What do I do now?

I

Ifnot2025then2026

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This is not my first 3 am post on this forum.

After dedicating the last decade of my life in pursuit of attending USNA, I got my rejection letter today. To say I am disappointed would be a monumental understatement. I am also frustrated considering how much effort I have put in. I am also confused considering how well put together I thought my case was.

However, I am not without a plan B. I did get into USAFA back in the mid fall, and I did get both an NROTC and AFROTC scholarship to two top tier engineering schools (NROTC for a tier 2 major, though).

My immediate thought was that I should go to USAFA, since that is an obvious second choice for myself. But, now realizing that a decision I have been preparing for months to make (between USNA and usafa) has been taken out of my hands, I am now confronted with the reality that I want to spend my time flying for the navy, not the Air Force, and I do want to spend my college years at USNA, and not USAFA. I have come to the conclusion that it is just cultural/nuanced differences between the two, but I am fairly certain that I belong in the navy not the Air Force. No matter how hyped up I try to get about sweet Colorado hikes or flying in the soaring program, I am unable to forget that when I close my eyes to imagine myself taking off- it is off of a carrier- and when I see myself walking around campus- it is around T-Court.


Rationality tells me that it is not worth incurring the risk of get screwed over by USNA for c/o '26 and then have to stick to plan C (being ROTC) since USAFA would almost definitely not take me again next year if I turn them down.

This puts me in a really bad place. What do you all think? Go for ROTC and reapply to USNA or play it safe at USAFA?

I know I paint a dim portrait of USAFA and I don't mean to seem insensitive as the many feel the way about USAFA that I do USNA, but I also just got rejected so I am a little down in the dumps (and tired).
 
Ifnot2025then2026 said:
This is not my first 3 am post on this forum.

After dedicating the last decade of my life in pursuit of attending USNA, I got my rejection letter today. To say I am disappointed would be a monumental understatement. I am also frustrated considering how much effort I have put in. I am also confused considering how well put together I thought my case was.

However, I am not without a plan B. I did get into USAFA back in the mid fall, and I did get both an NROTC and AFROTC scholarship to two top tier engineering schools (NROTC for a tier 2 major, though).

My immediate thought was that I should go to USAFA, since that is an obvious second choice for myself. But, now realizing that a decision I have been preparing for months to make (between USNA and usafa) has been taken out of my hands, I am now confronted with the reality that I want to spend my time flying for the navy, not the Air Force, and I do want to spend my college years at USNA, and not USAFA. I have come to the conclusion that it is just cultural/nuanced differences between the two, but I am fairly certain that I belong in the navy not the Air Force. No matter how hyped up I try to get about sweet Colorado hikes or flying in the soaring program, I am unable to forget that when I close my eyes to imagine myself taking off- it is off of a carrier- and when I see myself walking around campus- it is around T-Court.


Rationality tells me that it is not worth incurring the risk of get screwed over by USNA for c/o '26 and then have to stick to plan C (being ROTC) since USAFA would almost definitely not take me again next year if I turn them down.

This puts me in a really bad place. What do you all think? Go for ROTC and reapply to USNA or play it safe at USAFA?

I know I paint a dim portrait of USAFA and I don't mean to seem insensitive as the many feel the way about USAFA that I do USNA, but I also just got rejected so I am a little down in the dumps (and tired).
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There’s an exact thread of this from a couple years ago with a person in your situation. You’ll have to do some searching around like “USAFA appointment or NROTC” etc I can’t seem to find it but it was long and detailed with a lot of responses. The person ultimately choose NROTC scholarship route because they felt destined to be in the Navy. Even mentioned the aircraft carrier part.
 
One thing to heavily, heavily consider in your situation is what happens if when service selection rolls around you don't get an aviation slot. Would you rather be on a ship/sub or flying a desk?

