The Importance of Plans B, C and D

D

DocDD

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All applicants - I just wanted to take a moment to echo the importance of having plans B, C, and D in the hopper while also working on your plan A. My dear son had a pretty solid resume - ACT 35, GPA in top 5% of very competitive school, 9 AP classes with largely 5s on all tests, boys state acceptance, team captain, college research, meaningful high school leadership, volunteer hours, jobs throughout high schools, beat the average on all facets of his CFA, stellar recommendations, and had collected three nominations. He also heard from his interviewers that he did really well. He had been working towards his USAFA goal since 9th grade and had felt that he had put forth the most competitive application that he could. That being said - he got the TWE. Does he know why he didn't get in? No. Maybe he said something the wrong way. Maybe as the class came together, they weren't looking for what he had from this state. However when the class came together...it didn't include him. He was hurting for about a day...and then rapidly came to grips with the next best option which thankfully he had been working on for the past year as well. His goal remains the same, he just is taking a different path to achieve it than he initially hoped. So while he remains a little disappointed - as a parent I can also say that going thru the process made him a better person, regardless of the outcome. The skills and life lessons he has learned will be with him forever. So for all applicants - remember to work on other plans this year as well. And remember - if you are healthy, you have great options. Time and time again I am reminded that you learn more from challenges and disappointments, than you learn from easy success.

In being with him thru the journey - I wanted to highlight and thank all of those that contribute to this forum. There are so many amazing authors that are dedicated to helping applicants year after year on this forum. You have an unique ability to give wise advice, provide compassion and sympathy, and pepper in a little sense of humor along the way. In particular Captain MJ, Steve, OldRetSWO, DevilDoc, Larry Mullen just to name a few...the list goes on and on. You are amazing people to give so much of your time.
 
DocDD said:
All applicants - I just wanted to take a moment to echo the importance of having plans B, C, and D in the hopper while also working on your plan A. My dear son had a pretty solid resume - ACT 35, GPA in top 5% of very competitive school, 9 AP classes with largely 5s on all tests, boys state acceptance, team captain, college research, meaningful high school leadership, volunteer hours, jobs throughout high schools, beat the average on all facets of his CFA, stellar recommendations, and had collected three nominations. He also heard from his interviewers that he did really well. He had been working towards his USAFA goal since 9th grade and had felt that he had put forth the most competitive application that he could. That being said - he got the TWE. Does he know why he didn't get in? No. Maybe he said something the wrong way. Maybe as the class came together, they weren't looking for what he had from this state. However when the class came together...it didn't include him. He was hurting for about a day...and then rapidly came to grips with the next best option which thankfully he had been working on for the past year as well. His goal remains the same, he just is taking a different path to achieve it than he initially hoped. So while he remains a little disappointed - as a parent I can also say that going thru the process made him a better person, regardless of the outcome. The skills and life lessons he has learned will be with him forever. So for all applicants - remember to work on other plans this year as well. And remember - if you are healthy, you have great options. Time and time again I am reminded that you learn more from challenges and disappointments, than you learn from easy success.

In being with him thru the journey - I wanted to highlight and thank all of those that contribute to this forum. There are so many amazing authors that are dedicated to helping applicants year after year on this forum. You have an unique ability to give wise advice, provide compassion and sympathy, and pepper in a little sense of humor along the way. In particular Captain MJ, Steve, OldRetSWO, DevilDoc, Larry Mullen just to name a few...the list goes on and on. You are amazing people to give so much of your time.
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You are most welcome. Your insights about your son’s experience are invaluable. Your son sounds like he is resilient and adaptable and self-healing - I’ll take that in a heartbeat as top traits for a JO.
 
Remember that reapplication is a possibility. I am a reapplicant appointee, and while I certainly wasn't hoping to have to do 5 years of college, I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. My one year at a civilian college and ROTC leaves me feeling more prepared for USAFA than I would've been had I been direct out of high school.

If it was his dream to attend USAFA for 4+ years, as was mine, remind him that if he truly does want USAFA, he can always try again. Reapplication does show favorably in the eyes of admissions.
 
If Plan B is AFROTC he may end up liking that better than USAFA. I know of one young man who graduated from USAFA and is doing well in the Air Force, but wishes he had done regular college AFROTC instead of USAFA. Of course, if USAFA is what your DS really wants, he sounds like he probably would have a good shot as a re-applicant. As to 5 years of college, I would kill have a chance to go to college for 5 more years.

With an application as strong as your DS appears to have, he won't have to go below Plan B. I don't think he will need C or D. But as advise to others, like my own DS, definitely have a Plan A, B, C, D and even Plan E. (My DS has everything going for him except SAT scores (so far.) So now, he is even prepared to go with Plan D, which is to start at community college, transfer to a State University and then do NROTC as a college programmer. Plan E, will be to get a four year college degree, enlist in the Navy or Coast Guard and then seek OCS. We call him the "Honey Badger" because nothing bothers him. He just keeps on coming.)
 
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Thank you all for your well wishes - as I wrote this yesterday I really wanted to pass along the importance of having other plans, something that is stated time and time again on this forum. I also want to make sure that this doesn't create higher anxiety among those that are just starting their application. All you can do is present your best self. My DS worked hard, heard that he was very well qualified, but for whatever reason was not accepted. What he was doing all along the way was working hard on his other plans. Once he have moved on from the TWE, he became really excited about his other plans. His ultimate concern is to fly in the AF - and there are other paths to achieve that goal. He has loosely mentioned a reapplication next year to USAFA, however like his initial application this last year, it is his choice and we are there to listen, reflect, support, and offer advice when asked.

Again - so many of the posters on this forum are clearly amazing role models both virtually, as well as I suspect in your respective communities.
 
DocDD said:
Thank you all for your well wishes - as I wrote this yesterday I really wanted to pass along the importance of having other plans, something that is stated time and time again on this forum. I also want to make sure that this doesn't create higher anxiety among those that are just starting their application. All you can do is present your best self. My DS worked hard, heard that he was very well qualified, but for whatever reason was not accepted. What he was doing all along the way was working hard on his other plans. Once he have moved on from the TWE, he became really excited about his other plans. His ultimate concern is to fly in the AF - and there are other paths to achieve that goal. He has loosely mentioned a reapplication next year to USAFA, however like his initial application this last year, it is his choice and we are there to listen, reflect, support, and offer advice when asked.

Again - so many of the posters on this forum are clearly amazing role models both virtually, as well as I suspect in your respective communities.
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Sounds like my DS’s situation. His Doolie year both he and his roommate were reapplicants from large Tx Universities. Both really liked their detachments and it wasn’t an easy decision for either. After the TWE my DS didn’t think he’d reapply, he was just going to do AFROTC. If your DS wants to fly he should reapply if just to increase his pilot chances. Having to decide between an appointment vs staying in your detachment is not a bad position to be in. May not even matter as DS met up at UPT with some of his old detachment albeit a few classes behind them. Good luck to your DS. He sounds like a fine young man.
 
My first son did not get into USAFA as this was his first choice but he had a Plan B for Texas Tech and ROTC. He went there and graduated and is now an Intelligence officer. He met lifelong friends in the short time and Goodfellow AFB and most if not all were from the Academy. My second son is currently C2C and a majority of these classmates at Goodfellow knew him and relayed this to my older son. His Plan B worked out for him and he has no regrets about going a different route. It worked for him as most kids should have a backup to succeed.
 
This is an awesome post that highlights the happiness that can come with proper perspective, no matter what challenges life throws. Your kid is going to kick a$$ no matter what and you should be proud for sure!
 
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