Is it a bad reflection that I am not applying to any Plan B or safety schools?

[Capt MJ]

UGH! I can't figure out what i'm typing!

I deleted my post because I may have misunderstood whether the OP applied at all to USNA. SORRY for the confusion. Back to OP - yes, there could be a compelling story there. and community college is a gem, something that should be considered for everyone, due to college prices and this new world of how decisions may be affected given various states of a pandemic environment.

Agreed, I have had to read it several times since first posted. In rough paraphrases, the OP mentioned “class of 2026,” “HS senior,” “starting the process,” etc. I have read it as they are graduating from HS this year, planning to attend community college, did not apply for 2025, is working on 2026.

 

[Capt MJ]

Not applying to the C/O 2025 was definitely a difficult choice I had to make and one I had to talk with my counselor several times about. COVID slowed many aspects of my life down. When 2025 applications opened up, I was not where I wanted to be in terms of overall strength in candidacy. There were definitely pros and cons to applying or not applying during the time, but considering I have been focused on USNA for years, I personally wanted to put my best foot forward and have strong confidence during the process. There's definitely a part of me that regrets not applying last year and being able to gain valuable insight on the process even if I don't get in, but that was the choice I made and I'm still pursuing my goal.

Edit: I read your previous post. SMCs are definitely an element I haven't researched much about. After reading all the feedback on this post, I reflected on my poor choice as to not having a solid backup plan. I started my NROTC application this morning and I'm accelerating my college searches but I'm leaning towards staying in-state an ROTC program.

I appreciate your candor with us; I thought there would be reasons (truly do not need any detail) for a more deliberate approach. An in-state ROTC program is a financially sound option, moves you toward a commission, opens up a new nomination source, and may even become your preferred path but is certainly a sound platform for a college-based application to USNA.

 

[usna1985]

One other thing to keep in mind . . . you can be the best candidate in the country, but could have a medical condition that precludes a SA or even the military. It just happened this year to one of my candidates. Sometimes these conditions are unknown to the candidate; sometimes, the candidate doesn't realize how they may impact military service b/c there is no issue in the civilian world.

So, always have a civilian - only backup plan until you know you are medically qualified.

 

[Old Navy BGO]

. I have also given thought to conventional 4-Years and ROTC and although these would definitely be the ideal pathway I would go down towards if I don't make it into USNA, I never had much appeal to it when compared to what USNA had to offer.

What is it you think USNA has to offer that you can't get at NROTC or other Plan B ?
If your objective is to serve as an Officer in the Navy/Marine Corps, then ROTC gets you there as well as USNA.
If your objective is a 4 year college degree ...there are many ways to get there.
If its the combination of College, Commission, Military Academy , Leadership laboratory --there are also many good options, including USMMA (where you can commission in any Service), as well as several really good State Military Colleges. My Plan B's included VMI and the Citadel.

To repeat others...do not put all your eggs in one basket; there are no guarantees in college Admissions (let alone USNA or life). Define your objectives, and then identify how to get there. There is rarely only one solution to any problem.

 

[A1Janitor]

One other thing to keep in mind . . . you can be the best candidate in the country, but could have a medical condition that precludes a SA or even the military. It just happened this year to one of my candidates. Sometimes these conditions are unknown to the candidate; sometimes, the candidate doesn't realize how they may impact military service b/c there is no issue in the civilian world.

So, always have a civilian - only backup plan until you know you are medically qualified.

Part of the reason my son didn’t get a real backup plan was because he didn’t know about the color blind issue. This is sound advice.

 

[time2]

My sole focus and priority was USNA since freshman year........

But yet, 4 yrs later you are just starting to understand why having a Plan B is important. There is no one h.s. path that guarantees an SA appointment, so I am not clear on some of what you have posted. No amount of self-assessment is going to change how your application is viewed by the SA. In addition, getting a NOM is partly about the strength of other candidates applying in your area and you have no control over that.

Putting off the decision to apply isn't going to change the outcome and eventually you will have to make some decisions on which path to pursue.

 

[Dr. Strange Love]

.
Well ... I only invest in things that I understand.

Your plan B is like an investment. Are their any plan B’s that interest you? If so, I think it makes sense to do some research if you can see yourself spending some time there.

Some folks are happy holding on to fewer things. Who cares what anybody else thinks. You have to do what is right for you.
.

 

[Humey]

Same idea, different story. My friend's son who is very smart and was doing college courses in High School only applied to the Ivys, UCLA, Berkely, and USC. Didn't get into any of them even though his parents told him he needed some safe school. And when I say safety school, I mean top-tier schools that arent the IVys. By chance, he so applied to Tulane and Cal Poly. He got into both. He would have gone to Tulane but the majors didn't line up for him and he wound up going to CAl Poly which he wasn't happy with at all. He worked hard enough to graduate in three years. Please please have a backup,. YOu never know what is going to happen. There are very few of us who get into our first choices. It absolutely happens, but do you want to risk that

 

[Will McLean]

alot of kids get sorely disappointed when they don't get in to a service academy but its a highly competetive process; best advice for life is always have a Plan B, C and D

 

[Heatherg21]

While a SA may be what you envision; if your end goal is to serve as an officer there are many paths to that outcome.

Relying on only one path to that outcome is not strategically wise.

 

[dadinnc]

I should clarify that my lack of appeal was towards civilian colleges rather than just the ROTC program (which I do have appeal for). This was on the basis of comparison of overall student life, culture, and tradition - just a few to list. And the consideration of enlistment in hopes of eventually getting into USNA isn't the intended goal, rather it was a general consideration of a route I could take to pursue the overall goal of serving and working towards becoming an officer (through OCS). Regardless, other 4-years aren't completely out of the book yet as I am still exploring my options and my decision to whether or not to go out-of-state and what's financially feasible for me.

Look at SMCs as plan B.