From Waitlist to this??

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mommydoc

5-Year Member
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DS was waitlisted in early April but did not get the TWE last week that most other waitlisters got.

Still no TWE but got a Foundation offer today. Got what looks like a form email with this offer.

The email says the purpose of Foundation is to “enhance candidates qualifications.”

I did a little research and it looks like Foundation is used to enhance academic and/or athletic prowess for USNA success.

This is such a mystery to me bc DS stats academic and athletic stats are:

GPA UW 4.0/W 4.5
SATs 1450
All 5s AP chem, AP physics, AP calc BC
Maxed mile, push ups, sit ups, near maxed others
3 season varsity athlete/captain

What exactly do they want him to use a Foundation scholarship to improve upon academic or athletic-wise.

Looked at curriculum at Northwestern prep and they review pre-calc, high school physics and high school chem.

Genuinely perplexed. Any thoughts?
 
Sponsored prep-school offers are pretty much for qualified applicants who just missed an appointment but are fully qualified. The Academy sees something they like but do not have a place to "slot" them in this year's class. Your son was beat out this year by a candidate who had better statistics. Remember, this is not really a National Competition; he is just competing against the individuals on his nomination slate. While his statistics may have won many districts, it just does not work that way.

This is pretty much a golden ticket to an appointment in the Class of 2023. As long as he does his part next year at the prep school, he will get an offer of appointment next year. The year of maturity will pay dividends once he enters with his class.

While getting the "No" answer this year is a hard pill to swallow, I have yet to meet a cadet who feels that extra year was really a waste when they reflect on their time at Prep.

Congratulations. This is a big deal.
 
mommydoc said:
DS was waitlisted in early April but did not get the TWE last week that most other waitlisters got.

Still no TWE but got a Foundation offer today. Got what looks like a form email with this offer.

The email says the purpose of Foundation is to “enhance candidates qualifications.”

I did a little research and it looks like Foundation is used to enhance academic and/or athletic prowess for USNA success.

This is such a mystery to me bc DS stats academic and athletic stats are:

GPA UW 4.0/W 4.5
SATs 1450
All 5s AP chem, AP physics, AP calc BC
Maxed mile, push ups, sit ups, near maxed others
3 season varsity athlete/captain

What exactly do they want him to use a Foundation scholarship to improve upon academic or athletic-wise.

Looked at curriculum at Northwestern prep and they review pre-calc, high school physics and high school chem.

Genuinely perplexed. Any thoughts?
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I get it that it’s an honor and a big deal and many would love to be in his position, but I’m genuinely perplexed as to what he’s to gain from a year of doing math and science that he mastered in 9th and 10th grade. Am I missing something?
 
mommydoc said:
14mccpa said:
Looks like the red flag is your DS’s SAT. 1450 is about the 30th percentile.
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He is closer to the 75th percentile for the class of 2021 according to this link.

https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/_files/documents/ClassPortrait.pdf
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My bad. I somehow read 1250 although I was typing 1450. . Great job!!

It postpones everything a year but it is a golden ticket!!! Congrats!!!

My son is a 2019 Cyber major and it’s been an amazing ride.
 
Bottom line... if USNA is where he wants to go, then this is the opportunity to get there. Simply put... he didn’t make the cut for this year. He has amazing stats and for whatever reason, he didn’t win his slate and didn’t get in off the NWL. My guess is he was probably close. The good news is USNA wants him. The prep year will be what he makes of it. NWP is one of many prep schools available. ITs one semester there and then a semester at a college. There are some military based and others not. If he chooses this route, it’s a great year to mature, learning to live on their own, pick up some new hobbies and refine his academic fundamentals. If he chooses a military school he will be pushed in a totally different way in leadership, discipline and PT. NMMI has a very solid reputation. Foundation students have the highest graduation rate of anyone who enters USNA. Sure he could pass on this opportunity, go to a 4 year and reapply. There is risk involved, what if he is exactly where he is this year... very solid stats, beat out on the slate and NWL? If this is what he wants, USNA has offered a path to get there. This is all speculative also, none of us are admissions.
 
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What your DS is getting is essentially a "golden ticket" for class of 2023. Since your DS didn't win his slate (for whatever reason) and he didn't get an appointment this time around. Only admissions knows why. Going forward, that leaves two options. Attend a 4-year university and reapply. Coming from the waitlist chances of success are assumed fairly high. The other option is a foundation school. This path takes much of the guessing out of the equation about next year. Get through (even without learning any additional math) and he's in. Having had 2 fo my own on the wait list with very similar stats as your DS-- both attended a year of college and earned appointments the following year. No regrets from either! A year moves quickly.
 
Agree with other posters that DS has the golden ticket and missed the cut for his district this year. Some great things about prep are the relationship building that will last throughout USNA and the knowledge that foundation students are not in competition with each other. Looks to me like your DS has the opportunity with his strong credentials to help build up his future classmates while taking some college classes (2nd semester) that will reduce his courseload or offer other academic opportunities once at USNA. I have yet to meet a prepster that regretted the extra year, however, I have met many direct appointees that wished they had that time. Best of luck to your DS.
 
