Tell me what this means! VP nom after a turn down in February?!

[Texark147]

DS had a congressional and senate nom to West Point. He was turned down by WP via an official letter in his portal in mid February. That was the end of that dream. He accepted 4 year AROTC scholarship to the University of Illinois engineering program. He was finally out of limbo!

He had a moc nom for USAFA. In mid March he received a Falcon Scholarship from USAFA. It took him about a week to get his head around that idea and then he accepted it and signed up for NWP. He has been super exited and I was happy because once again he was out of limbo.

Today he just randomly logged into his West Point portal. He hasn't done that in weeks. He found a VPRE3 nomination for West Point. Someone tell me what this means?!!!!

Still waiting on Navy with a moc nom and at this point I am convinced anything can happen.

I think I'm going to throw up from this roller coaster ride!

 

[Capt MJ]

He should call USAFA Admissions and confirm he has a prep offer and inquire into the significance of the apparent VP nom. Fir a small handful of people on the go/no go cusp of prep, FFS and full offer, there can occasionally be a toggle.

 

[Texark147]

He should call USAFA Admissions and confirm he has a prep offer and inquire into the significance of the apparent VP nom. Fir a small handful of people on the go/no go cusp of prep, FFS and full offer, there can occasionally be a toggle.

This VP nom is for West Point though. He was turned down by them in February. There was no VP nom in his portal when he was turned down.

 

[Capt MJ]

This VP nom is for West Point though. He was turned down by them in February. There was no VP nom in his portal when he was turned down.

Ah. I follow now. Does he want to go to USMA? He can take a deep breath and wait a bit until later in April, because Stuff Does Happen, again to a tiny handful, or he can call and delicately inquire generally about the meaning. Perhaps they had no wiggle room on those slates.

Just for you:

 

[Texark147]

Ah. I follow now. Does he want to go to USMA? He can take a deep breath and wait a bit until later in April, because Stuff Does Happen, again to a tiny handful, or he can call and delicately inquire generally about the meaning. Perhaps they had no wiggle room on those slates.

Just for you:
View attachment 15798

He wanted West Point before he was turned down two months ago, and then after the falcon scholarship convinced himself that he wants to fly at USAFA. Lol!!!

 

[Capt MJ]

He is doing exactly the right things, embracing alternates and doing “visioning.”

I had a wise Navy boss once who said, “If a bearded older man didn’t bring the policy/decision down from a mountain top inscribed on stone tablets, it can be changed.”

 

[Texark147]

He is doing exactly the right things, embracing alternates and doing “visioning.”

I had a wise Navy boss once who said, “If a bearded older man didn’t bring the policy/decision down from a mountain top inscribed on stone tablets, it can be changed.”

"Visioning" I like that. Yes, that's exactly what he's been doing.

I trust your experience.....do you think the VP nom means that an appointment is imminent?

 

[Capt MJ]

"Visioning" I like that. Yes, that's exactly what he's been doing.

I trust your experience.....do you think the VP nom means that an appointment is imminent?

I think it reintroduces a possibility. Chances, imminence - unknown. There are very few of these. The SAs control them. They tend to use them late in the process to make an offer to someone who doesn’t have a nom or they don’t/can’t use one of the other nom authorities they have to select off a slate. Think of it as tiny, very tiny, sliver of hope.

 

[DrMom]

So, sometimes/rarely people are turned down and then they are appointed. At our house, USAFA came through with an appointment first--and it had to be accepted while #3 Son was still in the radio silent/no feedback from USMA-mode--and it was April.
If USMA comes through, your son will have to do the soul searching on his own about USAFA (which is awesome) versus USMA. It is not a quick thing--and if your kid truly wants to fly jets....

 

[IggyMom23]

Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster! I recall he was told his was a very competitive district and thus the TWE even with 2 noms. It seems to me that USMA still kept him in mind if after all this time if the VP mom showed up, and imagine he is very much still in the running. I’m not sure why the TWE though, and not just left him pending. It seems to me though, that getting the VP nom is a way for them to charge a potential appointment that way if his other nom spots are all used for other candidates. I’m still unclear as to whether they do this to offer an appointment, and it works the same as other noms? My DS got his VP nom and then appointment about a week later. Holy cow though! Would it change things for your DS? I don’t know about what happens with the Falcon scholarship and how binding it is, but if it’s like other appointments and if it can be accepted and then later given up. But if so, your DS still has time for a couple of weeks to decide…

 

[IggyMom23]

And definitely he is still in the running for USNA if he hasn’t heard anything yet. So that’s still a thing

 

[pa-outdoorsman]

I think it reintroduces a possibility. Chances, imminence - unknown. There are very few of these. The SAs control them. They tend to use them late in the process to make an offer to someone who doesn’t have a nom or they don’t/can’t use one of the other nom authorities they have to select off a slate. Think of it as tiny, very tiny, sliver of hope.

So you're saying there's a CHANCE!

