Foundation offers yet?

nodiva

5-Year Member
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Aug 7, 2014
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Just curious if anyone has received a Foundation offer yet. Also, does an offer mean that you then compete against another pool to become "sponsored"? I understand the scholarships are need based.
 
Please don't confuse the "scholarship" with financial need in terms of the Foundation program. A candidate offered a Foundation scholarship and who accepts that offer is considered a scholarship recipient and a "sponsored" Prepster. There's no further competition. In other words, all Foundation students are "sponsored" and all receive a "scholarship." Those offered a scholarship select up to three schools from the list. I think most (if not all) end up with their first or second choice.

The amount you (your parents) must contribute to the prep school tuition (and other fees) is based on financial need. As a general rule, the prep school itself "contributes" roughly a third, the USNA Foundation contributes a third and parents pay a third. However, this can vary depending on the ability of parents to pay. Parents who are well off financially will end up paying more and those who don't have the means may pay very little, if anything. The Foundation works through this process individually with each student and the prep school selected.

Some students opt to attend a prep school on their own in the hopes of improving their chances of attending a SA or other college. These are the "non-sponsored" students because they have no affiliation with the SA, Foundation, etc.

Finally, based on prior years I would expect that some students have already been offered Foundation. However, I also expect that many slots remain unfilled.
 
usna1985 Super information! Thanks for the clarification of terms as I am new to this process. After looking into the Foundation, it sounds like the best of both worlds. Time to adjust to life away from home, all the while knowing that the USNA is very likely. A year to prepare as opposed to a few months. I wonder if there is a stigma at USNA among Mids for "foundation kids".
 
usna1985 Super information! Thanks for the clarification of terms as I am new to this process. After looking into the Foundation, it sounds like the best of both worlds. Time to adjust to life away from home, all the while knowing that the USNA is very likely. A year to prepare as opposed to a few months. I wonder if there is a stigma at USNA among Mids for "foundation kids".

No there is not. When you count NAPS, Foundation, kids who attended prep schools un-sponsored (called free agents often), college admits and priors, you are talking quite a few who came from other sources (other than directly from high school). After you there, no one cares where you came from. To be honest, it wasn't until later in plebe summer where most folks came from, except for our 1 prior and our NAPS guys, that I even knew if someone wasn't directly from high school. After a few weeks into the academic year everything evens out pretty quickly and you really can't tell a difference in who is who. You will have the full range of folks from every source doing well, struggling and everything in between.
 
Thanks, NavyHoops. Great info. Do "Foundation" offers come in BFE's?
 
Foundation offers usually arrive via email from your RD. However, once someone accepts the offer, they will receive a BFE to use for presentation purposes, etc. And another BFE if/when they receive the actual appointment to USNA.
 
so, is Foundation sort of like a do-over on your senior year? I think I saw where Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary are on the list, but I know those are both private high schools ? and if it is, how does that affect athletics?
 
From what I understand, these schools have "post grads" that can compete in athletics--get better, stronger--without losing any NCAA eligibility. The more I find out the more I think this is a super program. The kids are lucky that get into it.
 
so, is Foundation sort of like a do-over on your senior year? I think I saw where Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary are on the list, but I know those are both private high schools ? and if it is, how does that affect athletics?

Marion Military Institute is a fully accredited junior college as well as prep school. We award college credit for classes taken here, and that credit can be transferred to other colleges (though USNA doesn't do transfer credit). Most of the other prep schools are in a similar vein. Think of this as less "redo of senior year" as more "dress rehearsal for freshman year"!
 
Foundation serves various purposes. Not every Foundation student is a recruited athlete. Foundation helps students who may not have had the academic prep needed to be successful at USNA. This could be due to attending a "weak" h.s., or poor study habits or lack of parental support, etc. Thus, while most students take the same courses as their h.s. jr and sr years, for most it is at a "higher" level of intensity, etc. The goal is to help them be more academically ready for USNA.

Foundation (and NAPS) also helps candidates mature, overcome homesickness, and continue athletics. However, as noted, many are not recruited so while they may bet better athletically, it benefits them more than USNA.
 
Foundation offers usually arrive via email from your RD. However, once someone accepts the offer, they will receive a BFE to use for presentation purposes, etc. And another BFE if/when they receive the actual appointment to USNA.

I'm often confused the the term RD. Is that the same as the "Admission Counselor" listed in the portal?
 
There is a Regional Director and Admissions Counselor for each geographic region. I'm not entirely sure what role each plays but you should be able to contact either.
 
1985 is on the mark re Foundation scholarships. The selection is made by Admissions, so recipients can be assured that they are considered prime candidates for USNA, so there is a commitment being made here - essentially the Prepsters have to meet the criteria set by Admissions to secure their appointment, which is a big advantage over flying blind as you do the first time. While I agree with 1985 that undoubtedly some Foundation offers have been tendered, the bulk will be coming over the next two or three months. This program is a great opportunity for the near misses that occur every cycle, and don't be concerned about being ostracized for age at admission; one of my plebe year roomies had been in AROTC at Michigan State for three years and just got into USNA under the age wire. Other than some good natured kidding (mostly by his roomies) he was treated the same as the rest of us (with due respect for his advanced age.)
 
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