Rejection from West Point...

As soon as you log in to the portal, you can't miss it........green box in the center near the top, under the words "your account"...to the right of the box that shows your name and your USMA ID
 
As someone who got in their third try from a military junior college I can honestly say it is worth it. The opportunities you will have access to at the Academy, during your service, and long after you leave the military cannot be bought. I have seen people who want their commission suffer through a program that has no life and no opportunities. Reapply for the long term benefits, the benefits of being apart of the AOG, the camaraderie you will be apart of for the rest of your life. Do this year of self or sponsored prep so your children don't have to.
 
Basically you have several options if you really want to attend USMA.
1. Go to a plan B school. Hopefully on an ROTC scholarship, but even if you don't get a scholarship sign up for ROTC and reapply. Look for opportunities at your university such as sports or clubs that would help your resume.
2. AOG spot, if offered. Great option. Two of my brothers and two nieces did this at USNA.
3. Enlist and reapply from the ranks.

My DD did a combination of 1 and 3. Went to school for a semester on an ROTC and athletic scholarship. Dropped out and enlisted, then applied from the ranks. Currently a Plebe.

Once enlisted did she reapply right away, or is there a waiting period?
 
Received two nominations and a 3Q letter, but was rejected today. It has been really difficult to cope with the rejection.
Very sorry to hear the disappointing news. I lived it last year. We were naïve and thought it impossible that West Point admissions wouldn't rush out to escort DS through the gates, as most first time applicants do. The reality was very sobering but DS was determined. We were fortunate that he received an AOG offer which he immediately accepted. This led to serious debate in our house as he had numerous very prestigious scholarship offers on the table. However he never waivered and reported to MMI in August on a mission to prove that he belonged at West Point. Fortunately upon arrival in Alabama he found 20 other AOG's just as determined as he was. Together they accomplished everything they set out to accomplish and they did it together. When July 2 rolls around they will all be reporting to R-day more mature, more confident, and more capable than they were a year ago. Best of all they each arrive with a built in support system of fellow cadets that they can depend on when the going gets tough.

That is a long winded way of saying if W.P. is what you really want don't give up. Many, many, very qualified applicants do not get in the first time, there are so many aspects to gaining appointment that are beyond your control . This does not have to be the end of the road if you don't want it to be.If you were 3Q qualified for West Point you are obviously very special. Good Luck in whatever you decide going forward.
 
Basically you have several options if you really want to attend USMA.
1. Go to a plan B school. Hopefully on an ROTC scholarship, but even if you don't get a scholarship sign up for ROTC and reapply. Look for opportunities at your university such as sports or clubs that would help your resume.
2. AOG spot, if offered. Great option. Two of my brothers and two nieces did this at USNA.
3. Enlist and reapply from the ranks.

My DD did a combination of 1 and 3. Went to school for a semester on an ROTC and athletic scholarship. Dropped out and enlisted, then applied from the ranks. Currently a Plebe.

Once enlisted did she reapply right away, or is there a waiting period?
Believe you have to spend a certain amount of time enlisted before you can apply. Your command has to sign off on it. Just spending a few months in a unit won't provide much benefit. They want real experience.
 
Believe you have to spend a certain amount of time enlisted before you can apply. Your command has to sign off on it. Just spending a few months in a unit won't provide much benefit. They want real experience.
And I would add, demonstrated leadership and hard work.
 
Received two nominations and a 3Q letter, but was rejected today. It has been really difficult to cope with the rejection.
Sometimes unanswered prayers are the right path. This was just one road or path to your future, thier will be many more opportunities for you.
 
Believe you have to spend a certain amount of time enlisted before you can apply. Your command has to sign off on it. Just spending a few months in a unit won't provide much benefit. They want real experience.
DD came and saw A-Day parade after attending airborne school right after graduation from AIT. Got to her unit a week later and opened her portal. Found out while deployed she was accepted. Someone from her class was in language school when notified of acceptance.
Results may vary.
 
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Once enlisted did she reapply right away, or is there a waiting period?

She went to airborne school after AIT. Between airborne school and reporting to her unit she watched the A-Day parade and decided to apply. She was notified that winter while in Iraq that she was accepted. Almost turned it down to stay with her unit.
 
Received two nominations and a 3Q letter, but was rejected today. It has been really difficult to cope with the rejection.

You still have a shot at the AOG. If you don’t have a solid plan B, look at MMI. Our DS self prepped after getting turned down from USAFA. We had no idea the amount of people who reapply, and that it was even an option. Your dreams not dead, just on hold for a bit. So thankful our son had an extra year to prepare. He just finished recognition at the academy and is beaming! The years of waiting are worth it, go for it!!
 
