I wanted to reach out on this forum and give my own advice to those who will be unfortunate enough to receive TWEs, just as I did last year. I will make a few key points I feel have been crucial for me in this whole process and I guess other things, we'll see where this goes lol.
To begin, I first applied for the C/O 2023 and did not receive my TWE until May 3rd of last year... While I just gave most the readers of this post unbearable amounts of anxiety because most of the posts I see are asking about a timeline, the waiting game we play brings me to my first point, which was extremely hard for me in the beginning but will help so much in the long run.
Do not let the stress take over your life.
For most of us, West Point is something we have longed for as long as we can remember and when your application is finished the stress waiting can bring on you can drive you nuts. However, there is a silver lining with every TWE and every day is a new day. I let the stress of waiting my first time through taking over me, I thought about West Point every single day, in the shower, before bed, at practice. It can be a real burden, and I have always been praised for my ability to handle stress. This battle within myself was for sure the worst. Just understand that at some point there comes a time when you have to reevaluate yourself, and really think is putting all this stress on yourself right now worth it! The application process is done, you have done all you can do! If you receive a BFE, your stress begins on June 29th and may not end for what seems like 24 years after that, from what I have been told, welcome to becoming a future army officer. Honestly, everything will be okay and if West Point is your ultimate goal then another year to improve on yourself will not hurt one bit.
Evaluate yourself (no really, we are not perfect).
Really take the time and evaluate yourself. Look at your strengths, and especially your weaknesses. Fix what you can, and when you find something you can, well you better find a way! lol.
I did not have the grades or the test scores or the CFA other applicants had, and even for my second time applying neither were much better, what I know showed in my application though is that they improved. When first saw the classic evaluate yourself and better your application for next year I always found in quite ambiguous, I mean, us applicants are some of the smartest, fittest, toughest young adults in the world right? Well, guess what, even you have things you can work on and do not take this lightly and just let it lay back until it happens to come up, take initiative, and get to work. Study harder, run a little farther, you can do it.
Get to know your points of contact.
When I reference "points of contact" I mean your liaison, your RC, and anyone else you speak to throughout the process. My biggest mistake for myself going through this process, especially the first time was not doing this. The more you get to know these people, the more they will push for you, and the more they will strive to help you succeed (if you are worth it of course) and trust me, the opinions of these people matter. I was lucky enough my second run through to get to know my Liaison officer extremely well (the interview was also required this year and the previous liaison the year before never responded to any attempt of mine to contact..oh well). She has pushed for me more than anyone else in this process, and I bet she would've been willing to break me into R-Day if she had too. She is an absolutely amazing woman, and it shows, the more you get to know these people you realize that they are more relatable than you think.
Learn how to market yourself.
Possibly my last point, you must be able to market yourself. Have you seen Wolf of Wallstreet? I mean market! This was my strongest part in any of my applications, I'd like to believe I am a humble person, however when it was time I could really sell myself. I mean I honestly felt like I could've sold a Quran to a Catholic. Whether it's for liaison interviews, interviews for letters of recommendation, etc, learning to sell yourself now is an amazing life tool and is invaluable throughout this process. Tying back to evaluating yourself, I knew I did not have the strongest grades however going into my ROTC interview I focused on what I believed in, and why I believed in myself, which led me to receive the full score for the scholarship application at one of the most competitive battalions in the nation. I would watch youtube videos, ask successful people I knew for advice, anything I could to try and get better. I already had a leg up on most from being a recruited athlete, which gives you a great chance to learn.
I'll answer any question I can below if there will be any, and or just feel free to give your own advice to others below. If this post helps at least one person, I'll be more than content.
I'll add a quick paragraph of highschool stats because I know some of you candidates are fiends for comparing yourself to others (not knocking anyone, just try and realize everyone is competitive in their own way, and 99.9% of the time there is gonna be at least one person out there with a higher score, or more volunteer hours).
Highschool
GPA 90.2/100
27th out of a class of 70ish
Not Great CFA - 7:30 Mile, Max Push, 4 Pull-Ups, Good amount of sit-ups, slow shuttle, 1 ft off max throw.
Volunteer Fireman
I had 12 Varsity Letters, a two-time all-state football player 3-year Captain, multiple time section place finishers (1 time champion for each) for wrestling and track and field 2-year captain for each, dabbled in baseball freshman, sophomore year, played American Legion as well.
Sec. of Student Council
National Honors Society
Boys State State Position (of State Policeman, awesome experience would 10/10 recommend state policeman)
I had other awards and some other volunteer hours but I did not focus not once on "getting hours", when something mattered to me, I helped the cause.
College Stats
P.S. I attended a little ivy school with an open curriculum which allowed me to take whatever I wanted. I probably would have been that much more competitive if I took a schedule that looked like the plebe year, except I knew this extra year of maturity and figuring out "what I love" would benefit myself more because I didn't want to suffer 5 years in a row. I say this all in a mildly sarcastic tone because I took everything close to what a STEM major would consider "basket weaving" and let me tell you I had the time of my life haha! Do not recommend, take a Plebe Schedule!
2.9 - First Semester
Varsity Football
Varsity Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field
Created Wrestling Club
4 Year ROTC Scholarship at satellite school.
While I am sure one day soon I'll have more to say, that's all I can think of for right now. I really just wanted to get this post out here and out of my head because I can't stop thinking about it every time I go for a run or shower.
