Question about Enlisting the way into West Point

[hinhd]

I am 17, a high school senior, and I am soon enlisting through the Delayed Entry Program.

I know the Army is definitely for me. I seek a lifetime of service. And, of course, I am applying to West Point's Class of 2024 to get its particular lifestyle in higher education.

I plan to submit my application when it is complete and hopefully become a cadet in the eldest service academy in the nation. At the same time, I'd be in the DEP (Delayed Entry Program), which is Plan B, supposing I do not receive an appointment to West Point.

I took the SAT once and scored 1330. My GPA (unweighted) is 4.0, and my class rank is 1 out of 482.
*Maybe responses to the thread would be influenced by this*

I'm worried that if I enter a particular MOS, and I choose a specific term in the contract (say, four years), then perhaps I would not be able to apply to West Point's Class of 2025 as an enlisted soldier. For example, if I enter Infantry for four years, would I have the "time" and "place" to apply to West Point?

Now, I'm not quite knowledgeable about this; I would like to know more to increase my chances of obtaining an appointment to USMA's Class of 2025 as an enlisted soldier (IF I do not get into the Class of 2024).

So today, I would appreciate suggestions for what MOS or occupational field I should sign up for and what the term of my contract should look like.

 

[eaglesalex]

I don't think it matters. Service is service. I know prior enlisted people from USMAPS that were paralegals, medics, infantry, all that. And from what I remember, attending West Point terminates your old contract with the Army.

 

[Zaggs]

As long as you show the ability and capacity for leadership whilst enlisted, your CO should recommend you regardless of your MOS. Just make sure you stay on top of test scores and take some college classes to show you really want to attend Westpoint if you do not receive a direct appointment.

 

[NJROTC-CC]

Just curious, why would you not also apply for an ROTC scholarship?

 

[AROTC-dad]

Just curious, why would you not also apply for an ROTC scholarship?

• Some SA candidates may not need the ROTC scholarship, either having the funds to attend regular college or have already earned other scholarships.
• Others plan to enlist instead of attending college and try again for an appointment through the military (The OP is going this route). They simply are not interested in a "regular" college.
• Some candidates will choose to "self prep" for one year if they are turned down.
• Still others seek the prestige of attending an SA, but are less interested in commissioning through ROTC.
• Some plan to enter ROTC but don't want to necessarily contract (which a scholarship requires) until they get a "feel" if they want to commit to service. (An academy allows two years to "walk away." Army ROTC three and four year scholarships only allow one year)

 

[kinnem]

... and some can't afford college and decide to chase that degree through the GI Bill or other mechanisms. Many think that serving as enlisted personnel will make them a better officer (I don't agree with that, but...).

 

[OldRetSWO]

Many think that serving as enlisted personnel will make them a better officer.

And often, that thought is planted by recruiters who (quite coincidentally) have a quota to fill.

 

[hinhd]

Just curious, why would you not also apply for an ROTC scholarship?

• Some SA candidates may not need the ROTC scholarship, either having the funds to attend regular college or have already earned other scholarships.
• Others plan to enlist instead of attending college and try again for an appointment through the military (The OP is going this route). They simply are not interested in a "regular" college.
• Some candidates will choose to "self prep" for one year if they are turned down.
• Still others seek the prestige of attending an SA, but are less interested in commissioning through ROTC.
• Some plan to enter ROTC but don't want to necessarily contract (which a scholarship requires) until they get a "feel" if they want to commit to service. (An academy allows two years to "walk away." Army ROTC three and four year scholarships only allow one year)

Hello Sir, thank you very much for summarizing the possibilities people may have to prefer a service academy over ROTC.
As you mentioned, I would absolutely adore a military-oriented environment in higher education.

 

[AROTC-dad]

As you mentioned, I would absolutely adore a military-oriented environment in higher education

Understood. For you, the journey (Academy experience) is equally as important as the destination (commissioning). For my DS, it was not the case. He did not wish to reapply to the academies, because it simply delayed his primary goal (commissioning) by a year. For him, the destination was the most important thing.

 

[hinhd]

Just curious, why would you not also apply for an ROTC scholarship?

Thank you for viewing the thread, Sir.
I-- at one point-- considered an ROTC scholarship for college. However, after doing extensive research on service academies, and especially USMA, I decided that it was what I would go for. I wanted to be in a *military school*. I loved so much the passion and patriotism that radiated from West Point. I worked very hard (but, that's not exactly for me to decide) so far in high school. Subsequently, I figured that a competitive school like USMA was something I should have strived for. I decisively decided on this decision during my junior year of high school, and I started my application then.

Also, I do not mind enlistment as a plan B because I think the experience in it would make me a more alerted soldier, comparatively to if I went to West Point with 0 enlisted experience.

 

[hinhd]

I don't think it matters. Service is service. I know prior enlisted people from USMAPS that were paralegals, medics, infantry, all that. And from what I remember, attending West Point terminates your old contract with the Army.

Thank you for your response, Sir. I was afraid the conditions might change on what occupational field I would enlist into.

 

[hinhd]

As long as you show the ability and capacity for leadership whilst enlisted, your CO should recommend you regardless of your MOS. Just make sure you stay on top of test scores and take some college classes to show you really want to attend Westpoint if you do not receive a direct appointment.

