USNA Appointment Acceptance

[Navyboy17]

Hello, I was recently offered an appointment this month. I am so ecstatic and am going to accept, but my parents are now wanting me to ask some questions before I do.

1) Obviously, I need to be in top physical condition before heading into Plebe Summer. My parents are worried that if I accept too early and get an injury in a sport this year, I won't be able to even attend a school next year. What exactly happens if someone accepts an appointment and then receives an injury that has not healed by the beginning of Plebe Summer?

2) Are there disadvantages or advantages to accepting early?

I appreciate all of your help. I obviously want to accept it ASAP, but my parents just want me to analyze some scenarios and realize what is going on before I accept. I guess they just want me to take one final big step and analyze and make sure I'm making the right decision. Thanks a lot!

 

[cajunrouge2021]

What exactly happens if someone accepts an appointment and then receives an injury that has not healed by the beginning of Plebe Summer?

From a USMA briefing I attended the officer made it clear that you would be SOL and not be attending. I guess reapply the next year.

 

[MammaMia]

Congratulations on your appointment! It's wise to have a backup plan. DS accepted his appointment, was injured, had surgery and was cleared in April before I-Day. He had also applied to other schools (Plans B, C, etc.), accepted a spot at our flagship state university just in case he was turned back at I-Day (it happens), and notified them after I-Day that he wouldn't be attending. Others have had to reapply, but I believe the path is a bit easier and as long as you do well in Plan B school your first year, you are likely to receive an LOA and be reappointed. @mb1895 has posted about his experience going through this.

 

[time2]

1) Regardless of when you accept your appointment (which is my impression of what you are really asking), you are required to let USNA know of any change to your medical status after you take & pass DODMERB. Getting injured or any major change to your medical status (regardless of whether it is before or after you accept your appointment) could impact your ability to start the program. The exact nature of your medical issue would determine what happens next and I don't think it is wise to speculate on hypothetical medical situations. You can search older threads where someone has discussed their specific medical issue and how it got resolved.

2) You should accept the appointment when you are ready to do so. If there is a deadline provided, you should reply by that time. Your commitment to USNA only starts when you show up on I-Day and begin the program.

 

[NavyHoops]

There are lots of threads on Plan B schools as mentioned above. The norm for someone who does get injured and cannot swear in I Day is an LOA to the next class. They say to go home, enroll in school and take a Plebe like schedule, stay out of trouble, get cleared from dodmerb and swear in 1 year later. Like I said, this is the norm. Exceptions always exist. Bottom line, if USNA is your #1, accept your appointment. Some keep a back up school just in case as explained above. We had a guy blow out his knee on Day #2 of PEP. He had surgery, was sent home, enrolled in community college and came back the next year.

 

[Sydney C.]

Congrats on the appointment as well! I can help a bit with the first of your questions.

My DS, along with the aforementioned mb1895, and five others were all put in that situation. All had accepted their appointments and all six sustained injuries prior to I-Day to the degree that that were medically disqualified foe the Class of 2018. When they accepted their appointments had nothing to do with being Med. DQ'd. It's incumbent on the candidate to keep USNA informed of any medcial condition that may arise that could potentially compromise the appointment and they will appropriately determine if the condition is waiverable or not. The timing of the acceptance has nothing to do with that e.g. if you break your hand prior to accepting the appointment you'll still need to let them know that it happened and it's now healed. If you broke it after accepting, you'd need to do the same thing. You can't wiggle out of it.

The academy puts most of those that this happens to into a special program they've started BUT it is NOT an LOA and the conditions for re-appointment are very exact and by no means a "slam dunk".

Having said all that, and has been also noted, it's imperative that you have a plan B whether you have an appointment in hand right now or not as these types of things happen every year and can happen to anyone. Plan for the unexpected.

Don't be like at least two of the six I've mentioned....including my own DS...who never applied to any other schools and then found themselves in May literally begging to get into college. That's a true story and while it worked out for them in the end, you don't want to do that.

You're giving this all careful consideration, which is great and with time on your side now you are afforded that valuable commodity to choose well. In the process, keep you options open, vigorously apply to other schools you may want to attend, tyro to keep out of harms way e.g. bubble wrap, but fully knowing that life doesn't just stop and stuff does indeed happen.

I wish you well in the journey and hope this helps in some small way.

 

[5Day]

Yes the worst case would be a medical condition you get or developes that not just disqualifies you for starting Plebe
Summer, but DQ you from plebe summer and commissioning in the NAVY. If that happens your USNA and Navy career will be over. Have a plan B. You may want to minimize the number of schools you apply to, but apply. There is no rush to accept your appointment. You have till May 1.

Sometimes parents are actually right.

 

[coachkarl]

Great guidance here. The key - have a Plan B.

You may want to minimize the number of schools you apply to, but apply. There is no rush to accept your appointment. You have till May 1.

Sometimes parents are actually right.

On the above, my son applied to 14 schools, including USNA, so not sure if minimizing the number is necessary. However, we did put down a deposit on Plan B were upfront with admissions and the head football coach about the situation. Throughout Plebe Summer, I was in regular contact with admissions, housing, academic departments, musical directors and the head football coach, asking me for updates. They were extremely understanding and helpful.