Applying to USNA from USMA?

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2029applicant

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Dec 14, 2024
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Hi all, I recently heard back from USNA, USMA, and USAFA. Unfortunately, I was medically disqualified, and the waiver process took too long, so I was turned down for USNA and USAFA. However, my waiver was approved for USMA, and I just received my offer of appointment. While I am very excited about this, USNA was my first choice, and I can't help but feel that reapplying to USNA is a better option for me in the long run. I am currently at a state university, and I was just curious: would it be smarter for me to accept the appointment to West Point and apply to the Naval Academy from there, or would I have a better chance at the Naval Academy if I were to stay at the college I am at now? I am just worried that if I stay here and do not get into USNA again, I will be turning down an opportunity to commission through an academy, and while I would likely apply to all three once again, I'm not sure I would receive an appointment again after having turned one down.
 
While I’m not an expert on the process of switching between Academies, keep in mind the final goal of attending any University as a ROTC or Academy Mid/Cadet is to become an Officer in that branch of the military. If you aren’t interested in being an Officer in the Army, don’t start down the path to being an Army Officer with the hope of jumping to the Navy somehow.

If you can see yourself as an Army Officer, and there are Branch options that you find interesting, then go “whole ass” ( thanks, Ron Swanson) into West Point. They wanted you enough to give you a waiver, so go there with the full intention of doing your best and becoming the best Army Officer you possibly can be and never look back.
 
2029applicant said:
Hi all, I recently heard back from USNA, USMA, and USAFA. Unfortunately, I was medically disqualified, and the waiver process took too long, so I was turned down for USNA and USAFA. However, my waiver was approved for USMA, and I just received my offer of appointment. While I am very excited about this, USNA was my first choice, and I can't help but feel that reapplying to USNA is a better option for me in the long run. I am currently at a state university, and I was just curious: would it be smarter for me to accept the appointment to West Point and apply to the Naval Academy from there, or would I have a better chance at the Naval Academy if I were to stay at the college I am at now? I am just worried that if I stay here and do not get into USNA again, I will be turning down an opportunity to commission through an academy, and while I would likely apply to all three once again, I'm not sure I would receive an appointment again after having turned one down.
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If you needed a waiver, did not receive one for USNA and USAFA and received a turn down - that means they did not pursue a waiver for you. It isn't that the waiver process took too long. I would not recommend that you start the process over again to see if they change their mind. I don't believe it's possible to accept an offer from USMA and then reapply to USNA while you are there but someone more knowledgeable can pop in with that info. Look at your options and your goals and decide where you have alignment. If you have no interest in serving in the Army, West Point may not make sense for you even though it is an amazing opportunity. While cross commissioning theoretically can happen, my understanding from these forums is that it is highly unlikely. So if a Naval career is the only one you can imagine for yourself, really think about the path that will actually get you there - stay where you are and explore the respective commissioning path. If you are open ... West Point is extraordinary.
 
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A plebe in my DD's company switched to USAFA over the spring semester. Like someone else pointed out, I don't know how needing a medical waiver might affect this for you.
 
2029applicant said:
...my waiver was approved for USMA, and I just received my offer of appointment. While I am very excited about this, USNA was my first choice, and I can't help but feel that reapplying to USNA is a better option for me in the long run...
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2029applicant said:
...I would likely apply to all three once again...
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Why would you apply to USMA and USAFA if you feel that USNA is the best fit for you?
Not once, but twice?
 
I've had this happen with a couple of candidates -- admitted to USMA; turned down from USNA; went to USMA. Two hated USMA; the other -- despite being a standout at USMA -- reapplied to USNA and was turned down

Below is my black/white advice:

Do NOT go to USMA if you're not 100% committed to USMA. Don't assume you'll learn to love it as you probably won't.
Do NOT go to USMA with the thought you will successfully reapply to USNA as the chances of that are as close to 0% as you can get.

Go to USMA b/c that's where you want to be or go to a civilian college and reapply to USNA/do ROTC.
 
usna1985 said:
I've had this happen with a couple of candidates -- admitted to USMA; turned down from USNA; went to USMA. Two hated USMA; the other -- despite being a standout at USMA -- reapplied to USNA and was turned down

Below is my black/white advice:

Do NOT go to USMA if you're not 100% committed to USMA. Don't assume you'll learn to love it as you probably won't.
Do NOT go to USMA with the thought you will successfully reapply to USNA as the chances of that are as close to 0% as you can get.

