College Admissions Question

C

Cms204

5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
24
I have received a nomination to the Naval Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy. I am also applying to Grove City College. A small, conservative, private Christian College. It is fairly competitive especially for their Mechanical Engineering Department.

Would it be to my benefit to tell Grove City Admissions that I received a Congressional Nomination to two service academies but that I am still extremely interested in attending Grove City? Would telling them this make it seem like I don’t have a strong interest in Grove City and hurt my chances? Or, would it do the opposite and impress them with my desire to serve my country?

Right now I feel like I am right on the edge of being accepted so I don’t know what to do. I would greatly appreciate any educated opinions.
 
Hard question----always always always have a plan "B". Until you get the BFE you are not in---and even then --bubble wrap------if you get hurt you may be medically DQ'd or end up with bad grades final semester ---who knows------what you need to decide is are you willing to commit to what a Service Academy requires and is that your first and foremost desire.
 
Thank you for the quick reply

I am more than willing to commit to what a Service Academy requires and it is definitely my first and foremost desire. Grove City is my B+ plan. I was just wondering if telling them that I got a nomination would increase my chances of getting in.

Thanks again for the quick response blackhawkmom
 
Considering your interest in attending a SA and serving your country; how are you going to satisfy your burning desire to be an officer in the military while at Grove City College? Afterwards?
 
Aglages brings up a very good question. GCC does not have a ROTC program or a cross town agreement with another host school.

I'm actually quite familiar with GCC because I have lots of friends there. Did you apply for early decision there? If I was you I would not let them know at all. GCC needs to make money so why would they want to know that you are thinking about taking away your money by considering USNA and USMMA (which most would agree are "better" than GCC). Congrats on the Noms but I would keep it to yourself.

But back to aglages question..... how exactly do you intend to serve while at GCC? Army or Navy OTS?
 
GCC is my B plan. If I don’t get into the Academies I would like to be a part of their program while I reapply next year. If after four years I don't get in to any of the Academies, I would direct commission into the Navy with a college degree.

I did not apply to early decision because I'm not able to 100% commit to them as early decision programs require.

Alright, thanks kevster. I appreciate your advice.
 
Here's what you do, Cms204.

First, don't spend even a microsecond worrying about which school is better at this point. Apply to USNA like it is your NUMBER ONE school. Apply to USMMA like it is your NUMBER ONE school. Apply to Grove City College like it is your NUMBER ONE school. Apply to all of the other colleges like they are your NUMBER ONE school. At this point, you have no idea who is interested in you and who isn't. Until you do know who wants you, there is absolutely nothing to talk about and it is a COMPLETE waste of time to try to do so.

Second, once you RECEIVE offers of admission in March/April, that is when you have something to think about. DO NOT GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION AND JUMP AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES ALONG. You may receive an offer from USNA, but "do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes" no matter how tempting it is. If you want to make a good leader someday, anywhere in life, you must learn to evaluate all possible courses of action before committing to either one. This is so even if you know in your heart of hearts that you want to proceed along a certain path. This Forum is filled, regrettably, with students who receive an appointment from a SA and jump on that offer like a rabid animal, even though other opportunities have not been presented yet. That is NOT the kind of decisionmaking that you will learn as a military officer. Rather, you should stay calm, calculated, and then make your decision after all facts have been properly evaluated. Sure, in the military, there are plenty of occasions where you have to simply react quickly based on imperfect facts (like if you find yourself in the middle of the kill-zone in an ambush), but you are NOT in that situation -- our college admissions system is basically set up so that students have the entire month of April to decide what they want to do.

If you receive NO offers, then your options are clear. You have none. However, if you receive multiple offers, only then can you weigh the pros and cons of each. Included in your offer from Grove City will be a financial aid package -- weigh that against the others, which are free! Also, then -- and only then -- do you consider aglages' point about civilian versus military. For now, though, continue your workout routine like you are going to USNA/USMMA, get 3Q'd at each, and get all of your info together. If you receive the BFE, you should spend an overnight at each SA to really get a feel for the place. Don't base your decision on the fact that one SA has a better website than the other! And spend an overnight at Grove City if offered admission as well. Again, once you have all your facts together and have researched this at length, then you make a decision and you NEVER look back. You should have the entire month of April to make your decision. Students are not required to make decisions until May 1 -- for ALL colleges, including the SAs.

I would NOT share anything with Grove City at this point about USNA or USMMA, especially when you haven't been appointed to either one yet. Only if they ask, which they won't, then you should disclose it. There is no benefit to you from the perspective of Grove City admissions -- they are NOT going to say "Gee, if this kid is good enough for USNA, he's good enough for us!" The only possible benefit would be for the financial aid decision. But you should wait on that until you've hooked them on the line. Once they have extended an offer to you, THEN you can say "Gee, have we explored everything here in terms of grants/scholarships? I'm currently deciding between Grove City and the FREE Service Academy." Just know, though, that there are about 1000 kids on the waiting list wanting to take your spot at Grove City, and Grove City knows this.

Finally, I do want to address the point made by blackhawkmom, because her advice is very good. As you will learn in the military, NEVER leave your flanks exposed. If you do get accepted to Grove City and to USNA, pay the deposit at Grove City and, on the morning of I-Day, call Grove City (or have your parents do this) and say, "Sorry, but I've decided to go to USNA." This may be dirty pool, but it is prudent. blackhawkmom's point that you could get injured between the date you accepted the appointment and I-Day is sound. Other problems could arise as well that would have the same effect of letting an appointment slip through your fingers.

Good luck. Grove City is a very good school, by the way. Inexpensive, too!!
 
Last edited:
patentesq

Thankyou for the detailed and well thought out reply. That must have taken you a good couple of minutes to type out. I will do as you said and hold off on telling GCC about any nominations. I appreciate your advice about paying the deposit to GCC as well. Let's hope I have all these choices in front of me in April.

Oh and "our college admissions system is basically. . ." Are you part of a college / academy admissions board or do you mean our nations admissions system?
 
Sorry, I meant "our nation's college admissions system."

I didn't mean by my post to suggest that making the inquiry you did was not good. It IS good. You seem like a wise person -- just the sort that should be a miltiary officer someday. You should focus right now on your grades and don't get Senioritis! You will need these grades, after all, if you are not picked up this year at USNA or USMMA and decide to reapply next year.
 
One more thing. I don't know whether you have applied for an ROTC scholarship, but if you do receive one, that might be something worth mentioning to the college admissions office. If Grove City college does not have an ROTC unit, then the award of an ROTC scholarship will have little or no impact. But many of the colleges that do have ROTC see you as a full-price customer, with the federal government footing the bill. Regardless of what colleges may say, they ARE essentially businesses offering the "Service of Education." Especially in difficult economic times like the one we are experiencing now, full-price customers tend to take on more desireable attributes.:wink:

Also, many ROTC units have a direct line to their college admissions office.:wink:
 
Yessir, I have applied for an NROTC scholarship. I haven't heard back though. Grove City does not have an ROTC unit. You are right, a customer guaranteed to pay full price for four years would be desirable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top