Still in the game

Spot on Vista. A lot of these stories have little fact to them. Yes every year there are a few kids who do not stand up and take the oath. These kids are taken back and have a long talk with a slew of folks. Half of them leave, others take their oath and move on. I actually believe statistically attrition rates have declined over the years. I think this is because of the wealth of information that exists on the Internet. If everyone stayed, they would let less in. They know the numbers and statistics and factor that in when they set the class size. And trust me I know the women's soccer coach... They don't sugar coat things for recruits. I know it's hard to believe that getting in is the easy part... Making it through is the hard part of USNA. Coaches know this and don't want to lose players they get in, so why hide the truth? I day was very bewildering. I somehow remember most of it and smiled a lot... No idea why. Besides war, this was by far the most confusing, draining day I have faced. For me the worst day was the first night laying in bed and exactly the whole... What did I do starts to cross your mind. I was a detailer for I day... Out of 40 plebes probably 30-35 of them cried themselves to sleep that first night.

Anyway... Best of luck to everyone still stalking. I hope there is good news in everyone's future still waiting for USNA and other schools.
 
Heard it is a doozie

My husband works with someone whose son also attends USNA and I spoke with him on the phone and he just said it is a VERY hard day for the parents , but especially the Plebes.

None of us can know with 100 % certainty what will happen that day . Most of the plebes have never gone through anything like I Day ... except for the Napsters and prior enlisted.
 
"I was a detailer for I day... Out of 40 plebes probably 30-35 of them cried themselves to sleep that first night. "

NavyHoops, thank you for sharing your experience, and the above little detail, especially. I was taken aback, surprised, but then I thought why should I be? - these 18-yr-olds (mostly) are still just kids, really, in many ways, in spite of all their accomplishments.

I don't know why, but I found it very touching. Thanks.
 
Sure hoping this thread is still alive and functioning to soothe my soul when we probably get the TWE in the coming days!!!???? There's nobody else in our real lives who understand this process! Please don't leave us stragglers hanging without support when our mailboxes finally give birth!


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I just pulled the following from the Naval Academy Admissions FB page. It is a question and answer.

"Will those who were wait listed also hear back about their status by April 15th?"

Naval Academy Admissions: "Hi Silvia, the wait list may take a little longer. All students will know if they are on the wait list by April 15th, but we can only let people in off the wait list as people cancel, so we will actually be making selections from the wait list as late as a few weeks before the program."


I am sharing this because there has been some confusion about how late applicants may find out their status. The Admissions board will let all applicants know by April 15th if they are in, out, or on the national wait list.

Good luck today fellow islanders!
 
We're still here, rudyinok! checking in as we try to figure out our ROTC options.

Hope your mailbox is bulging with good news soon...
 
rudyinok

You speak the truth! NOBODY who has not gone through this process understands the ups and downs of our journey. Since the dreaded TWE arrived, I have found myself comforted by this thread, and becoming increasingly annoyed with people on the "outside" trying to offer support. Had a friend compare the wait to her DD wait to get word from UF. Really???
I understand and will be here. Good luck today!
 
rudyinok said:
Sure hoping this thread is still alive and functioning to soothe my soul when we probably get the TWE in the coming days!!!???? There's nobody else in our real lives who understand this process! Please don't leave us stragglers hanging without support when our mailboxes finally give birth!


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Not to hijack the thread, but every year there are a few folks who show up on I-Day and want to quit -- and some do before even taking the Oath of Office.

Some don't realize what they're getting into. Yes, they should. But some are coming from parts of the country where there is not much familiarity with SAs. They may not have been able to afford to visit for NASS or CVW. They may have read all of the stuff available on line but experiencing it is something else entirely. For some, I-Day is not only their first day at USNA but may be the first day they've spent outside of their home state or the first night they've slept anywhere but their own bed.

It's a culture shock. The experience is simply overwhelming and some are overwhelmed to the point they want to quit. They think it can only get worse (which isn't true) and can't imagine four years of what they face the first day.

Others never wanted to be at USNA in the first place. There are a few who apply and attend b/c their parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, coaches, etc. "encouraged" them to apply. It was their dream, not the candidate's dream.

Years ago BGOs were told the story of a candidate who applied b/c of family/community pressure. When accepted, he was the hero of his family and school and community -- the first ever to attend a SA. His hometown threw a parade/huge party for him to celebrate. The whole thing took on a momentum of its own. So he showed up -- and hated it. He told USNA that he wanted to back out well before I-Day but didn't feel he could given all of the hopes and dreams piled on his shoulders. He eventually quit during PS.

In a perfect world, USNA would weed out all these people. But it's harder than one thinks, especially if candidates say all the right things to their BGO, the nom committees, etc. And the "being overwhelmed" is hard to predict and harder to "cure."

It's obviously discouraging when an appointee quits before I-Day is even over. However, for those of us who've been there, it's a bit more understandable. Still frustrating and discouraging, but not as crazy as it may seem.
 
