Introduction
The new student orientation for NROTC scholarship recipients is always evolving. When I went through, my class was actually volunteering to be instructors at NSI which we will cover in depth today. I did NROTC as a Marine Option for four years and am currently active in the fleet. I’ll share with you the complete rundown on New Student Orientation (NSI) that all NROTC (Marine and Navy) have to go through. Don’t be intimidated by what the web tells you about this course. It’s different than what you might expect.
So what exactly is NROTC New Student Indoctrination (NSI)?
New Student Indoctrination (NSI) is a student’s first exposure to 3 weeks of fleet life consisting of fitness challenges (workouts, swimming, team events), seamanship classes, and leadership basics crucial to initial officer development before he or she arrives at their NROTC unit in college.
If you just received a scholarship, congrats! You might be wondering now what? Before you graduate high school, you will go to NSI over summer break. My goal is to give you all you need to know to understand how the rest of this process works before you begin studying in college. I recommend reading my experience at the end of this article to give you even more insight. My contact info is also at the bottom if you have more questions.
Is NSI Required to attend?
NSI is required for all incoming NROTC freshmen. The military won’t throw you into jail if you don’t go however. If you have an important reason like family emergency, friend’s wedding, birth of a family members kid, they can understand. If you can tell them about this the sooner the easier it will be for approval.
How Long is NSI?
The course is traditionally three weeks. The first few days will consist of in-processing and medical screening. The last few days will be out-processing paperwork. Everything in between is the actual training. They’ll feed you three times a day on average and you’ll always be supplied with water and overnight sleeping. The only location of NSI is in Great Lakes, IL.
Is New Student Indoctrination Like Bootcamp?
The short answer is kind of. You’ll have other college midshipman stand in as instructors who yell at you to file in from one classroom to another but you’ll get used to the daily schedule. Expect to move quickly between evolutions and get yelled out if you need extra encouragement putting on your boots fast. It’s not designed to make you fail however.
You’re there as a student to learn things the Navy knows you don’t know yet so keep that in mind. It’s normal to be nervous about the culture shock but just remember you’re not the only one going through it and everyone will fail at something at some point.
How hard is NSI?
The most challenging aspect about NSI is the culture shock. They’ll have you execute a busy routine consisting of fire drills, practical swimming, marching, classroom evaluations. It’s a lot packed into three weeks but at least it doesn’t take up your whole summer break.
Some might struggle with swimming, others with running or pushups. The best thing you can do is to know your weaknesses and work on them before you show up to make the transition easier.
What if I fail New Student Indoctrination?
Almost everyone doesn’t fail it. You have to meet the physical fitness standards and swim qualification at all costs or that might get you disqualified from your scholarship. This is not hard to do if you pay attention to their instructions for the swim qual and show up physically fit. Below is a table of the physical fitness standards.
| Pushups | Plank | 1.5 Mile run |
| 47 (male) | 1:40 (male) | 12 minutes (male) |
| 21 | 1:30 | 14:15 |
Marine Option Midshipman must score a minimum of 200 points on the Physical Fitness Test.
They will allow you to try to pass a few times and give you extra help if you need it but you’ll be out of luck for the most part. See the next section to learn how you can not only pass the fitness tests, but crush the standards and stand out from the rest…
How Do I Prepare for NSI?
Now the important part! Below you’ll find the best and most effective ways to crush the standards and no longer worry about how to meet them whether you are Marine or Navy.
Pushups, Pullups, and Planks
Buy a pullup bar if you’re a Marine Option. Every day do 100 no matter how long it takes throughout the day. Do a max set every morning. Navy: do the same thing but with pushups.
Set a reminder on your phone to plank as soon as you get out of bed. Hit the deck and hold it as long as you can. Try to hold it 1 second longer every two days and aim for 3 minute total hold time before NSI and you’ll be golden.
These daily workouts are the minimum you should be doing. On top of that, go to the gym and work on other personal fitness goals.
Take This Online Running Course
I made these videos to help the incoming freshmen at my unit get better at running. I’ve helped countless midshipman improve their times having been a cross country and track runner when I was in NROTC. These videos will give you everything you need to know from proper planning, stretching, workouts, pace setting, and injury prevention. It’s a 4 part series on Youtube for free because I’m a running nerd and I like to help people.
Download MapMyRun and run every other day for 30-50 minutes conversation pace. Alternate this running workout with intervals mentioned from the video courses.
Watch Videos on Swim Quals and Try Them Out
So I actually found this video of when my class was instructors for this evolution. This video is pretty much what it will entail. You don’t have to practice all these things, but if you have access to pool, try to learn the combat side stroke. Before my orientation, I went to the pool a couple times a week just to get more comfortable in the water.
Read this Generic Welcome Aboard Package PDF
Here is the link to a sample welcome aboard package from NSI going into a NROTC unit. All the info is specific to this school but the scheme of maneuver is generally the same. Your school might even have a specific one.
What Happens After I Finish NSI?
You’ll finish out whatever summer weeks are left back in your home before going to your NROTC unit! Your NROTC unit will give a super watered down version of NSI for a couple days just to give you unit specific training. At this point, the boot camp environment will go down dramatically and you’ll be given the chance to orient on your college life. For Marine Options, usually this means meeting your motivated Gunnery Sergeants and receiving an introduction to the new standard they will have for you going forward.
There will still be formal customs and courtesies, but any good unit should also make you feel like a person and that you can still be yourself. The command climate depends on the school and the unit you go to. I would recommend getting a point of contact from a midshipman at a NROTC unit to ask him about his experience and units should be eager to give you one. From their, check out this article on what an average week in NROTC is like
My Class’s Experience With NSI
My freshmen class was the first to go through it. The edges were still rough and the training schedule chaotic because it was the first iteration. However, it’s been vastly improved and will give you a good insight into sailor life (Marine side not so much but you’ll still do some related activities).
It might seem like an intimidating training to go through, but you will be taught everything they expect of you and what’s required of you is a teflon attitude, willingness to learn, and desire to grow and improve.
My class received an intense orientation when we showed up to our NROTC unit on campus. We were screamed at constantly, did swim quals and crazy circuit workouts. The command climate at the time was poor and they let the seniors power trip us a little bit. When the new commanders took over, the climate resume back to a healthy dynamic and new freshmen were trained professionally and with the right tone. I think that’s why it’s important to do a little research first.
Additional Resources
If you have any additional questions or comments, feel free to reach out at theyouculture@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to respond.
As you can see, NSI is a challenging course but you’ll be alongside peers that are just as new to the experience as you are. Every day you spend at NSI you’ll get better and more proficient and the standards of the Navy and Marine Corps. For those Marine Options out there, you’ll still have to attend OCS the junior year of your college summer before you commission. For resources regarding Marine Option NROTC experience and OCS, check out these articles here. Until then stay tuned for the next article!