A Year of College is a Good Thing!!

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Packerfan12

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Just offering a bit of encouragement here to all "TWE-getters" this week. I was in the same boat last year with my DS. His came on April 16. That sucked....tax day AND a TWE. :-( No NROTC scholarship either...we got some bad advice during the application process. Oh well...that's life and a good lesson for him to learn.

So here is what he did. He applied for a bunch of scholarships, got a few. Went to college in Milwaukee, only two hours from home. BUT far enough away that he isn't coming home for mom's meatloaf and free laundry every weekend. He joined NROTC as a program student and he's killing it. Absolutely LOVES it and completely confirmed his decision to pursue a military career (although he initially was going Navy but thinks he might now do Marines). Took the tough classes, Dean's List, Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshman Honor Society), ROTC Medal of Merit for leadership in his unit and academics. Blah, blah.

He re-applied ONLY to USNA. When asked about that during his nom interviews he told them that he was not doing this for the free education. He was focused on fulfilling his dream of USNA and becoming a military officer. He got the principal nomination from his MOC and will be reporting for Plebe Summer on June 27th.

I say all of this to tell you that a year of college is a very good thing. They/you are more mature, more independent, and (in most cases) much better prepared for life. Approx 1/3 of all incoming Plebes are re-applicants. Sure, they/you will end up going to college for 5 years (instead of 4) but so what? If their/your dream is a service academy and they/you are focused on achieving that dream they/you can do 5 years with no trouble at all.

It's tough, I know. Been there. But I am so much more confident in my DS now than I would have been last year. He's ready. And they/you will be too. Keep eyes on the prize. :)
 
Packerfan12 said:
I say all of this to tell you that a year of college is a very good thing
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Packerfan12 said:
It's tough, I know.
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Absolutely...100%. Whether it be Plan B College, NAPS, Foundation or Self Prep. There is a lot of growing up in that first year away from home.
I can remember getting the NAPS offer and thinking that it was a "wasted" year... but almost 40 years later, I recognize that single year was probably the most important in my life.
 
Packerfan12 said:
Just offering a bit of encouragement here to all "TWE-getters" this week. I was in the same boat last year with my DS. His came on April 16. That sucked....tax day AND a TWE. :-( No NROTC scholarship either...we got some bad advice during the application process. Oh well...that's life and a good lesson for him to learn.

So here is what he did. He applied for a bunch of scholarships, got a few. Went to college in Milwaukee, only two hours from home. BUT far enough away that he isn't coming home for mom's meatloaf and free laundry every weekend. He joined NROTC as a program student and he's killing it. Absolutely LOVES it and completely confirmed his decision to pursue a military career (although he initially was going Navy but thinks he might now do Marines). Took the tough classes, Dean's List, Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshman Honor Society), ROTC Medal of Merit for leadership in his unit and academics. Blah, blah.

He re-applied ONLY to USNA. When asked about that during his nom interviews he told them that he was not doing this for the free education. He was focused on fulfilling his dream of USNA and becoming a military officer. He got the principal nomination from his MOC and will be reporting for Plebe Summer on June 27th.

I say all of this to tell you that a year of college is a very good thing. They/you are more mature, more independent, and (in most cases) much better prepared for life. Approx 1/3 of all incoming Plebes are re-applicants. Sure, they/you will end up going to college for 5 years (instead of 4) but so what? If their/your dream is a service academy and they/you are focused on achieving that dream they/you can do 5 years with no trouble at all.

It's tough, I know. Been there. But I am so much more confident in my DS now than I would have been last year. He's ready. And they/you will be too. Keep eyes on the prize. :)
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Thanks for the advice. I was thinking today that the divulging of applying to multiple service academies may hurt a candidate sometimes. They MAY look at it as chasing the free education but say each Academy decides independently. In my eyes making it to April 12th is an accomplishment in itself and I'm very proud. Still waiting for the USAFA decision (probably a better path for aspiring astronauts)
Also about an hour after the TWE DS was notified he had received a $1500 Scholarship so that helps. Congrats to all those who received appointments and encourage all those who didn't to re-apply if it is truly your dream!
 
Thats_my_Boy! said:
I was thinking today that the divulging of applying to multiple service academies may hurt a candidate sometimes. They MAY look at it as chasing the free education but say each Academy decides independently.
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Congressman know if you are applying to multiple service academies, and I have heard MOC's hemselves encourage people to apply to all. The key is expressing a sincere desire to serve.

I don't think the Service Academies know, or care , if you are applying to other Service Academies. We know that we are competing for the same type of kids, but I tell my candidates that I don't care where they go ...of course, I tell them why I think USNA is best, but its ultimately their choice)., I can usually tell during interviews who is truly interested in USNA and who is applying because the price is right. (By the way, I don't care who you are --the free tuition isn't worth it if you really don't want to be there !)
 
