My TWE

jasongerman9

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2013
Messages
16
Well, I received my TWE in the mail Friday night. Bit of a bad time, I was planning a fire with some close friends, but you have to keep moving, I suppose. I may or may not reapply next year. If I don't, I'll most likely be off to OCS after college graduation, depending on how my college baseball career goes.

I would like to take this moment to thank everyone on this forum for their insight, advice, and help throughout this difficult and stressful process. I didn't ALWAYS have an account; rather, I did some stalking. But regardless, many of you have helped more than you will ever know, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I plan to frame my rejection letter. Sounds crazy, right? As with most candidates, this is the first time I've failed. All it becomes is motivation when I stare at it while doing pushups or situps. Keep the faith, congratulations to all appointees, and GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!
 
I'm sorry to hear about the TWE. I'll be honest, when I received my acceptance letter in april of '09 (I'm currently USNA class of '13), I was very surprised, especially since I didn't receive a principle nomination. I was the "Number 2" guy from all three congressman I interviewed and was even asked how I liked NAPS. I also had a full NROTC scholarship under my belt so I was sure that the ROTC route was going to be my route of choice. However, I received the acceptance letter and have somehow managed to make it through here and will graduate this coming May. Looking back on it, however, I'm almost positive that if I graduated any time after '09, I probably would have been rejected/waitlisted/sent to NAPS or some other prep school. Between the downsizing of the military and the politically correct 'necessity' for diversity, you'd have a much better chance of getting accepted if you're not white. This may sound brutal, but it's the truth. looking at statistics over the last few years will show that applicants that are usually considered "minorities" and have average/low scores on SAT/ACT's have a better chance of being accepted right away due to this diversity issue. It's very unfortunate, but sadly that's the way things are. If you really want USNA, then go to college for a year, excel at academics, reapply to USNA, validate a few courses, and you'll be on easy street. However, if you choose ROTC, that's awesome too, because at the end of the day, an Ensign's an Ensign
 
Now this is a person who speaks the truth. Diversity killed my chance. Look at my prior posts. A lot on this forum are in denial.
 
HardCharger just wondering what type of diversity are your referring to? If you are referring to ethnicity, it couldn't have been worse than me. I am an asian american male, probably one of the worst type of applicant for college admissions. If you are also an asian american male, I understand your situation but maybe you were just not what they were looking for. In my district alone, there were 4 asian american who have received appointments to USNA this year (one decided to go to WP).
As you said diversity may have made it more difficult for you, but if you already knew that, you should have made yourself look better and stand out. I don't mean to sound arrogant in anyway but with that kind of mentality, I can kind of see why USNA did not appoint you.
Anyway on a side note, I congratulate you on your appointment to USAFA. I hope you have a great time in Colorado Springs if you already committed.
 
An insider has spoken, and you have no basis yet you still don't believe. My point exactly. You must be arrogant.
 
Hardcharger, can you not speak for yourself? I asked you a question and you have yet to answer it. I also never said that GC44 was ever wrong and I agree with everything he says. But, asian americans are also minorities at nearly every college and especially at a school like USNA. Yet they are considered as an over represented minority group so it just makes it more challenging for applicants like me. Where am I getting my basis from? My sister is an admissions officer at Stanford and I am pretty sure that admissions can't be that different between the two schools.
You say that I am arrogant? This would be arrogant:
I am confident to say that the average sat/act scores for asians are significantly higher than all the other minority groups and even higher than the caucasian average. With a 2320 and 35 on the ACT, I am pretty damn sure that my score is higher than yours. I'm a research intern at Columbia University for Electrical Engineering/Physics, president of 3 clubs, captain of my school varsity fencing team, and a hell lot more. I maxed out on everything for the CFA except for the bball throw where i threw 85ish ft and I have 1500+ hours of community service. I traveled to Kenya for over a week to help teach kids without education and find a solution to purifying their contaminated water. I received a 4 year NROTC scholarship to MIT but I chose to attend USNA.
Now if I didn't get in I would blame diversity and how "diversity killed my chance."
 
