Do you pursue plan "B" even if you got an appointment?

N

navymadre

5-Year Member
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Nov 11, 2010
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My DS son has an LOA and is reluctant to pursue plan "B" because according to his own words "NA is his destiny"... If he receives an appointment, should he continue plan “B” application process?
 
Absolutely! All sorts of things could happen, not the least of which is a last-minute medical issue (e.g., broken leg) that precludes attending USNA this year or even forever. Definitely pursue Plan B. In fact, some parents put down deposits for a civilian school so that Plan B is available through at least August.
 
Yes.....for many reasons that might be out of his and your control......and for the peace of mind knowing you do have that "Plan B just in case "

From another thread I just responded to :

"My current Mid had some medical complications after receiving his appointment due to contracting mononucleosis in late Spring of his HS senior year...he had to be re-examined by DODMERB and was (surprisingly to us) medically DQ'd in early June (just 48 hrs before departing on a HS graduation trip to Europe ).....luckily for him, with some great initial assistance from Larry Mullen on this forum (DODMERB), he was re-evaluated and eventually given a medical waiver and clearance to attend I-day...but the back-up school plan was still there if he had needed it !"

GO NAVY :thumb:,
G5
 
navymadre said:
My DS son has an LOA and is reluctant to pursue plan "B" because according to his own words "NA is his destiny"... If he receives an appointment, should he continue plan “B” application process?
Click to expand...

NA may be his destiny, but fate can intervene. Stories abound of appointees who did not get to go because of:

- Injury in May/June
- Medical disqual (undetected problem, etc)
- academic issues (senioritis)
- prank caused expulsion, etc
- law enforcement issues (DUI, being at the wrong party, or in the wrong car, etc)
- Love (girlfriend/boyfriend issues of many types)
- Change of interest/heart

So the answer is clearly yes, he needs to.

The real question would be how aggressively does he pursue stretch schools vs "safety" schools, since it is a backup plan.

My son is still applying to two stretch (affordability) schools along with 2-3 state schools he knows he should get in with scholarship. So he's keeping a plan B & C active.
 
YES!

Plan A - Appointment
Plan B - ROTC
Plan C - Civilian School Scholarship
Plan D - school you can afford

Son had all in place, chose USNA. Kept 1 ROTC scholarship, 1 Civilain School Scholarship until summer. It was for own piece of mind, 'just in case' of injury. It's a juggling act, but you never know what will happen with cold feet, DoDMERB, etc

This falls under the heading of Mother/Father Knows Best. My son realized this was the way it will be, because NOT going to college in the fall was not an option.
 
Has your son had his nomination interviews? My son's plan B was discussed at the nomination interview as well as the BGO interview. I wonder how it would have gone had he told them that NA was his destiny. He certainly wanted to believe that, but plan B was a must.
 
usna1985 said:
In fact, some parents put down deposits for a civilian school so that Plan B is available through at least August.
Click to expand...

Contrarian Viewpoint:

Having a "fall back" (Plan B) in place after I-Day may make it easier to quit during a difficult Plebe Summer.

Knowing (apologies to Richard Gere) "I got nowhere else to go" may help a struggling Plebe get through a rough stretch, keeping him there rather than allowing him take the easy way out and DOR.

:cool:
 
Plan B is essential. Every year there are stories on this website and others concerning cadets (at all of the academies) who are injured even during summer training and are out processed -- some permanently because of medical conditions, injuries that cannot be overcome. We kept our daughter's second options alive -- with the knowledge of the back up schools -- until she had completed Basic Training at USAFA. On August 6 we notified the back up schools that she had successfully completed BCT and was remaining at the Academy. One of those schools, our state university, allowed her to defer for all of freshman year -- but she could have gone there if something had happened anytime during freshman year. Some parents and cadets will advise against keeping things open as long as we did -- it is a family by family decision, but serious injuries do occur -- even if your cadet still wants to be at an academy, sometimes that just isn't possible. If they sustain a career ending injury you, and they, will want them to get on with their life and education.
 
Luigi59 said:
Contrarian Viewpoint:

Having a "fall back" (Plan B) in place after I-Day may make it easier to quit during a difficult Plebe Summer. :cool:
Click to expand...

I agree. However, some parents still do it. I had a civilian college offer to keep a place for me for an entire year. OTOH, it was comforting to know that, if things didn't work out, I wasn't out on the street, so to speak. OTOH, it could have made it easier for me to quick. Thankfully, it didn't.
 
Luigi59 said:
Contrarian Viewpoint:

Having a "fall back" (Plan B) in place after I-Day may make it easier to quit during a difficult Plebe Summer.

Knowing (apologies to Richard Gere) "I got nowhere else to go" may help a struggling Plebe get through a rough stretch, keeping him there rather than allowing him take the easy way out and DOR.
Click to expand...

I somewhat agree with this viewpoint.

