What a Joke

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Got the letter today. 4.15 GPA top 5% 30 ACT Eagle Scout and varsity ski for 3 years.

However backup plan has already been executed and will be entering the ROTC program in the fall!
 
The rejection is certainly bad enough, but I think it's the process that is so aggravating. You get strung along and strung along, with absolutely no insight as to where you stand. My advice to anyone who ever inquires about applying to the USNA - don't! It's hardly worth the emotional roller coaster. There are way to many other equitable options out there.

I remember in my interview with the congressman’s board being asked, “What makes you different? Yes, we understand you are academically qualified, but so is every person that walks into this interview room. So what makes you any different from them?” One thing you have to remember is that almost EVERYONE who applies is a highly qualified individual.

I would advise anyone who is considering USNA or any service academy to go for it, but also to understand that it is a reach for even those who are qualified.

It is a highly frustrating process. I completely understand that. I finished my application October 2nd and spent everyday after that checking my phone, email, and mailbox in hopes of receiving some news. When I finally received a phone call in March, I didn’t even believe it.

The fact that your son chose to pursue this path and got so far speaks volumes of who he is as a person. I’m sure he will excel no matter where he ends up! Know that your son is not alone, there are many other people who were just as qualified who unfortunately were turned down as well. I am truly sorry; however, I’m sure your son will still succeed and meet his goals, whatever they may be.
 
I remember in my interview with the congressman’s board being asked, “What makes you different? Yes, we understand you are academically qualified, but so is every person that walks into this interview room. So what makes you any different from them?” One thing you have to remember is that almost EVERYONE who applies is a highly qualified individual.

I would advise anyone who is considering USNA or any service academy to go for it, but also to understand that it is a reach for even those who are qualified.

It is a highly frustrating process. I completely understand that. I finished my application October 2nd and spent everyday after that checking my phone, email, and mailbox in hopes of receiving some news. When I finally received a phone call in March, I didn’t even believe it.

The fact that your son chose to pursue this path and got so far speaks volumes of who he is as a person. I’m sure he will excel no matter where he ends up! Know that your son is not alone, there are many other people who were just as qualified who unfortunately were turned down as well. I am truly sorry; however, I’m sure your son will still succeed and meet his goals, whatever they may be.

I fully agree with that navybound. In fact I would add that part of the allure of the academies is how incredibly difficult it is to get appointed. All these kids are terrific human beings and will do great things for this country regardless of the path they follow.
 
All, my DS's TWE will be here next week. (MOCs had not heard anything on 3/27 and then letter went out 3/29 = TWE). I understand your frustration on having impressive quals and not knowing what prevented you from being selected. However, I have to tell you that it is a fact of life, not just for academy candidates, but in the military as well. I was well qualified for the O-5 board back in 2005 with all the right jobs. Guess what? I got passed over. A lot of people were shocked, but said I would get it the next year. Guess what? I got passed over again! I ended up picking it up my third time and am now an O-6. Bottom line is that life is not fair, but if USNA is what your son or daughter wants, then try, try again. Even if they did not get in, they are still great kids and their willingness to serve in our military is appreciated.
 
It may not help much, but I figure I would put my two cents in. As a Service Academy, the academic and physical qualifications of all candidates will be outstanding, some more so then others. But beyond this I feel there is another element to receiving appointment. That element being a clear and present desire to serve our nation as a career officer in the USN or USMC. I for one marvel at some the accomplishments of those who receive the TWE and wonder, if they didn't make how did I? But I remember that at every interview and in every essay I made it absolutely clear my desire was to become a Marine Officer, the USNA was just one of several paths there. What I'm getting at here is that although many who receive TWEs may be more highly qualified then some who receive appointment, those who receive an appointment may have shown a stronger desire to serve the nation and that is where they set themselves above those who are more academically or physically qualified in the eyes of a Service Academy.
 
Sour grapes intended.... But congrats to all those who got in.

DS got TWE today. Letter states "you were not competitive enough." 3.85 GPA, 33 ACT, top 20% of class, three year varsity captain and three year MVP, several meaningful leadership experiences including outside school (and not just a bunch of clubs), fitness results in top 25%. But not even wait listed? Jesus, who are they letting in if those credentials can't even earn a wait list spot? Can't help but think that demographics play a SIGNIFICANT role.

There's a portion of the ALO interview when my DS was pulled aside and asked straight up if the SA is his goal and not just being coerced into it. If he would have made the ALO doubt, the ALO promised that the parents would never know why he got a rejection instead of an appointment. :scratch:
 
I have to agree that the rejection letter itself was more disappointing than the actual rejection. To be told that you are "not competitive" after more than one year, a CVW, and a nomination, is insulting to say the least. I understand that geography and other factors play a part, but I do believe these kids deserve more than a bogus form letter for their efforts. Great kids that will go far in life....good luck and God bless them all!
 
