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Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program Welcome to The Citadel MECEP homepage. The MECEP Program originated at The Citadel in 1973. The NROTC Unit at The Citadel is an excellent choice for your college degree, continued professional development and place of commissioning. The Citadel is a superb academic institution offering both technical and non-technical degrees. MECEPs are completely separate from Cadets (Midshipmen), and are not required to participate in South Carolina Corps of Cadet functions, such as parade and drill. Our unit training is second to none as we are able to take advantage of the many military facilities in our area.
THE MARINE CONTINGENT First and foremost, MECEP Marines ARE NOT members of the Corps of Cadets. MECEPs are students that take classes on the campus based on their self-determined schedule. They are not involved with the South Carolina Corps of Cadets (SCCC) program in any way.
Because all of the members of the SCCC wear a uniform every day to class, the Marines in the MECEP program wear a uniform as well, according to the prescribed uniform of the day. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, MECEPs wear wear the Service C uniform to classes. Thursday, MECEPs wear the MCCUU (cammies) to classes, and on Friday, MECEPs wear the Dress Blue D uniform to classes. At first this might seem like an undesirable characteristic of the unit to some, however, among all of the other branches of service present at the school, the MECEPs wear it proudly. One would also be surprised how quickly they get used to wearing the uniform.
WHERE TO LIVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION... PLEASE CHECK BACK AGAIN FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Marines receive full pay and allowances for their enlisted pay grades just like they would in the fleet, and BAH is reasonable enough, having many locations to choose from in regards to selecting the perfect home. In addition to this, some MECEPs live with their families in the brand-new base housing that is available aboard Naval Weapons Station Charleston. Just recently, the housing at Charleston Air Force Base became available to Marines, and although the homes are not brand new yet, there is talk of new construction taking place. PAYING FOR COLLEGE One of the greatest advantages of being a MECEP at the Citadel is the fact that all of the Marines that choose to attend the school starting the 2010-2011 school year have been guaranteed a 50% off tuition discount for their entire time at the school. This is guaranteed to all the current MECEPs and for the next wave that comes in to the school in 2010. At this time, the school hopes to offer this discount to all future MECEPs coming in 2011 and beyond, however, this will be solely based upon the success of the discount in regards to new student registrations in the years to follow. The Citadel is a state funded institution, and has extremely low rates compared to other colleges and universities. This year with the new discount, most MECEPs are choosing not to use the V.A Benefits (Montgomery G.I. Bill). Tuition a semester is currently $2,171 (varying slightly year to year), regardless of the amount of credits taken. Every credit hour after 12 is free, so someone taking 17 credit hours pay the same as someone taking 12. MECEPs typically pay for this low amount with scholarships, grants, or student loans, saving the loaded G.I. Bill to give to their spouse or children. The decision about paying for college is entirely up to the Marine. V.A. Benefits: Tuition Assistance may not be used as stated in the MECEP MarAdmin, although the Montgomery G.I. Bill – ACTIVE DUTY can be. The MGIB AD differs from the normal MGIB in the fact that Marines only receive compensation commensurate with what they owe in tuition. Therefore, instead of getting a set amount (the max) every month, for 36 months (normal MGIB), at the Citadel, MECEPS normally get about $370 a month (sent to them) for six months. This is evenly split up to pay the $2171 tuition for the 6-month semester. Mrs. Sally Levitt is our very knowledgeable V.A. Coordinator in the Financial Aid department on campus, and will help with getting all of the paperwork setup or answering any questions regarding paying for school. Student loans: All types of student loans are available, although before you can apply for any loan labeled “student” (regardless of whether it is through a bank, CU or private company), you must fill out a FAFSA for the current year. The FAFSA school year starts in September, so if you are checking in to the unit during the summer, and want student loans to cover your tuition, you’ll need to fill out a FAFSA for the current year, and another FAFSA for the upcoming year. The amount you can borrow also depends on your academic classification. For example, Seniors can borrow more than Freshmen. Grants: After filing a FAFSA, many of the MECEPs found that they were eligible for grants like the Pell Grant. This is free money from the government to go to school that never has to be paid back. In order to see if one qualifies, a FAFSA must be filled out. Scholarships: Among the plethora of scholarships available all over the Internet, the Admiral Mike Boorda College Loan is most widely used by MECEPs at The Citadel. This is a $3000/year interest-free loan designed specifically for MECEP students, and the submission deadline is May 1. Additionally, the Horatio Alger Scholarship is a $5000/year scholarship available to veterans of OIF/OEF and has a submission deadline of April 15. The key to these programs is to start looking for scholarships early and not to procrastinate in the application process. |
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Members of the SCCC that wish to pursue a commission in the United States Marine Corps upon graduation are members of the Marine Contingent. To them, it somewhat resembles an after school, extra-curricular activity like a sports team. These cadets, also known as "Marine options" or "contracts," proudly wear a red
badge on their SCCC uniform, receive an NROTC scholarship, and earn a commission as a Marine Second Lieutenant upon graduation.
Academics will always be a MECEP's main priority here at the Citadel. Marines must take a minimum of 12 credit hours to maintain full time
status, as per Marine Corps regulations. There are some Marines here who take 12 credit hours and some who take 22, the decision belongs to the MECEP. MECEPs build their own
schedule, and attend class accordingly. There are never any physical accountability musters, except for the PT and lab periods. Some of the MECEPs set up their schedule in a way that they don't even have class every day, which is perfectly acceptable, and therefore have some days off, never stepping foot on campus. The MECEP Marines at the Citadel, carrying a prestigious reputation, are well known on the campus among the Cadets, staff and faculty. The professors especially like the MECEPs because they generally have the highest GPA as a group in the entire school and are always actively engaged in the classroom. One thing that sets the Citadel apart from other NROTC colleges or universities a MECEP can choose is the fact that all of the professors have the highest degree attainable in their field of study, and classroom size is much smaller than a public university. 