Thanks to all who wrote me! I’ve condensed it for my son and made a timeline. Given this is what I’ve gleaned and it is not sanctioned (please chime in folks if I’m wrong). Thanks again! Good luck to everyone this year and next!!!
Tips for a USNA turn down and want to reapply:
-First look at this as a learning experience and an opportunity to mature and improve yourself; strengthen all your weaknesses
-Remember, USNA loves reaps; 1/3 of yearly appoints come from college students
-Get your USNA 2028 app started on 4/16 when the portal opens; don’t finish it but throw your hat in now
-Contact your BGO and meet with them to discuss ways to improve and get their take on your TWE and your strategy for reapplying
-Contact USNA admissions and meet with your Regional Director to go through 2027 app and where you can improve
-enroll in a 4yr College preferably with NROTC program, sign up for the plebe classes and get straight As
-do something ultra productive with your summer (take a job, find an internship, run a summer sports camp, tutor)
-ask for a new BGO, gets you a second great recommendation and gives the USNA two folks that are pulling for you
-take your SATs again and again until you get over 700 on math and verbal; study and keep at it
-max out your CFA, running (under 6min mile), push-ups and sit-ups are the most critical
-before you leave HS work with your current math and English teacher to set them up for USNA recs; it’s better to have those new college professors, but not if it’s huge lecture classes and they won’t know you personally
-keep up with your sport; do travel and tournaments and get involved in college as much as possible
Timeline for getting this done and crushing your 2028 USNA reapplication:
Today- (deadlines are 4/15 for some schools) apply to 4year colleges with NROTC programs in your state or local areas (do community college as a last ditch effort)
4/16- Start your reapplication on the USNA portal
By end of April-sign up to take 2 more SATs and ACTs- study before and get over 30 ACT on all parts and over 700 on SAT math and verbal
By end of April- meet with BGO discuss TWE and path forward
By end of April-develop and start CFA improvement plan (run a timed mile weekly and do 2 min sit-ups and 2 min push-ups- record times and improve each week)
May-finish out your HS strong, super grades and crush your AP exams
May-finalize your summer plan for working and internship and volunteering (be busy!)
Late May-begin your MOC (others) nom applications
Before you graduate- line up all your MOC and USNA recommendations (some will be from HS- your principal, guidance counselor and your senior year math and English)
June-graduate and start your summer plan
July-schedule and execute a meeting with your USNA Regional Director to find out what specifically you can improve
August-redo your CFA
Aug-follow up with teachers for recommendations
August-Complete your MOC (others) nom applications; if you have personal contacts with these then reach out directly; get all recommendations in for noms and USNA
Late August-start college, kick butt at school and NROTC and your sport
Oct/Nov/Dec- BGO and MOC (others) interviews
Dec-rewrite and perfect USNA essays and application
Once 1st semester college grades are out- submit your USNA reapplication for 2028!
Some don’t s:
Don’t take a gap year
Don’t enlist
Don’t do prep school
And
Don’t worry about re-doing DODMERB (good for two years!)
Good luck all! I hope this gives all the TWE’s some focused direction and positive steps forward! You all are awesome and you CAN do this! Heck, you did it once!!