Additionally, NROTC is a great option. Many MIDN, including myself, turned down spots at USNA or another academy in favor of ROTC. Feel free to ask questions about my decision.
 
commando530 said:
There’s an exact thread of this from a couple years ago with a person in your situation. You’ll have to do some searching around like “USAFA appointment or NROTC” etc I can’t seem to find it but it was long and detailed with a lot of responses. The person ultimately choose NROTC scholarship route because they felt destined to be in the Navy. Even mentioned the aircraft carrier part.
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I'll do some digging. Thank you.
 
nrotcmid23 said:
One thing to heavily, heavily consider in your situation is what happens if when service selection rolls around you don't get an aviation slot. Would you rather be on a ship/sub or flying a desk?

Additionally, NROTC is a great option. Many MIDN, including myself, turned down spots at USNA or another academy in favor of ROTC. Feel free to ask questions about my decision.
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I totally get the appeal of NROTC over USNA, but I just feel like I should go to an academy. It definitely appeals to me more. Also, the school I got the NROTC scholarship to is just not somewhere I'd want to spend 4 years, though I could definitely do 1 (I visited around a year ago).
 
Ifnot2025then2026 said:
This is not my first 3 am post on this forum.

After dedicating the last decade of my life in pursuit of attending USNA, I got my rejection letter today. To say I am disappointed would be a monumental understatement. I am also frustrated considering how much effort I have put in. I am also confused considering how well put together I thought my case was.

However, I am not without a plan B. I did get into USAFA back in the mid fall, and I did get both an NROTC and AFROTC scholarship to two top tier engineering schools (NROTC for a tier 2 major, though).

My immediate thought was that I should go to USAFA, since that is an obvious second choice for myself. But, now realizing that a decision I have been preparing for months to make (between USNA and usafa) has been taken out of my hands, I am now confronted with the reality that I want to spend my time flying for the navy, not the Air Force, and I do want to spend my college years at USNA, and not USAFA. I have come to the conclusion that it is just cultural/nuanced differences between the two, but I am fairly certain that I belong in the navy not the Air Force. No matter how hyped up I try to get about sweet Colorado hikes or flying in the soaring program, I am unable to forget that when I close my eyes to imagine myself taking off- it is off of a carrier- and when I see myself walking around campus- it is around T-Court.


Rationality tells me that it is not worth incurring the risk of get screwed over by USNA for c/o '26 and then have to stick to plan C (being ROTC) since USAFA would almost definitely not take me again next year if I turn them down.

This puts me in a really bad place. What do you all think? Go for ROTC and reapply to USNA or play it safe at USAFA?

I know I paint a dim portrait of USAFA and I don't mean to seem insensitive as the many feel the way about USAFA that I do USNA, but I also just got rejected so I am a little down in the dumps (and tired).
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Your heart is obviously in the NAVY. NROTC is an opportunity to embrace. If you accept the USAFA, you may look back and regret not going with your gut feeling. My DS is in the same situation, only reversed. He has a NAPS offer, and a AFROTC Scholarship. He wants the Air Force, but is very conflicted on which path is his best choice for becoming a pilot. It is crazy for sure. You spend a year preparing for your ultimate goal, and for some reason you are selected for another path. After you commission, you will be among Midshipmen coming together, not caring one way or another what path got you there. You will care about standing strong, serving your country with others who sacrificed to stand next to you. Don't think of it as turning down a SA Appointment. Embrace your new journey to where your heart wants to take you. Choosing NROTC shows true character with a special kind of strength that no SA Appointment will fill. You will always have a great story to tell, with others viewing your choice as true strength. Get on the boat you were meant to sail.
 
Ifnot2025then2026 said:
I totally get the appeal of NROTC over USNA, but I just feel like I should go to an academy. It definitely appeals to me more. Also, the school I got the NROTC scholarship to is just not somewhere I'd want to spend 4 years, though I could definitely do 1 (I visited around a year ago).
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There’s a form to request a change your school where the scholarship is placed at. It depends on how many incoming scholarship mids there are at that school if there is another one you’re interested in.
 