My sons (currently Youngsters), every once in a while will get pissed off and talk about how they are going to apply to other colleges - just to "test the waters." I always say, "Go ahead!" But I don't lift a finger to help them.

I have to admit, I did a lot of advising while they were going through the Academy application process. I felt, as their father and USNA grad, that I had some insight in the process that I should share with them. I also helped them with other college applications. (Yes, I admit, I wrote a few essays - so shoot me!) But now that they are at the Academy, they are on their own. If they should choose to quit and go to another college - they can do it all themselves. I'm not lifting a finger.

They won't quit - but they sure like to vent. I think they use me as a sounding board at times. I don't fight them. I don't give them anybody to argue with. I just say, "Hey, if you want to quit - then QUIT! You don't need my permission." Then they shut up. :smile:

The one thing I keep repeating: Nobody has ever graduated from the United States Naval Academy and said, "Gee, I sure wish I had never done that." There are never regrets.

But there are plenty of people who have quit and regretted it tremendously.

The process may not be fun, but that's why, universally, all grads say, "It's a great place to be FROM." It's true.
 
Plan "B" is imperative. It's not even debatable. I've seen appointee talk about the academy being their dream since they were little. They went to Summer Seminar. Filled out the application early (July-August). Received an appointment early (October-November). Were floating on the clouds. Find out in April that he's turning down the appointment to be able to go to the same school as his girl friend. Personally, I think that's a stupid reason, but the first stage of going to a military academy is to be responsible for your own actions. His choice.

But as mentioned, injuries happen. Reality sets in and the appointee has 2nd thoughts. Family emergency. (3-4 years ago, an appointee turned down the appointment about a week before "I" day. Parent had a stroke and he wanted to stay closer to home. "Commuted to private university 50 miles away".

Bottom line: Definitely have a plan "B". It's also fine to proceed with any deposits with the plan "B" school. Most teens who come to the academy aren't going to take the "Easy way out" simply because there's a backup school all lined up. If they do; then in my opinion, they weren't meant to be there. Then again, it is my unscientific belief, that about half the cadets/plebes who walk into the academies on day 1 aren't at the school they always dreamed about. Too many people are under the impression that all 10,000+ applicants to the various military academies is the applicant's FIRST CHOICE of colleges. It isn't. That's why 300-400 APPOINTEES turn down their appointment from the academy each year. They received their FIRST CHOICE also, and chose it. Just like there's probably another 300-400 who kept the appointment because they didn't receive their FIRST CHOICE school. Don't be fooled by forums like this. This is a military/academy forum. Applicants who visit here are usually more motivated and a minority group. The overwhelming majority of applicants don't visit these forums.

Have a plan "B/C" lined up. You never know what could happen. For some, maybe community college or state "U" is their plan "B". That could be good; however; if you're qualified enough to get into a military academy, you're qualified enough to get into a very high quality school. Including the Ivy league type.
 
Please people - have a plan B as a FAMILY and talk about this with your student. Our son fractured his foot - yes, dancing at the prom, and will be spending a year healing. We are disappointed, dismayed... but it happens - note he was not running from the cops - and the stress now is unbelievable. He will reapply - this will all be for the best - but do not ignore the fact that injuries can happen.
 
There are two issues here . . . Plan B for unexpected events (e.g., injuries) and for what happens if you quit plebe summer.

As the above poster says, it makes some sense to have a Plan B in place at least until I-Day. Yes, it may require a deposit that will be forfeited but I can guarantee it's less expensive than the cost of even a single semester at most civilian colleges.

Whether to keep Plan B in place for all of plebe summer is a more difficult question. I had one (all those years ago) in that a civilian college agreed to keep a place open for me. I must admit that, once I-Day started, I never once thought about it. It didn't make me more likely to quit.

My general view (and it's only my opinion) is that, if plebe summer doesn't work out, you should go to a community college or work or do something else for the year. Figure out what you really want to do and spend that year pursuing it. Trying to leave USNA in the summer and start a civilian college in August . . . maybe it works but seems a bit of a challenge.
 
definitely

As soon as I found out I'd gotten an appointment to USAFA, I dropped all my other applications, and I didn't take my senior year AP's too seriously.
End of May, I tear a tendon in my foot, report it to DoDMERB, but get my doctor to sign an LoR saying I was fit. A week into BCT, I re-tore the tendon and suffered microfractures as well.
I was released on a medical turn-back, but returning is contingent upon my full healing.

It's been almost 6 weeks since I left the Academy, and I'm still on crutches.

I'm starting to apply for other colleges for my 2012-13 year in case I don't return, and I'm planning on spending this year working and healing.
 
YES, BE SURE TO HAVE A PLAN B!!!!!! Our son separated his shoulder in March, completed therapy, got a clean bill of health and received a discharge letter. We scrambled to get him into another school and secure housing. He had stopped persuing scholarships and suddenly we were back to trying to figure out how to pay for college.:eek: Luckily a week after he was discharged he received a letter getting him back in, but it was the longest and most stressful week of our lives.
 
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