Wait list question

jcav

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Hello all: a question regarding submitting the Wait List Request form. Last week DS awarded a 4 year NROTC scholarship placed at his first choice school, which is a "reach" for him. Anticipating that he may not be accepted at this school, he is considering submitting the wait list request form, selecting 3 other schools where his odds of admission are better, and he's considering doing that now because he believes it advantageous to get on the wait list early. Here's the question: If he submits the wait list request form now, and does nothing else, is it possible his scholarship will be transferred to the wait list school, with the result that he loses his spot at his first choice school? Or would there need to be a second action on his part (e.g. submitting the "Placement Change Request Form") to actually effect a transfer of his scholarship from his "reach" school, to his new "wait list" school once he's notified of an open spot at the wait list unit?

On this topic, the email from NROTC Placement says: "Submitting a wait list request DOES NOT remove you from the school at which you were originally assigned. If for any reason you are unable to be moved from one of the wait lists, your scholarship will remain at your assigned school." The first sentence seems clear enough - he won't lose his placement -but the second sentence concerns me; it suggests that if there is a spot open in one of the wait list schools, he may be switched without any further action on his part, and if switched, he loses his placement at his assigned school. Trying to avoid a situation where he submits a Wait List Request, he's placed at one of those wait list schools, and later we learn he gets into his reach school, but has lost his placement there. (Obviously, we can avoid this by waiting to April 1 when the "reach school" posts its decisions, but worried about getting shut out of the other Units where he's applied). Sorry for the long-winded question, and thanks for any replies.
 
@NavyNOLA would know for sure, but I believe the form you are referring to is used to try to transfer the scholarship to another college. He would be on the wait list at those other colleges until there is an opening. You may be able to fill it out now, and if things change and he's accepted to the reach school, fill out another one later. I'd recommend reaching out to NavyNOLA for confirmation and guidance. Or, hopefully, he'll pop up here.
 
Hello all: a question regarding submitting the Wait List Request form. Last week DS awarded a 4 year NROTC scholarship placed at his first choice school, which is a "reach" for him. Anticipating that he may not be accepted at this school, he is considering submitting the wait list request form, selecting 3 other schools where his odds of admission are better, and he's considering doing that now because he believes it advantageous to get on the wait list early. Here's the question: If he submits the wait list request form now, and does nothing else, is it possible his scholarship will be transferred to the wait list school, with the result that he loses his spot at his first choice school? Or would there need to be a second action on his part (e.g. submitting the "Placement Change Request Form") to actually effect a transfer of his scholarship from his "reach" school, to his new "wait list" school once he's notified of an open spot at the wait list unit?

On this topic, the email from NROTC Placement says: "Submitting a wait list request DOES NOT remove you from the school at which you were originally assigned. If for any reason you are unable to be moved from one of the wait lists, your scholarship will remain at your assigned school." The first sentence seems clear enough - he won't lose his placement -but the second sentence concerns me; it suggests that if there is a spot open in one of the wait list schools, he may be switched without any further action on his part, and if switched, he loses his placement at his assigned school. Trying to avoid a situation where he submits a Wait List Request, he's placed at one of those wait list schools, and later we learn he gets into his reach school, but has lost his placement there. (Obviously, we can avoid this by waiting to April 1 when the "reach school" posts its decisions, but worried about getting shut out of the other Units where he's applied). Sorry for the long-winded question, and thanks for any replies.

There are two forms available on your son's NETFOCUS portal: the Placement Change Request and the Wait List Request. They have two different purposes.

The Placement Change Request is a request to immediately change placement from school X to school Y. If school Y has openings when the request is submitted, the student will typically be moved in short order. If the school has reached its freshman scholarship cap, they will not be.

The Wait List Request is designed to allow students to join the wait list of up to three other schools while still remaining at the school where they are currently placed. Current placement will not be changed. The three units whose wait lists you join will be notified, so they may reach out and contact, but you're in no way moved to their units. Towards the end of the scholarship season (late April-ish), the Placement office in Pensacola will contact students who are on wait lists and offer them the possibility to transfer their placement (assuming there are openings at the schools), if they desire to do so at that point. A student can say yes or no. Generally, Placement gives them a number of days to respond to the offer. If they say yes, placement is adjusted to the new school.

The benefit of a Wait List Request is that it gives a student somewhat preferential treatment late in the scholarship placement process when many students want to move around schools. They would be given preference over another student (who didn't complete a Wait List Request) to transfer into school Y. Keep in mind, though, that a school may fill up anyways during the months of January-April from students being placed there directly from the boards, and then the Wait List form does you no good. However, completely the Wait List Request can't hurt, it might give you a couple extra options down the stretch, and you certainly won't be moved without being asked first.
 
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