Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

Combine some of the best colleges and universities in the country with Army training and experience and you get ROTC. This popular program offers merit-based scholarships to thousands of students every year. As an ROTC cadet, you experience college just like any other student. You attend the same classes, live in the same dorms and unwind in the same hangouts. However, you'll also undergo additional training in physical fitness, military history and field tactics. The U.S. Army picks up the tab for tuition, books, and feesa value of more than $70,000 at some schools. In addition, ROTC students receive a monthly stipend based on their academic year.

After graduation, you'll serve as a commissioned officer, either full-time or in the reserves. There is no military commitment for at least the first year under ROTC, so students can decide whether or not the program is right for them.