class of 2021

USNA21hopeful

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Aug 26, 2015
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I really, really, really want to apply to west point. I am a current junior, and my parents are dead set on not allowing me to apply. I have tried and tried to reason with them and show them the benefits, but they are not budging. Is anyone else in the same situation? Please help :(
 
Search the forums, there was a recent situation where an applicant has 1 family member set against the military, and there was a lot of helpful posts along with it. Do you know why they won't allow you?
 
Search the forums, there was a recent situation where an applicant has 1 family member set against the military, and there was a lot of helpful posts along with it. Do you know why they won't allow you?
i believe that post was also from me; i used some of the advice from that post to no avail. They won't allow me because they do not want me joining the army.
 
If you'll be 18 on R-Day, then you don't need your parents permission to apply. There is a specific block to check on the candidate questionnaire so that WP won't contact them during the process.

Of course you could threaten to enlist on your 18th birthday if they don't support you going to West Point where you get at least two years of college without an obligation.
 
Getting into USMA is hard enough with parents' support, even more so without it. But by coming to ask, you've shown a clear sense of caring and initiative, both of which are fundamental qualities for future officers in the US Army. I would try and identify why they do not want you to join. For example, are they afraid of you being injured/killed, are they anti-military, do they fear that they will not see you enough at USMA, etc. I know my mother was/is afraid of me being injured/killed when I go on to serve after graduating USMA, but she realized (after many many talks) that this is my life and what I felt as my responsibility to serve this great nation. I would recommend trying to find out why, which will enable you to not only understand their perspective better, but also to explain why attending USMA and becoming an officer is so important to you. Best of luck to you. If you ever have any questions, do not hesitant from "private messaging" me, I would be more than happy to help in any way I can.
 
Getting into USMA is hard enough with parents' support, even more so without it. But by coming to ask, you've shown a clear sense of caring and initiative, both of which are fundamental qualities for future officers in the US Army. I would try and identify why they do not want you to join. For example, are they afraid of you being injured/killed, are they anti-military, do they fear that they will not see you enough at USMA, etc. I know my mother was/is afraid of me being injured/killed when I go on to serve after graduating USMA, but she realized (after many many talks) that this is my life and what I felt as my responsibility to serve this great nation. I would recommend trying to find out why, which will enable you to not only understand their perspective better, but also to explain why attending USMA and becoming an officer is so important to you. Best of luck to you. If you ever have any questions, do not hesitant from "private messaging" me, I would be more than happy to help in any way I can.
thank you so much! I think it's a combination of fear of me being injured and the fact that they have heard "bad things" about West Point.
 
Not sure how close you live to WP, but I would suggest that you ask your parents for two things right now: an open mind for the time being, and a visit to West Point, including attending the briefing and a meeting with one of the regional commanders. I would do a full visit of the academy, and would also print out all of the literature which describes WP as one of the very best colleges in the country; right with, or above Harvard, Yale and other top schools. Show them what officers earn after five, ten and twenty years.

Also describe what attracts you to WP and the military in general. How the life fits with your personality, skills and interests.

Then tell them that if not the military then you are joining the circus to be a tight rope walker.
 
Not sure how close you live to WP, but I would suggest that you ask your parents for two things right now: an open mind for the time being, and a visit to West Point, including attending the briefing and a meeting with one of the regional commanders. I would do a full visit of the academy, and would also print out all of the literature which describes WP as one of the very best colleges in the country; right with, or above Harvard, Yale and other top schools. Show them what officers earn after five, ten and twenty years.

Also describe what attracts you to WP and the military in general. How the life fits with your personality, skills and interests.

Then tell them that if not the military then you are joining the circus to be a tight rope walker.
great ideas! A couple of months ago my parents and I attended a joint USNA and USMA admissions forum, and my parents were still not swayed. I recently applied to SLE without their knowledge, which might not have been the best decision on my part, but I just want to see if I would get accepted, if that makes sense.
 
Just because they're the boss of you doesn't mean they're the boss of you. It would be different if you were asking them to pay for you to go to a school they didn't like, but that's obviously not the case. Try to convince them first, but if you are set on an academy go for it with or without their permission.
 
great ideas! A couple of months ago my parents and I attended a joint USNA and USMA admissions forum, and my parents were still not swayed. I recently applied to SLE without their knowledge, which might not have been the best decision on my part, but I just want to see if I would get accepted, if that makes sense.
My wife and I had concerns about our son attending a service academy. We took a trip to both WP and USNA. After the trip we were overwhelmed with how good we felt about his decision to attend the academies. I must say, West Point blew us away in all aspects We just felt great about it, and felt so good about him making that commitment; even if we of course still have some concerns. USNA is great too. Just felt best about WP; the people and everything else. Its hard to leave there without a good feeling.
 
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All this is moot once you turn 18. We would have been happy to see our son join the circus, but he chose WP. However, we were fully aware while he was applying that we would have no control by the time appointments came out as he would no longer be a minor, so we just put our arms around him, told him how we felt, and then moved on with supporting him because there really is no other alternative. He never asked for our approval; he just told us why he was doing what he was doing.

You don't need your parent's permission after a certain point, so I'm not sure there is a problem here. Worst case, go to a civilian college until you turn 18 (if you're on the young side) and apply then.
 
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