Not sure that anything really helps in the beginning- but I am re-posting something I sent via PM to another TWE parent about my son's journey post-TWE:
My son went through all the stages of grief; disappointment, sadness, withdrawal, anger, but he knew that he did want to proceed with trying to commission which is why he enrolled in the NROTC college program- and that was the BEST decision. He did "basic training"; mandatory PE; enforced study hall (which of course helped his GPA)- and his exposure to the military lifestyle was a really good fit for him. His fellow NROTC unit members made no distinction between college programmers and scholarship awardees, which was nice. He reapplied to NROTC as soon as he was able to (in June I think), and heard that he received a scholarship in September- which was to start his sophomore year.
He was ambivalent about the USNA, I think because he did not want to go through the whole application/rejection cycle. But he did the USNA reapplication over the summer and let his recs go in. With the NROTC scholarship in hand- he initially was not going to finish the USNA application- as he was happy- especially during basic training when he was very immersed in NROTC. BUT... truthfully- my husband pushed him, saying that he thought he would regret it if he did not give it another shot. And, as it turns out, as the semester went on, and the unit became "less military" for lack of a better word, my son was less satisfied, and realized that he wanted something more in terms of officer training than what he was getting. So, after talking with the BGO in December, he sent his final HS transcript in early January- and his 1st semester college grades shortly after.
I know from the BGO- that the pattern of my son's thinking is typical of college reapps- they have MANY reapplicants who initiate the reapp, and then, like my son- have second thoughts as they settle in to college life and are happy where they are and never finish the process- kids are very resilient, thank God. One thing I can say with reasonable certainty, is that your son/daughter WILL feel better and be happy - and if he/she wants to re-open the door to that application process- it can turn out well for them as it has for so many others on the site this year. And - while my DS is waiting on his "Permission to Report" packet; another freshman member of his NROTC unit who also received a USNA appointment this year on re-app- is happy and has elected to stay in the college NROTC program. He turned down the appointment.