Valid Plan B?

cmartin1069

5-Year Member
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Jun 20, 2012
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I'm looking for someone to validate or invalidate DS's thinking on a Plan B. Assuming he get's his appointment to USNA and that's clearly his first choice (which he will accept), does it make sense to go through the process to apply for NROTC too? The fear/risk is that he'd sustain some injury in the spring that would prohibit him from being inducted. (he plays rugby). But would NROTC have the same medical hurdles that USNA has on I-day? Sure, NROTC would start a few weeks later I presume and more time to heal from this theortical injury.

The work to apply to ROTC and then 5 other schools is not insignficant and if it's a bad Plan B, would like to know now.
 
My now-2C at USNA applied for NROTC and also to regular civilian colleges. I wouldn't characterize it as a plan B and C, just that wasn't sure at the time that USNA was the top choice. Yes, the application process (and cost) was significant and still have to pass the same DODMERB physical for NROTC. My question is, why would your DS risk injury by playing rugby if he's going to USNA if he gets the appointment? My advice would be to suspend the rugby until I-Day - he'll be able to resume playing at USNA in the fall of 2013 if he wants.
 
I'm looking for someone to validate or invalidate DS's thinking on a Plan B. Assuming he get's his appointment to USNA and that's clearly his first choice (which he will accept), does it make sense to go through the process to apply for NROTC too? The fear/risk is that he'd sustain some injury in the spring that would prohibit him from being inducted. (he plays rugby). But would NROTC have the same medical hurdles that USNA has on I-day? Sure, NROTC would start a few weeks later I presume and more time to heal from this theortical injury.

The work to apply to ROTC and then 5 other schools is not insignficant and if it's a bad Plan B, would like to know now.

Your DS' plan B (NROTC) might not work as if the NROTC selection process is similiar to AROTC (rolling basis, 3 boards, later boards gets more competitive), your DS will have more competition to get a NROTC scholarship.

Life is a full of risk, if you DS is worried about getting hurt, he could simply stop playing Rugby this spring. His spring Rubgy participation will have minimum impact on his chance of appointment.

Simply applying to ROTC and 5 other schools are an insurance policy. Your DS can still attend a college even if he gets hurt playing Rugby and enroll in NROTC as a non-scholarship midshipman. No plan B, no appointment to USNA, than your DS will have to take a year off/work/attend a community college, than start over.
 
I'm looking for someone to validate or invalidate DS's thinking on a Plan B. Assuming he get's his appointment to USNA and that's clearly his first choice (which he will accept), does it make sense to go through the process to apply for NROTC too? The fear/risk is that he'd sustain some injury in the spring that would prohibit him from being inducted. (he plays rugby). But would NROTC have the same medical hurdles that USNA has on I-day? Sure, NROTC would start a few weeks later I presume and more time to heal from this theortical injury.

The work to apply to ROTC and then 5 other schools is not insignficant and if it's a bad Plan B, would like to know now.

I would apply now to the alternative schools that he likes because admission openings at most schools have deadlines. It would not be cool to end up at a school in the fall that he had no interest in if his plan B school stopped taking applications prior to notification from Annapolis
 
Your DS' plan B (NROTC) might not work as if the NROTC selection process is similiar to AROTC (rolling basis, 3 boards, later boards gets more competitive), your DS will have more competition to get a NROTC scholarship.

Life is a full of risk, if you DS is worried about getting hurt, he could simply stop playing Rugby this spring. His spring Rubgy participation will have minimum impact on his chance of appointment.

Simply applying to ROTC and 5 other schools are an insurance policy. Your DS can still attend a college even if he gets hurt playing Rugby and enroll in NROTC as a non-scholarship midshipman. No plan B, no appointment to USNA, than your DS will have to take a year off/work/attend a community college, than start over.
I absolutely concur with MemberLG :thumb:
 
Comfortable Plan B

I'm looking for someone to validate or invalidate DS's thinking on a Plan B. Assuming he get's his appointment to USNA and that's clearly his first choice (which he will accept), does it make sense to go through the process to apply for NROTC too? The fear/risk is that he'd sustain some injury in the spring that would prohibit him from being inducted. (he plays rugby). But would NROTC have the same medical hurdles that USNA has on I-day? Sure, NROTC would start a few weeks later I presume and more time to heal from this theortical injury.

The work to apply to ROTC and then 5 other schools is not insignficant and if it's a bad Plan B, would like to know now.

Is his appointment to USNA certain? If not, then having a plan B is a good idea. But to try to plan for possible medical contingencies may be beyond practical. My son was a wrestler the spring before he was inducted. We advised him to have a plan B in case he didn't get an appointment for whatever reason. He never asked about getting hurt or other medical issues that could possibly disqualify him so we never brought it up. He ended up receiving his appointment in Jan 2012 and kept on wrestling with the attitude, I can't stop living. I guess for us, this was a philosophical issue more than anything else. I would recommend to your DS if he is concerned about a disqualifying injury to take a time out and sit out this spring. An athlete who is concerned about injury will probably not be in his best frame of mind to perform naturally or at his best, which may increase his chances of injury.

Another issue your DS may want to consider are the ramifications of accepting an officer program and its effect on other programs that have been offered to him. There has been discussion in this forum about having appointments to both USNA and NROTC. I recall reading once a candidate accepts an appointment, say at USNA, his offer at the other program becomes void. In other words he can be committed to only 1 path.

