Losing Hope

[TerragTheGreat]

I haven't given up the ship yet, but my dad (USNA '83) has started discussing more about the alternative plans I've set up, and with each passing week my personal morale is beginning to drop. My district is very competitive, and it's clear now that I wasn't my congressman's principal nominee, which means I'm in with the lot. I don't fit into any minority group, so after the Academy fills their quotas, I expect that's when I'll have the best chance of hearing back, but by then I'm worried that the remaining slots will be too few, and too many more qualified candidates in my district for the academy to choose to fill them. My question is: when should I stop expecting good news and start thinking about what civvie school to commit to?

 

[HogieWonKanobe]

It's February... I thought I remembered seeing a stat saying March was the big month for appointment activity. Until you hear otherwise you're still in the mix! However you should have a backup as well. Everyone should have options 2,3,4,5&6!

 

[Capt MJ]

“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” - GEN Colin Powell.

Now is a perfect time to practice an officer skill - be positive in uncertain circumstances, focus on what you can control, remain committed to the mission. One day, you may be setting an example for your troops.

You have every chance of gaining an appointment, until you are told you don’t.

You have alternative plans, in which to invest your energy if the need arises. You still have paths open to a commission, including being a college re-applicant.

Learning how to coach yourself to keep going after your goal when the going gets tough is a key life skill.

Keep us posted.

 

[usna1985]

My question is: when should I stop expecting good news and start thinking about what civvie school to commit to?

If/when you receive the TWE email. Not being flip but you won't know until you know and appointments come as late as April. That said, if you haven't heard by March 20, I would focus on other plans while still hoping for good news from USNA.

 

[5centsmom]

My son is in the same boat. He told me two nights ago that every time we brought up visiting a Plan B school or wanted to discuss his options he felt we were expressing a lack of confidence and optimism. In other words, like you, he wants THIS path to becoming a naval officer, and he’s all in, heart & soul.

Because I wanted to give his feelings respect at that moment, I let his words carry the day. But I will tell you what I hope to convey to him eventually and what your parents are probably also trying to say: I want for you what you want for you. You are simply marvelous excellence, all bundled into one incredible package. So continue to reach for your dream of being a naval officer while you wait. Continue to read about leadership, study hard, and follow up on ALL your options. That is what it will take to achieve your dream. That’s what naval officers do.

The reality is, if you’re still in the running, you’re desirable. My son’s BGO explained to him that a lot of applicants have already received the TWE. So hold your head up high even if your plans aren’t settled yet, as many of your friends’ might be. Focus that energy that’s turning hope into anxiety into climbing toward your naval future by securing your options.

We have adult friends whose naval careers started in ROTC as well as USNA. No discernible difference in their career success. One of the USNA grads didn’t hear until June (now that is torture)! So remember, we’re still two months away from the end of April. Plenty of time to make sure that at decision time you have more than one excellent choice.

Continue to be your bold, excellent self and go grab your future! (And... the Navy would be lucky to get you!)

 

[Sandydesert]

Keep your spirits and hopes up. A few years ago, DS did not hear until the last week of March.

 

[Humey]

Nothing wrong with thinking about Plan B but as many people have said, it is way to early to freak out. It is still yes until they say no and they havent replied to most people anyway.

 

[kinnem]

Every officer has a backup plan or plan of retreat on hand if things do not go well in battle. Tell him that one and then work on plan B. It's part of preparing to be an officer.

 

[Hopeful-Dad]

Hope for the best and plan for the worst - cliche, but sound advice, IMO. DS is in a similar situation - he was awarded an ISR NROTC scholarship, but is still anxiously fretting about a USNA appointment. As an aside, most MOCs don't do principal nominations any more - it's unpopular with their constituents and can have the appearance of corruption (e.g., a generous political donor's DS/DD receives a principal nomination - hmmm...). If you know that others in your MOC's nomination pool have already been awarded appointments, then it's true that your odds are decreasing, but if your nominating MOC doesn't do a principal nomination and nobody else they've nominated has received an appointment yet, your odds are just as good now as they were before February.