Our DS told us about 1 year after plebe summer that the only time he had had second thoughts about his decision to attend USNA was the first 2 days of plebe summer. When he told us we were surprised because he never had shared with us those feelings during plebe summer or on plebe parent weekend. He had attended a prep school, knew the basic facts about the process of plebe summer, but until he'd experienced the extreme stress of those first couple days, he really had no idea the level of emotions he'd experience. Glad that they are able to move on from the initial shock, make friends in their platoon and begin to acclimate and actually "enjoy" the challenges of plebe summer.
 
CAmom2015 and usna1985,
I think you expressed it far more clearly than I did. I agree with NavyHopps in that one of the largest reason for the lowered attrition rates is the amount of easily accessible information out there now -particularly when compared to years past. So I would be extremely surprised to hear that with our media information filled world today kids were unaware of a five year commitment. Besides all of the online information, It is spelled out in their PTR packets (over and over and over again) months before Iday that the kids have to sign and mail back-again months before iday. If they are an athlete, they doubly know because no coach wants a kid who might quit in the year so it is hammered into them. Perhaps in the past those stories of kids having no clue there was a service component, had more plausibility. Now, they know the facts of their commitment. However, knowing and processing are two completely different things. Iday and plebe summer can be a wake up call-so they start to process what it all means...and that can be overwhelming.
 
usna1985 said:
Not to hijack the thread, but every year there are a few folks who show up on I-Day and want to quit -- and some do before even taking the Oath of Office.

Some don't realize what they're getting into. Yes, they should. But some are coming from parts of the country where there is not much familiarity with SAs. They may not have been able to afford to visit for NASS or CVW. They may have read all of the stuff available on line but experiencing it is something else entirely. For some, I-Day is not only their first day at USNA but may be the first day they've spent outside of their home state or the first night they've slept anywhere but their own bed.

It's a culture shock. The experience is simply overwhelming and some are overwhelmed to the point they want to quit. They think it can only get worse (which isn't true) and can't imagine four years of what they face the first day.

Others never wanted to be at USNA in the first place. There are a few who apply and attend b/c their parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, coaches, etc. "encouraged" them to apply. It was their dream, not the candidate's dream.

Years ago BGOs were told the story of a candidate who applied b/c of family/community pressure. When accepted, he was the hero of his family and school and community -- the first ever to attend a SA. His hometown threw a parade/huge party for him to celebrate. The whole thing took on a momentum of its own. So he showed up -- and hated it. He told USNA that he wanted to back out well before I-Day but didn't feel he could given all of the hopes and dreams piled on his shoulders. He eventually quit during PS.

In a perfect world, USNA would weed out all these people. But it's harder than one thinks, especially if candidates say all the right things to their BGO, the nom committees, etc. And the "being overwhelmed" is hard to predict and harder to "cure."

It's obviously discouraging when an appointee quits before I-Day is even over. However, for those of us who've been there, it's a bit more understandable. Still frustrating and discouraging, but not as crazy as it may seem.
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USNA1985 - The Voice of Reason.....Perhaps Admissions should start a system of assigning hearts to candidates folders 1-5... 5 hearts completely in the game, wants to be there for all the right reasons. 1 heart - send them the TWE!:shake:
 
Vista123 said:
CAmom2015 and usna1985,
I think you expressed it far more clearly than I did. I agree with NavyHopps in that one of the largest reason for the lowered attrition rates is the amount of easily accessible information out there now -particularly when compared to years past. So I would be extremely surprised to hear that with our media information filled world today kids were unaware of a five year commitment. Besides all of the online information, It is spelled out in their PTR packets (over and over and over again) months before Iday that the kids have to sign and mail back-again months before iday. If they are an athlete, they doubly know because no coach wants a kid who might quit in the year so it is hammered into them. Perhaps in the past those stories of kids having no clue there was a service component, had more plausibility. Now, they know the facts of their commitment. However, knowing and processing are two completely different things. Iday and plebe summer can be a wake up call-so they start to process what it all means...and that can be overwhelming.
Click to expand...

Most teenagers - no matter how good or smart - are still adolescents and consequently cannot see past the moment in which they are living. Yes, they may like a certain college and want to attend - but the details escape them no matter how often they are told to them. All they here is you are in and they get excited. But when the reality is plopped in front of them they have no choice but to absorb it and it is then they realize it is not what they want. It does not happen to all kids, but it happens.
 
Prepswimmom said:
So you are accusing her of lying to make me feel better? You don't know my friend. Perhaps you are talking about 2 different instances. She is a very matter of fact person - she has never sugar coated anything.


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I don't think she was lying but falling victom to rumors, I too have a plebe and was there on I-day and it is true that a young lady was crying and asking her parents to take her home with them, but she did stay and go through the official process of leaving. I think she was alowed to leave a few days later. It is so hard to say how anyone will react to plebe summer, I was completly shocked when durring PPW my DS said he may have made a mistake, but he was going to stay, now he is happy ( as happy as a plebe can be) has great friends and is looking forward to the future.

I-day was the hardest and proudest day of my life so far.
 
So, mailboxes on the east coast are starting to be fed...

Any early reports on USNA correspondence?

(Just trying to get the thread back in the game.)
 
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