The first way to earn an Air Force ROTC scholarship is to apply for the High School Scholarship Program (HSSP). These scholarships typically cover full tuition and fees at any university.
In high school, Ryan Dailey always wanted to be in the armed forces because it allowed him to serve his country in plenty of ways, but he had to decide which branch to join. Dailey ended up with his final decision being to join AFROTC. This decision was made because he had always wanted to be an Engineer, but he also heard from family members and friends about how great the Air Force was. Additionally, Dailey wanted to be able to retire from the military with the capacity to practice engineering, specifically in the weapons development sector.
Cadet Dailey (front row, wearing a red polo and khaki pants) takes the oath of enlistment alongside other contracting cadets.
His decision to apply to the HSSP was to achieve both goals while having to worry less about money in college and being able to prioritize his studies. When asked about the selection process for the HSSP he said, “The selection process is relatively straight forward but needs to be started as early as possible to ensure you’re able to go up for interviews at the correct date. The most important things to work on while you’re in high school are your grades, ACT or SAT scores, fitness, and the DODMERB process.” While Cadet Dailey is currently studying engineering and looks forward to practicing it when he retires from the Air Force, he currently wants to be a security forces officer. His reason for this selection was made after hearing about the career from both Officers and enlisted in the position.
The window for applying to HSSP opens every year in July during the students’ senior year and closes 31 December. Applications are submitted online at www.afrotc.com. To learn more about the HSSP and other available ROTC scholarships visit https://afrotc.unl.edu/prospective-students/scholarships/.
