How do I join the ROTC?
In order to begin the process of becoming a cadet in our program, you must be a full time student at one of our supported universities and register for our classes. Those two steps allows you to start participating in our program.
You will also need to create a WINGS account and upload the necessary documentation to become an ‘active’ cadet. We will guide you through this process.
Which universities do you accept students from?
We accept students from Binghamton University, Cornell University, Elmira College, Ithaca College, and SUNY Cortland.
What classes do I need to register for and when are they?
See below table. If you’re joining as a sophomore, you will need to sign up for the freshman and sophomore level academic classes, but only the sophomore level leadership lab. All of our classes are located within Barton Hall.
| AS100 (Freshmen) | AS200 (Sophomores) | |
| Academic Class | AIRS1101 – Thursday 12:25 – 1:15 | AIRS2201 – Thursday 1:30 – 2:20 |
| Leadership Laboratory | AIRS1141 – Thursday 2:40 – 4:35 | AIRS2241 – Thursday 2:40 – 4:35 |
| Physical Training | Mondays 06:30 AM – 07:30 AM and Thursdays 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM | |
Junior and Senior level classes increase to 3 credit hours and occur twice a week.
If I don’t attend Cornell University, how often do I need to commute to the Cornell Campus? Is transportation provided?
Our crosstown students generally only need to commute once a week (Thursdays) to meet our program requirements. Monday physical training is only required for Cornell and Ithaca College students. Unfortunately, ROTC does not provide transportation to Cornell’s campus. While there are public transportation options, most crosstown students will carpool with each other.
What does the parking situation look like for crosstowns?
Cornell operates many daily decision lots that do not require purchasing any type of semester-long parking pass. Most cadets choose to park in lot 4121, Hoy Garage. Hoy Garage is conveniently located just a little bit southeast of Barton Hall. The daily decision lot in this garage is on the lowest level and NOT in the area behind the raising/lowering gates. The instructions for accessing/paying for daily decision lots, a list of all other lots, and their prices can be found at the following link:
What if I’m beyond my freshman or sophomore year? Can I still make ROTC work?
While four years is the recommended timeline to complete ROTC, the bare minimum is three years. This typically does not work with the schedules of juniors or seniors, but students can make this work by pursuing graduate coursework to extend the time in college to meet the three year requirement. Please reach out to us if you’re considering this route.
I’m in the Guard/Reserves. Can I do ROTC?
Yes. As long as your contract ends before you’re supposed to commission, there shouldn’t be any issue. If you have more specific questions, please reach out to us.
Can I commission into the Guard/Reserves?
It’s possible. The vast majority of our cadets commission directly into Active Duty. However, with a little bit of work, you can commission into the guard/reserves under certain circumstances. Reach out to us to learn more.
How welcoming is Cornell, an Ivy League campus, to the military and ROTC cadets?
The Cornell administration, faculty, and staff are very welcoming to the ROTC programs hosted here. Cornell has a long and rich military history that started with its founding as a land grant institution. The military training provided here was even written into Cornell’s charter. We are offered excellent support, have our own building in the heart of campus, and have access to great amenities both on and off campus. The veteran student population is growing with each year as well.
More information about the Cornell military community, and support provided for them by Cornell, can be found here: https://military.cornell.edu/.