How to Win Rotc Scholarships: An In-Depth, Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Rotc Scholarship Selection Process

This book works, it flat out tells you tricks on how to win the scholarships.


Here's what the other reviewers didn't mention   April 24, 2010
leeann
This is a book intended to provide in-depth answers to very specific questions re the ROTC scholarship process.

To those who read that first sentence as a rather trivial statement, allow me to clarify: this book will NOT try to substitute real content with sweeping statements paraphrasing that which you already know, nor will it waste your valuable time indulging in rousing propaganda, e.g. "Military service is a training wheel on the patriotic bicycle of lifelong success.." Again, this is a book intended to provide in-depth answers to very specific questions re the ROTC scholarship process.

There are several chapters, but painting in broad strokes, the book can be divided into four discrete parts:

** BACKGROUND INFO: Provides context. The author carefully defines the scope and focus of your ROTC scholarship efforts and pays particular attention to the differences and requirements for each military service branch.

** ARE YOU ROTC SCHOLARSHIP MATERIAL: Delivers an honest assessment of where you need to be in order to have a fighting chance (with insider tips on where the flex spaces exist in the process).. This section is not intended to make you believe that anyone can receive the scholarship if only they want it badly enough; it's meant to help you determine whether you have, say, a 20%, 50% or 80% chance of winning a scholarship, and how best to maximize those odds. With this in mind, I highly recommend this book to students who are in their frosh/soph year of high school (and their parents/guardians) -- by the time you reach your junior/senior year, it's going to be difficult to acquire or incorporate many of the activities and skills that will make your application pop.

** THE PROCESS: Walks the reader through the application process, without glossing over points. This is incredibly valuable, as so many other resources choose to focus on only one aspect while neglecting other areas. I can't stress enough the importance of having a full and robust understanding of the entire process -- you cannot possibly anticipate and prepare for that which you don't know exists. Brewer provides practical (actionable) advice re essays, tests, intellectual/physical requirements, etc. He also explains the rationalizations driving much of the ROTC process + procedure.

** INTERVIEWS AND SELECTION: Identifies the roles and scope of authority of the ROTC scholarship board members, and explains precisely what happens behind closed doors (including an excellent overview of point allocations). Essay requirements may make the process appear, to a degree, somewhat subjective but there is a clear approach and methodology that is applied by those who serve on the scholarship committee. Not all elements of the application process are given equal weight -- this section alone is worth 10x the cost of the book.

And keep in mind that all of this is written from the perspective of an officer who has served on the ROTC selection board, not from someone who has merely gone through the application process. Go ahead and check out forums if you want feedback from people who have already experienced this as an applicant; buy this book if you're looking for the competitive edge that comes from having an insider's perspective.

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PS. I did notice that one reviewer gave the book one star, noting that you can find all of this information on the internet. That is a true but empty statement: you can find *anything* online.. The question you need to ask yourself is: are you really sure you know what to search for?


A godsend   January 10, 2008
KB
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Excellent resource. I had no idea what to expect but was very pleased with the purchase. It was very clearly written and made the process very transparent - particularly the chapter on diversity.