ServeWell Podcast

Not every college in the United States has an ROTC program on its campus. In this episode, I walk through how to determine which colleges have ROTC programs and for which military branches (e.g. Army…

In this episode, I walk through a typical day-in-the-life of a service academy student versus an ROTC student at a traditional college. What are the pros, cons, similarities, and differences? Many su…

Legendary speaker, thinker, and leadership guru, Jim Collins, was once invited to spend two years at West Point as a visiting professor. By the time his tenure ended, he made a startling observation.…

The terms “nomination” and “appointment” can be confusing — especially in light of how often they are used interchangeably. In this episode, I clear up the difference between the two terms in an effo…

The military is not known for being particularly efficient or nimble when it comes to paperwork, administration, or logistics. The service academy and ROTC application process is no exception. The re…

Summers are a great time for your child to take their applications to the next level. They can pursue activities, experiences, and adventures that would be impossible to do during the school year. Ho…

My three sons took decidedly different paths on their way to a service academy (USNA) and ROTC (Navy, Yale University) program. In this episode, I explore the different inflection points that put the…

Becoming a “recruited athlete” by one of the service academy coaches may represent the most direct and reliable way to earn an appointment to a service academy. However, attaining this status is easi…

What’s the difference in cost between: (1) service academies, (2) ROTC programs, and (3) traditional colleges? There can be a $100K swing — per year. Would you prefer your child to graduate with $0, …

The pursuit of a service academy appointment or ROTC scholarship is replete with interviews (e.g. congressional nomination panels, military liaison representatives, ROTC Officers, college alumni, etc…

Not all extracurricular activities (ECAs) are created equal. Which ECAs should your child pursue to get the most bang-for-their-buck when it comes to service academies and ROTC scholarships? Scouting…

In this episode, I discuss differences in ROTC programs across branches (e.g. Navy ROTC vs. Army ROTC) as well as within the same branch (e.g. Navy ROTC at Texas Tech vs. Navy ROTC at Brown). As your…

In this episode, I walk through the similarities and differences between the two related (but not the same) programs: service academies vs. ROTC programs. I cover aspects of academics, lifestyle, lea…

What should your child expect in their sophomore year? Apart from increased expectations, accountability, and maturity, they should also be prepared to be ignored. Sophomore year is known as the “gho…

“Early preparation” is a key tenet of ServeWell Academy’s mission, and I do my best to convince your child that it’s worth the effort. There are countless reasons why early preparation redounds to th…

Service academy and ROTC candidates will participate in several high-stakes interviews. Instead of stressing about these encounters, your child should think of them as opportunities to make their mar…

Learn all about ROTC programs, how they work, what they offer, how they differ from service academies, and why they’re so competitive. Which branches of the military offer ROTC programs and as part o…

Junior year will be your child’s most challenging “academic” year. Beyond academics, they will also face high expectations, leadership demands, standardized tests, AP exams, and extracurricular commi…

Learn about the 5 service academies, how they work, what they offer, how they differ from ROTC programs, and why they are so competitive. This is the perfect introduction to the world of military-bas…