Scared of not getting in

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Dan2012323213

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Joined
May 3, 2022
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West Point means a lot to me; it's more about just serving my country, it's about asserting my unwavering commitment to my values whilst I'm currently in another country that's hostile toward them. But I didn't do well in the CFA and I'm scared of not having the opportunity to retake it. :( any advice?
 
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If getting in the USMA fails you can head to an enlisted recruiter to get what you claim you want. If that is really what you want.

And if imposing you values and will on hostile unfriendly people in their own country is what you want nothing beats being an enlisted shooter a Ranger or an 0311. Or 8427

But many don’t really want to be enlisted shooters they want to be officers who manage and advise the actual shooters.

Good Luck either way but a SA is hardly the only way to earn a CIB or CAR
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
If getting in the USMA fails you can head to an enlisted recruiter to get what you claim you want. If that is really what you want.

And if imposing you values and will on hostile unfriendly people in their own country is what you want nothing beats being an enlisted shooter a Ranger or an 0311. Or 8427

But many don’t really want to be enlisted shooters they want to be officers who manage and advise the actual shooters.

Good Luck either way but a SA is hardly the only way to earn a CIB or CAR
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Though that's not quite what I meant, thanks. My top pick is the infantry.
 
There’s a major life lesson here. Sometimes we’re given a second chance, and even more than that. So unless you’re at the age limit, you have another opportunity to apply: next year. You also have some feedback: a poor CFA, presumably.

So if this is really something you want badly, what’s keeping you from applying again? What’s keeping you from starting a fitness regimen that will raise your CFA scores? A good portion of every plebe class is reapplicants. What’s stopping you from being one of them?

You can wallow and feel sorry for yourself. Or you can lift yourself up and carry on. Which path will you choose?
 
Dan2012323213 said:
Though that's not quite what I meant, thanks. My top pick is the infantry.
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For most on a SA forum that is not what they want. Not a lot of future Sen Paul Douglas’s who would opt for tip of the spear enlisted combat over being an officer.

Paul was 50 when he graduated USMC boot camp as a pvt. in 1942. Instead of taking an officers position in Washington.

The question is——-would they do that combat stuff you claim you want anyway as an enlisted, if they did not get in a SA?

That is when you know you have someone who truly wants to impose their will on others , in the others own country, while in a combat situation,

They will opt to do that even when not being paid the most. Or being the highest ranked.

Good Luck
 
I appreciate your honesty in expressing a fear/anxiety many others here may have. One rejection is not the end of the road, however. Your life continues and this isn’t something that has to be rushed through. A year of growth & preparation can solidify your desires and make you all the more ready for what you will face at a SA. Reach out to your FFR (respectively!), and express your desire to keep pursuing this. Prep schools are a great option, either as a Scholar or as a self-prep. Keep your eyes on the prize and trust the path you are on.
 
Physical fitness is the one thing you have complete control over. Make it a part of your daily routine. As an officer, especially in the infantry (enlisted for that matter, too) expectations of fitness are extremely high. Your timeline may require adjusting but you are not out of it.
 
Everyone has that fear, including candidates who had perfect resumes including CFA.

You either get in or you don’t. If you don’t, what will define you is your implementation of alternate paths to that goal, including reapplying next year.

Best of luck.
 
As others have stated, you don’t know what the academy will do with your CFA but if you are not quite up to the standard this year - you do have many options available to you to reapply or consider other paths. I am amazed though by the number of candidates that, each year, have a less-than-desirable CFA at the 11th hour and worry about getting in.

PLEASE…. If you are a candidate - begin to work on these things in your junior year. SAT and CFA are things that many find are not where they want them to be as they face deadlines January 31st. Begin to workout towards the CFA and take practice runs at it early. Don‘t submit until you know you are in the median zone (you can see many published suggested times/scores online.) And, begin to take your standardized tests early! With two years and super scoring, if you can’t be in that 50th percentile for the academy - after multiple tests and study over two years - maybe you should consider other options. In this online society there is SO much information and advice available to candidates - even videos of how to do well on and train for the CFA. I feel for those that don’t make the cut, but SAs are not for everybody that wants to be there.

