I’m considering going to college for a year to self prep and then applying. What are your thoughts on this? I think it would benefit me as I would enter the academy (if accepted) more experienced.
Are you already in the application process now and considering closing your application?
Why not go for it, see how you do, and if you are not given an offer of appointment, then you smoothly toggle to your alternate plan of college, taking a tough SA-like first year schedule? Then, you will be seen by nom authorities and Admissions as a college RE-applicant, someone who gave it their best shot during their first opportunity to apply, but is persevering to try again, showing commitment and determination. Your HS records would already be on file. Your DoDMERB is good for two years from the date of your first application. If you do ROTC at your college, you can apply for a nom from them.
There are many college re-applicants at SAs, as well as re-re-applicants and even re-re-re-applicants. Don’t worry about commissioning a year later. That is not a big deal at all, though it may seem that way. It’s not a race. There are mids and cadets at the upper limits of the age range as well as the lower.
If you have been looking left and right at “stats” here on SAF and think you’ll never get in, there is no way of knowing.
Of course, as you have been moving through this process and doing your research, you may be coming to the conclusion the best fit for you is the ROTC path to a commission. That is perfectly fine too. Talking out loud on an anonymous forum about self-prepping is a way to see how that sounds to yourself. Typically, though, you see the term “self-prep” used by those who have not been offered an appointment after applying, and have not been offered a prep scholarship at a civilian prep or the military prep school itself. Speaking of which, everyone who applies is considered for those, and are you ready to let that opportunity go this cycle? For all you know, you might be just the kind of candidate they want to give that to.
My two cents is don’t close a door yourself, let the SA do it, if that is the way it happens, and then fiercely go after your college alternative prep path.