Regardless of the terms, it is a scholarship; a full ride scholarship. The appointment is the awarding of the scholarship.
I completed my degree and commission by way of the GI bill and an ROTC scholarship. I could have foregone all of that by accepting a direct Naval Academy appointment offered to me by the Marine Corps before my enlistment ended. Unfortunately, I was already engaged to be married and was not going to give up my beautiful wife of now 43 years. Accepting the appointment would have been exactly a full, room and board, all expenses paid scholarship with both scholarship and personal performance stipulations just like any other scholarship.
The appointment is the offer tendered for the full scholarship ride. There are many appointments offered that are never accepted.
I agree to “what” it is. I am just saying I have never heard of anyone (and I probably know 10-12 off hand) who have ever referred to it as a “scholarship.” It was always “an appointment” whereas “ROTC scholarships” were always referred as such.
Its the terminology that I am speaking of, not the content of the appointment. It simply is not how someone who has gone through the grueling process of applying would describe its culmination.