P.S. As a father of a DS in a similar situation, I'm always talking plan B, C, D, E.. Z with him ad nauseum. It doesn't mean I've given up hope on a USNA appointment for him - just means that he should have a plan in place so once he has all of the information, he knows what he's going to do.

 

[0302grnt]

All should be actively contemplating Plan B, but it is too early to allow yourself to get down - April 15th is the date to keep in mind. (There are some who get appointed in May.) Chin up!

 

[cdkdnguyen]

I haven't given up the ship yet, but my dad (USNA '83) has started discussing more about the alternative plans I've set up, and with each passing week my personal morale is beginning to drop. My district is very competitive, and it's clear now that I wasn't my congressman's principal nominee, which means I'm in with the lot. I don't fit into any minority group, so after the Academy fills their quotas, I expect that's when I'll have the best chance of hearing back, but by then I'm worried that the remaining slots will be too few, and too many more qualified candidates in my district for the academy to choose to fill them. My question is: when should I stop expecting good news and start thinking about what civvie school to commit to?

Don't give up hope but always anticipate plan B, C, D, ... That is what I tell my DS. I found old information from USNA admissions Facebook site. It is very consistent with what I have read in this forum. My DS volunteered today at Second Harvest for his youth leadership program. The program head is a retired US air force officer and also one of the officers interviewed my DS for congressional nomination. He told my DS just have to wait since he messaged the congressional office to check the status and was told USAFA and USMA are faster than USNA this year. Here it is:

**LINK REMOVED**

Good morning candidates! Many of you are starting to get anxious about admissions decisions. Just so you know, the bulk of the class is formed in February/March, and we try to mail out all offers and letters of regret by April 1. If you have not received anything at this point, we do not have any status updates for you. As we continue to work through the nomination process, please be patient and know that while some candidates have already been notified, most have not. Best of luck to all of you in the admission process and keep hanging in there!"

 

[Hopeful-Dad]

Out of curiosity, I checked the other SA class of 2022 appointment threads. At a glance, it appears like there is a lot of overlap between the state and districts that have reported appointments (e.g., my state doesn't have a single reported appointment for any of the SAs). This leads me to believe that either: 1) what are going out now are principal nominee appointments (i.e., the same MOCs that use the principal nominee system are receiving their appointments across the different SAs); or 2) since this is a self-reporting system, only people from those state/districts use this forum. I'd doubt the latter. Anyway, unless you see your state/district reported, I wouldn't sweat it at this point.

 

[pa_ptmom]

Way too early, though I know it seems like ‘everyone else ‘ has heard something. Both times our DS heard in mid-April......1st attempt TWE, 2nd time/reapplying Accepted , but it wasn’t until April 15 even with the acceptance.

 

[DrMom]

Academy admissions are a marathon not a sprint. It is still February so you may not hear anything positive or negative until mid-April. Also, you may not get a TWE in the mail, there may just be a day when your USNA portal says "Denied" in your candidate status.
Make other great plans. Think about how you want to spend your year: Self-Prep? At a college doing NROTC while you contemplate a reapplication to USNA?
These are early days.
It is definitely a challenge to see other candidates receiving appointments in Service Academy Forums...and your mail box remaining empty. Do not lose faith but definitely make a plan.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

It depends on what you want.
My DD was not selected for class of 2019 at USMA. She got a D1 athletic scholarship and ROTC scholarship. She proved she was a D1 athlete in spite of what USMA and USNA coaches told her by playing as a freshman and being selected as conference defender of the week. She applied for class of 2020. She probably would have been selected, but then decided after the fall semester to drop out and enlist. To say my DW and I were distraught would be an understatement, but our DD has always marched to her own drum.
She applied again from the enlisted ranks and was accepted to the class of 2021 and had to come back early from Iraq. There is actually a video on a major network of her brigade commander telling her she was going to West Point while in Iraq.
Our DS looked at her example. His "back up" to USNA is USMA. His "plan C" is an enlistment contract in the Navy. He assumes he will have to serve out that obligation, but his goal is to apply to USNA from the ranks.

