Advice on having a backup plan

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ten042

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Mar 25, 2016
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My son is busy preparing to join USMA's class of 2021. However, we also felt it prudent to make a deposit at another university in the unfortunate event he is injured at Beast and unable to continue at USMA. Just to clarify, in no way does he have cold feet, he is 110% committed and excited to be a CC.
I wonder, has anyone else successfully navigated 2 plans? His backup school has told him that a summer orientation is mandatory to enroll in the fall. Unfortunately, the only open session for him to attend is in June, none available in July or August. Before I call this private university, I hoped to get some insight/advice on how others have navigated this situation.
I am also going to call my DS's HS counselor and see if she has any advice, as she was in support of this plan.
Any helpful advice?
 
You can search back on several older threads where this subject was previously discussed. As I recall prior discussions, simple injuries (such as a broken arm) would NOT preclude him from continuing at WP once it heals (even if that were the following year). A serious injury which would prevent him from being on active duty would be the only issue.

When you call the university, you should be candid with the reason for the backup plan since many schools are quite accommodating concerning this type of plan B option.
 
ten042 said:
My son is busy preparing to join USMA's class of 2021. However, we also felt it prudent to make a deposit at another university in the unfortunate event he is injured at Beast and unable to continue at USMA. Just to clarify, in no way does he have cold feet, he is 110% committed and excited to be a CC.
I wonder, has anyone else successfully navigated 2 plans? His backup school has told him that a summer orientation is mandatory to enroll in the fall. Unfortunately, the only open session for him to attend is in June, none available in July or August. Before I call this private university, I hoped to get some insight/advice on how others have navigated this situation.
I am also going to call my DS's HS counselor and see if she has any advice, as she was in support of this plan.
Any helpful advice?
Click to expand...
As I see it you have two choices:
  1. Tell Plan B that you have been offered an appointment to USMA and ask if they will be a back up and how to handle orientation. Do not disclose that you had the appointment prior to accepting their offer.
  2. Withdraw your acceptance of the offer from Plan B. Do not disclose reason. Just send an email stating that your plans have changed.
Do not tell the Plan B what you are doing if you have not already done so - that will generate one of two responses as a search of these forums will confirm:
  1. Polite wishes for a bright future
  2. A furious response with threats to report the violation
If the HS counselor is on board with having a deposit at a back up plan, then you are in the clear as far as getting caught violating the policy against having acceptances at two schools after May 1. The HS counselor is the person colleges rely on to report violations.

No one knows how USMA will respond. Some insist USMA admissions will not view it as an ethical violation and will tell the Plan B to go pound sand, but they are guessing - just as the 10 Harvard bound kids wrongly guessed that their private social media posts would not affect their offers of admission. Do you want to risk being the test case for how USMA will respond?
 
ten042 said:
My son is busy preparing to join USMA's class of 2021. However, we also felt it prudent to make a deposit at another university in the unfortunate event he is injured at Beast and unable to continue at USMA. Just to clarify, in no way does he have cold feet, he is 110% committed and excited to be a CC.
I wonder, has anyone else successfully navigated 2 plans? His backup school has told him that a summer orientation is mandatory to enroll in the fall. Unfortunately, the only open session for him to attend is in June, none available in July or August. Before I call this private university, I hoped to get some insight/advice on how others have navigated this situation.
I am also going to call my DS's HS counselor and see if she has any advice, as she was in support of this plan.
Any helpful advice?
Click to expand...

Just curious, is your son also applying for the AROTC Scholarship as a back up as well?
 
Jcleppe said:
Just curious, is yourson also applying for the AROTC Scholarship as a back up as well?
Click to expand...

Thank you everyone. My son had already disclosed he was accepted to this Plan B University. Right after I posted the above post, my DS informed me that he just received an email, today, reaffirming that in order to enroll, he had to attend orientation. If he were unable to attend orientation this summer, he could defer his admission to Spring of 2018, which he happily accepted.
He was happily accepted to USMA early enough in the process that he did not continue with the AROTC process.
Thx for attaching the links... I will read them now.
But mostly, thank you for the helpful replies, they are much appreciated as I navigate through these unfamiliar waters.
 
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