trained to answer all your questions and there is no obligation. Because of the economy and force drawdown, there are more applicants today than positions so joining is not automatic. It is possible to get what you want but nothing is guaranteed unless it's in a contract.

Good luck.

[Baker1971]

Ask not what you can do for the Corps, ask what the Corps can do for you

[iamspartacus]

My concern is being able to go to college while being a Marine.

What exactly is your concern? Is it possible to go to college on active duty? Yes. Will it be difficult? Yes, but countless Marines make it work.


And I want to go to college for engineering and be in ROTC.

I'm a little confused. You want to enlist on active duty and be in ROTC? Even if that is possible, there are better commissioning programs for enlisted personnel.



I understand that if you're a Marine, your housing is paid for. But what are the restrictions and criteria for that?

If you have a dependent you can either live for free in base housing or get a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and live out in town. The amount you get for BAH is dependent on where you're stationed. If you're stationed in North Carolina you're going to get less than if you're stationed in San Diego because housing costs more in San Diego.

If you don't have a dependent and your a Sergeant or below, you're most likely going to have to live in the barracks, for free of course. Very few single Sergeants and below get approved to live out in town and get BAH.


And how much of college is paid for? Because my parents arent paying for it.

In short, all of it. This subject has been beat to death on this site. You obviously have the GI Bill but you also have Tuition Assistance. Look it up.

[Beach Warrior]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

[Tennessee Top]

I managed to finish both AA and BS degrees while on active duty. It took years to accumulate the required credits through various colleges/universities and I sacraficed a ton of evenings/weekends doing it but it is possible (a lot depends on what priority your various commands place on education too). All of this was paid for by tuition assistance (did not cost me anything). After retiring from active duty, I was able to use my GI Bill education benefits for further training in my current medical profession.