CVW in April too late?????

My DS is 99.9% sure he will accept his appointment but has never visited the USNA. Understandably he wants to visit before committing. The last CVW is in April, I believe the 11th. Because of wrestling conflicts we cannot attend an earlier date. Is this too late? I know the LOA said they need to know before May 1 and they would be sending out more material in mid April. My question is: would it be better to bypass the CVW and just take a visitation trip on our own. I just want my DS to be sure. Any help is appreciated from those who have went to a late session CVW??????????????

bowhunter said:

My DS is 99.9% sure he will accept his appointment but has never visited the USNA. Understandably he wants to visit before committing. The last CVW is in April, I believe the 11th. Because of wrestling conflicts we cannot attend an earlier date. Is this too late? I know the LOA said they need to know before May 1 and they would be sending out more material in mid April. My question is: would it be better to bypass the CVW and just take a visitation trip on our own. I just want my DS to be sure. Any help is appreciated from those who have went to a late session CVW??????????????

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Simple, I think. Several things:

1. Assuming from your post your son has received a CVW invite. Accept it now for the April date.

2. Assuming from your post your son has received an offer of appointment that his is virtually certain to accept. Accept it now.

3. From what you've indicated it would take the event while at USNA CVW of an emotional tsunami to move your son to decline said offer. In the unlikely event of that happening, and he has determined that this would be the worst mistake of his young life, and he decides he has to accept that drum major's scholarship to Slippery Rock ... then do so. Remember the purpose of the CVW ... to ensure that sons (and daughters) like yours are fully decided that USNA is THE PLACE for them ... in advance of I-Day. None of that changes by having accepted an offer of appointment prior to attending CVW.

4. In the event of #3? There will be one VERY HAPPY PLEBE-TO-BE anxious to accept your son's resigned appointment. Trust me. It's a win-win!

This one's simple, imo. And I'm betting ... he'll fall further in love with USNA actually being there. One would have to be a communist to do otherwise.

Congrats to your son and his family who've nurtured and aided his journey thus far!

First of all, consider whether wrestling really takes priority over the rest of your DS's life. Seriously.

Deciding to attend USNA is the single biggest decision he will make to date. CVW is a great way to ensure that decision is the right one. I think that's a bit more important than a wresting match -- after all, what if your DS was ill that day or (God forbid) was injured.

A CVW is completely different from a visit on your own in that your DS will live in Bancroft Hall, will attend classes, will participate in company activities, etc. You don't get any of that on a visit.

A CVW in April is better (in that you get to see life at USNA) than no CVW. However, by April, things tend to slack off a lot and you could get a somewhat unrealistic view of plebe life. So, if you can go earlier, that is "better."

My advice: You son should go to CVW. He should go to the earliest one he can possibly make.

USNA 1985 Thanks

USNA 1985 Thanks for the advice, I totally get where you are coming from and I and my son understand that this is bigger than a wrestling match however what has made my son who he is has a lot to do with his committment to things other than himself i.e. his position as captain on both the football and wrestling teams. I guess if there were no other time to go then he would the CVW over wrestling. I also did not know you could accept your offer and then change your mind before May 1. If that is the case then we will get the paper work rolling.

bowhunter said:

USNA 1985 Thanks for the advice, I totally get where you are coming from and I and my son understand that this is bigger than a wrestling match however what has made my son who he is has a lot to do with his committment to things other than himself i.e. his position as captain on both the football and wrestling teams. I guess if there were no other time to go then he would the CVW over wrestling. I also did not know you could accept your offer and then change your mind before May 1. If that is the case then we will get the paper work rolling.

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Just want to re-emphasize USNA1985's points. Trust me, the team will understand his being absent. As my son says to me from time to time... "Duty, Honor, Country Dad, but family first". I think this falls into that category.

Your call (or your DS's call) on the CVW but if it were I . . .

