Accepting and then declining?

[Sardawg]

I have been appointed to West Point and have yet to accept because I would much rather go to USNA. I need to decline or accept by April 12th and I am wondering what happens if I accept West Point for now( I will go there for sure if USNA doesn't accept me) and then if I get into USNA. So basicly what are my options and the outcome of accepting WP and then not following through?
Thank you, help much appreciated!

 

[usna1985]

No SA can prevent you from declining after you've accepted or "make" you show up on I-Day/R-Day. It's somewhat poor form but in the end, you would end up at your preferred choice and someone else would likely get your spot at WP.

Do consider whether you really want to attend WP -- and I would say this if your preference of SAs was reversed. If your heart isn't fully in attending WP, you are less likely to succeed. I'm not questioning your decision, merely suggesting you question yourself.

I would wait until the last minute to make your decision. If you've not heard from USNA by April 12, you are most likely going to receive a TWE or be waitlisted. There are some who receive BFEs in the very last days, but relatively few.

 

[GoBlue1984]

+1 ^^^^^

I wouldn't wait until right up until 4/12, but if it was my DS and he hadn't received the BFE for USNA by 4/10, I would advise him to expect the TWE from USNA and make decisions from there. If USMA is truly your 2nd choice, and your priority is serving rather than the branch of service, my advice would be to accept it. If you do get a BFE after accepting, contact WP admissions and inform them you are going to decline since your first academy choice finally came through. I'm sure in this environment, they will understand your reversal (even to Navy!) and there are plenty of other qualified candidates who will be thrilled with a call in May or June asking if they would still like an appointment.

I think in the past they have given until May 1st to accept/reject but in this budgetary climate they added the 45 day decision period since there were no rolling admissions and they still want to fill the class.

In our case the choices are reversed and when DS received the WP BFE he accepted the next day. If he does get a BFE from USNA, he will respectfully decline it so that someone else can be offered. We know he did not win the USNA MOC slate so a USNA appointment could only come from the NWL.

BTW, I am not military and have no teeth in the game but would rather have seen DS go Navy as my impression is that it has a broader application of technology and his love is Engineering. But his heart is in the Army and I understand that. Point being - you have to go with where your heart is...

 

[Grad/Dad]

Why do you want to go to USNA vs. WP or for that matter attend a Service Academy? Can you achieve your goals at either? Are the differences in your mind actually trivial or significant? When I was in H.S. my 1st choice was USAFA, 2nd USNA, 3rd USMA. I only got offered USMA and it defined the rest of my life. In the end, I'm glad fate intervened. It was the best place for me. If you'd like some insight from a West Point grad that helped his son make the choice that was best for him, send me a PM or VM. OBW, my son is USNA 2017.

 

[Memphis9489]

I have been appointed to West Point and have yet to accept because I would much rather go to USNA. I need to decline or accept by April 12th and I am wondering what happens if I accept West Point for now( I will go there for sure if USNA doesn't accept me) and then if I get into USNA. So basicly what are my options and the outcome of accepting WP and then not following through?
Thank you, help much appreciated!

Every year, at each service academy, invariably, there will be somebody who simply doesn't show up.

They don't go to their house and hunt them down or declare them AWOL.