I am simply in belief that I didn't get in because my records just were not good enough. I scored a 31 on the ACT, didn't do so well on the CFA (I was recoving from a broken collarbone), and I didn't have the chance to take Physics or Calc because my school doesn't offer AP or Honors courses and I had to straighten out my schedule. Maybe diversity takes place. But I feel that in my case, it didn't.
 
Now this is a person who speaks the truth. Diversity killed my chance. Look at my prior posts. A lot on this forum are in denial.

No one here is in denial. It is what it is. You live in a very competitive area, and there aren't enough slots for everyone. Your stats are impressive, and you got an appointment to USAFA. Congratulations! You belong to a church group; did it ever occur to you that God has other plans for you besides USNA? Look up Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28. Take that appointment to USAFA and move on. I wish you the very best in the future!

Jasongerman9, you have a great attitude! Whatever you do in the future, I wish you success!
 
But...Diversity Did Not Kill All Chances

Now this is a person who speaks the truth. Diversity killed my chance. Look at my prior posts. A lot on this forum are in denial.

The vast majority of those who are appointed remain white males. Why didn't diversity kill their chances?
How do you analyze that end of the spectrum...regarding why so many others with your same/very similar demographics got in over you? I am always curious as to that.

I agree with others that say that: Perhaps God has another plan for you, if you are open to it.
S
 
The vast majority of those who are appointed remain white males.
The vast majority of those who apply are white males.
Why do they receive fewer Appointments as a percentage of those that apply?
Because God wants it that way?:cool:
 
Relative Competition

Right...I understand that most who apply are white males. What I wonder is does that demograhpic compare itself to one another when a rejection comes?
2 white males we know received appointments. Why them over others (like OP)? I suppose if one knew the answer to that, it would explain a lot!

Our BGO's theory is that aside from CD, your interview, recommendations and the 'feel' the academy gets about you (especially via the BGO) all make a very big difference when the standard factors of GPA, SATs, Sports and Leadership are all of solid quality. He personally has a said a couple of guys came off as terribly arrogant, rather than confident, and his write up was not overly positive because of that. Do those kinds of things carry great weight?

S
 
The vast majority of those who apply are white males.
Why do they receive fewer Appointments as a percentage of those that apply?
Because God wants it that way?:cool:

It was certainly not my intent to turn this into a discussion on what God does or does not want. That's His business. :smile: My comment to hardcharger (who indicated in another thread that he was involved in a church group) was meant as an encouragement to him to try to move on instead of dwelling on USNA and whether or not the diversity issue is the reason for his TWE. He will never know for sure. The OP has the right attitude here: to use that TWE as motivation to excellence rather than an excuse to complain about something he has no control over.
 
An insider has spoken, and you have no basis yet you still don't believe. My point exactly. You must be arrogant.

Here's a few thoughts, HardCharger:

1. You got into USAFA (congratulations) and not to USNA. You are from Virginia, it appears from your posts. USAFA also has a policy that values diversity and the USAF also actively seeks members of under-represented minorities in its officer corps. The most likely direct causation for you not getting into USNA is the higher level of competition for USNA in VA/Maryland.

2. Whether or not diversity is an appropriate consideration in admissions is something that can be, and obviously frequently is, debated -- the U.S. Supreme Court is looking at that issue right now, in fact. Right now, diversity is a legal factor in admissions for all colleges, including service academies. If you are interested in getting a historical view of a time when USNA was lily-white, and some of the reasons why the Navy itself wants to make sure that is no longer the case, you might read "Sea Change at Annapolis," available on Amazon. It may be that even if the Supreme Court strikes down affirmative action in college admissions generally, they would defer to the Services' collective decision that they want a diverse officer corps and they want diversity at the flagship officer accession programs, the Service Academies. You might keep the tiniest open mind on this issue as you join the military -- you might not change your mind but when you are commanding troops from all walks of American life, or working with great officers who didn't excel academically before or during their SA careers, you might just modify your viewpoint too.

3. Your path is now leading you to Colorado Springs and USAFA. Nothing is more sapping of your energy during Plebe Summer (or BCT at USAFA, I'm sure) than going in with regrets, or doubts, or a feeling that you really belong somewhere else. You are probably just venting some steam here, but if you're really dwelling on this try to think all Wild Blue Yonder All the Time by the time you are starting to feel the altitude on your first day. A lot of guys would kill for an appointment to any service academy -- you've got one. Pat yourself on the back and be happy and, yes, thankful, that you've got that appointment.