My son didn't stop wrestling because of an appointment and he was comfortable with that. I hope your son finds his own comfort zone, makes a plan B and sees his hopes fulfilled. Good luck to you guys.
 
I guess I am just wondering if you are somewhat certain your DS will be getting an appointment to USNA. Does he have an LOA and you're just waiting for a nomination? If not, then what is the alternate plan B if not NROTC?
 
Thanks to all for your input.
To clarify a couple of points, he does have a plan C already which is to go to a Univ without a ROTC scholarship -- and as mentioned, he could join ROTC as a non-scholarship.

He is not worried about injury -- just his dad is. :redface: He wants to play Rugby at USNA so not playing in Spring with his team seems the wrong thing to do.

I find the comment about having to pick one and only one path (USNA or NROTC) definitely worth getting more data on. That could be a key point.
 
NROTC

Since his appointment is not in hand I would continue full speed for plan B. Two years ago my son applied to USNA and was rejected, fortunately he had been awarded an NROTC scholarship. He attended, worked very hard , reapplied and is now a plebe in the class of 2016 and is doing very well.

It is my understanding he can hold onto an Appointment and a NROTC scholarship until he reports on I day.

Good Luck
 
It is my understanding he can hold onto an Appointment and a NROTC scholarship until he reports on I day.

Hello Fellow 2016 Parent,
Thanks for bringing this up. Having read your post is helping me recall what I read last year about having an NROTC slot and an appointment. This is what I was trying to say in my earlier post but wasn't sure of the exact circumstances and machinations. If my earlier post caused any undue concerns or thoughts, my apologies.
Cheers.
GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!!!
 
It is my understanding he can hold onto an Appointment and a NROTC scholarship until he reports on I day.

Good Luck

This is the key point. He does have a USNA appoitment but NROTC scholarship would be Plan B. Thanks!!!
 
I can't think of a reason why a person who, if not gaining an Appointment to the USNA is willing to join NROTC without a scholarship, wouldn't also apply proactively for an NROTC scholarship... in one of the three options: Navy, Nurse, or Marines. After gathering everything for applying to USNA and other colleges, the extra time required to fill out and submit an application to the NETC in Pensacola for NROTC is under ten hours.

I actually CAN think of a reason why NROTC might be preferable to USNA, that is, Plan A -- the mid is 99% sure they want Marines, and earn an NROTC - Marine Option scholarship. At USNA, there is a good chance that a mid who wants Marines won't be Assigned to Marines.
 
As for whether to play rugby in the spring and risk injury. Unless I am mistaken, rugby is a club sport at the academies -- not an NCAA or recruited sport. If your son gets an appointment and accepts that appointment you and he will have to decide whether playing spring rugby and risking injury is worth the risk of losing his spot at an academy. Lots of students, males and females, have to make this decision every year. Each year there are at least a couple who lose their spots at one of the academies because they got hurt playing a sport, messing around or in an accident before I-Day. No one else can make that choice for your son -- maybe playing on his spring team is worth the risk to him. But having a back up Plan B and even Plan C makes good sense no matter what your son decides. It seems like a short time to I Day but alot can happen between now and then. Our daughter, now a C1C, at USAFA gave up her spring sport since it was not an NCAA sport and she was not a recruited athlete -- "bubble wrap" was the name of the game at our house until we were sure she had made it through Acceptance Day.
 
Thanks to all for your input.
To clarify a couple of points, he does have a plan C already which is to go to a Univ without a ROTC scholarship -- and as mentioned, he could join ROTC as a non-scholarship.

He is not worried about injury -- just his dad is. :redface: He wants to play Rugby at USNA so not playing in Spring with his team seems the wrong thing to do.

I find the comment about having to pick one and only one path (USNA or NROTC) definitely worth getting more data on. That could be a key point.

Sounds like your son has an appointment in hand for USNA and working out back-up plans just in case. Smart moves good for you.

The Rugby stuff caught my attention. My daughter was a 4 year member and 3 year starter for Navy Womens Rugby. Playing for Navy is a big deal. Both the mens and womens teams are among the top ranked national college teams. That said they are both Club Sport Teams and 100% walk-on teams. There is no NCAA recruiting happening. If your son wants to play rugby for USNA he has to get into USNA on his own merit.

You and you son need to sit down and discuss the big picture when it comes to him playing spring rugby in high school. Rugby is a violent sport. Broken bones and blown-out knees etc. are part of the game. You and your son need to understand that getting hurt for a high school sport is going to be a show stopper getting into the Academy. On I-Day you have to report 100% healthy or you are turned away. I saw it happen on my DD's I-Day. Kid had broken his arm month before I-Day. Tried to tough it out but medical caught it and they DQ him on the spot. Saw him balling his eyes out as his parents led him off the yard.

My advise would be not just no but hell no to playing High school rugby in the spring. If your son has an appointment in hand his high school career is essentially over and it time to focus on the future. He breaks a coller bone now and his life take a complete different path.
 
For my DS, I have told him no to baseball this Spring. I have coached the HS team in years past and have seen broken legs, broken fingers, pulled hamstrings, and any number of injuries that could derail his goal(s).

I have no idea what sort of injuries that an average HS rugby teams sees in a season; however, I would guess they could be more severe and frequent in rugby than in baseball.

For our DS, he will be playing golf this spring!

Hope you make the right decision for your son and your family.
 
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