Benefits and experience
Leadership
Army ROTC is called "the smartest college course you can take" because it teaches skills you'll need in order to do well in college and beyond. You'll learn how to lead and work with others, write and speak effectively, manage your time, and become a more disciplined student. It enhances your education by providing both training and experience in leadership and management. It develops self-discipline, responsibility, and confidence–qualities basic to success in the Army or in a civilian career.
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Great Americans such as former Secretary of State General Colin Powell are ROTC graduates. It is a challenging program that can lead to a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves, or Army National Guard. But whether you try ROTC for all four years or for only a single semester, the leadership and management skills developed will remain for a lifetime. Bottom line...if you think you are a leader, Army ROTC will make you better!
Experience
Following graduation, most Cadets who are commissioned will serve on active duty for a minimum of four years at a starting salary (O-1) of over $33,000 per year (not including their Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for Subsistence which will raise to about $60-66K). Those leaving the service after their obligation is fulfilled might be heavily recruited for their management experience by leading companies in the industry. Employers know that Army ROTC teaches the leadership and management skills they're looking for in the people they hire and promote. In today’s highly competitive job market, ROTC training can provide a critical edge over your contemporaries.