Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC)

With affiliations at some of the tops schools in the country, the NROTC Scholarship Program is one of the Navy's most popular programs. Successful candidates experience college like other students, attending most of the same classes, rooming in the same dorms, and participating in the same social scenes. However, the Navy picks up the tab—full tuition, books, and fees, plus a monthly stipend. In return, graduates of the program must undergo further naval training. Upon graduation, these midshipmen must serve eight years in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps after graduation, three of which must be on active duty.

The NROTC selection process is very competitive. Every year thousands of applicants, many in the top 10 percent of their classes, jockey for a limited number of 4-year scholarships.