Accepted Appointment...should DS cancel free school visits?

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USAFA18DAD

5-Year Member
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Mar 26, 2014
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My DS accepted his appointment last night!!! So happy and impressed that he made a good decision. Now he has received a few Accepted Students Day trips that he still wants to attend...should he call and cancel or attend?
 
What's the point? Especially since he won't go there anyways. Unless he just likes the architecture, I dont see why.

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USAFA18DAD said:
My DS accepted his appointment last night!!! So happy and impressed that he made a good decision. Now he has received a few Accepted Students Day trips that he still wants to attend...should he call and cancel or attend?
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I think many people would say that until your cadet emerges on the other side of BCT and gets accepted into the cadet wing, you should never abandon a plan B. Lots of things can happen and changes of heart during BCT are not unknown. If you wants to see the schools and you can swing it, why not? Congratulations on your son's appointment and good luck!
 
melindayching said:
I think many people would say that until your cadet emerges on the other side of BCT and gets accepted into the cadet wing, you should never abandon a plan B. Lots of things can happen and changes of heart during BCT are not unknown. If you wants to see the schools and you can swing it, why not? Congratulations on your son's appointment and good luck!
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This is exactly what my DS plans. He left today for Texas A&M for an SNWC visit. Even though he has not officially hit the accept button for the Academy he told me he plans to. But he is still trying to shore up his plan B just in case.... He will talk to the Cadre while he is there and let them know of his plans and what they would suggest he do regarding his AFROTC scholarship and how they suggest he should handle it.
 
Howdy! Do you know which squadron/unit he's visiting? DS (Raptor) is in his second year in the Corps. Maybe he could meet up with him. PM me with details, if you'd like.
 
DS has hit the accept button but is continuing on with plan B, formal visit and tour of University of Michigan this Saturday....you just never know...
 
melindayching said:
I think many people would say that until your cadet emerges on the other side of BCT and gets accepted into the cadet wing, you should never abandon a plan B. Lots of things can happen and changes of heart during BCT are not unknown.
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X2 :thumb:
If financially feasible try to keep at least one accepted school as a Plan B. We sent a deposit for our Plan B school and were OK with losing the money in exchange for the peace of mind that it provided. Some colleges will refund your deposit if your DS decides to attend a SA....doesn't hurt to ask.
 
Rocko said:
This is exactly what my DS plans. He left today for Texas A&M for an SNWC visit. Even though he has not officially hit the accept button for the Academy he told me he plans to. But he is still trying to shore up his plan B just in case.... He will talk to the Cadre while he is there and let them know of his plans and what they would suggest he do regarding his AFROTC scholarship and how they suggest he should handle it.
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Rocko,
Let us know what they say. DO accepted USAFA, but is afraid to let AFROTC scholarship go just yet...I think he will this week so it can go to someone desperately waiting.

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RaptorDad said:
Howdy! Do you know which squadron/unit he's visiting? DS (Raptor) is in his second year in the Corps. Maybe he could meet up with him. PM me with details, if you'd like.
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RaptorDad,

I sent you a Pm.
 
USMC_Ordie said:
Rocko,
Let us know what they say. DO accepted USAFA, but is afraid to let AFROTC scholarship go just yet...I think he will this week so it can go to someone desperately waiting.

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Will do. The plan right now is to hold onto the AFROTC scholarship as a backup plan for as long as possible. He just needs to make a final decision on which school.
 
I was under the impression that if you accepted your appointment to a SA you are required to give up ROTC at that time.

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I believe they can hold on to it until they get through BCT and enter the cadet wing. That's what DD plans to do... We feel much better knowing she has a solid Plan B, just in case.
 
RaptorDad said:
I believe they can hold on to it until they get through BCT and enter the cadet wing.
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No. However, they can hold onto their AFROTC scholarship until they report (I-Day) for BCT. As of that day their scholarship is rescinded.
 
Agree with aglages. However, if you paid the deposits at the college, you still have the college slot and could probably still enroll in AFROTC without the scholarship assuming they have room.
 
Please understand this opportunity

First off, congratulations for the appointments, it is a tremendous honor to receive such an opportunity.

When I first read this thread, when the original question was posted regarding other schools, I saw it was a very valid question. Unfortunately as I started to read the replies, it was difficult to keep quiet. I am very concerned with this scenario where appointees that will be travelling to the Academy, 'trying out BCT' and then seeing at the end, if they would like to pursue a different path.

For those who have accepted their appointments, like myself, please read, and I mean READ, the second page in the Instructions for Appointees. I'll quote what Colonel Benyshek writes in the second paragraph, "If you are coming to the Academy to ―try it out‖ or because of peer, community, or parental pressure, I urge you not to accept your appointment. If you were to resign due to a change of career goals or should you desire to pursue another scholarship offer, you will have deprived another deserving and more motivated person of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Please do not take this decision lightly ".

Now, the odds are 1 in 10 could choose to drop the Academy during or post BCT. But to think that, one could easily go from this thread, to the thread titled "Still haven't heard anything..." there are highly qualified candidates that would do anything to have the opportunity your sons and daughters have right now. This is THEIR decision. If there is doubt, talk it over now. Until you do, there are people waiting, for these life changing opportunities, not just for the Academy, but a scholarship to serve their country.

College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.
 
4mb43 said:
First off, congratulations for the appointments, it is a tremendous honor to receive such an opportunity.

When I first read this thread, when the original question was posted regarding other schools, I saw it was a very valid question. Unfortunately as I started to read the replies, it was difficult to keep quiet. I am very concerned with this scenario where appointees that will be travelling to the Academy, 'trying out BCT' and then seeing at the end, if they would like to pursue a different path.

For those who have accepted their appointments, like myself, please read, and I mean READ, the second page in the Instructions for Appointees. I'll quote what Colonel Benyshek writes in the second paragraph, "If you are coming to the Academy to ―try it out‖ or because of peer, community, or parental pressure, I urge you not to accept your appointment. If you were to resign due to a change of career goals or should you desire to pursue another scholarship offer, you will have deprived another deserving and more motivated person of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Please do not take this decision lightly ".

Now, the odds are 1 in 10 could choose to drop the Academy during or post BCT. But to think that, one could easily go from this thread, to the thread titled "Still haven't heard anything..." there are highly qualified candidates that would do anything to have the opportunity your sons and daughters have right now. This is THEIR decision. If there is doubt, talk it over now. Until you do, there are people waiting, for these life changing opportunities, not just for the Academy, but a scholarship to serve their country.

College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.
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Where in this thread did you see anyone saying that they are "trying" out the academy? You need to go back and re-read the posts. I know that is certainly not the case for my DS and I didn't interpret any other post that way.

My DS has not at this moment accepted his appointment (although he is fairly certain he will). He is not required to decide that until May. As a father I encourage him to seriously consider all his options and make an educated decision. Precisely why he is at this moment at TAMU spending a night with the Cadets. He is committed to serving in the Air Force (Just like his older brother is now) but is weighing all his options.

Also as a father I encourage him to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. What does my son do should he suffer an injury 5 days prior to leaving for the Academy? If he did not accept a college offer he would not have anywhere to go when the Academy tells him he cannot enter BCT this year. Holding the spot in a College and an AFROTC scholarship is a wise thing to do if you can. Nobody knows what can happen to them prior to BCT.

The way I see it, if you throw all caution to the wind and abandon all other optionsw, you are setting yourself up to possibly fail. Good leaders plan for all obstacles that may get in their way and have a plan to deal with it. You think you know what you want. You think you will love the Academy. You think you will remain healthy and be able to enter. But you DO NOT KNOW. That is the future. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
 
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