Son appointed to USMA, any disadvantage to giving up AROTC scholarship now?

Ice64

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My son has been appointed to his #1 school, USMA. He accepted the appointment yesterday online. Is there any any possible reason why he shouldn't turn down his AROTC scholarship at this time?
 
My son has been appointed to his #1 school, USMA. He accepted the appointment yesterday online. Is there any any possible reason why he shouldn't turn down his AROTC scholarship at this time?

Not if his decision has been made to go to USMA and it appears it has with the acceptance online.
The reason: to open up the AROTC slot to another on the waiting list. Otherwise they'll hold his spot till mid May (IIRC) and then offer it to someone on the waiting list. It's the ethical thing to do once an offer is accepted.

BTW, congrats to your son!
 
My son has been appointed to his #1 school, USMA. He accepted the appointment yesterday online. Is there any any possible reason why he shouldn't turn down his AROTC scholarship at this time?

R-Day is a long way away. If something unforeseen were to happen (such as an injury), it would be wise to have the ROTC scholarship just in case as a backup.
 
R-Day is a long way away. If something unforeseen were to happen (such as an injury), it would be wise to have the ROTC scholarship just in case as a backup.

I agree. I haven't responded to my acceptance at UCF or The Citadel yet for that reason.
 
Not if his decision has been made to go to USMA and it appears it has with the acceptance online.
The reason: to open up the AROTC slot to another on the waiting list. Otherwise they'll hold his spot till mid May (IIRC) and then offer it to someone on the waiting list. It's the ethical thing to do once an offer is accepted.

BTW, congrats to your son!

I would agree that it's unethical to prevent another Army hopeful from receiving that scholarship if your son has accepted at West Point. I'm an Air Force ROTC cadet right now and I gave up my jobs in ROTC so that another cadet could get the experience and opportunities. I think it's best to make a decision and stick with it. If something happens that makes him unable to go to West Point later this year, he can always reapply for an AROTC scholarship (and since it sounds like he's fully qualified, he'll likely get it again).
 
If my son does suffer an injury by May 1 which disqualifies him medically from USMA, wouldn't that injury also most likely disqualify him from an AROTC scholarship? If he gets injured at beast the scholarship would have been forfeited by that time.
 
If my son does suffer an injury by May 1 which disqualifies him medically from USMA, wouldn't that injury also most likely disqualify him from an AROTC scholarship? If he gets injured at beast the scholarship would have been forfeited by that time.

By injury, I mean something like breaking a bone close to R-Day making your son unable to complete Beast, not a permanent injury disqualifying him from military service. If this were to happen prior to Beast, he could use the ROTC scholarship and attend a school without a mandatory physical program prior to attendance such as Beast.

If he gets injured at Beast it is different because he signed a contract and they would either allow him to finish and return as cadre to complete the requirements he didn't the first time, or be extended an appointment for the next year.

This is why I recommend you keep the ROTC scholarship until the mandatory date. It will serve as "insurance" for your son should something occur until that time. If he gets hurt and can't go to Beast, he has a scholarship. If he doesn't get hurt, the scholarship is automatically turned down at the deadline and given to someone else.

Even if it is "likely" he can apply for it again and receive it (like someone stated earlier), I wouldn't gamble on my son's future based on "likely" while I can keep the insurance.
 
I waited until April to deny my ROTC scholarship just in case.
 
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