Turned Down Appointment - Reapply?

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Academy_Questions

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I have an interesting situation, but I have certainly learned a lot.

I received an LOA and subsequently an appointment to USMA (and USAFA as well). After accepting my USMA appointment, I changed my mind and decided to go to Civilian College instead.

I will be starting College in about 2 weeks and am now thinking I made a mistake. What kind of process will I be going through to reapply? (I've contacted my regional officer, just waiting for him to get back to me)

THANKS!
 
You now get the rare honor and privilege of applying all over again. Get another nomination, another round of writing essays, another CFA, etc. AND you get the added bonus feature of now having to show them your stellar grades from college, and they better be stellar because West Point or any of the other SA's will expect you to be able to handle the workload wherever you are in school or you'll have slim chances of being admitted.

Good luck!
 
Calvin was the name of one of my roommates- the one who didn't show up on R-Day
 
Extrapolating from experiences hiring people for jobs in the civilian world, I would think you might want to take on the issue of your change of heart in an essay; otherwise they may wonder if you are flaky, uncommitted, and ultimately worthy of another offer of admission. Perhaps those with more of an insight into the WP admissions might weigh in.
 
AcademyFriend, I think that is a good point.

Just to clarify, and give some background - I did not make my decision lightly. Receiving my appointment was the greatest honor I have ever been given and going to an academy and serving my country has been my dream since the 8th grade. I worked long and hard for that opportunity, and did not give it up with out considerable thought. Trust me, it hurt.

With my 18 year old out look, a commitment until about age 30 was daunting. I didn't feel ready. But in my re-evaluation, I believe I am ready for that commitment and service. So I am glad that I have had this extra time so that I won't question my decision in the future, should I be given the opportunity again.

Also, I accepted my appointment in February (received it in December) and told USMA that I would actually not be accepting that appointment before the May 1 deadline. So I feel I was responsible and not "flaky" in that regard.

In May, my regional officer told me to let him know if I ever change my mind in the future - whenever that may be. (I guess he knew me better than I know me!) So I have done so, but he is out of the office right now, so I am waiting on the reply.

Just wondering if anyone had any experience with this sort of thing/situation?

Would OCS be a better option? I might be able to graduate undergrad in 3 yrs....
 
First, if you were unsure that USMA was right for you, it is better that you turned down your appointment (thus giving someone else the opportunity) then showing up and quitting after a few weeks.

Second, the fact that you're having second thoughts now isn't all that surprising. However, I assume you've yet to start college, so you don't really know yet if you made the right decision.

Third, assuming USMA is like USNA, you do have to resubmit an application. At USNA, college students aren't evaluated by the Admissions Board until first semester grades are in -- not sure if USMA takes the same approach. Also, you'll have to reapply for your noms. I agree heartily with the above poster who suggested that you should be prepared to discuss your change of heart with your MALO, in your essay, and with your MOC nom committees. You don't need to redo DODMERB if nothing has changed -- you will need to redo everything else.

Fourth, I would go ahead and start the re-application process -- if you decide you love your college, you can always stop the reapplication along the way. While you're doing that, give your civilian school a chance. You may find that you really like it and that you did make the right decision. Be sure to take USMA plebe courses as best you can at college and do well in them (As and Bs).

Fifth, OCS may well be an option. If you do attend WP, you'll have to do 5 years of college If that isn't something you want to do, graduating and then becoming an officer may be the best approach. I don't know if you can start OCS after only 3 yrs of college (IOW, will you be too young?). I would check with your Army officer recruiter or try to find the info on line. Worst case, you'd need 4 yrs of civilian college.

Hope this helps.
 
Academy_Questions said:
I have an interesting situation, but I have certainly learned a lot.

I received an LOA and subsequently an appointment to USMA (and USAFA as well). After accepting my USMA appointment, I changed my mind and decided to go to Civilian College instead.

I will be starting College in about 2 weeks and am now thinking I made a mistake. What kind of process will I be going through to reapply? (I've contacted my regional officer, just waiting for him to get back to me)

THANKS!
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You are not the first and won't be the last.....

My suggestions - contact your Regional commander through email and tell him/her of your desires.
You will have to redo most of your application. Your dodmerb will still be good though since it's good for two years.

If Army ROTC is offered at your college, I strongly suggest you sign up for it. There is no obligation, other than attending class. This is an excellent way for you to 'try out' the Army and a terrific option to West Point.
 
Turned Downed Appointment

Academy Questions

Truth be told, you made a mistake here. We all do. Hopefully, you are going to a really school. Get really grade and go through the entire process again. And maybe get in to an SA. Hopefully you have learned a really big lesson.

RGK
 
scoutpilot said:
The advice has been offered. You will go through the whole process again.
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Well, not the "whole" process again.

The DODMERB medical exam is valid for two years, but you must submit a statement of present health and report any injuries which occurred since the medical exam date.
 
Luigi59 said:
Well, not the "whole" process again.

The DODMERB medical exam is valid for two years, but you must submit a statement of present health and report any injuries which occurred since the medical exam date.
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Since he's USAR, I believe the DODMERB is moot as he has inprocessed through MEPS. But, that's probably Larry Mullen's area of expertise!
 
rkrosnar said:
Academy Questions

Truth be told, you made a mistake here. We all do. Hopefully, you are going to a really school. Get really grade and go through the entire process again. And maybe get in to an SA. Hopefully you have learned a really big lesson.
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With all due respect, I disagree. The OP apparently had significant doubts about his desire to attend WP. Rather than show up on R-Day and "hope" it all worked out, he went for his Plan B. That isn't a mistake -- it's good judgment. As discussed, it may turn out that he absolutely loves his civilian college, in which case he probably made the right decision.

The attrition list for all SAs is littered with too many candidates who didn't listen to their "gut" telling them it wasn't right and showed up anyway. For most of them, the ending is not happy. They quit the SA in August or November and, often, no longer have a viable Plan B for that year. THAT, my friends, is the mistake.

IF the OP decides that WP is right for him, he can start next year. He'll be a year more mature and, hopefully, be more convinced that this is right for him. Much better that he takes this year to sort it all out.
 
Academy Questions, this sounds like a mature and thoughtful response. I want to stress that I am not trying to discourage you from reapplying, just forecasting a possible line of inquiry as you pursue the process. I made the decision as a young person not to pursue an academy education, and it was the right one for me--engineering would have been a terrible struggle, and I played a Division I sport not offered at any SA. After college I took part in OCS, obtained my commission, and served proudly. It was the right path for me, and as many others on this forum have observed, it is worth remembering that there are other roads to a commission.

Best of luck to you!
 
scoutpilot said:
Since he's USAR, I believe the DODMERB is moot as he has inprocessed through MEPS. But, that's probably Larry Mullen's area of expertise!
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Nope - Enlisted Reservists who contract with ROTC must be cleared through DODMERB. Crazy - eh??:smile:

*edit* Actually enlisted personnel who apply to an academy must go through the DODMERB process.
 
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