Enlisting if not accepted?

civic29

5-Year Member
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Aug 15, 2014
Messages
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If WestPoint is ONLY college I want to go to, would going active duty and applying for WestPoint as an enlisted soldier be too risky? I say this because if I take a 4 year scholarship to another school I would only be 21 when I commission, 2 years before the maximum age of applying at 23. If I was enlisted I would be able to apply 2 more years before I couldn't anymore. I know AD has 85 slots like reserver and NG. Would enlisting be too much of a risk, if anything I think It would make me a better officer.
 
What is your goal? To attend USMA, or to become an Army officer? It's extaordinarily short-sighted on your part to refuse to consider the Army's largest source of 2LTs, if that's what you aspire to be.

Honestly, if you think you'll need 5-6 attempts at applying in order to receive an appointment, you might just need to look elsewhere for your education and commissioning source.
 
If WestPoint is ONLY college I want to go to, would going active duty and applying for WestPoint as an enlisted soldier be too risky? I say this because if I take a 4 year scholarship to another school I would only be 21 when I commission, 2 years before the maximum age of applying at 23. If I was enlisted I would be able to apply 2 more years before I couldn't anymore. I know AD has 85 slots like reserver and NG. Would enlisting be too much of a risk, if anything I think It would make me a better officer.

No teenager should be in a hurry to become a 2LT.

Is there a prize for becoming a 2LT at 21 vs 22 or 23?

The risk of "going active duty and applying for West Point" are (1) if you don't get your your commander's endorsement I am pretty sure you won't be considered in the soldier category for appointment and (2) staying enlisted for the duration of your service obligation if you don't get accepted into West Point.

v
 
Enlisted

If you select the enlisted route understand the process and the risk. You must have command recommendation and that may not happen your first year in depending on cycle. If you don't get in you are required to continue and compete your enlistment. If your goal is 2LT, which is the ultimate goal regardless of route, you are still 4 years away at the end of your enlistment (college degree). Could take you eight years until you are 2LT. If you go college route, you can reapply next 4 years while working towards your commission via ROTC. If you don't get in you are a 2LT in 4 years. Reality, if you don't get accepted after two or three tries, you need to seriously assess your chances.
 
I was in a similar mindset last year, I enlisted with an infantry contract opt 40 because I thought West Point was the only way I'd be an officer, otherwise I'd rather enlist. However, I was fairly wrong.

I was QNS'd, and as I got ready to ship off, I received a ROTC scholarship for being qualified. I spoke with admissions and they suggested I take it and I'd have a very good chance of acceptance next year. I decided I have my whole life to enlist if I want to do that, and figured I might as well apply one more time. I quickly applied to a local university and am now rooming with a friend from high school while enrolled in ROTC. Although the university isn't my favorite, I really like ROTC, which I never expected, and I have made some great friends. Becoming an officer seems to be the only path for me now.

So here is my advice: Apply to West Point and for a ROTC scholarship. If by some chance you don't get in the second or third time, I doubt you will want to keep reapplying, and you will be glad you're half way towards commissioning. I doubt you will regret doing ROTC, and I think you will realize there a lot of people that will help you get into West Point through ROTC the second time. My PMS was really helpful.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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