Go to USMA b/c that's where you want to be or go to a civilian college and reapply to USNA/do ROTC.
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THIS is the best advice! DS, first time through, only received one TWE, it was from USMA, because he never completed his application. He did get a TD from USNA first time through. When he reapplied I asked him to apply to USMA, (Mom's Army), at least for his Mom. He came to me before going back to MMI and said Dad, my heart's not in it, it's USNA or nothing. Go where you feel you belong, you buy your ticket, you take your chances.
 
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THParent said:
Why would you apply to USMA and USAFA if you feel that USNA is the best fit for you?
Not once, but twice?
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I agree. The typical advice for newbies reading these threads is to only apply to a school that you would attend happily if that was the only one you were accepted at. It's worthless to apply to a school you wouldn't attend. Yes, I know your outlook evolves/improves as you learn & go thru the process. You can apply to 3 and have a clear ranking of the 3 - and if you only get into your 3rd choice, your plan should be to go to that.
 
2029applicant said:
Hi all, I recently heard back from USNA, USMA, and USAFA. Unfortunately, I was medically disqualified, and the waiver process took too long, so I was turned down for USNA and USAFA. However, my waiver was approved for USMA, and I just received my offer of appointment. While I am very excited about this, USNA was my first choice, and I can't help but feel that reapplying to USNA is a better option for me in the long run. I am currently at a state university, and I was just curious: would it be smarter for me to accept the appointment to West Point and apply to the Naval Academy from there, or would I have a better chance at the Naval Academy if I were to stay at the college I am at now? I am just worried that if I stay here and do not get into USNA again, I will be turning down an opportunity to commission through an academy, and while I would likely apply to all three once again, I'm not sure I would receive an appointment again after having turned one down.
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Maybe reach out to this person for some advice...

C

Post in thread 'USNA Class of 2029 Waiting, Speculating, Hoping'

DD received an appointment this morning. She is a freshman in college and a reapplicant. She has a bit of a unique situation - last year she got appointments to both USNA & USMA and decided to attend USMA. After finishing Beast 1, she realized that the army wasn't the best fit for her, so she came home, restarted application to USNA for the Class of 2029, enrolled in college to take Plebe-like courses, and did everything else all over again.
I hope you all will receive the good news very soon.
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usna1985 said:
Do NOT go to USMA if you're not 100% committed to USMA. Don't assume you'll learn to love it as you probably won't.
Do NOT go to USMA with the thought you will successfully reapply to USNA as the chances of that are as close to 0% as you can get.
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^ This .... bottom line is that Service Academies are pretty clear that they won't "poach" the others by taking someone who is already admitted. Not saying that it hasn't happened, but there would have to be a really good reason.

2029applicant said:
I am just worried that if I stay here and do not get into USNA again, I will be turning down an opportunity to commission through an academy
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What is your end goal ? Service as an Officer in the Navy or "Commission through an Academy" ? There are other pathways (ROTC, OCS, etc) to serving as an officer in the Navy. Why is "commissioning through an academy" important to you ? (Here is a hint, once in the Fleet, nobody really cares what your commissioning source is....its performance that counts).

Sarasita said:
A plebe in my DD's company switched to USAFA over the spring semester.
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One does not simply "switch" between Service Academies , particularly mid year..... there must be something more to this ...
 
Isn't there that rare option to grad from one SA and submit an application to commission into a different service?
 
RetiredVeteran said:
Isn't there that rare option to grad from one SA and submit an application to commission into a different service?
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Yes...rare being the operative word. There is an interservice agreement that allows for interservice commission . I think it requires one for one swap (ie. one USNA grad for one USMA grad (and who would want to go Army after graduating Navy :) -- I've seen a couple swaps between Navy and Air Force). along with some compelling reason. I would never recommend that someone attend one service academy with the objective of commissioning in another service (except of course USMMA, which I believes allows a grad to perform their committed service in any branch).
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Someone that actually wants to serve in the Military.....
Air Force is an honorable alternative to military service.
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😅 - Some of us just have higher standards...air conditioning, real beds, and food that doesn't make MREs seem like a 3-star Michelin experience. Ok, so I feel like I am AF guy in a Navy bar talking smack without a wingman...gotta go😛.

🫡
 
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