• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 23:34
CET 05:34
KST 13:34
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners9Intel X Team Liquid Seoul event: Showmatches and Meet the Pros10[ASL20] Finals Preview: Arrival13TL.net Map Contest #21: Voting12[ASL20] Ro4 Preview: Descent11
Community News
StarCraft, SC2, HotS, WC3, Returning to Blizzcon!33$5,000+ WardiTV 2025 Championship6[BSL21] RO32 Group Stage4Weekly Cups (Oct 26-Nov 2): Liquid, Clem, Solar win; LAN in Philly2Weekly Cups (Oct 20-26): MaxPax, Clem, Creator win10
StarCraft 2
General
Weekly Cups (Oct 20-26): MaxPax, Clem, Creator win TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners RotterdaM "Serral is the GOAT, and it's not close" 5.0.15 Patch Balance Hotfix (2025-10-8) StarCraft, SC2, HotS, WC3, Returning to Blizzcon!
Tourneys
Constellation Cup - Main Event - Stellar Fest $5,000+ WardiTV 2025 Championship Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Merivale 8 Open - LAN - Stellar Fest Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond)
Strategy
Custom Maps
Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 498 Wheel of Misfortune|Cradle of Death Mutation # 497 Battle Haredened Mutation # 496 Endless Infection Mutation # 495 Rest In Peace
Brood War
General
[ASL20] Ask the mapmakers — Drop your questions BW General Discussion [BSL21] RO32 Group Stage BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ SnOw's ASL S20 Finals Review
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [ASL20] Grand Finals [BSL21] RO32 Group B - Sunday 21:00 CET [BSL21] RO32 Group A - Saturday 21:00 CET
Strategy
Current Meta PvZ map balance How to stay on top of macro? Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Should offensive tower rushing be viable in RTS games? Dawn of War IV
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread SPIRED by.ASL Mafia {211640}
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine YouTube Thread Dating: How's your luck?
Fan Clubs
White-Ra Fan Club The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! Korean Music Discussion Series you have seen recently...
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread NBA General Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023 TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 Formula 1 Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
SC2 Client Relocalization [Change SC2 Language] Linksys AE2500 USB WIFI keeps disconnecting Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
Coffee x Performance in Espo…
TrAiDoS
Saturation point
Uldridge
DnB/metal remix FFO Mick Go…
ImbaTosS
Why we need SC3
Hildegard
Reality "theory" prov…
perfectspheres
Our Last Hope in th…
KrillinFromwales
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1457 users

Thinking about ROTC

Blogs > il0seonpurpose
Post a Reply
il0seonpurpose
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
Korea (South)5638 Posts
March 30 2010 00:41 GMT
#1
So, I didn't get accepted into the top two schools I wanted to go to, Emory and Rice. I got into University of Miami and Syracuse, but it's way too expensive, so the only option for me now is staying in-state, and here in Kentucky, let's just say they don't have the best schools. I've never really wanted to go to either University of Kentucky or University of Louisville, (the two schools that I applied to that are in the state) In short,I want to go out of state, to either the two other schools I got into. Since it's too expensive, I've been thinking about joining the ROTC to help me pay for the cost of the schools. I've done some research on ROTC and the army, but I just wanted some personal experience and feedback please! The pros and cons, the style of life, going to war (?), etc. Thanks!

TommyGG
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States142 Posts
March 30 2010 00:54 GMT
#2
I wouldn't suggest it, but if you are willing to do anything to pay for college and go out of state then I guess it is a possibility. I've heard from a military perspective it isn't really that beneficial because you aren't really considered much higher than a normal college graduate once you start your service after school. A lot of kids who know more about the ROTC and the military than I do consider the ROTC a joke. On my campus there are a few kids who are doing ROTC and I know that they need to devote some weekends to training which can make it really hard to manage your time for studies especially during freshman year.


Frankly I wouldn't do it just because of your commitment to service after graduation.

