Hello, I'm looking for direction here for my 17 yr old son. He's a Sr. in High School, Div. 2 football scholarships most likely on there way, and he's not a great student- not that he's not smart, he just doesn't care for school work. He wants to join the marines, always has. If anyone out there in the forum has ever been in the position of choosing not to take advantage of a free college education/playing a college sport, in order to join the marines, please I'd like your take on things. I have nothing against the marines- I totally respect everything they stand for. However, I want my son to be well informed before he makes his final decision to sign. Why not take advantage of both opportunities? He's going to have to study in the marines too, correct?? Thank you for all that give me their 2Cents.

The Marine Corps is not going anywhere, I would try to get him to go to College if he has the chance to....He can alway Join after College...

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Originally posted by TomHansen:
The Marine Corps is not going anywhere, I would try to get him to go to College if he has the chance to....He can alway Join after College...

+1
I agree with Tom. If he has the opportunity to go to school and have his tuition paid, he should take that opportunity. The Marine Corps will be here when he finishes school.

please read my post entitled "choosing an MOS", I am right there with you, as my son has also chosen to be a Marine over a college scholarship. while it is not what i would have chosen for him, ultimately it is his decision to make, and i support him 100% simply because of his reasons for making that choice!!!

We all wish we knew "back then" what we know now. It just doesn't happen that way. I enlisted many years ago, and then went to college when I got out (full time, part-time... long road). Yes, looking back, I wish I realized then how important, and what a key role a college degree would play in my life, but I also had a lot of great experiences in my 4 years enlisted. I think part of what makes a great Marine (and any productive adult) is the deterministic attitude and motivation to achieve a goal. That goal may differ from the one a parent had in mind, but again that's part of the child becoming an independent adult. I have two boys now, ages 16 & 17, and I really hope (and I believe they will) attend college right after high school, but I also realize I cannot force them to.
I think as long as your son realizes that he should get a degree in "something" as he goes along, he will be fine. Maybe he will decide not to be a pilot, who knows. The one thing for sure is out here in the civilian world, right or wrong, the 4 year degree (or better) is really becoming the minimum requirement for consideration for an awful lot of careers. I do not believe he will ever regret becoming a Marine, and I also do not believe he will regret earning a college degree. He can achieve both.

I started to go to a community college right after high school but had to drop out because of an ill-timed, bad car accident. A few months after that, I decided to join the Marines. I spent 8 years active duty and have no regrets.

I now am a junior in college, have a great job, nice house, good car, etc, mostly because of my experience in the Marine Corps. A lot of Marines can go to college while in the Marines or they go when they get out. If I had gone to college when I initially intended to, I wasn't sure what I wanted to be or wasn't mature to decide that.

Plus, now that my GI Bill is paying for school, I make sure to make good grades because I don't want the possibility of paying that money back!

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He's a Sr. in High School, Div. 2 football scholarships most likely on there way,

Does not mean they "are assurred"

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and he's not a great student- not that he's not smart, he just doesn't care for school work.

And even if he gets the scholorships, he still has to study. A scholorship only means a "chance"; it's not a free ride from hard work.

For me... I did not have good grades in school. I didn't particularly like school. It definitely wasn't because I was not smart. Had I gone to college, I'd have likely had mediocre grades.

But I joined the Marine Corps, served 4 years, and then went to college, on the G.I. Bill. Got straight As through my first 2 years. Finished up with good overall average. I suspect the Corps gave me what I was missing, with regards to the value of education.

So don't underestimate the value of the USMC, in getting your son what he needs

quote:

Originally posted by ipscone:

quote:

He's a Sr. in High School, Div. 2 football scholarships most likely on there way,

Does not mean they "are assurred"

quote:

and he's not a great student- not that he's not smart, he just doesn't care for school work.

And even if he gets the scholorships, he still has to study. A scholorship only means a "chance"; it's not a free ride from hard work.

For me... I did not have good grades in school. I didn't particularly like school. It definitely wasn't because I was not smart. Had I gone to college, I'd have likely had mediocre grades.

But I joined the Marine Corps, served 4 years, and then went to college, on the G.I. Bill. Got straight As through my first 2 years. Finished up with good overall average. I suspect the Corps gave me what I was missing, with regards to the value of education.

So don't underestimate the value of the USMC, in getting your son what he needs

Agree with everything IPSCONE is saying here I am acutally doing that exact same thing. If your son was a decent student I would say go to college and then join as an officer but I feel that some people arnt prepared for college life at such a young age if the Marine Corps is what he craves then its discipline that he craves and theres a summer vaction on an island paridise waiting on him!

SC, send me your e-mail address to the address below my name....need to talk to you...

Why not have your son come here and speak with us direct? It's great speaking with you as a parent but he's the one making the decision so it's really best for us to talk with him direct. No offense as it's just the way it is.

We're not recruiters nor do we push anything on anyone except these basics:

1. The Corps isn't for everyone. It's about service to others, not benefits, college money or whatever gain like that you think you can get

2. There are no giveaways or freebees as a Marine. You'll earn everything you get. Serving with your fellow Marines and getting things done is your personal satisfaction.

3. Earning your Title of Marine is your only objective in boot camp. After that you'll go where you're told and do what you're supposed to do when you get there.

4. Make an informed decision, not a four year mistake and get everything signed in writing in your contract before they sign anything

quote:

Originally posted by TomHansen:
SC, send me your e-mail address to the address below my name....need to talk to you...

Shot over.

Dolphin...Meg....I read through all the posts and agree with everyone. An education should come first, as long as that's what the person is looking for.

I did have the full ride, but from my parents. All I had to do was show up pass my classes. Tuition, apt, car, spending money...they paid for everything. I just wasn't ready to commit myself to it so I wasted alot of their money.

Joined the Marine Corps on a whim and been here for 22 years now. I encourage all my Marines to take classes and make every effort to give them the time they need to complete them. many are on their way to a degree, some just aren't ready, some just don't have the ability to juggle both demands.

I would let him decide but provide the guidance and life experience you have had. Strike a deal with him to try college for one year, if he still isn't ready for it then nothing has been lost. He'll be smarter, more mature, in better physical condition and we'll still be here.

Let me know how it goes because I'll be in your shoes in 2011.