I would tell candidates that the TWE is usually a blessing is disguise. The heartache is hard to stomach today but most still have amazing opportunities out there. If you re-apply and get accepted next year, you will be much more mature than many of your classmates and they will look to you as a leader. Plebe year academics are also much easier the second time around.
 
Thats_my_Boy! said:
Still waiting for the USAFA decision (probably a better path for aspiring astronauts)
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Based on the numbers, that is just not true. I have classmates and friends who are astronauts and one who was a teammate and good friend. Both academy's have world class aero/astro engineering majors and graduate people into the flight school pipelines and both services have test pilot schools. Both have opportunities to get the kind of expertise that is valued by NASA.
FWIW, my teammate was not a test pilot but instead served as an NFO.
 
OldRetSWO said:
Based on the numbers, that is just not true.
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OldRetSWO is spot on . I think USNA is still the #1 source of NASA Astronauts , both in numbers as well as significant leadership positions. I recall going to the IMAX Space Station show about 10-15 years ago, and was amazed at how many people I knew in the film - off the top of my head they included a Class of 1981 grad (whose Dad was the Supe when I was there); one of my NavTraining instructors (1982 grad); Marine Col (1984 grad) who was class leader of my Aviation Indoc (Pensacola ) class; and another 1984 grad who I met when I visited USNA with NAPS.
 
Let's see...
Neil Armstrong (Navy)
John Glenn (USMC)
Jim Lovell (Navy)

The original 7 Mercury Astronauts:
Scott Carpenter (Navy)
Gordo Cooper (USMC first, then USAF)
Gus Grissom (Army Air Corps then USAF)
Wally Schirra (Navy)
Alan Shepard (Navy)
Deke Slayton (USAF)

Heck, over 50 Astronauts were educated at the United States Naval Academy, alone!
 
Old Navy BGO said:
OldRetSWO said:
Based on the numbers, that is just not true.
Click to expand...

OldRetSWO is spot on . I think USNA is still the #1 source of NASA Astronauts , both in numbers as well as significant leadership positions. I recall going to the IMAX Space Station show about 10-15 years ago, and was amazed at how many people I knew in the film - off the top of my head they included a Class of 1981 grad (whose Dad was the Supe when I was there); one of my NavTraining instructors (1982 grad); Marine Col (1984 grad) who was class leader of my Aviation Indoc (Pensacola ) class; and another 1984 grad who I met when I visited USNA with NAPS.
Click to expand...
.
Sources of NASA Astronauts:
.
#1 - USNA
#2 - Purdue (Glenn, Grissom, Walker ….)
...
.
Indiana, Ohio was a breeding ground for early program Astronauts.
.
My wife graduated from Mitchell HS, Indiana, same HS as Gus Grissom, 1.5 hours south of Bloomington (Cutters -- Limestone country) … I am reminded of this all the time.
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Our Daughter wore her NJROTC Dress Blues 2 Summers ago at a "Gus Grissom" Micthell Indiana event. Seven (7) current and former Astronauts were at the event, including Walker … The Astronauts faces "Lit Up" when our Daughter walked in the room in her Dress Blues …. She got group Photos with all seven of them.
.
 
My daughter is waitlisted for the Coast Guard Academy scholars program. She isn't happy about it, but we applied to MMI anyway. She was accepted almost immediately.

Improvise, adapt, overcome. I reminded her that all the obstacles she has run into in the last 5 years as a Young Marine and four years in Marine Corps JROTC have taught her something, given her skills, experience and made her stronger. Her disappointment at loosing out on a JROTC Command Billet when we PCSed turned into earning the XO billet in a USMC JROTC program with a Battalion of 900 cadets vs. a Company of barely 200 cadets.

Her math and ACT test scores are what is holding her back. I pointed out that from the CGA's point of view, if she doesn't get the CGAS program this year, but applies her usual don't stop til you drop work ethic at MMI, she has put herself in a really good place to earn an appointment.
 
Thats_my_Boy! said:
Thanks for the advice. I was thinking today that the divulging of applying to multiple service academies may hurt a candidate sometimes. They MAY look at it as chasing the free education but say each Academy decides independently. In my eyes making it to April 12th is an accomplishment in itself and I'm very proud. Still waiting for the USAFA decision (probably a better path for aspiring astronauts)
Also about an hour after the TWE DS was notified he had received a $1500 Scholarship so that helps. Congrats to all those who received appointments and encourage all those who didn't to re-apply if it is truly your dream!
Click to expand...

FYI Annapolis has produced more astronauts by the numbers.
 
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