Graduate or dropout?

[tom kelly]

DOES YOUR SCHOOL HAVE AN ROTC PROGRAM? IF IT DOES JOIN or CONSIDER ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT HAS AN ROTC PROGRAM. YOU WILL LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT THE ARMY. YOU MENTIONED YOUR MAJOR WAS COMMUNICATIONS, IF THE CLASSES ARE NOT CHALLENGING YOUR INTELLECT; TAKE AN ELECTIVE e.g. QUANTUM MECHANICS OR MOLECULAR GENETICS, ONE OR BOTH WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RID YOURSELF OF BOREDOM.STAY IN SCHOOL, GET YOUR DEGREE PLUS DO YOUR BEST TO EXCEL AND NEVER QUIT ANYTHING YOU START.
REGARD'S, Tom Kelly

[turboprop]

You'll never get another shot to "go to college." Experience it, enjoy it, the Army will be around when you're done. If you like the Army and stay, it matters less and less when you joined. There is something kind of cool about wearing a green beret before you can legally drink a beer, but once you're in your thirties still doing college you'll wish you had just knocked it out. I guess the underlying point is that if you join as an 18X the experience is not super different for an 18 year old and a 22 year old. However you only have one shot to go to college as an 18/19/20 year old. Don't jeopardize your future, but you should be enjoying yourself. Don't rush through your youth.

[Jgood]

I am killing myself wishing I knocked out my degree years ago with deployments, kids and training its a nightmare. Find something you actually want to do in school, take a language, STUDY. Promotions are now tied to education,well soon. Look at the long term someday you maybe speaking with a country team might as well have something intelligent to talk about.

[Moc]

Thank you all for your responses and time; I appreciate it.

[Bechorg]

I will give you a different angle as I received my beret before my 21st birthday. You are in shape (or can be) a lot easier now than you will be at 25-30. I would say that my youthful endurance is what got me through the Q. My youthful ignorance is what almost got me booted. How do you want to look back on your life? You can get a degree while you are in. I have been to countless countries, learned more than most do in a lifetime. I would go as far to say that my experience destroys any degree I could have acquired. I wouldn't have done anything differently besides fight even harder during my deployments. Do what your legacy can handle and be ready to fail if you come uncommitted in either realm.

The Q course is tightening it's belt. The pressure and the gates that these guys have to pass now is world class, and you better come prepared. They are non selecting like never before, and booting guys out throughout the course at a very high rate.

[GrumpyMedic]

Moc,

Understand that you've asked an extremely opinionated group to express an opinion. As you can see, most of us tend to be free thinkers and are capable of thinking critically. My experience may help inform your decision a little...
I began my SF career as an 18B (weapons) and after a few years re-classed to 18D (Medic). As a medic I found my passion and upon finishing SFMS began pursuing a pre-med degree. That was seven, almost eight, years ago. I'm finally down to the home stretch with only four classes remaining; however, I need to either take those classes face to face (which is proving to be a near impossibility) or rely on the med schools that accept an online degree on a "case by case basis".
Something to consider...
Had I already obtained a degree and only needed to fulfill the prerequisites required for medical school, how many years of toil (balancing training, deployments, family, professional military education, etc, etc, etc!) might I have saved?
The Army, and recruiters specifically, do a good job of convincing people to volunteer. That's their job! You will be told about all of the programs available to finish your degree and they absolutely exist. But my suggestion is that you educate yourself thoroughly about those programs prior to making a decision about taking a hiatus from school.
I applaud your seeking advice from experienced SF soldiers as it speaks to your ability to: a) seek help when you don't know the answer (a lot of us in SF have a hard time doing this) b) shows that you have the situational awareness to understand the enormity of the decision ahead of you and c) demonstrates a certain level of maturity. These are some of the character traits necessary in SF.
However, part of being an SF soldier is prioritizing, self reliance, confidence and professionalism. We put our Team ahead of ourselves, always. If you're tasked to perform a tedious, boring job that you're not passionate about by your Team Sergeant are you going to be a professional and do the task to the utmost of your ability or are you going to go find something else to do?
If I had the ability to go back and change things, I wouldn't. My life as it has unfolded, though not perfect, has made me who I am. And thanks to the other men on this sight, the FOGs that left dinosaur sized footprints to try to follow and the guys I serve and have served beside, it has been one HELL of a ride!
I could have given you an opinion with some supporting evidence but I think that would be a disservice. This is your choice to make. All yours. Welcome to adulthood my friend, I'm sure this isn't the first difficult decision you've been presented with and I can absolutely assure you this won't be the last. Just be glad that this particular dilemma doesn't appear to have a right or wrong answer....

....I would solicit comments from other parties on my thoughts but I know they're inbound........<moving to nearest cover>

[Moc]

I appreciate all of the responses and honest opinions that I have received so far. They have all been heard and taken into consideration.

I was hoping to receive some further advice from y'all who have been there and done that. I have been reading and searching, but have not come up with anything specifically on this topic. If this question would be better suited for a different thread, or has already been covered; then please let me know. So, my question is:

Would enlisting in the National Guard as a support MOS attached to a Special Forces group be a good route to take prior to pursuing my Green Beret?

I would break my training up over the next two summers while drilling and finishing my degree. I have spoken to one you on the phone from 20th group in AL and he recommended this route. I have also been in contact with the recruiter, who also recommended this route.

After I graduate from college, I will attend SFRE and then begin the pipeline. They both echoed that this would be to my advantage over Rep63/18x directly after graduation.

I feel this would be beneficial in the sense I would become familiar with the Army, become Airborne qualified, and be regularly exposed to the Unit that I want to join, it would also allow some exposure to some of you QPs during my train up for the pipeline, among other benefits.

I was hoping to hear some thoughts on this course of action? Or any drawbacks/disadvantages of this route?

I appreciate your time and responses, thank you.

[sinjefe]

^^^^^Since you haven't posted in this thread for almost 4 months, sounds to me like you want someone to make your decision for you.

Do something. There is no right or wrong answer....or don't, but quit asking.

You sound like a fence rider and that is the last thing anyone needs.

[Dive08]

"been in contact with the recruiter, who also recommended this route. "

lol


Join the guard if you want to be a guardsman and/or if you need some tuition assistance (which you can just as easily get from ROTC if you wanted to be an O). It isnt always easy (I hear from my friends in 19th/20th) to transition into active service. That being said, no, being in the Army certainly wont hinder your chances of going SF ultimately. As the post above mine said - you have plenty of info to move forward.

Maybe Im being too blunt in saying that the main reason this thread has so many replies is that you asked a provocative (read: dumb!) question - should I drop out of college. C'mon - really?

[Moc]

It's not that I want anyone to make my decision. I am just trying to make the most informed decision I can, I appreciate the response. The reason I haven't posted in 4 months is I have had a lot of issues with family that I have had to tie up. I appreciate all the responses, I was just hoping to hear if anyone had gone that route, and if it helped or not.

I have already made my decision, I'm going to finish college before I pursue becoming a Green Beret, I'm not riding the fence, I know I'm going to graduate, then pursue SF. These past few months have put a lot into perspective for me. This option seemed like it would allow me to work on both at the same time.

I am not looking to have my hand-held, just some opinions. I appreciate all of the honesty, and hope I haven't come off as rude. Thank you.