Thank you for replying, Sir-- I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I realize that soldiers should prove their academic ability prior to being noticed by USMA. But perhaps I'll focus on academics during this last year of high school.

 

[hinhd]

As you mentioned, I would absolutely adore a military-oriented environment in higher education

Understood. For you, the journey (Academy experience) is equally as important as the destination (commissioning). For my DS, it was not the case. He did not wish to reapply to the academies, because it simply delayed his primary goal (commissioning) by a year. For him, the destination was the most important thing.

Yes Sir, I greatly appreciate the words. I have to keep in the back of my mind, as well. Sometimes, I fear missing an appointment to the USMA due to my lacking ability in sports. I try my best, but I always fall behind when it comes to sports. I work out and exercise to make up for it. However, you are most definitely right. It doesn't matter what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb.

 

[AROTC-dad]

Sometimes, I fear missing an appointment to the USMA due to my lacking ability in sports. I try my best, but I always fall behind when it comes to sports. I work out and exercise to make up for it

Fitness has little to do with the value of sports on your resume. It is the teamwork that the military finds value in. A fitness junkie who has never been part of a team doesn't understand the esprit de corps and fellowship that comes with a sports team.....win or lose!

 

[hinhd]

Sometimes, I fear missing an appointment to the USMA due to my lacking ability in sports. I try my best, but I always fall behind when it comes to sports. I work out and exercise to make up for it

Fitness has little to do with the value of sports on your resume. It is the teamwork that the military finds value in. A fitness junkie who has never been part of a team doesn't understand the esprit de corps and fellowship that comes with a sports team.....win or lose!

Sir, you really know how to inspire people! What advice do you have for those who always let their mates down in team sports? Not by lack of effort, but just perhaps lack of skill & competence.

 

[THParent]

You need to check that attitude, pal.

 

[AROTC-dad]

Skill and competence come with discipline and practice. So long as you practice hard and consistently, your effort will result in better performance. With better performance, you earn respect.

skill = ( effort + coaching) x (practice + attitude )
competence = skill x consistency

Another favorite: Slow is steady, steady is smooth, smooth is fast.

 

[THParent]

...I took the SAT once and scored 1330. My GPA (unweighted) is 4.0, and my class rank is 1 out of 482.
*Maybe responses to the thread would be influenced by this*...

Now that I'm reading this, what could possibly make you think those things would influence responses in this thread? All of the Service Academies are full of Valedictorians with SAT scores above 1500.

 

[hinhd]

...I took the SAT once and scored 1330. My GPA (unweighted) is 4.0, and my class rank is 1 out of 482.
*Maybe responses to the thread would be influenced by this*...

Now that I'm reading this, what could possibly make you think those things would influence responses in this thread? All of the Service Academies are full of Valedictorians with SAT scores above 1500.

Sir, I was not trying to come off as pretentious. I apologize for the unclear intentions in the post. I shared my GPA, class rank, and SAT score (which I can improve on) because I thought perhaps my academics would indicate what kind of MOS I would enter. My real intention was seeking more knowledge of what field I should consider as an enlist applying to West Point. Of course, it's the ASVAB that determines it, but I wanted to write that bit in case if someone needed to know how my academics were like. I recognize that the cadets in service academies are well-rounded individuals with excellent academics. Furthermore, I wrote this post to explore my Plan B as an enlisted soldier-- in case if I do not receive an appointment to the Class of 2024. I know my weaknesses, and I'm trying to learn more of them every day.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

1. Going enlisted is not a bad route for some, but while being enlisted can enhance an application don’t assume it will be a golden ticket to West Point.
2. The MOS you select matters less than how you perform as a soldier. I’ve seen MPs, UAV operators, soldiers straight from language school without even time in a line unit, combat engineers, infantry, field artillery. It runs the gamut. But know that as good as a soldier as you might be getting into a service academy also depends on things outside your control such as support from your chain-of-command.
3. Going enlisted before a service academy (or any college for that matter), may be a helpful for some as a break from academics and as a chance to grow and mature. Heck, I think more 17-18 year olds could use a year off doing hard labor of some sort to help them mature. I know it helped my DD mature and gain perspective on life, but she didn’t enlist viewing it as a path to West Point.
4. Being prior service can initially help at a service academy as long as you have the right attitude. But also understand that there will also be higher expectations and different struggles as you come to learn the “West Point” way versus the “Army way”. Plus you are giving up recently earned freedom and often taking orders from senior Cadets younger than you. Remember, being a good leader means learning to be a good follower and the exercise of being a “New Cadet” is as much about developing the senior Cadets over you as it is about shaping the New Cadets.
Finally, any initial advantage that one might have as a prior service Cadet fades over time as your peers are trained on the same tasks. Yes, maybe you fired an M-4 before, but if you still shoot marksman while someone else with no background shoots expert your “experience” may be a detriment as you don’t meet the expectations of your fellow Cadets.
It will be the same in a line unit. Yes, prior service can help and maybe you will initially be given the benefit of doubt by those soldiers you lead. But it will only help if you view that experience in the light of being an officer now versus “one of the Joes”. If you fail to perform as an officer no one, the soldiers you lead or your fellow officers, will give a whit what you did when you were enlisted. There are examples such as General Gavin of soldier who successfully made the transition and was an excellent combat leader. But most will probably be like me where my enlisted time had little impact on a mediocre career.