"Diversity is the #1 goal of the Naval Academy."
Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations.

Report: Naval Academy favors minorities, athletes

Affirmative Action Scandal Rocks Naval Academy: Students Disillusioned at Lower Admissions Standards

Naval Academy Professor Exposes Two-Tiered Admissions

The Naval Academy’s Double Standard

Merit and Preferences: Never the Twain Shall Meet - Jan 9, 2013
(John Cauthen, a former naval officer, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2002 and returned to teach in the History Department from 2007-2010. While piloting helicopters he made two deployments to the Western Pacific aboard the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN and has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He currently resides in California with his wife and two children.)



The method at the Academy, it seems, is to craft preferences for various groups based on ethnicity and gender—a policy of “affirmative action.” During the summer of 2006, then Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Mullen stated that “diversity is a strategic imperative.” His successor, Admiral Gary Roughead, codified this imperative in a Navy-wide Diversity Policy, which led to innumerable programs, outreach efforts, and new bureaucratic positions structured to increase diversity. Those actions quickly found their way to the Academy.

Unfortunately, affirmative action leads to the admission and retention of midshipmen (students) who are under-qualified or even completely unqualified, in the name of balance or fairness. Diversity initiatives thus ensure that preferences are granted to pre-selected groups at the expense of otherwise qualified individuals. Doing so is neither neutral nor harmless.

These policies and initiatives make it impossible to reconcile preferences with merit. Preferences are arbitrarily bestowed upon favored groups, and merit becomes untenable in a system no longer defined by standards of individual achievement. Institutions governed by two or more systems lose credibility and the erosion of impartiality will inevitably weaken them.

The irony is that expanding diversity in search of greater “fairness” actually institutionalizes a system of bias. Using diversity to manufacture demographic proportionality necessarily becomes insidious and counterproductive.

As a former history instructor at the Naval Academy (from 2007-2010), I witnessed the failings of the diversity initiative first hand. The poisonous atmosphere it created among midshipmen, faculty, and staff in non-academic and academic settings was detrimental to the cohesion of the institution. Unfortunately, once the diversity fetish is infused into an institution, it is nearly impossible to eradicate.

It is what it is, and everyone has to deal with it - the good and the bad.
 
Getting an appointment is one thing.
Staying in and graduating is another.
There is no secret formula to admissions criteria.
They have a quota to fill, they find qualified candidates but unfortunately, there's never enough slots for the number of qualified candidates.
Is this fair?
If you know you have better qualifications than somebody who gets in-then probably not.
But the reality is: unless you sit at the admissions board and have to vote red or green whether a candidate gets in or not?
It's all speculation.:scratch:
 
It is NOT about YOU

There are a lot of numbers and stats being typed into this forum. I think that everyone needs to take a step back and understand that USNA is not Harvard or Yale. If you want a diploma to hang on your wall behind your desk someday then apply to an Ivy League school. If you want to lead Sailors and Marines in combat then apply. Not one of my Marines has ever asked me what my GPA was or if I was the school's mascot. They look at me when they need leadership, guidance, and direction. They look at me and decide whether I am know my job and can lead them in any situation. If you (or your child in this case) truly want to lead Sailors and Marines then they will, THEY will make the decision to earn a commission, THEY will do it whether they are accepted to the Academy or attend PLC/OCC/OCS after earning their degree at the local community college. Never forget the mission of the Service Academies, it is not about your children, it is not about you wearing a USNA sweatshirt! It is about the Sailors and Marines we are being trained to Lead!
 
There are a lot of numbers and stats being typed into this forum. I think that everyone needs to take a step back and understand that USNA is not Harvard or Yale. If you want a diploma to hang on your wall behind your desk someday then apply to an Ivy League school. If you want to lead Sailors and Marines in combat then apply. Not one of my Marines has ever asked me what my GPA was or if I was the school's mascot.
well said!
:bang::rockon:
 
I know that receiving a TWE is tremendously disappointing, for parents and candidates alike. And, is it always "fair?" Probably not in all cases.

However, as the parents well know, this is but the beginning of a series of rejections in life, most of which the person being rejected (and his/her parents) won't consider to be "fair."

Be it graduate school, a job, a promotion . . . part of being an adult is dealing with rejection even when you believe your qualifications exceeded those who were successful.

The world isn't always "fair." It's a harsh reality, but it is true. Those who ultimately succeed in life learn to deal with rejection, move on, and do even better with the hand they were dealt.

For those who received the TWE and for whom USNA (or any other SA) is still their goal, consider reapplying. Or, move forward with what is undoubtedly a terrific Plan B and to the rest of your lives.

Finally, as a BGO, I wish USNA could/would inform all candidates sooner. However, USNA isn't really unlike any other college in terms of timeliness of notification. I do agree that "late" CVWs should probably only be offered to those who will be admitted . . . not sure why the situation that happened to the OP occurred but I can definitely understand that it turned out to be a discouraging/heartbreaking experience.
 