4. Finally, labeling a poster who disagrees with you as "arrogant" that quickly comes across as . . . well . . . arrogant. There's a place for confidence and even cockiness in the military -- met any fighter pilots or Marines? -- but there's a time and a place for it too. Your posts suggest you may need to work on following, and listening, a little bit more before you take your place as a leader. (Which only puts you in with the majority of 18 year old guys with a track record of success.)

Good luck to you.
 
He personally has a said a couple of guys came off as terribly arrogant, rather than confident, and his write up was not overly positive because of that. Do those kinds of things carry great weight?

In a word, no.

BGO interviews carry some weight but (as described more fully in my sticky above) are extremely unlikely to make a huge difference for most candidates.

Putting aside racial/ethnic diversity for a moment (because we will NEVER resolve this issue on this site), USNA has been seeking more geographic diversity. There are still districts where there are zero or very few applicants, let alone qualified applicants. Some of those districts are in inner cities; others are in very rural areas. If USNA is able to find qualified applicants there, those slots have to come from elsewhere -- and those places tend to be areas that are "overrepresented" at USNA.

Also, the entering class size is smaller today than it was even 10 yrs ago. The graduating class size remains about the same (~1000) but due to decreased attrition, it takes a much smaller entering class (1190 today vs. 1350 in my day and about 1250 only a few years ago) to achieve that endpoint. That means up to 160 people who were appointed in the past now aren't offered appointments. Again, those slots have to come from somewhere.

Why does someone get into Harvard and not Yale? Why does someone get into USAFA and not USNA? Why does someone get into Amherst but not Colgate? It happens all of the time because admissions decisions are made by people and what is super-appealing to one person/school may not be as appealing to another.
 
You belong to a church group; did it ever occur to you that God has other plans for you besides USNA? Look up Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28.
I agree with others that say that: Perhaps God has another plan for you, if you are open to it.
S
It was certainly not my intent to turn this into a discussion on what God does or does not want. That's His business. :smile:
Yet....somehow....someway....God's will seems to have found a place in this thread.
 
Folks,

Please leave religion out of the discussion. Let's keep this thread -- and this forum -- on the subject of USNA.

Thank you.

Your friendly mod.
 
futuremarinemom, I thank you for your kind words, and I hope that I can inspire others to apply to the Academy in the future. In my high schools history, albeit short (1966 was our first year), we've had one kid go to West Point in the 1970s and two to Colorado Springs. I harbor no ill will towards Annapolis or any service academy. Anyone who is bold enough and confident enough to give a SA a shot will have my encouragement.
 
Well, I received my TWE in the mail Friday night. Bit of a bad time, I was planning a fire with some close friends, but you have to keep moving, I suppose. I may or may not reapply next year. If I don't, I'll most likely be off to OCS after college graduation, depending on how my college baseball career goes.

I would like to take this moment to thank everyone on this forum for their insight, advice, and help throughout this difficult and stressful process. I didn't ALWAYS have an account; rather, I did some stalking. But regardless, many of you have helped more than you will ever know, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I plan to frame my rejection letter. Sounds crazy, right? As with most candidates, this is the first time I've failed. All it becomes is motivation when I stare at it while doing pushups or situps. Keep the faith, congratulations to all appointees, and GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!

Jason, I wanted to share my nephew's story. He was unable to get a medical waiver for USNA and ultimately went NROTC. Early in his freshman year he sprained his ankle and decided to give up NROTC. He graduated with an engineering degree and got an entry level job on the west coast (He was from NC). After a year he was laid off and moved back east. He got another engineering job. He decided he really didn't like being behind a desk and started researching FBI, Secret Service etc. etc. He finally applied to Naval OCS and was accepted as a pilot candidate. In July 2011 he was commissioned as an ensign and just a few weeks ago he earned his wings and is now a Naval helicopter pilot. It sounds like you have the determination to make your dreams come true. Best of luck!
 
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