DesireToServe
05-29-15, 02:23 PM
Background: I have run out of money for college. My parents don't make enough to help out significantly, but make just enough that FAFSA is won't give me jack ****. I'm about to enter my sophomore year and am considering enlisting.
My question is really what might be the better route to go: reserve or active? I know the reserves won't give me a ton of money for school, but with the little they will give me and drill pay on top of it it should be just enough for me to manage school as long as I have a job as well. However active duty would give me full GI bill benefits once my contract is up. It would delay my degree by four years, but would leave me better off financially. I've also heard of the National Call to Service program and have a basic understanding of what it is: "2 year enlistment", but if anyone here is a recruiter and could give me some more in depth info than my google search could, I would appreciate it.
Also my end goal is to be an officer. With this in mind, as far as enlistment goes, the reserves would get me to that goal the fastest of any enlistment option. If I went active though I could always try for MECEP. Now I know to get selected for MECEP you have to be **** hot. But I have an ACT score of 30 and AFQT 91, so if I had good PFT and CFT scores and assuming I'll be a good Marine, would MECEP really be such a long shot for me?
Thanks in advance to all.
P.S. I'm sure that josephd will jump on this post and tell me that enlisting is not the right thing to do if I want to be an officer. I respect that opinion and for most people enlisting when you want to be an officer is probably counterproductive, but I also know that plenty of people have done it. josephd please feel free to give me advice anyway as no disrespect is intended here.
My question is really what might be the better route to go: reserve or active? I know the reserves won't give me a ton of money for school, but with the little they will give me and drill pay on top of it it should be just enough for me to manage school as long as I have a job as well. However active duty would give me full GI bill benefits once my contract is up. It would delay my degree by four years, but would leave me better off financially. I've also heard of the National Call to Service program and have a basic understanding of what it is: "2 year enlistment", but if anyone here is a recruiter and could give me some more in depth info than my google search could, I would appreciate it.
Also my end goal is to be an officer. With this in mind, as far as enlistment goes, the reserves would get me to that goal the fastest of any enlistment option. If I went active though I could always try for MECEP. Now I know to get selected for MECEP you have to be **** hot. But I have an ACT score of 30 and AFQT 91, so if I had good PFT and CFT scores and assuming I'll be a good Marine, would MECEP really be such a long shot for me?
Thanks in advance to all.
P.S. I'm sure that josephd will jump on this post and tell me that enlisting is not the right thing to do if I want to be an officer. I respect that opinion and for most people enlisting when you want to be an officer is probably counterproductive, but I also know that plenty of people have done it. josephd please feel free to give me advice anyway as no disrespect is intended here.