Embry Riddle NROTC vs USAFAPS

[Spartan01]

I’m stuck between NROTC at ER and USAFAPS. I have two older siblings, one graduated from USNA and flying jets, another currently at USNA ‘24. My father also served 23 years Navy so it's a big influence.

Does anyone have any advice or pros and cons about either one? Statistics? Academics? Quality of Life? Free time?

If I choose NROTC, I can reapply to USNA, but if I end up doing ROTC all four years at ERAU, almost every Midshipman in their unit will want to commission as a pilot since it’s an aviation school.

However, if I go to USAFAPS, I’d be able to polish my intellectual abilities, get a grasp of being a cadet, and have a much greater chance at becoming a pilot.

Both schools offer my degree (comp. eng.) and both seem to have amazing qualities of life.

 

[BJD16]

Do what your heart tells you, but I would recommend Navy ROTC at ER. You will commission in 4 years, and start your career.

Whatever option you pursue, please remember that you are committing to 4+ years of active duty per the needs of the military, not just Aviation.

 

[Herman_Snerd]

I’m stuck between NROTC at ER and USAFAPS. I have two older siblings, one graduated from USNA and flying jets, another currently at USNA ‘24. My father also served 23 years Navy so it's a big influence.

Does anyone have any advice or pros and cons about either one? Statistics? Academics? Quality of Life? Free time?

If I choose NROTC, I can reapply to USNA, but if I end up doing ROTC all four years at ERAU, almost every Midshipman in their unit will want to commission as a pilot since it’s an aviation school.

However, if I go to USAFAPS, I’d be able to polish my intellectual abilities, get a grasp of being a cadet, and have a much greater chance at becoming a pilot.

Both schools offer my degree (comp. eng.) and both seem to have amazing qualities of life.

I'll just share a few levers you can look at to compare...

Both offer a path to reapply to the Naval Academy. A recommendation from your ERAU NROTC PNS in your USNA reapplication would seem to be pretty fantastic vs spending a year learning the courtesies and customs of the air force - unless you just want the SA over ROTC experience?. Plus you'll be 25% toward a degree if you stay at ERAU, or starting over for 4 years at a SA either way.

Do you have any interest in serving as an officer in the Air Force? roughly half of their recent commissioning classes at USAFA got a rated pilot slot, so that's would seem in-line with your goals. USAFAPS would be a path to prepare and hopefully earn a slot at USAFA.

Structured time constraints will be higher in the SAs and prep school. Rigor depends on your major.

Can you afford a class 1 flight physical (ask your sibling) completed by a physician and team who normally does these for the military? You may want to do so to ensure you are medically fit to be an aviator before wasting time. You should also get up in the air in a small craft for a flight lesson to see if you actually enjoy it (not everyone does).

You are incorrect with the assumption that "almost every Midshipman in their unit will want to commission as a pilot since it's an aviation school." The last four service selections at that school have included aviators, naval flight officers, surface warfare officers, Sub officers,, information warfare selections. Most got their first or second choice. But of course service selection is about the needs of the navy, not the individual, so there is always risk that what you want may not be where you serve.

For commitment for an aviator it's delay to start NIFE (could be a year, more or less) plus flight training plus 8 years - realistically if you're 22 when you graduate you'll be at least 33 when you are first eligible to stay in, transition to reserves or leave the military.

What is your intended major - that can make a difference in choosing a path.

Congrats on having some great options - best of luck to you as you make your decision in the weeks ahead.

 

[Gearhead5]

Embry Riddle-Daytona Beach is the #1 choice for my DS. We have made many inquiries with both the AFROTC & NROTC detachments at ERAU DB. Did you receive a NROTC scholarship? During our last visit, October 2022, the NROTC commander said their detachment had openings only for NROTC scholarship students. The commander said they currently have no openings for college programmers.

Once at Riddle and in the NROTC unit you may find that you enjoy where you are and not what to start over at an SA. Riddle is a small university with small class sizes and a large ROTC community with Army, Air Force, and Navy well represented.

As for aviation if you look at some of the past NROTC commissioning events you will see that quite a few go surface and subsurface. The college of engineering at ERAU is just behind the college of aviation in the number of students. If you’re looking at a NROTC scholarship their Tier 1 & 2 list are a little different from other universities. That being said the NROTC unit at Riddle does produce a good number of SNA’s.

ERAU Daytona Beach also has a very large AFROTC detachment that produces the #2 amount of UPT assignments second only to the Air Force Academy, their numbers.

Best of luck to you!

 

[franknd]

Embry Riddle is very expensive. And even if you are fortunate enough to have a 4-year NROTC scholarship, it does not cover flight fees, which are considerable in the event you plan to fly at ER.

Also, have you received an appointment to USAFAPS? If you have, congratulations. I don't really have any comment about that other than it is your ticket to a SA, and your best chance to fly in the military if that's what you want.

Both offer a path to reapply to the Naval Academy.

I've never heard of this w/r/t USAFAPS, and I'm dubious that it's accurate. Anyway, I'd at least double-check it in the event that you opt for USAFAPS with the intention of attending USNA.

 

[NavyHoops]

Do you want a SA experience? If you do, the answer is there. I understand you have a long line of Navy in your family, maybe it’s time to create your own path. Do an exchange semester for fun. I know the 4-years of room and board plus fees are no inconsequential either. How does that look for you? If you don’t fly, what service fits better for you?

 

[Herman_Snerd]

If it may help clarify.
You can reapply to USNA while a freshman at ERAU.
You can reapply to USNA during your year at USAFAPS.
You can reapply to the USAFA from USAFAPS. No guarantee of admission but many take that path and the recommendation from their grand poobah plays into the USAFA decision of your reapplication. All skepticism on this or any internet statement are welcome.

As noted, having a recommendation from your NROTC PNS from ERAU attached to your USNA app could be fantastic.
As noted, if you ultimately go the service academy route you’ll start over for 4 years at the academy regardless of which path you choose for next year.
As noted if you stay at ERAU after one year you’ll only have approx 3 years left vs starting over.

The only ROTC program that covers flight fees for some undergraduate trainees is USAF for advanced standing cadets if they apply, but that is limited- around 4000.00 USAFA cadets too get some support too, typically in part 61 flight programs. 4000.00 won’t get you far in a part 141 flight program. As @franknd All other flight fees are not covered in rotc. The OP isn’t stating he’ll study professional flight at ERAU, just that he wants to go to military flight school/ serve as an aviator after commissioning. So the flight fee point for the OP doesn’t necessarily need to factor into consideration.

God bless and let’s all keep trying to help these young people and their families.

 

[NavyHopefulMom]

I’m stuck between NROTC at ER and USAFAPS. I have two older siblings, one graduated from USNA and flying jets, another currently at USNA ‘24. My father also served 23 years Navy so it's a big influence.

Does anyone have any advice or pros and cons about either one? Statistics? Academics? Quality of Life? Free time?

If I choose NROTC, I can reapply to USNA, but if I end up doing ROTC all four years at ERAU, almost every Midshipman in their unit will want to commission as a pilot since it’s an aviation school.

However, if I go to USAFAPS, I’d be able to polish my intellectual abilities, get a grasp of being a cadet, and have a much greater chance at becoming a pilot.

Both schools offer my degree (comp. eng.) and both seem to have amazing qualities of life.

Congratulations! DS is on the waitlist at ERAU for NRTOC 4-year. I messaged you with a couple of questions .