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Those stats support exactly what USNA1985 posted. Legacy candidates ONLY get a SLIGHT bump. If they got more than a slight bump...then the % of legacy would likely be higher.
 
I acknowledge your disappointment with our alma mater. My DD is still CPR and has been since Oct as well as pending waiver for her eyes since Nov. If she got in, she would be 4th generation (2 great grandfathers, grandfather, me - and many other family members attended). She also knew that getting into Navy would be tough - very tough. So, she also looked into USMMA and NROTC. She was recruited to swim at USMMA and the USMMA community kept in constant contact with her during the past year. She was offered an appointment to USMMA in late Jan and held out to see if maybe, just maybe, Navy would make an offer. NROTC also came through with her first choice of civilian school (GWU). She finally got tired of waiting on USNA and decided late last week to make the call - after months of making sure of the right decision for her - and accepted USMMA appointment. Given her excitement, new friends, opportunity to swim for USMMA, and the opportunities after graduation from USMMA (far more than USNA), I think she's made the right decision.

While I'm "all in" for making trips to Kings Point and the excitement of being involved in another SA, I'm a little sad about USNA's still-pending decision. I'm still a BGO and look forward to continuing in that capacity. I think the experience of the last year will make my job as a BGO better. I'll miss not seeing my DD at Navy football games (yes, I'll still buy season tix).

OP - I hear your disappointment. Hopefully your DS's plan B is set. As I've told many candidates and parents over the years, our kids end up doing just fine going to another school and often don't look back at the what ifs.
 
Just curious about where your "fact is that legacy candidates get a slight bump" facts come from. Inside source? Someone just posted some stats on another thread that if they are accurate hardly show any legacy favoritism.
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USNA Admissions has historically said that candidates who have a close relative (parent/sibling) in the military (a category that includes legacies) get a SLIGHT bump on the theory that they have more info about what the military is like and thus are more likely to stay (not to quit). Thus, it makes no difference if you're a legacy of USNA or USMA or if a parent or sibling was in the military in some other capacity (i.e., parent or sibling could have been USAF enlisted and the bump would be the same).

The above said, with increasing info about USNA available through NASS, the Internet, Admissions outreach, etc. -- and the decreased attrition of USNA classes across the board -- I'm not so sure that today there is any bump. If there is, it's not more than the "bump" you get for being captain of a sports team, Eagle Scout, having great math SAT, and on and one. Just one factor of many. Sad for grads whose kids are applying, but the truth.
 
I respect top schools like SA, MIT, & Cal tech for not looking at legacy. Almost impossible to get into top Ivy schools if you are not a high donation paying legacy, underrepresented minority, or have economic or social or family hardship. It is getting extremely difficult for middle class 2 educated parent household with a smart all round child to get into top schools these days:)
 
Blessedmom said:
I respect top schools like SA, MIT, & Cal tech for not looking at legacy. Almost impossible to get into top Ivy schools if you are not a high donation paying legacy, underrepresented minority, or have economic or social or family hardship. It is getting extremely difficult for middle class 2 educated parent household with a smart all round child to get into top schools these days:)
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While I agree with you about MIT and Cal Tech positions WRT legacy admissions, the SA's mission is different. It is to mold and shape future leaders of our nations armed forces. It is more than just about getting an "Ivy League" quality education.

I'm not expecting a "bump" for me, but it sure would be nice for my son, who put up with a lot the past 18 years, especially post 9/11. For many military kids, I guess if there was a "Yokosuka University", "Osan State" or "GTMO Tech", then they might have a fall back "State U" to aspire to and go to for NROTC. For my son,"State U" was USNA.

As a former squadron and wing commander who wrote hundreds of Fitness Reports on LT's and below, I know what a great junior officer looks like. He just walked into the house.
 
usna1985 said:
USNA Admissions has historically said that candidates who have a close relative (parent/sibling) in the military (a category that includes legacies) get a SLIGHT bump on the theory that they have more info about what the military is like and thus are more likely to stay (not to quit). Thus, it makes no difference if you're a legacy of USNA or USMA or if a parent or sibling was in the military in some other capacity (i.e., parent or sibling could have been USAF enlisted and the bump would be the same).

The above said, with increasing info about USNA available through NASS, the Internet, Admissions outreach, etc. -- and the decreased attrition of USNA classes across the board -- I'm not so sure that today there is any bump. If there is, it's not more than the "bump" you get for being captain of a sports team, Eagle Scout, having great math SAT, and on and one. Just one factor of many. Sad for grads whose kids are applying, but the truth.
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From those that I am aware of, 5 of my classmates sons applied. All extremely well qualified. 3 rejections and 2 on Wait List. Unless a miracle happens off the Wait List, our "legacy" success rate will be 0.0%. Not seeing any kind of a "bump"...
 
NTWLF ONE said:
As a former squadron and wing commander who wrote hundreds of Fitness Reports on LT's and below, I know what a great junior officer looks like. He just walked into the house
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Hopefully he'll still pursue a commission. The quality of one's character and their future potential as an officer is not measured by the school one graduates from.
 
NTWLF ONE said:
From those that I am aware of, 5 of my classmates sons applied. All extremely well qualified. 3 rejections and 2 on Wait List. Unless a miracle happens off the Wait List, our "legacy" success rate will be 0.0%. Not seeing any kind of a "bump"...
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Make that 6, with another on the wait list...in agreement, there's no bump to speak of.
 
To be clear, a "bump" means only a few extra points on the WPM. As noted, it's the same as if your next door neighbor who's not a legacy is an Eagle Scout. He gets a "bump" for that in his WPM and your kid gets a bump for having a military parent. Same thing. IOW, it doesn't make much difference.
 