I'll answer any question I can below if there will be any, and or just feel free to give your own advice to others below.
To begin, I first applied for the C/O 2023 and did not receive my TWE until May 3rd of last year... While I just gave most the readers of this post unbearable amounts of anxiety because most of the posts I see are asking about a timeline, the waiting game we play brings me to my first point, which was extremely hard for me in the beginning but will help so much in the long run.
Do not let the stress take over your life.
For most of us, West Point is something we have longed for as long as we can remember and when your application is finished the stress waiting can bring on you can drive you nuts. However, there is a silver lining with every TWE and every day is a new day. I let the stress of waiting my first time through taking over me, I thought about West Point every single day, in the shower, before bed, at practice. It can be a real burden, and I have always been praised for my ability to handle stress. This battle within myself was for sure the worst. Just understand that at some point there comes a time when you have to reevaluate yourself, and really think is putting all this stress on yourself right now worth it! The application process is done, you have done all you can do! If you receive a BFE, your stress begins on June 29th and may not end for what seems like 24 years after that, from what I have been told, welcome to becoming a future army officer. Honestly, everything will be okay and if West Point is your ultimate goal then another year to improve on yourself will not hurt one bit.
Evaluate yourself (no really, we are not perfect).
Really take the time and evaluate yourself. Look at your strengths, and especially your weaknesses. Fix what you can, and when you find something you can, well you better find a way! lol.
I did not have the grades or the test scores or the CFA other applicants had, and even for my second time applying neither were much better, what I know showed in my application though is that they improved. When first saw the classic evaluate yourself and better your application for next year I always found in quite ambiguous, I mean, us applicants are some of the smartest, fittest, toughest young adults in the world right? Well, guess what, even you have things you can work on and do not take this lightly and just let it lay back until it happens to come up, take initiative, and get to work. Study harder, run a little farther, you can do it.
Get to know your points of contact.
When I reference "points of contact" I mean your liaison, your RC, and anyone else you speak to throughout the process. My biggest mistake for myself going through this process, especially the first time was not doing this. The more you get to know these people, the more they will push for you, and the more they will strive to help you succeed (if you are worth it of course) and trust me, the opinions of these people matter. I was lucky enough my second run through to get to know my Liaison officer extremely well (the interview was also required this year and the previous liaison the year before never responded to any attempt of mine to contact..oh well). She has pushed for me more than anyone else in this process, and I bet she would've been willing to break me into R-Day if she had too. She is an absolutely amazing woman, and it shows, the more you get to know these people you realize that they are more relatable than you think.
Learn how to market yourself.
Possibly my last point, you must be able to market yourself. Have you seen Wolf of Wallstreet? I mean market! This was my strongest part in any of my applications, I'd like to believe I am a humble person, however when it was time I could really sell myself. I mean I honestly felt like I could've sold a Quran to a Catholic. Whether it's for liaison interviews, interviews for letters of recommendation, etc, learning to sell yourself now is an amazing life tool and is invaluable throughout this process. Tying back to evaluating yourself, I knew I did not have the strongest grades however going into my ROTC interview I focused on what I believed in, and why I believed in myself, which led me to receive the full score for the scholarship application at one of the most competitive battalions in the nation. I would watch youtube videos, ask successful people I knew for advice, anything I could to try and get better. I already had a leg up on most from being a recruited athlete, which gives you a great chance to learn.
I'll answer any question I can below if there will be any, and or just feel free to give your own advice to others below. If this post helps at least one person, I'll be more than content.
I'll add a quick paragraph of highschool stats because I know some of you candidates are fiends for comparing yourself to others (not knocking anyone, just try and realize everyone is competitive in their own way, and 99.9% of the time there is gonna be at least one person out there with a higher score, or more volunteer hours).
Highschool
GPA 90.2/100
27th out of a class of 70ish
Not Great CFA - 7:30 Mile, Max Push, 4 Pull-Ups, Good amount of sit-ups, slow shuttle, 1 ft off max throw.
Volunteer Fireman
I had 12 Varsity Letters, a two-time all-state football player 3-year Captain, multiple time section place finishers (1 time champion for each) for wrestling and track and field 2-year captain for each, dabbled in baseball freshman, sophomore year, played American Legion as well.
Sec. of Student Council
National Honors Society
Boys State State Position (of State Policeman, awesome experience would 10/10 recommend state policeman)
I had other awards and some other volunteer hours but I did not focus not once on "getting hours", when something mattered to me, I helped the cause.
College Stats
P.S. I attended a little ivy school with an open curriculum which allowed me to take whatever I wanted. I probably would have been that much more competitive if I took a schedule that looked like the plebe year, except I knew this extra year of maturity and figuring out "what I love" would benefit myself more because I didn't want to suffer 5 years in a row. I say this all in a mildly sarcastic tone because I took everything close to what a STEM major would consider "basket weaving" and let me tell you I had the time of my life haha! Do not recommend, take a Plebe Schedule!
2.9 - First Semester
Varsity Football
Varsity Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field
Created Wrestling Club
4 Year ROTC Scholarship at satellite school.
While I am sure one day soon I'll have more to say, that's all I can think of for right now. I really just wanted to get this post out here and out of my head because I can't stop thinking about it every time I go for a run or shower.
I'll answer any question I can below if there will be any, and or just feel free to give your own advice to others below.