About 15 Hours Left until I will know one way or another. My Plan A- is International Relations at American University in DC and doing crosstown AFROTC at Howard. I don’t want to do this plan, I want yo go to USNA. Either way at the end of the day I’ll know!
 
Great advice here. I feel your decision!! I would add, give yourself grace, and time, to heal from the disappointment of not realizing that ‘goal you have worked so hard for’. One should never make a decision from an emotional bearing. And I can see that is where you are at the moment.

I would tell my own, to put this whole thing aside for a bit. Take some time. Have a few sleeps on it. And then work on it again maybe in a week. Not from the standpoint of the ‘loss of the dream’, which is an element on your mind presently. But rather from a standpoint of adjusting course to achieve your dream.

This isn't the end. It’s an adjustment. And I would advise, in your situation, to really think about if that aviation slot doesn’t come your way no matter which route you take. BC it does happen, where your 1st choice community isn't awarded.

You are correct, very different cultures. I have a son who belongs to the AF culture, and two in the Navy culture (Mids now...they could also branch further out to Marine culture). And my guys all are where they should be. Cannot see any of them in either place (and BTW, my AF guy ended up there through his journey, which was full of adjustments and changes....but absent those, he wouldn't be where he SHOULD be....so embrace them. They are helping you land where you belong).

Seriously, take some time off from all this and process/grieve the TWE. BC it IS a loss. Then apply the advice here and make your choice.

BEST WISHES! And please let us know what you decide!!
 
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You are Correct. You posted this at 3:00am. Obviously up until 3:00AM can cause your worried and conflicted state of mind to become more worried and conflicted. A long sleep is what you need right now .... and hopefully you got 8 or more hours of that.

Use this 3:00AM post as a kind-of first draft of your thoughts. Think about things over the next few days and rewrite this first draft. You should rewrite it in the “Morning after you have breakfast and have collected your thoughts”.

You said that the Air Force Academy was your 2nd choice. That means something. The Air Force Academy is a great option to have. I don’t think you should pass on this offer.

70 or 80 years from now when you are lying there reflecting on your life, you will replay this moment and smile.
.
 
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Ifnot2025then2026 said:
I totally get the appeal of NROTC over USNA, but I just feel like I should go to an academy. It definitely appeals to me more. Also, the school I got the NROTC scholarship to is just not somewhere I'd want to spend 4 years, though I could definitely do 1 (I visited around a year ago).
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Can you do the NROTC for a year and re apply to USNA? Sounds like your heart is in the Navy.. I wouldn't trade it for Air Force..
 
I'm not one to say exactly what you should do. I understand that you really want to attend USNA, and I understand your disappointment, and your effort.

Personally, if I were to be in the specific situation, that you currently are in. I would go for the USAFA Appointment. If I understood clearly, you did say that was your second choice. If I remember correctly, I don't think there is a penalty to attending and dropping out of USAFA in your first two years. (You may want to fact-check this). The main reason to me saying this is, that you could accept the offer as USAFA, and while there still be applying year after year for the NROTC Scholarship, I understand, it may not sound ideal, but especially if NROTC board sees your acceptance into USAFA, I feel that could help you quite a bit. Just imagine, what if you took that appointment at USAFA, and while still applying again to the NROTC Scholarship, you reflected that you may enjoy USAFA better? Then who knows, what could happen.

Initially right now, if I were you, TAKE THAT APPOINTMENT OFFER, at USAFA... You don't want to end up regretting not taking it, later in the future.

Sometimes its better to take risks that to not take any!

Let me know what you end up deciding!!!
 
I've known two candidates who were rejected by USNA and ended up accepting their appointments to another SA (in both cases, USMA). In both cases, they totally regretted their decision. Even though both did very well at USMA, they hated it. One tried to reapply to USNA from USMA (was not successful). It was a very sad situation.

While I'm sure there are exceptions of those who took their second choice and were totally happy, the general rule is that, if you don't REALLY, REALLY want to attend any particular SA, you shouldn't do it. Assuming you will "learn to like it" or "it has to get better" is typically an incorrect assumption and more often than not leads to the situations in the first paragraph above.

