Disqualification for hearing loss exceeding medical accession standards

[Virginia Parent]

My son and I just found out tonight that he was disqualified for hearing loss. He has a pending application with West Point, the Army ROTC scholarship, and the Air Force Academy. To say he is disappointed is an understatement. He has completed the majority of his application, with the exception of submitting his CFA. (He is still in training to get the best possible results.) We understand that West Point will request a waiver if he is competitive, but at this point, we'd like to do something. Should I take him somewhere to get another hearing test? Should he contact his Regional Commander and request a waiver? (At a recent information session, the RC said that he would only request a waiver if the candidate is competitive and timely, in that it is not too late for a waiver.) I think he is competitive, but I'm not quite sure what they would be looking for. My son has a 4.0 weighted GPA and 1370 SAT for Math and Critical Reading.

 

[Maplerock]

The only thing that will help is if you get a diagnosis that puts his hearing within the waiverable limits (which probably are not public knowledge.)

If you do this, just have the results ready to submit if they ask. Hearing is pretty easy to check, so he will probably be checked repeatedly if there is any question.

Good luck, I know how disappointed you are.

 

[abg]

I too was disqualified for hearing loss in my applications to West Point, AROTC, NROTC and USNA. I was declared a competitive candidate at West Point, and was considered for a waiver. The ROTCs both considered me for a waiver. All four denied a waiver. I knew from West Point by Christmas, USNA in November (I did DODMERB at the end of September) and the ROTCs in April (I was awarded the Navy scholarship in November, Army in February). After all my waiver denials, I took the advice of a ROO at a school I had accepted my scholarship to and got my hearing tested again. While it was an improvement over my DODMERB test, it was not hugely different from previous tests (may have been in the margin of error for the test). It was enough to allow me to appeal for a waiver, which I was awarded from AROTC. NROTC and the academies did not overturn their initial waiver decision.

As was recommended above, be ready to submit documentation. You can pursue private testing at your own expense if a remedial is not ordered. If you found the DODMERB test results to be consistent with his hearing loss (he didn't suddenly perform significantly worse), getting another test is not a guarantee of success, and may not be at all helpful, especially if he were to perform worse.

Your son should not contact the RC for a waiver, they alone will determine if he will be considered for one-his asking will not change that. I don't know what make a competitive candidate, but there is little you can do to change your son's competitiveness now. If your son is willing to put more work into his application with the understanding that he could be denied a waiver next week, then have him work to complete his file ASAP. The sooner the process begins, the sooner it ends, and trust me, waiting to April 31 to make a decision on college because you are waiting on a waiver decision is a bad situation.

Best of luck to him, hope everything works out okay.

 

[anneluck]

Best wishes... I can imagine your disappointment. Hope it works out! I would think an additional test could be a risk if he does worse... Those records could be requested.