DS also was rejected. I agree that earlier notification would be better. Somehow, in hindsight, I have a new appreciation for the West Point system of sending out 'discouraging' letter late last summer. DS could have been chasing that bubble too, but did not, instead focusing on Navy and others. It seems the Army saved him a lot of work and heartache. Ironically, he has an Army ROTC scholarship!
I continue to be sorely disappointed with USMMA who apparently changed their medical standards beginning this year, excluding any reconsideration of color vision issues. They, rather than stepping up and making that change a prominent announcement, elected to wait for applicants to work their butts off on the application/time, costs of visits/etc and at the end reject for medical. Only on inquiry did they explain that they no longer accept alternate screening results.
 
There are a lot of numbers and stats being typed into this forum. I think that everyone needs to take a step back and understand that USNA is not Harvard or Yale. If you want a diploma to hang on your wall behind your desk someday then apply to an Ivy League school. If you want to lead Sailors and Marines in combat then apply. Not one of my Marines has ever asked me what my GPA was or if I was the school's mascot. They look at me when they need leadership, guidance, and direction. They look at me and decide whether I am know my job and can lead them in any situation. If you (or your child in this case) truly want to lead Sailors and Marines then they will, THEY will make the decision to earn a commission, THEY will do it whether they are accepted to the Academy or attend PLC/OCC/OCS after earning their degree at the local community college. Never forget the mission of the Service Academies, it is not about your children, it is not about you wearing a USNA sweatshirt! It is about the Sailors and Marines we are being trained to Lead!

I agree with Iceman that this is 'well said,' yet, the Academies (and the ROTC,etc) do seem to feel there is a correlation between 'all these numbers/stats' and ones ability to lead in the military. I wonder if their faith in the stats is justified. I do not have a better system for evaluating, but I know they are missing out on a lot of great kids.
 
In the big pond of 'highly qualified'...

2 white males got in from our daughter's school. Both have GPAs over 4.0, a varsity sport, leadership, service and high SAT scores.

What tipped the scales in their favor? Who knows. The BGO thinks that the school's history with students getting in and then doing very well once at USNA makes it 'easier' for others applying from the same school? Fair? Who is to say.

They are not URM, they are from competitive congressional districts, they do not have great 'hooks'. Neither got into NASS last summer. Neither comes from a family with a service history.

I say this only to say that I think it is almost impossible to know what drives the decisions in admissions in the huge group of talented kids with no hooks. But I do agree that those same kids will soar be it at USNA or elsewhere.

S
 
What school is your DS/DD attending? I have seen a lot of your posts and understand it is a boarding school .... Is it a military boarding school such as Culver Academy?
 
I have to agree that the rejection letter itself was more disappointing than the actual rejection. To be told that you are "not competitive" after more than one year, a CVW, and a nomination, is insulting to say the least. I understand that geography and other factors play a part, but I do believe these kids deserve more than a bogus form letter for their efforts. Great kids that will go far in life....good luck and God bless them all!

I'm sure they could be more artful in how they approach this... something like "you were extremely competitive but unfortunately others were more highly qualified" or something. On the other hand, if I were sending said letter I would expect the applicants to an Academy to already be aware of all that. And, in fact, you all are.
 
Agree with IceMan and TakeMyAdvice. This is not the end and no school can determine how far your child can go. We are anxiously awaiting our son's presumed 3rd rejection since we have not heard anything yet. Briefly, he applied as a senior, congressional nomination, before 1st rejection joined deleyed entry program for USMC Reserves so he could do college full time, applied again but was still in MOS school, not yet in college and USNA wanted more time for unit to evaluate him. This while having commanding officer, congressional & secnav nominations. This past year applied again as enlisted, this time same nominations plus 2 more senior officers recommendations and as a full time college student. Plans are this time if rejected to apply PLC, eventually OCS and finish college while hopefully attaining rank as enlisted. His unit is on real long list to deploy and anyone who has joined or wants to be in service looks forward to it. I as a mother, who has had 2 other kids in past few years join Marines know nothing is set in stone, could be years, a hurry up and wait game. A word of encouragement to all, while the service academies are the goal, many ways to reach goals. We know personally a recently retired 3 star general who went another program route, no service academy, A Navy Commander Judge Advocate now working with Seals who went nrotc, was the 1st female lawyer assigned to a ship 20 years ago, and a Navy Captain who after completing 4 years of college, taught high school chemistry for 2 years and then decided to apply to Navy Nuclear Program OCS. Two years ago he was commissioned with a ship which he successfully commandered and brought back from deployment to San Diego last summer. Again, no service academy. What they have is drive and do not take to heart rejection. I would be interested to see the ratio of academy graduates who do go on to be 3 star generals or are commissioned with ships. If this is what your kids want, this setback is nothing. They will be able to achieve their goals and dreams.
 
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