Many candidates that are “fully qualified” each year are not offered appointments. Many of these try again. My son’s roommate last semester at USMA was a prior enlisted that tried for two years and finally made it into the prep-school and after USMA. He is one of the nicest and most admired cadets for his diligence. It took him five years to finally get to USMA and he didn’t quit! I don’t say these thinks trying to be harsh, but in the real world, just wanting it badly is not enough. It takes a plan and serious hard work to back up those desires. Not everybody can win a trophy. And, in the real world there really are winners and losers despite what some may want to teach these days. It is important that candidates understand this because in the military and conflict, loosing has a consequence that we don’t want as Americans.
 
Hey Dan,

I think I speak for most applicants when I say most of us had that fear. While West Point may appear to be the solution to those aspirations, and it is, however that vision can be attained a thousand different ways. I too was tunnel visioned on USMA when I had first applied, and after being rejected I was crushed. I moved on to ROTC while reapplying for the academy. It wasn't what I had dreamed of since I was a kid, but I ended up having a great time and met a lot of incredible people.

I ended up getting offered an appointment this time around for the class of 2027, but regardless of that fact, I am genuinely happy that I got rejected that first time. It taught me a hard lesson that will save me a lot of disappointment and pain in the future. I don't see it as a "waste of a year", as I developed in new ways and enjoyed many new experiences which would've been impossible at the academy. I instead see it as getting to experience the best of both worlds, the fun of college, and the honor of going to West Point.

The point I'm trying to make is to not getting tunnel visioned things happening exactly to your timeline. If things are meant to happen a certain way, they will. Even if it takes a bit longer. If it wasn't meant to happen, you will find the replacement to be just as or more gratifying then what you envisioned.

Best of luck to you on your path.
 
Jacobko75 said:
Hey Dan,

I think I speak for most applicants when I say most of us had that fear. While West Point may appear to be the solution to those aspirations, and it is, however that vision can be attained a thousand different ways. I too was tunnel visioned on USMA when I had first applied, and after being rejected I was crushed. I moved on to ROTC while reapplying for the academy. It wasn't what I had dreamed of since I was a kid, but I ended up having a great time and met a lot of incredible people.

I ended up getting offered an appointment this time around for the class of 2027, but regardless of that fact, I am genuinely happy that I got rejected that first time. It taught me a hard lesson that will save me a lot of disappointment and pain in the future. I don't see it as a "waste of a year", as I developed in new ways and enjoyed many new experiences which would've been impossible at the academy. I instead see it as getting to experience the best of both worlds, the fun of college, and the honor of going to West Point.

The point I'm trying to make is to not getting tunnel visioned things happening exactly to your timeline. If things are meant to happen a certain way, they will. Even if it takes a bit longer. If it wasn't meant to happen, you will find the replacement to be just as or more gratifying then what you envisioned.

Best of luck to you on your path.
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I was so happy to see that you got an appointment this year !!!!!
 
Don't give up......go to college, do Army ROTC, and re-apply. If you don't get an appointment next cycle, do another year of college/ROTC....hang in there.....and Good Luck!
 
It is okay to be scared; that's a typical feeling for candidates at this point. But frankly, the admissions process is now out of your control. As mentioned above, start working on your plan B if you have not already done so. Focus on your physical fitness. The path to service does not have to go through West Point. If service is your priority, there are many avenues, some of which could still lead you to the Academy.
 
I will echo what so many have already said. My father was rejected by the USAFA, did not get an ROTC scholarship but did ROTC anyway. Retired as a 3 star general. You never know what life holds, try to temper inevitable disappointment that comes in life with a view toward using it to build a different, maybe even better, future.
 
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