About 25% of each incoming class is NOT coming from HS. After rejection, my son was not offered AOG. He was told he'd be a strong reapplicant. He stayed in close contact w/ both his FFR and his RC. Shortly after the rejection, he was contacted by ROTC command. The letter stated that if his intent was to become an officer, they'd like to offer him a 3 year ROTC scholarship (he did NOT apply for this; it was just offered). His plan B was an SMC and ROTC (don't ask why he didn't apply for 4 year....still smh). He threw himself into cadet life and took classes as close to a plebe schedule as he could. He finished his application as early as possible. He sent his first semester grades as soon as they were available. He was accepted in February. College was going to take 4.5 years anyway...what is another semester? Most STEM majors take 4-5 years, so what is the issue w/ "starting over"? If you want it, go for it. Walls are not there to keep you out; they're there to see how bad you want it--to see if you can figure out how to get over it (paraphrased from Randy Pausch).
 
Believe you have to spend a certain amount of time enlisted before you can apply. Your command has to sign off on it. Just spending a few months in a unit won't provide much benefit. They want real experience.
DD came and saw A-Day parade after attending airborne school right after graduation from AIT. Got to her unit a week later and opened her portal. Found out while deployed she was accepted. Someone from her class was in language school when notified of acceptance.
Results may vary.
That's odd. I'm assuming she got an enlisted slot? You'd think they'd want a few years of experience from enlisted soldiers. I know they don't fill the allocated enlisted slots every year. Late congratulations to you and your DD
 
That's odd. I'm assuming she got an enlisted slot? You'd think they'd want a few years of experience from enlisted soldiers. I know they don't fill the allocated enlisted slots every year. Late congratulations to you and your DD
Yes, she received an enlisted slot. There is a fine line as they must meet the age requirement. No more waivers for this so if a person needs a year of MAPS (my DD did not), they are on a tight schedule.
The US Army now uses teams that go around to installations and help enlisted soldiers do an application in one day. Soldiers with Gt scores above a certain level are targeted and encouraged to apply.
 
@UHBlackhawk daughter is a great story and many of us have seen the video of the Brigade Commander calling her out front to tell her. She is classmates with my DD and these young women are doing great things; the year of maturity sure helps when you get there. I have my own DD who took a different route through regular college and ROTC. You see other success stories about self-prep or SMC. Against my wife's wishes, my advice to my DD was to chase her dreams and never give up reapplying if that is what she truly wanted.

BUT, these are just the stories with happy endings. No one comes back here and says my kid went to Marion as a Self Prep or Enlisted and is now miserable because they did not get in as a re-applicant. Not getting in as a re-applicant happens at least as often and probably more frequently.

There are numerous paths for a re-applicant and all have advantages and disadvantages. The four year college with ROTC is the path with the fewest roadblocks and the enlisted route is probably the most difficult to navigate as many things are outside your control. The other options are somewhere in between.

The best advice is to evaluate each option for what you want out of the experience and ensure you will be satisfied with the outcome if you do not get in.

Will you be happy serving four years as an enlisted soldier?
Will you be happy with a year at self prep and transferring to another college?
Will you be satisfied graduating and commissioning through the Corps at a SMC?

I purposely left sponsored prep out of the discussion as it is a no-brainer golden ticket if offered.
 
@UHBlackhawk daughter is a great story and many of us have seen the video of the Brigade Commander calling her out front to tell her. She is classmates with my DD and these young women are doing great things; the year of maturity sure helps when you get there. I have my own DD who took a different route through regular college and ROTC. You see other success stories about self-prep or SMC. Against my wife's wishes, my advice to my DD was to chase her dreams and never give up reapplying if that is what she truly wanted.

BUT, these are just the stories with happy endings. No one comes back here and says my kid went to Marion as a Self Prep or Enlisted and is now miserable because they did not get in as a re-applicant. Not getting in as a re-applicant happens at least as often and probably more frequently.

There are numerous paths for a re-applicant and all have advantages and disadvantages. The four year college with ROTC is the path with the fewest roadblocks and the enlisted route is probably the most difficult to navigate as many things are outside your control. The other options are somewhere in between.

The best advice is to evaluate each option for what you want out of the experience and ensure you will be satisfied with the outcome if you do not get in.

Will you be happy serving four years as an enlisted soldier?
Will you be happy with a year at self prep and transferring to another college?
Will you be satisfied graduating and commissioning through the Corps at a SMC?

I purposely left sponsored prep out of the discussion as it is a no-brainer golden ticket if offered.

I agree. DD did not enlist intending to apply to USMA. She has classmates who were good candidates who used enlistment to push them over the top or got them into prep, and she knows soldiers from her old unit who have applied but not been accepted. Every case is different and you need to really evaluate your competitiveness and understand that there are no guarantees- DD could easily have hurt herself on a jump and become medically unqualified for USMA. DW and I were sweating every jump she made until she showed up on R-Day.
 
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