This is NOT a knock against USAFA or the USAF. It the situation were reversed, I would say the exact same thing.

Start at your NROTC school. If you want to reapply to USNA, consider doing so (consult the sticky on reapplying). Many students end up loving their civilian schools and drop their USNA application.
 
If the heart is in the sky,
usna1985 said:
I've known two candidates who were rejected by USNA and ended up accepting their appointments to another SA (in both cases, USMA). In both cases, they totally regretted their decision. Even though both did very well at USMA, they hated it. One tried to reapply to USNA from USMA (was not successful). It was a very sad situation.

While I'm sure there are exceptions of those who took their second choice and were totally happy, the general rule is that, if you don't REALLY, REALLY want to attend any particular SA, you shouldn't do it. Assuming you will "learn to like it" or "it has to get better" is typically an incorrect assumption and more often than not leads to the situations in the first paragraph above.

This is NOT a knock against USAFA or the USAF. It the situation were reversed, I would say the exact same thing.

Start at your NROTC school. If you want to reapply to USNA, consider doing so (consult the sticky on reapplying). Many students end up loving their civilian schools and drop their USNA application.
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Can share more details of why?
 
It would be an incredibly easy decision for me (USAFA appointment). But everyone is different.

If your heart is with the Navy, find a way to make that happen.
 
Great advice above, and I am sorry you are experiencing this disappointment. The mom in me says grieve it, and a few sleeps from now, as @justdoit19 said, reevaluate.
Your heart may be set on aviation, but as you know, not all who want it service select for it or make it through medical and training. Make sure what path you choose takes that into account.

Keep us posted, get some rest.
 
Remember, going to the USNA doesn't guarantee a pilot slot. USNA has to spread the love around to all of it communities. Airforce has not filled all of its pilot slots since 2017. NROTC gets slots. OCS gets slots. NO bad options.
 
Many applicants and their parents feel your pain right now.

I swear I cried on and off for two days straight when my kid got the TWE from USMA. Just disbelief and anger at how they could even turn him down and shatter his dream like that?! Yesterday he got the TWE from USNA too. Somehow it wasn't the same kind of punch in the gut because it was only his second choice, it stung anyway, but my kid has had a lot of time to think about AROTC Plan B. And he is actually super excited about it now.

I think you should not make any decisions at 3.00 am and take a few days to process everything.

If flying is your long term goal, and you have an appt at USAFA, I think you really should consider that option even if it is you second choice. It is so hard to get in and you are in! If you absolutely hate it, you can alter your plans and probably still Go Navy. Good luck!

And PS...
I would get in touch with this SAF member (RedDragon) and chat because it sounds like his DS was in the exact same situation:

westrad1 said:
My son got the TWE from Navy today.
He started attending West Point info meetings twice a year beginning his freshman year as well as the Congressional/Senate service academy presentations.
He attended the Navy summer seminar after his junior year, and was all in after that.
Graduated last spring with rejections from West Point and Navy.
Enrolled in the State university, travelled to another state to take his 3rd SAT.
Resubmitted apps to Army, Navy, and AF this year.
Covid college just like pretty much everywhere (terrible). Took tough classes, and did well.
West Point TWE in Feb.
He was pretty resigned to his fate when March came and went.
Then he got an email from AF asking him to check his portal. LOA from AF!?! Honestly, not on his radar at all (no pun).
Everyone is so happy for his acceptance letter. Today's 2nd rejection from Navy stings a bit, but I think he feels a little relief at not being asked to make a decision. He is all in, and I could not be more proud or happy for him.
Keep at it.
RedDragon said:
Congrats to your son on USAFA. I have two recent SA grads. Our oldest was waitlisted for USNA in a year when no one came off the waitlist. He had an acceptance to USAFA but it truly was not what he wanted at the time. He did moveout to Colorado Springs, loved his experience there and made life long friends. He is now a C17 pilot.
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