Just about done with my pre-reqs. I'm one semester away from beginning my core nursing classes, and I'm looking for the best way to A) get my schooling paid for, and B) come out of school with a career that will enable me to take care of my daughter.
I've looked at the Army Nurse Candidate Program and I met with a ROTC recruiter. The Lt I met with was only mildly helpful and just sort of breezed over ROTC and gave me really no info on the process - but, I know that once I'm done with this semester if I'm 100% squared away I have a chance of getting a scholarship, and a stipend, and most importantly a commission.
Sounds like a good deal, but since the recruiter wasn't really forthright with all the info, I was wondering what you all think of each program? which is easier to get into? do you think one has benefits that outweighs the other?
I'm really excited...I can't wait to start my classes and move towards a career that I feel passionate about
One of the issues you now have to look at when you are making your decision which route you are going to take, ANCP, ROTC (scholarship & non-scholarship) is the how many nurses are they going to access in the future and which program will give you the best chance of being picked up as a Army Nurse. With the draw down coming there is going to be less slots available.
I tried to do ROTC but was unable to because my university didn't have an ROTC program of their own, just a satellite program. No one in my nursing college had ever done the ROTC because the nursing program went for 5 semesters straight, no breaks, to include summers, which made doing any training, such as LDAC or the summer training at an Army hospital impossible. Also, because my nursing college had never had any ROTC students before, they scheduled clinicals and classes over the days that ROTC classes and labs met, so there was a huge scheduling conflict right there, and neither side wanted to budge to let me fullfill lthe other's requirement.
Long story short, I did Leadership Training Course between my sophomore in junior years, thinking I could somehow make ROTC work, realized as a junior that the ROTC was impossible for me, got picked up by the ANCP, signed, got a $10,000 signing bonus (not sure if they still offer this or not), and after I passed the boards I headed out to sunny San Antonio. (I can't offer you any advice on loan repayment as I didn't have any loans).
If you sign with the ANCP, you're in. You don't have to worry about not being "selected" later because the contract you sign guarantees your commission, provided you pass nursing school and the NCLEX. Same goes for ROTC, scholarship or not. After the 2-year mark, you have to either bite the bullet and agree to commission after college or get out. The first two years of ROTC, you can participate without any obligation, but once you hit that 3rd year, it's showtime, scholarship or not.
Both options have their benefits. As Rusty noted, the ROTC will give you more training as a line officer and the ANCP will not. Because the ROTC meets weekly, you'll be more prepared for BOLC because you'll have more exposure to the Army, but also consider trying to split your schedule between the ROTC (which will include class and lab once a week and PT at least 3 times a week at 0-dark-stupid) and your nursing course, both of which will expect 110% from you, and you have a very personal, individual-level decision to make. Just because you don't have ROTC experience doesn't mean you can't be a great officer. That's all up to you.
!
jeckrn, BSN, RN
1,868 Posts
One of the issues you now have to look at when you are making your decision which route you are going to take, ANCP, ROTC (scholarship & non-scholarship) is the how many nurses are they going to access in the future and which program will give you the best chance of being picked up as a Army Nurse. With the draw down coming there is going to be less slots available.