Benefits of JROTC When Applying to College

Jul 11, 2023 | Education, Families

College application is a challenging and complex process affected by various factors. For example, personal circumstances and deadlines. Admission involves different requirements, such as standardized exam scores and transcripts. To impress the committee, students use extracurricular activity lists, essay examples, and recommendation letters. The goal is to stand out from the crowd and show the committee why they are best suited for admission. JROTC offers immense benefits for students. But does JROTC look good on college applications? Take a look at its benefits below.

What is JROTC and Its Benefits

The Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) is a program to prepare high school students for leadership roles. It teaches self-discipline, self-confidence, and leadership skills. Apart from this, it is a stimulus for promoting high school graduations. The program makes students aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges. As a result, many high schools in the country offer it. The United States Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force, sponsor JROTC.

JROTC provides citizenship training, leadership development, and an introduction to military service. Nonetheless, you can take it, even if you don’t want to join the military. The reason is that the curriculum covers various subjects. They include communication skills, citizenship, and physical fitness. In addition, it teaches ethics, leadership theory, and military history. So, does JROTC help with college? Yes, it does. Its most fascinating benefits lie in extracurriculars. The JROTC program includes participation in drill competitions and community service projects. Furthermore, students join the color guard and rifle team – which are valuable for admission. So, does JROTC look good for college? Let us explore JROTC’s role in the process.

Provides Arsenal for Your Application Essay

Essay writing is one of the most challenging parts of the college admission process. Students write admission essays to introduce their personalities to the committee. Likewise, the board considers it together with SAT and ACT scores. A well-written JROTC essay includes a student’s strengths, weaknesses, failures, and achievements. But this does not equal a stroll in the park. Highlighting your unique qualities, goals, and experiences can be demanding. Hence, we recommend you use various JROTC essay examples to find a suitable topic and essay examples. The free samples explore the subjects from different angles and provide various talking points. Ultimately, it brings you a step closer to college acceptance.

It Emphasizes Your Strengths

One of the mistakes students make is believing their GPA is enough to earn a spot at a top university or college. But contrary to the notion, it is not. The more activities you participated in outside campus, the higher the likelihood of getting ahead of a kid with a perfect 4.0 who did nothing but homework. Here are a few impressions JROTC leaves on your application:

  • Leadership development: Colleges value students with high leadership potential. JROTC helps students develop and enhance their leadership skills. Hence, it is an advantage.
  • Discipline and responsibility: The admission board recognizes JROTC’s emphasis on personal responsibility, time management, and discipline.
  • Physical fitness: The program promotes fitness via regular training and exercise. Schools focus on a healthy and active student body. Hence, it makes you a strong candidate.
  • Community service: Universities love students who volunteer and contribute to society. These activities show commitment to serving others and impacting the community.
  • Teamwork and collaboration: JROTC provides an opportunity for students to work in groups. As a result, they develop interpersonal skills, useful in a college environment.
  • Scholarship and networking opportunities: Many JROTC programs include awards to reduce tuition. Furthermore, they provide an opportunity to network with mentors, instructors, and peers. These connections come in handy for obtaining letters of recommendation and advice.

Conclusion

JROTC will not 100% get a student into college. However, hours of community service will make the committee think highly of you. It further presents you as a respectful person. Including it in your resume shows dedication and involvement in a structured program. Hence, it differentiates a student from other applicants. It highlights an ability to handle many responsibilities. But bear in mind that the admission requirements differ from one school to another. In the end, each university has its own unique admission criteria. Nonetheless, JROTC can strengthen your application.

Parenting Toolkits

Learning offline is now possible! Download our new Parenting Toolkits today.