Underage Drinking and its Effects on Admissions

usafa2022

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Jan 12, 2015
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Once, my parents let me have a small sip of wine when I was maybe 14 or 15. At the time it really didn't seem like a big deal, and I haven't had any more alcohol (or any other drugs) since, nor do I intend to until I reach legal age. Could this affect my USAFA application process at all when I start next year as a junior in HS? For the DodMERB documentation, would I need to mention the wine incident at all? If I did, what repercussions could that have?
 
One sip of wine given to you by your parents does not equate to drinking alcohol. In fact, it is not even worth mentioning. Now, if you tell me you drank any alcohol on an occasional or permanent basis and continue to drink it presently, it would be a problem.
 
1. Where do you live? Believe it or not, the drinking age of 21 years old is not a federal law. It is state's law. And 45 states have exemptions to the drinking age allowing for under 21 years old. The majority exemptions usually require parental permission and accompanied, in a private residence. In other words, if you are at home or a private home, with your parents, and they let you drink alcohol, then its perfectly legal.

So, to answer your question, don't bring it up. The rule states illegal use of. Being your parents allowed it, then its not illegal. Can't remember the 5 states without exemptions. I know Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho are 3 of them. I have the list some place. Point is, forget you brought it up, if the scenario you posted is accurate. If you bring it up, you're opening a can of worms you don't need to.

Again, 45 states have exemptions to THEIR drinking age of 21 years old. Which means, you didn't do anything wrong.
 
Thanks for clearing that up, christcorp. I totally forgot about the exception thing. I live in Kansas, which to my prior knowledge has no exceptions to the legal age. I looked it up and found that there is indeed one exception, but it only applies to cereal malt drinks. However, like falconsrock said, I think it's best not to bring it up. After all, it's not like I'm going out to parties and getting hammered every weekend.
 
I think you are way over thinking this.

My kids as Catholics have the option after their 1st Communion to take a sip of wine for the sacraments of Mass. In essence, they would have to check that they drank underage since they were in elementary school in the I had 1 sip.
~ DS would have to say he drank alcohol since he was 8 if he took it to their word regarding drinking alcohol.
~~ Catholic Church that is the Blood of Christ.
~ My DS actually would have said he had drank a lot of alcohol if we go with the 1 sip... because Italians pour wine in everything. from tomato sauce (gravy) to cacciatore.

Folks and 1 sip on New Years Eve, or a special occasion with the folks is not what they are really looking at/for when they ask this question. Nor are they looking at Communion or your parents pouring 1/4 c of white wine for white chicken chili.
~ Going to a HS party when the hosts folks are away, fake ID, etc are more what they are looking at from admissions.

This maybe taken wrong, but if your moniker is a clue to your age, you are a sophomore in HS. This should not be a fear factor since it is a non-player,..a sip is a sip, done, over! What should you really care about is:
1. Invited to a house party with friends when the host folks are a way...don't drink!
2. Study for that PSAT.
~ As a junior if you score top 95%, you will become a National Merit Semi-Finalist
3. If you can afford to take the SAT and ACT as often as you can
4. IF you have no leadership or sports under your belt...start now.
~ SAs will consider those activities your senior yr. AFROTC scholarship will not
5. Take the most rigorous course curriculum you can handle
~ CGPA matters, but so does rank and rigor.
6. Any medical issue after 13, get your records in order.

In 2 years (2018) from this upcoming July you know what you will wish?
You will wish you spent 1 more minute with your family and your HS friends. Not us here, because the fact is when they yank your phone away and all you get is snail mail during BCT, you will want as many people as you can collect to snail mail you!
~ This is an anonymous forum.

Just saying...worrying about a sip, and looking at forums for answers as a 15 /16 yr old and not standing next to Mom as she loads the dishwasher ...just to talk, or walking the dog might come back to bite you in 2018 when you are alone, no phone, no internet, just memories hundreds/thousands miles a way those 1st few weeks
~ Getting in is 1 thing. Staying is another!
 
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Not going to get in the weeds here with you frenzy.

I will take that as fact, but you are truly missing my entire point....does it matter if it is top 1 or 5%? What matters is:
~ If you are an NMSF within your state you can expect that your PAR is pretty dang high, which impacts you for a nomination from a resume aspect.
~~ Additionally, since SA and ROTC boards operate without knowledge of each others selections, this will assist them from every aspect regarding their future tied to costs.
~~~ Look at college websites...they love to boast % of students that are NMF and NMSF. JMPO, but if your plan B,C, and D schools don't boast, than you need to remember every SA is on par with an IVY. Ivies boast about their avg student profile, even public Ivies. We are not talking about attending University of North Dakota in this example, we are talking about attending Berkeley. University of VA, NC Chapel Hill, University of Michigan, U of IllinoisUrbana/Chicago etc. Schools that are known as public ivies, or maybe schools like Notre Dame, Duke.

Appointments are about every aspect. Dwelling on a sip of alcohol at 14 or 15, is not a biggie to worry about when it comes to their future, be it SA or ROTC scholarship.
~Academics, including cgpa. rank and SAT/ACT score matter.
~~ NMF is an award
~ Sports/Leadership matter
~ CFA
~ DoDMERB

He is a sophomore in HS. Move on and CONTROL what you can from here on out to get that appointment. That means as a sophomore...study for the PSAT because to become an NMSF/NMF they only use your junior year PSAT score.

Best wishes for you and your preferred SA/ROTC path.
 
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Come on Pima! Get your facts straight! ;-)
 
If you score in the top 95% you're only excluding the bottom 5%. I believe about 95% of folks score in the top 95% but I'm no math major! ;)
 
Does the academy have a drug and alcohol screen testing that shows usage from the past?
 
Can't remember the 5 states without exemptions. I know Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho are 3 of them.
I'd have to assume Utah is one of those states.

Actually, it is much greater than 5 states. I decided to look it up and found the results interesting. Several states do not need any parental consent (PRIVATE non-selling alcohol locations). They are SC, OK, NJ, NV (OF COURSE!), NE (Surpise), and LA. See http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002591#B . Some dictate it must be in your residence and some do not. I'm kind of shocked. Party on!
 
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Must have misunderstood me. I said that only 5 states don't have an exemption. Meaning, 5 states say you must be 21, no matter what. Your link shows 45 states have exemptions that allow under 21 drinking. Meaning, there are only 5 that insist you must be 21.
 
Does the academy have a drug and alcohol screen testing that shows usage from the past?

No such thing exists. Alcohol has a very short half-life (the time it takes to eliminate half of your blood alcohol). This is where the "one drink per hour" rule of thumb comes from - it's eliminated that fast. Alcohol metabolism leaves no by-products in your body. It is excreted through several pathways - urine, sweat, saliva - ultimately as carbon dioxide and water. Other drugs like tetrahydrocannabinol, the active agent in marijuana, can have much longer half-lives, usually from one day to two weeks. Long-term users can take up to 60 days or longer to eliminate all products of marijuana from their blood and fat tissues.

When people talk about testing for past drug use, it's drugs like THC, ecstasy, and LSD they're talking about.
 
Must have misunderstood me. I said that only 5 states don't have an exemption. Meaning, 5 states say you must be 21, no matter what. Your link shows 45 states have exemptions that allow under 21 drinking. Meaning, there are only 5 that insist you must be 21.
My bad, I didn't read your words correctly. :) Add NH and WV to your 3. No acceptations allowed (even religious reasons).

What I found amazing from the link was 6 states don't have parental restrictions with underage drinking. 2 of those 6 states mandate that it be in the parents home (some word it as you must purchase it legally). Those states are LA, NE ,NV, NJ, OK, and SC.
 
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