So my initial statement. It depends on what you want. Following your dad to USNA is a great goal. He and my brother were a year behind each other, BTW. But you have a few options.
1. Go ROTC if you just want to be an officer. You can apply to USNA from ROTC as well.
2. Enlist and apply from the ranks. Your dad will probably have a coronary as I did when my DD came home at Christmas and told me what she was doing, but do what is best for you.

I think there's a third option in there somewhere.

 

[Littledebbie246]

I’m in the same boat man. I’ve been looking a lot more at backup options and it honestly scares me so much since I’m pretty dead set on USNA. If you wanna talk or anything shoot me as message. I’m sure we’re feeling similar things rn.

 

[usna1985]

Enlist and apply from the ranks.

Can't speak for the US Army and USMA, but this is difficult to do for USNA. Not impossible by any means, but as someone on AD more recently than I will point out, you have to be a superstar AND the stars have to align (including your command being on board with your goals). Enlisting is absolutely the right thing for many people, but do NOT enlist with the idea that USNA will definitely happen for you or that you have a better chance coming from the Fleet than from college. It might work out but you should be fully prepared to do the full four years in the enlisted ranks (as the above poster's daughter seemed ready to do).

 

[UHBlackhawk]

Enlist and apply from the ranks.

Can't speak for the US Army and USMA, but this is difficult to do for USNA. Not impossible by any means, but as someone on AD more recently than I will point out, you have to be a superstar AND the stars have to align (including your command being on board with your goals). Enlisting is absolutely the right thing for many people, but do NOT enlist with the idea that USNA will definitely happen for you or that you have a better chance coming from the Fleet than from college. It might work out but you should be fully prepared to do the full four years in the enlisted ranks (as the above poster's daughter seemed ready to do).

Not many stars have to align though your chain of command must be supportive and it would be a pretty lame chain of command that would not support a qualified candidate.
Someone like this would already have one nomination and would only need an endorsement from her CO.
Also, I think most people who were qualified enough to be considered for an appointment will do well enlisted if they are the material that should go to a service academy.
Many of the enlisted slots go unfilled each year. I’ve known people who were linguists and received appointments before they even finished their training.

 

[coachkarl]

DS didn't get his appointment until May 1. So, I think your'e getting some solid advice here - go at Plan B (and C and D, etc.) 100%, but don't give up the ship.

 

[Cryptospook]

I happened to be gaining information on incoming plebes when I saw this post (Remember 2022, detailers are always watching). Your father is a smart man, as you do not want to be left without an option if USNA doesn't pan out this year. When I visited USNA back in 2013 the plebe assigned to be said he thought USNA accepted 100% of those who wanted to go, just maybe not the first time around. I am a strong believer in this. If USNA is what you really want, you will get in. I ended up having to go through the application process 3 times, but here I am in the last real plebe class of 2019 . The past 3-6 months of waiting may seem like forever, but in the grand scheme of things its a very small amount for giving 4 years to the Academy plus 5+ after as an officer. It would be awesome to get an LOA immediately, but looking back I am extremely grateful I waited 2 years before finally getting in. I am ahead of my classmates, so can do really cool projects here since I am done with the hard classes, might get my graduate degree in as little as a year after USNA, and was able to build a really strong relationship with my HS sweetheart that would not have lasted if I had left right away (Wedding date set 1 week after graduation). There is a large amount of people here that did at least 2 years of college. My Company Commander this going to be 27 at graduation. But USNA will definitely set you up to be extremely successful in life if you take advantage of your time here.

On a side note, I did not receive my LOA until April 20 something even though the academy said they would be out by April 15. Hang in there, and enjoy life while you wait.


'19 Mid