There are three routes to join the navy and have the navy pay for some of your education.
1.HPSP
2.HPCP
3.Direct Accession with sign on bonus and HPLRP for loan repayment
HPSP (health professional scholarship program) is a 4 year scholarship which pays for tuition and gives you a stipend. If you only want to do a 4 year career in the Navy, this is probably your best route.
You start off as a LT with under 2 years of service pay wise.
advantage: ALL dental school tuition and books are paid.
disadvantage: You will only be considered a LT with under 2 years of service and will get less money per month than if you signed up for HPCP.
HPCP (health professional collegiate program)
I highly suggest this IF you are planning to do a longer career in the Navy or even thinking of retiring Navy.
You do not get any money for tuition BUT you will be paid as an
E-6 (2176 per month) during those years and will get BAH (housing) and BAS (food)(about another 2000 per month). If you make deans list for 2 consecutive semesters OR you get one of your classmates to sign up for the Navy then you will be paid as an E-7 (chief)(2515 per month)
The disadvantage is that you might have to get supplemental loans to
cover the difference of E-6 pay and tuition.
The advantage is that you are considered active duty in a training environment while you are in dental school. So those 4 years count towards pay and retirement.
You will start getting paid as a LT over 4 years which has a base pay
of 4723 per month vice the other scholarship starts you off as
a LT with under 2 years of service which is 3540. That is almost a 1200
per month difference!!!
The minimum pay back is the same.
The final route is
Direct Accession
I did this route since I did not know about HPCP and during my freshmen and sophmore years, I had no interest in the Navy and then 9/11 happened and now I am glad that I join the Navy.
I did 3 year contract and took the 4th year for the 30000 bonus and
then I signed up for the HPLRP (health professions loan repayment program) which pays up to $40000 (minus taxes) per year for every extension of your contract after the initial 4 years.
Here are some websites for more info.
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navme...ionsScholarshipPrograms(CurrentStudents).aspx
www.[B]millsaps.edu[/B]/stuafr/career/NavyHSCP.pdf
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmedmpte/accessions/Pages/LoanRepayment.aspx