 

[Texark147]

Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster! I recall he was told his was a very competitive district and thus the TWE even with 2 noms. It seems to me that USMA still kept him in mind if after all this time if the VP mom showed up, and imagine he is very much still in the running. I’m not sure why the TWE though, and not just left him pending. It seems to me though, that getting the VP nom is a way for them to charge a potential appointment that way if his other nom spots are all used for other candidates. I’m still unclear as to whether they do this to offer an appointment, and it works the same as other noms? My DS got his VP nom and then appointment about a week later. Holy cow though! Would it change things for your DS? I don’t know about what happens with the Falcon scholarship and how binding it is, but if it’s like other appointments and if it can be accepted and then later given up. But if so, your DS still has time for a couple of weeks to decide…

Your memory is correct on all counts. I am also confused as to why they would send an official rejection instead of just leave him pending if he was within reach of a VP nom. It's all very confusing. My son is shocked and doesn't know what to think. He spent the last two months thinking of all the "cons" of WP to try and get excited about other opportunities, which worked!! Lol. He said he will just be thankful to get a VP nom and try to not think about it until he knows if it means anything.

I believe prep school offers are non-binding if rejected for another service academy. Although, who knows. I guess I need to research that now.

At this point he isn't making any more decisions until the end of April (only 3 weeks, oh my!).

I read reports today that Falcon Scholars can turn into direct appointments, rarely, but now I know that rare things can happen! Plus, he hasn't heard a peep from Navy yet. He is sick of making a decision, getting excited about it, and then a new option immediately pops up. I know this sounds awful and spoiled to people that haven't heard anything, but we are mentally exhausted.

 

[IggyMom23]

Your memory is correct on all counts. I am also confused as to why they would send an official rejection instead of just leave him pending if he was within reach of a VP nom. It's all very confusing. My son is shocked and doesn't know what to think. He spent the last two months thinking of all the "cons" of WP to try and get excited about other opportunities, which worked!! Lol. He said he will just be thankful to get a VP nom and try to not think about it until he knows if it means anything.

I believe prep school offers are non-binding if rejected for another service academy. Although, who knows. I guess I need to research that now.

At this point he isn't making any more decisions until the end of April (only 3 weeks, oh my!).

I read reports today that Falcon Scholars can turn into direct appointments, rarely, but now I know that rare things can happen! Plus, he hasn't heard a peep from Navy yet. He is sick of making a decision, getting excited about it, and then a new option immediately pops up. I know this sounds awful and spoiled to people that haven't heard anything, but we are mentally exhausted.

Well he can rest knowing that at least he has the Falcon and put the others out of his mind until he hears from the others. But anything can happen!

 

[Capt MJ]

@Texark147

In thinking about how scarce on the ground the VP noms are, I suspect Admissions builds a rough working list of potential recipients. Depending on how the class is building out with acceptances and declinations, perhaps they worked their way to your son’s name later rather than earlier. No way of knowing, and it’s not worth the mental energy to try and figure out.

Class-building is an art and a science, with a lot of fluidity until the “gel” stage occurs in June.

 

[justdoit19]

@Texark147

In thinking about how scarce on the ground the VP noms are, I suspect Admissions builds a rough working list of potential recipients. Depending on how the class is building out with acceptances and declinations, perhaps they worked their way to your son’s name later rather than earlier. No way of knowing, and it’s not worth the mental energy to try and figure out.

Class-building is an art and a science, with a lot of fluidity until the “gel” stage occurs in June.

I this where the ‘throwing jello at a tree’ analogy comes in? I do t think I’ve heard you use that one yet this cycle.

 

[Capt MJ]

I this where the ‘throwing jello at a tree’ analogy comes in? I do t think I’ve heard you use that one yet this cycle.

I space them out. It’s a ritual.

 

[franknd]

If it were my kid, I'd start thinking a WP appointment offer is imminent. Can't imagine why else he'd get a VP nom. So he might start weighing the pros and cons of direct appointment to WP vs FFS at NWP. No point weighing Annapolis unless/until that also happens.

 

[Frog97]

This is fascinating to me! Our son was medically dq’d, it took about a month and we got word USMA requested a medical waiver, about 3 weeks later his waiver was granted and he received the NWL letter the next day. And now we sit waiting…….haven’t heard anything else. The roller coaster is so real and your journey definitely has some extra loops! I can’t wait to see how this all plays out. I’d just like USMA to let our son know one way or the other soon.

 

[Texark147]

This is fascinating to me! Our son was medically dq’d, it took about a month and we got word USMA requested a medical waiver, about 3 weeks later his waiver was granted and he received the NWL letter the next day. And now we sit waiting…….haven’t heard anything else. The roller coaster is so real and your journey definitely has some extra loops! I can’t wait to see how this all plays out. I’d just like USMA to let our son know one way or the other soon.

I totally understand and I hope that you all hear something soon. I think receiving that waiver is a positive sign!