If you care about the social side of it at all, you do have to wear your uniform to class on certain days which looks pretty goofy lol.
CKSide
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States223 Posts
March 30 2010 01:06 GMT
#3
I did NJROTC in high school and it was great experience. I enjoyed it. But i suppose it really matters which branch and your location. certain areas get funded better and of course people are different.

you can do it for a year without commitment to the military and have them pay for schooling and see how you like it. afterwards, theres a commitment ranging from 2-4 years in the military. which isn't too bad, considering they just paid for your college. on top of paying for everything, save books and board, i believe rotc also provides like a monthly salary? you'll have to check on that.

overall, if you don't mind getting in touch with your militaristic side, i would recommend it. and wearing a uniform isn't as bad as some may think, wearing every thursday throughout high school was pretty fun. but of course, everything is subjected to opinion

only reason i didn't do ROTC in college was because the only branch offered at my school, university of houston, is Air Force. which i'm not interested in.

lastly, do lots of research before finalizing an decision. would've been cool if you got to Rice, we could've been CSL practice buddies =D
Check
Sprite
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
United States1015 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-30 02:50:14
March 30 2010 02:10 GMT
#4
Hey man Im in the same boat as you i think im definitely going to join it for sure though :D
Firebathero is still the best!
Jenbu
Profile Joined October 2009
United States115 Posts
March 30 2010 03:21 GMT
#5
Have you tried applying for grants and scholarships? Simply filling out the FAFSA could get you easy money(unless your family makes too much). If worse comes to worse, the government has guaranteed student loans.
il0seonpurpose
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
Korea (South)5638 Posts
March 30 2010 03:47 GMT
#6
On March 30 2010 12:21 Jenbu wrote:
Have you tried applying for grants and scholarships? Simply filling out the FAFSA could get you easy money(unless your family makes too much). If worse comes to worse, the government has guaranteed student loans.



Yeah, I filled it out and I was pretty disappointed with how much I received from the colleges. My dad is the only one that works, and he makes less than $30,000 a year...
LosingID8
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
CA10828 Posts
March 30 2010 04:08 GMT
#7
i know this is too late but maybe this might help someone else in your situation who is a year or two younger than you.

if you are a pretty strong applicant, i would highly suggest only applying to schools that are known for their generous finaid. this means not applying to places like NYU or OOS state schools like cal or ucla if you're not from california. almost all of the elite liberal arts, all the ivies, and almost all the top privates have great finaid.
ModeratorResident K-POP Elitist
leetchaos
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States395 Posts
March 30 2010 04:13 GMT
#8
On March 30 2010 12:47 il0seonpurpose wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 30 2010 12:21 Jenbu wrote:
Have you tried applying for grants and scholarships? Simply filling out the FAFSA could get you easy money(unless your family makes too much). If worse comes to worse, the government has guaranteed student loans.



Yeah, I filled it out and I was pretty disappointed with how much I received from the colleges. My dad is the only one that works, and he makes less than $30,000 a year...


You probably don't want to hear this but... go to community college for your low level classes, once you have taken all the transferable credits that would normally cost you tens of thousands of dollars you can go and take the classes that matter that a University.

I know several people with degrees who wish they knew to do this, they are in debt and they could be in a lot less debt. There is no good reason not to do this really, all of the transferable credits at a community college are non-major-specific.

I know people think they are "too good" to go to a community college, but LOTS of smart people do it for cheap general ed. credits. When you take the classes that really matter you go to a Uni.

Just my two cents.
deth
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Australia1757 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-30 05:11:55
March 30 2010 04:48 GMT
#9
If you can make it happen, you might come study overseas, for example in australia, uni fees for Monash (one of Aus's G8 uni's) are $2.1k AUD (up front payment) for a semester (about $1.8k USD).

I heard about how expensive american universities are and my mouth hit the floor, a top uni there costs at the very least as much as my whole Journalism degree will cost, every semester o.o
Mickey
Profile Blog Joined July 2005
United States2606 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-30 04:55:36
March 30 2010 04:54 GMT
#10
On March 30 2010 12:47 il0seonpurpose wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 30 2010 12:21 Jenbu wrote:
Have you tried applying for grants and scholarships? Simply filling out the FAFSA could get you easy money(unless your family makes too much). If worse comes to worse, the government has guaranteed student loans.



Yeah, I filled it out and I was pretty disappointed with how much I received from the colleges. My dad is the only one that works, and he makes less than $30,000 a year...

Were you disappointed by how much you were entitled? or disappointed that the government didn't give you a complete free ride?

