Best prep school for unsponsored applicants

Remember that each SA may or may not have nuances when it comes to who and why they send candidates to prep.
 
USMA 1994 said:
I had not remember seeing self-prep stats and just googled Marion. It seems they are just showing appointments and not the actual yield. As a data nerd in my real job, this chart tells me absolutely nothing I need to make a determination on Marion's performance. Metrics should be designed to measure some performance and telling me you had 37 success without anything to normalize it against is meaningless. As others have said, Plan B depends on the candidate. For every self-prep that was successful, I am sure that their are just as many who were not. We could also show the same for college re-applicants. PSA: I do not have any ill will for the prep schools and am pretty sure they do a good job preparing candidates. I just do not like when anyone attempts to use incomplete data to justify performance.

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We asked MMI about this. For last year, 7 of 20 self-prep got into USCGA. No info given on the ones that did vs the ones that didn’t.
 
MemberLG said:
My two cents, a good college, retaking SAT/ACT, good grades, and ROTC are better than any prep school. Prep schools have their strengths and weaknesses, so depends on your weakness Prep school alone might not increase your chances. Some prep schools advertise their success rate, but we don‘t know for sure how much attending the Prep school helped. Perhaps, your grade might be better at a Prep school as you might not be partying too much. Perhaps, a Prep school might have a program to improve your SAT/ACT.
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Northwestern Prepatory in California
 
That would match the chart noted earlier. If one were to assume there were a total of 65 self prep cadets based on this year’s class, that would leave 45 applicants to the remaining SAs, 30 of whom received appointments or 66%. I’d say that’s a pretty healthy ratio when one also figures in issues MMI can’t address like nominations and DODMERB.
 
My son got his phone call from our Senator yesterday stating he received an appointment to USMA. Yay! He is an unsponsored Prep at MMI. He told me today that he is number 8 thus far of the unsponsored Preps that have received an appointment to USMA. I think there are around 18-20 USMA unsponsored preps this year total. I don't know of the other SA's numbers.
 
Jeepman said:
Greystone Prep worked for my son. He got into his first choice (USCGA), improved his ACT to 33 from 28 and also got the NROTC scholarship and accepted into Georgetown, Vanderbilt, UNC, UVA, and Boston College among others. I cannot say enough good things about Commander Bailey and his program.
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My best friend's son LOVED Greystone. Graduating USAFA in May!
 
IAM4UK said:
My son got his phone call from our Senator yesterday stating he received an appointment to USMA. Yay! He is an unsponsored Prep at MMI. He told me today that he is number 8 thus far of the unsponsored Preps that have received an appointment to USMA. I think there are around 18-20 USMA unsponsored preps this year total. I don't know of the other SA's numbers.
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Congrats! My DS is looking at self sponsored as backup plan. Is there any words of wisdom from your son, and/or yourself, that helped get him the appointment this time around?
 
mamabear1302 said:
Congrats! My DS is looking at self sponsored as backup plan. Is there any words of wisdom from your son, and/or yourself, that helped get him the appointment this time around?
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Thank you! My son was 3Q after high school with his initial application. Even though he was disappointed, he stuck with it and was determined to try again. He turned down a 4 year ROTC scholarship to stick with his dream of West Point. We live in AL and going to MMI was a no-brainer because of it's reputation and proximity. He will tell you today that it was a good thing that he had to go to prep.

As for advice for getting accepted as a college re-applicant, we trusted our SE Regional Commander, Major Light. He recommended (based on his high school application) to go to prep (or ROTC program with classes that will simulate a WP plebe year), make mostly A's and reapply. He felt really good about his chances after that. My DS followed his suggestions and here we are! Maybe my DS was so close getting in after his initial application? That is the unknown question.

To be honest, there were so many up's and down's you wonder if it will happen. Our new SE RC, Captain Dahl has been great and kept telling us to trust the system so you have to.
 
IAM4UK said:
My son got his phone call from our Senator yesterday stating he received an appointment to USMA. Yay! He is an unsponsored Prep at MMI. He told me today that he is number 8 thus far of the unsponsored Preps that have received an appointment to USMA. I think there are around 18-20 USMA unsponsored preps this year total. I don't know of the other SA's numbers.
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My DS is also unsponsored at MMI and received his appointment to USMA last week. He was a first time applicant to USMA but a second time reapplicant to USNA and USAFA. The program at MMI is amazing.
 
18Hopeful said:
My DS is also unsponsored at MMI and received his appointment to USMA last week. He was a first time applicant to USMA but a second time reapplicant to USNA and USAFA. The program at MMI is amazing.
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Congrats! I am sure my DS knows him. I hope he gets into his Academy of choice. If it's USMA, we will get to see you at MMI graduation and then on to West Point!
 
My DD self-sponsored at MMI this year and was just offered an appointment from the USCGA. MMI is in a very rural area and not what we are used to living outside of NYC, so we were a bit reserved at the beginning. In this very short period of time from mid-August, my DD increased her ACT score by 3 points, she now understands physics when she was totally lost in that class in high school, her self-confidence has bloomed and she has made some very strong personal friendships. I am convinced that she would not have had these high caliper professors in a regular college and these professors were each individually concerned about the students and helped them to achieve their personal bests. LTC Bowen, the professors, the TAC officers and the MMI staff are the most committed group of professionals I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whether or not my daughter was accepted at a SA, her experience at MMI was well worth it.
 
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My DS is also a self sponsored at MMI this year. I agree he has grown tremendously during this prep year. He hasn't heard yet from USAFA, USMA or USNA but we remain positive and hopeful. He has a top 5% recommendation from his BGO, and has raised both his SAT and ACT, and has taken leadership roles. I give credit to MMI, LTC Bowen and the SAP team, for providing him the opportunity to achieve and improve. I agree with @toski111 that MMI was the best choice for my DS.
 
I self sponsored at MMI for the USMMA. I applied to the USCGA and USMMA and received appointments to both. I was able to raise my SAT and get a good GPA. I recently accepted my appointment USMMA. The teachers and staff at MMI were very supportive. I 100% feel more prepared than I would have out of high school. I will say that going as a self prep is risky but well worth it if your willing to put in the work. It is tough being around sponsored kids with a guaranteed appointment assuming they get a certain GPA. All I can say is being self sponsored makes it worth wild. Putting in the hard work and dedication to follow your dream is worth wild. Besides the AOG's, self preps have already gotten more appointments than sponsored kids:p.
 
My DD is also a self sponsored cadet at MMI and received an appointment to the USCGA. There is no doubt the work she put in at MMI will be beneficial to her success at the Academy. MMI is definitly in the middle of nowhere but they are there to focus on their work. Thanks to the SAT Prep, my daughter raised her score on both the SAT and ACT. LTC Bowen is always available and willing to answer questions about the program. My DD considered both MMI and Georgia but decided on MMI based on the success rates.
 
talltrees said:
does anyone have any idea or stats on the most successful prep school regarding unsponsored candidates?
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I am currently a cadet at the New Mexico Military Institute, I know for this year nearly all the unsponsored preps that took the same classes and had about the same grades as the sponsored ones got in. I’m not too sure on the numbers right now since nothing has been finalized but NMMI is certainly one of the best all around prep schools.
 
talltrees said:
does anyone have any idea or stats on the most successful prep Speed Test Scrabble Word Finder Solitaire school regarding unsponsored candidates?
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I think it’s going to a reputable school (ones the SAs use for for their foundation programs is a good rule of thumb), picking one that feels best (military vs non military, costs, distance), and then how does this feed into Plan B. What if they don’t get in to a SA again?
 
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