The 3 Primary Ways To Become An Officer
There is more than one way to make achieve your dream of attending the Service Academy. Here are the top three…
Academy vs ROTC vs Senior Military College
| Selective | Scholarship | College Environment | Service Commitment | |
| Academy | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Military | 5 years |
| ROTC | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | Hybrid | 4 years |
| OCS | ⭐ | N/A | Civilian | 3-4 years |
| Sr military college | ⭐ | None (must be on ROTC scholarship) | Military | Optional |
Academy vs ROTC vs Senior Military College
| Academy | ROTC | Sr Military College | |
| Environment | Military 24/7 | Hybrid military/civilian. ROTC class is 1-3x/week & summers, immersed in civilian institution | Military 24/7 |
| $ Cost | Free | Tuition-free scholarship Living/book stipend | Private. $30-$50k |
| Service commitment | 5 years | 4 years | If on ROTC contract = 4 years If not on ROTC contract = None |
Other Options
Marine Platoon Leaders Course. Only applies for those that are already full-time college students.
Enlisted to Officer programs.
