Frequently Asked Questions
Is enrolling in Army ROTC the same as joining the Army? Once a student starts taking ROTC courses, is he/she obligated to join the Army?
Enrolling in the Army ROTC Basic Course (the first two years of college) is not the same as “joining the Army” and does NOT involve a commitment of service to the Army unless you have received an Army ROTC Scholarship. However, the primary purpose of Army ROTC is to produce quality Army Officers, so students must agree to serve as Army Officers (commissioned as Second Lieutenants) upon graduation in order to receive a scholarship, or to complete the ROTC Advanced Course (the last two years of college).
What is the service commitment to the Army if a student accepts an ROTC scholarship, or wishes to complete the ROTC Advanced Course?
The service commitment upon completion of the ROTC Advanced Course and graduation from college is 8 years in total. Scholarship recipients must spend at least 4 years in full time Active Duty status, and may spend their remaining time in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). (Non-scholarship graduates may spend 3 years on Active Duty and 5 years in the IRR).
Some cadets may choose to serve their 8 years working part time in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard while pursuing a civilian career.
How likely is it that a cadet will get their first choice of branch or duty location after graduation?
Duty station and branch are both determined based on what the Army calls the Order of Merit List (OML). All of the senior cadets in the nation are placed on a list ranking them in descending order based on GPA, Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) performance, and the cadet’s overall performance in the ROTC program. The better a cadet performs physically, academically, and in their leadership roles, the more likely they are to get their first choices in branch and first duty station.
What are Military Science courses like? How much time will I spend doing ROTC activities? Will ROTC interfere with my other studies?
Military Science classes at Seattle University involve an elective course taken each quarter which includes typical classroom work as well as hand-on field work. In addition, our ROTC cadets meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 0600-0700 in the Connolly Center Astro-Gym to participate in a physical training regimen, and one weekend per academic quarter is spent doing hand-on field training at Ft. Lewis, Washington.
Academics is a priority for all ROTC cadets. We know that being a student comes first and our Cadre members work closely with Seattle University Faculty and Staff to ensure that our cadets succeed in all their courses.
How much money does an Army ROTC Scholarship award and what does the money pay for?
Depending on how many courses you have left to complete in your degree, and what kind of scholarship you are awarded, you will either have your full tuition paid in full for 2, 3, or the full 4 years it takes to finish your course of study. At some universities, cadets much decide whether to use their scholarship to cover tuition OR room and board, however at Seattle University the university off-sets the cost of room and board, so everything is covered. In addition, you will receive a $1200 book stipend for the year, and a monthly stipend of $350-$500 (the amount increases by $50 each year in ROTC) to pay for additional costs of living.