Life isn't a charity man and out of state tuition is extremely expensive. I'd suggest staying in Kentucky, or doing what someone previously mentioned by doing your first 2 years at a community college and then heading off to your preferred university.
Fallen33
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
United States596 Posts
March 30 2010 05:00 GMT
#11
I've been to afghanistan and its not somewhere you want to be just cuz u wanted college paid for. War is not a joke, anyone who sayd otherwise is a fuckin tool.
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
il0seonpurpose
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
Korea (South)5638 Posts
March 30 2010 05:24 GMT
#12
Ok, thanks guys. I just asked a friend that's in the ROTC army right now, he told me it's hell and told me that the Air Force is a lot better and easier. Is this true at all?
CKSide
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States223 Posts
March 30 2010 06:21 GMT
#13
On March 30 2010 14:24 il0seonpurpose wrote:
Ok, thanks guys. I just asked a friend that's in the ROTC army right now, he told me it's hell and told me that the Air Force is a lot better and easier. Is this true at all?


ya it is. Different branches go through different things.
Generally ROTC programs difficulty goes like this. roughly.
Marine corps
Army
Navy
Air Force

It's hell for those that've never seen a hard day's work in their life...
Check
phyre112
Profile Joined August 2009
United States3090 Posts
April 20 2010 23:01 GMT
#14
I PM'd you a while ago about visiting SU. 'Member me?

I have a few friends who are in the ROTC program here at Syracuse, mostly the army program.

First, besides the aid from the government, what kind of package did SU actually give you? I know my family makes about three times that, with both parents working and I'm basically here paying only room and board. I'm in-state though.

That said, the ROTC program here is... tolerable. Yeah, if you're not used to hard work it's going to be ridiculously difficult for you. Also, it's quite difficult to actually get the military to pay up. A few of the guys I know were working through a bureaucratic mess every night of the first semester in order to actually GET their money. Before you sign up, make sure you're actually going to get what they're offering you, because they'll take any opportunity not to pay.

The program does take you away from the school for some weekends to do training (some of which is apparently paid), there is a fitness component, a GPA requirement, and some other hoops to jump through. That said, if you're dedicated to your studies you'll have plenty of time for them. It may cut into your ability to say, join a fraternity (for which dues are crazy and you probably wouldn't be interested in anyway) or go out to parties, but you'll also live in a group with the other members of ROTC and have an easy time socializing with them due to your shared experiences in the program. It's really a different way of going through college, and it's going to require more discipline, but you can still have plenty of friends both inside and outside the program. Just make sure that the commitment to service is right for you before you join up.

Also, SU is awesome.
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Korean StarCraft League
03:00
Week 82
HKG_Chickenman64
davetesta63
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RuFF_SC2 181
Nina 158
ProTech118
StarCraft: Brood War
Icarus 15
Dota 2
monkeys_forever357
NeuroSwarm97
LuMiX1
League of Legends
JimRising 569
Super Smash Bros
C9.Mang0554
Other Games
tarik_tv14330
summit1g13831
FrodaN139
WinterStarcraft79
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick985
Counter-Strike
PGL130
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 11 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Stunt493
Upcoming Events
CranKy Ducklings
5h 26m
IPSL
13h 26m
dxtr13 vs OldBoy
Napoleon vs Doodle
LAN Event
13h 26m
Lambo vs Clem
Scarlett vs TriGGeR
ByuN vs TBD
Zoun vs TBD
BSL 21
15h 26m
Gosudark vs Kyrie
Gypsy vs OyAji
UltrA vs Radley
Dandy vs Ptak
Replay Cast
18h 26m
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 5h
WardiTV Korean Royale
1d 7h
IPSL
1d 13h
JDConan vs WIZARD
WolFix vs Cross
LAN Event
1d 13h
BSL 21
1d 15h
spx vs rasowy
HBO vs KameZerg
Cross vs Razz
dxtr13 vs ZZZero
[ Show More ]
Replay Cast
2 days
Wardi Open
2 days
WardiTV Korean Royale
3 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Kung Fu Cup
4 days
Classic vs Solar
herO vs Cure
Reynor vs GuMiho
ByuN vs ShoWTimE
Tenacious Turtle Tussle
4 days
The PondCast
5 days
RSL Revival
5 days
Solar vs Zoun
MaxPax vs Bunny
Kung Fu Cup
5 days
WardiTV Korean Royale
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
Classic vs Creator
Cure vs TriGGeR
Kung Fu Cup
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

BSL 21 Points
SC4ALL: StarCraft II
Eternal Conflict S1

Ongoing

C-Race Season 1
IPSL Winter 2025-26
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 4
SOOP Univ League 2025
YSL S2
BSL Season 21
Stellar Fest: Constellation Cup
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual

Upcoming

SLON Tour Season 2
BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
HSC XXVIII
RSL Offline Finals
WardiTV 2025
RSL Revival: Season 3
META Madness #9
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026: Closed Qualifier
eXTREMESLAND 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
SL Budapest Major 2025
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.