The real difference is that your son will get an appointment as an "additional appointee" next year if he does not win his MOC slate. If he only had one nomination from your MOC, then it only takes one other person in your district with a little better stats. These scholarships are usually awarded to kids that just miss winning a slate. Try to look pass the literal meaning of the letter. They do not really need him to improve but need a slot to put him in that they didn't have this year. The NWL numbers get fewer every year as fewer kids decline.
 
Quick question..If he takes the foundation scholarship, does he have to go through the application process again next year as he would if he chose to attend a four year college?
 
Quick question..If he takes the foundation scholarship, does he have to go through the application process again next year as he would if he chose to attend a four year college?
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Yes . . . but . . .

One has to go through the reapplication process but, in the end, if the candidate successfully completes the program and wants to attend USNA, acceptance is virutally automatic.
 
@mommydoc. Totally understand where your coming from, DD was - when comparing stats - a shoe in to USAFA her first year application. Received a TWE - had a full ride to Michigan Tech engineering school and was heading there. Then June 14th!!! An email appeared out of no where - offering a foundation scholarship. She had (7) days to decide and took it. She is now a senior (well in a couple hours when the class of 2018 throw there hats) in the Atro engineering program and thriving. Heading to MIT tomorrow for (6) week internship. In retrospect says that year on Foundation was the best thing she could have ever done. We often joke... how did they know???

DS has similar story - in fact he was WAY over confident of his prospective acceptance to USNA his first application year that he didnt even put in an application to NROTC. Basically top of his class, varsity capitan many times over and so on and so forth, was waitlisted till end of May and received the TWE. Heck he even went to Summer Seminar and (2) of the athletic camps and had great interest from coaches. He felt bad for a day - then started his planning for re-applying.

Re-applicant this year and received one of the first re-app appointments in early February.

Both persevered... and for a brief time we all shook our heads and wondered what the heck. Well they took the challenge - matured tremendously in the process, and are now exactly where they wanted to be with a real healthy dose of YES - this is exactly where I want to be.

From the outside it can be confusing trying to figure out what is happening “inside the black box” of the review board. Our family has learned to trust the system and things have/and are going extremely well.

My very best to you and your DS.
 
MY DD is a Junior this year and USNA is her first choice. I think at this point if she was offered Foundation, she would jump on it.

Good luck to your son, and Go Navy!
 
believe2023 said:
Quick question..If he takes the foundation scholarship, does he have to go through the application process again next year as he would if he chose to attend a four year college?
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He would have to reapply either way. The difference is, if he takes the foundation scholarship, he is basically guaranteed an appointment, as long as he doesn’t get in trouble or fail his classes. Also the prep school will help him with his applications and essays for academies and nominations and a four year college would not typically do that. Prep school isn’t near as fun as a 4 year college :) but it’s worth it. You should also check with the foundation. They may allow him to attend a four year college. Not sure what the rules are on that but I know kids that did attend a 4 year college with a foundation scholarship.
 
I'll make it a little more blunt ..If USNA is truly his goal, it would be foolish to pass up the Foundation offer. As many have stated, it's the golden ticket -- as long as DS completes the program successfully, he will be admitted. While Foundation doesn't necessarily have the benefit of a military head start (although I believe there are military schools on the Foundation list), it does give a head start on academics and a year of maturity that will help during Plebe Year. It is by no means a wasted year ..no matter how smart and well prepared you think DS is .
 
Congratulations on prep!! My DS was also offered prep and took it. He is a rising 2/C at USNA as of the cap toss for Class of 2018. His academics were fine, but they told him (paraphrasing) that because our state has a reputation for not offering as solid a high school education as some of the "back East" states, most USNA "want to admits" from our state are offered a prep school. A prep school offer means Admissions is interested in the candidate and believes they will succeed at USNA with that extra year.
 
^^^^^agreed!
- if he wants USNA take it!
- prep school is NOT a waste of time!
- golden ticket to admission the next year!

Bottom line, they want him. He is "good enough " this year, they just don't have a spot for him.

Be proud of the offer, they want him so badly that they are willing to pay FIVE years to graduate him into the NAVY!
 
Just say yes! If USNA is the goal.

Many posters make excellent comments about the many benefits and advantages:

- a year learning how to live away from home, solving his own problems, living with strangers, dealing with stress
- having an instant set of friends to go with him to USNA and friends who might be headed to other SAs
- the confidence that comes with knowing that successful completion of prep will smooth the path to a near-certain appointment

Most of all, look at it as USNA so likes your DS, and wants him, it is saving him a seat in the next class. For whatever reason - and don’t dwell on this - they think prep will set him up for success, buffing up some aspect of his candidacy. They’ve been at this a long time.

You can drive yourself crazy asking why/why not as you look left and right at direct appointments. Don’t, just stop. You will never be able to see the totality of any candidate’s package from the perspective of Admissions. It’s an art and a science to build out a class. For the most part, they get it right.

This is indeed a “golden ticket,” not gold-plated. If there’s any sense of dinged pride, because of your DS’s excellent record/stats/package, it’s time to set that aside and say “yesssss” and proceed to joy and excitement.
 
And I’ll be even more blunt, your kid just got the golden ticket. Get the chip off your shoulder, and celebrate. There are tons of kids as qualified as yours who get the TWE. The Academy wants him. Technically, he may not need the academic work, but the Academy wants him. This path is the one they’ve chosen for him. I’m happy for your family. My Mids think it’s the greatest experience of their lives. Congratulations!
 
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