NTWLF ONE said:
While I agree with you about MIT and Cal Tech positions WRT legacy admissions, the SA's mission is different. It is to mold and shape future leaders of our nations armed forces. It is more than just about getting an "Ivy League" quality education.

I'm not expecting a "bump" for me, but it sure would be nice for my son, who put up with a lot the past 18 years, especially post 9/11. For many military kids, I guess if there was a "Yokosuka University", "Osan State" or "GTMO Tech", then they might have a fall back "State U" to aspire to and go to for NROTC. For my son,"State U" was USNA.

As a former squadron and wing commander who wrote hundreds of Fitness Reports on LT's and below, I know what a great junior officer looks like. He just walked into the house.
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Just curious, is your son in a competitive district with parent/s in the military? Our district is academically competitive but has no military base or families?
 
usna1985 said:
To be clear, a "bump" means only a few extra points on the WPM. As noted, it's the same as if your next door neighbor who's not a legacy is an Eagle Scout. He gets a "bump" for that in his WPM and your kid gets a bump for having a military parent. Same thing. IOW, it doesn't make much difference.
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My only comment would be that the bump is much less than being team captain, Eagle Scout, Etc.
 
Blessedmom said:
Just curious, is your son in a competitive district with parent/s in the military? Our district is academically competitive but has no military base or families?
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Competitive district with no major military bases or families. FWIW, in addition to the Presidential nomination, my son also had one from our representative and one from each senator. 4 nominations total.
I am USN retired.
 
swrakow said:
Hopefully he'll still pursue a commission. The quality of one's character and their future potential as an officer is not measured by the school one graduates from.
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Now that the anger/rejection/mourning phase is coming to an end, the "Plan B" discussion is underway. Got accepted into several good engineering schools and one Ivy (unaffordable) without NROTC. My guess is that he will be a re-applicant to USNA next year, no matter where he chooses to spend his freshmen year.
 
NTWLF ONE said:
Now that the anger/rejection/mourning phase is coming to an end, the "Plan B" discussion is underway. Got accepted into several good engineering schools and one Ivy (unaffordable) without NROTC. My guess is that he will be a re-applicant to USNA next year, no matter where he chooses to spend his freshmen year.
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I hope he does reapply. Sounds like a kid who will make a heck of a Naval officer.
 
Sadly, I got the the dreaded TWE. My parents took it worse than I did lol. My mom is in process of cancelling our USNA alumni vehicle tags, season tickets for both foot/basketball games. Both want to cancel being a sponsor family. Geez, Im trying to talk to them into staying a sponsor family. The school that want nothing to do with me and Im trying to help them, weird?? As I told them its not the plebes fault, they dont work in Admissions. They see it as final kick to the gut, especially after Academy kicked/banned various families who donated to the Brigade Sports Complex (yes we donated) a few years ago. Even though Im not an alumni, I can somewhat feel what the OP feels, as my mom is also an alumni. Add my electronic TWE to your kindling pile. Good luck to everyone with their plan B's and if they got in, good luck with the Annapolis humidity...
 
md403 said:
Sadly, I got the the dreaded TWE. My parents took it worse than I did lol. My mom is in process of cancelling our USNA alumni vehicle tags, season tickets for both foot/basketball games. Both want to cancel being a sponsor family. Geez, Im trying to talk to them into staying a sponsor family. The school that want nothing to do with me and Im trying to help them, weird?? As I told them its not the plebes fault, they dont work in Admissions. They see it as final kick to the gut, especially after Academy kicked/banned various families who donated to the Brigade Sports Complex (yes we donated) a few years ago. Even though Im not an alumni, I can somewhat feel what the OP feels, as my mom is also an alumni. Add my electronic TWE to your kindling pile. Good luck to everyone with their plan B's and if they got in, good luck with the Annapolis humidity...
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I'm so sorry. As I said to the OP, the disappointment must be much, much worse for legacy families than for those of us whose DSs/DDs had affiliation with another branch or no affiliation at all.

When did you get the news? If it's recent, then it's natural to want to react to the disappointment in a tangible way. When our lives feel out of control, it is human nature to control what we can, and your parents are feeling the worst kind of lack of control - that which causes pain and disappointment to their child.

It also stings when you've expressed your appreciation and faith in an organization through financial support and that organization disappoints you. However, in a day or two, they will come to understand that while this decision temporarily shakes their faith in the organization, it really does not shatter their devotion. They will understand that their financial support was never, and could never ethically be, a "ticket price" for their child's admittance.

I do hope that they can overcome this disappointment and continue their support, in particular as a sponsor family. I know there are is a reality check about reapplying and I don't know your background, but I know our family isn't accepting no as the "final answer" until our DD tries one more year. I'll bet if you reapply and get in, your parents will be just as delighted next year (maybe even more so!). All three of you will agree that surviving such a keen disappointment, rallying and making yourself an even stronger candidate, and having one more year to strengthen both your resolve and your maturity will all serve to make you an even stronger officer when you graduate.

Wishing strength to you all...
 
@md403 if you decide to reapply next year, make sure you look at other service academy options. My daughter would have been 4th generation USNA, but she also applied to USMMA and found that to be a better fit. She got her appointment in Jan and just accepted last week. She was notified yesterday by USNA that she's wait listed. While it would have been nice to have her at Navy, I'm just as proud to now have two SAs to root for.
 
I'll add.....Anyone want my Naval Academy Mom license plate holder I bought last fall when my DS went on a Candidate visit since he got turned down by the USNA, a USAFA appointment and a NROTC slot instead? LOL
 
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