As for selecting USNA and then changing your mind . . . I don't get it. Why not wait until you're certain. Yes, someone would grab your spot if you changed your mind and, honestly, even after May 1, no one can "force" you to show up on I-Day. But accepting and then declining is annoying and unnecessary. Wait until your DS has decided for certain. You do have until May 1.

bowhunter said:

USNA 1985 Thanks for the advice, I totally get where you are coming from and I and my son understand that this is bigger than a wrestling match however what has made my son who he is has a lot to do with his committment to things other than himself i.e. his position as captain on both the football and wrestling teams. I guess if there were no other time to go then he would the CVW over wrestling. I also did not know you could accept your offer and then change your mind before May 1. If that is the case then we will get the paper work rolling.

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Fully agree. He has made a commitment to his team, his teammates, his coach, his school.

It blows my mind when it is suggested to flip off these responsibilities and commitments for a college weekend visit when there is neither no "credit" nor penalty for going or not attending. And there are reasonable alternatives.

I guess some people have not had the privilege, responsibility, and joy of leading a group of men into "battle" and that when others are depending upon them. It means they will be able to trust that you'll be there as you promised you would in thick and thin.

Wrestle on and CVW afterwards!

May 1 or 5 Days

bowhunter said:

USNA 1985 Thanks for the advice, I totally get where you are coming from and I and my son understand that this is bigger than a wrestling match however what has made my son who he is has a lot to do with his committment to things other than himself i.e. his position as captain on both the football and wrestling teams. I guess if there were no other time to go then he would the CVW over wrestling. I also did not know you could accept your offer and then change your mind before May 1. If that is the case then we will get the paper work rolling.

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Last year my son had to accept or reject his appointment by either May 1 or 5 days after receipt of appointment, whichever occurred later. This was in the acceptance/rejection form included in the BFE. If that is the case again this year you plenty of time to visit USNA. Bottom line, call your AC at admissions and get the bottom line from them. Enjoy your visit. Cheers.

I strongly suggest that you make the visit. Whether you do so before or after acceptance is your business. When I showed up on R day at West Point 30 years ago, I had never seen the place. It was a huge shock. More cadets dropped out in the first 6-8 weeks than the rest of the 4 years combined. I believe that part of that was because they could not visualize past what was happening to them in Plebe summer. The cvw will enable your son to see what life is really like and if that is what he wants. This vision will help him greatly during the mind and physical games of plebe summer when he understands that he he won't have four years of "THIS".

My son and I visited all 3 Academies during the nomination process and they were critical in helping him make HIS choice.

OBW, we just found out this morning that my son will be joining USNA 2017.

Thanks Grad/Dad This is just what I thought though I think he totally understands what "THIS" is all about. It just makes sense to visit your home for the next four years. He attended AIM at the USCGA last summer and it was not a "college visit" they did not let up on them until Thursday night. Very intense compared to the other academy summer sessions according to those who attended both. He loved it! Congrats to your son! Maybe our boys will be roommates!!!!!

Yes AIM was intense

bowhunter said:

He attended AIM at the USCGA last summer and it was not a "college visit" they did not let up on them until Thursday night. Very intense compared to the other academy summer sessions according to those who attended both. He loved it! Congrats to your son! Maybe our boys will be roommates!!!!!

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That was my sons experience as well. AIM at the CGA was much more stressful than SLS at the Military academy. And yes, although eye-opening, he loved it. My DS also had an invitation to NASS however that conflicted with Boys State so he had to decline.


DS USMA Nominated Class of 2017
DS USNA Nominated Class of 2017
DS AROTC Type 1 Scholarship Offer
DS NROTC Hopeful
DS AFROTC Type 7 Scholarship Offer

My DS attended a CVW in late April 2008 and it was very eye-opening for him. It was helpful in making a final life-decision to attend .
DS did attend Summer Seminar so he had some basic and vague ideas of plebe and Mid life.....he also had in hand that Spring 2 noms and an LOA but he wasn't completely sold on USNA. He took his HS Spring break to visit several schools along the East coast ( including the CVW at USNA) before returning home to make a decision.
The CVW( even in April) is a very useful tool to help candidates make a sometimes very tough decision.

FLY NAVY,