Question: Does a BGO just stop communicating after a candidate gets a turn down? My DD received her turn down last week and she and I reached out to the BGO to let him know. Figured she would get a call or an email or something. Nothing was said. Wasn't sure if this was standard procedure.
BGO After turndown
- Thread starter bbear47
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Depends on the BGO, some are very hands on and communicate with the candidate every couple of weeks throughout the process and afterward. Others do their interview and then answer questions or concerns as needed. I've tended toward the latter and when my son applied, his BGO (who I barely knew) had a similar approach and we did not hear from him after the interview but he left the door open if we wanted to ask him something.
I usually check in with my candidates every few weeks along the road to a decision. Usually a quick text exchange. After the turn down I wait a few weeks and then follow up and check in. I ask about plans, thoughts on reapplying, etc. I encourage where needed and guidance if reapplying is in their future and then tell them to reach out if any questions and good luck.
usna1985
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Agree that it's BGO dependent. There is no "policy." For me, a lot depends on the interaction I've had with the candidate and whether the candidate embedded a question or follow up in the notification. In that case, I always respond.
Keep in mind, BGOs don't make the admissions decision. We don't know why a candidate was turned down. Thus, there's not much we can say other than some version of, "Sorry and best of luck to you." Seriously. I can't say, "You were so close," because I don't know if that's true. I don't want to encourage a candidate to reapply because he/she may now have made peace with their college decision and my suggesting reapplication could be rubbing salt into a raw wound. If the candidate does ask how to reapply, etc., that's something about which we can provide constructive suggestions.
We are not the candidate's parents. We're not their BFF. We're here to help candidates in the process. Sometimes I'm shocked and dismayed that a candidate received a turndown and sometimes I know it was for the best. One thing I have learned in the 20+ years I've been doing this is not to get emotionally involved with a candidate. Thus, I'm not the one to hold their hand in their time of disappointment.
Keep in mind, BGOs don't make the admissions decision. We don't know why a candidate was turned down. Thus, there's not much we can say other than some version of, "Sorry and best of luck to you." Seriously. I can't say, "You were so close," because I don't know if that's true. I don't want to encourage a candidate to reapply because he/she may now have made peace with their college decision and my suggesting reapplication could be rubbing salt into a raw wound. If the candidate does ask how to reapply, etc., that's something about which we can provide constructive suggestions.
We are not the candidate's parents. We're not their BFF. We're here to help candidates in the process. Sometimes I'm shocked and dismayed that a candidate received a turndown and sometimes I know it was for the best. One thing I have learned in the 20+ years I've been doing this is not to get emotionally involved with a candidate. Thus, I'm not the one to hold their hand in their time of disappointment.
Old Navy BGO
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Agree with Old SWO, I am more the hands off type ...I'm available to answer questions if asked, but I don't often reach out to the turned down Candidates unless there is a good reason. I occasionally get a call after a turndown, asking what went wrong, etc. , and my comments are usually guarded and limited. . I made the mistake of giving my opinion to a disappointed mother that her son's ACT scores could have been improved (they were pretty mediocre), and she proceeded to rip me , telling me that she attended an Admissions seminar at USNA where someone told her that ACT's didn't matter that much. (Umm, wrong, but I didn't bother to correct her). One exception, I will encourage a candidate that I perceive as really good to reapply, particularly if they were one of those that the Admission's decision went down to the wire.
Cross posted with '85, and I agree 100%.
Cross posted with '85, and I agree 100%.
Thank you all for the replies, he finally reached out to my daughter yesterday and left a voicemail. Right now she is excited about her plan B and then once she is settled into that she will figure out her plan of action for her future with the Navy/NROTC/Reapplication to USNA, who knows. Life goes on and we adapt.