GoArmy2022 ... Just so you know ... going to West Point for free is definitely a great deal ... a "lotto ticket" in many respects. Great federal funding with many opportunities at an SA. I was a lucky recipient of an appointment to the USAF Academy many years ago. What I have learned as my DS went through the SA and the ROTC national scholarship process is that the Geographic Diversity Factor is key for the SA appointment ... The "geographic diversity" factor for all SAs that use a Congressional nomination process can cause a great candidate from a very competitive area (i.e. Northern Virginia) that ends up ranked #6-#10 (or perhaps even #2-#10) by his or her Congressional Representative, to not get an appointment to an SA, even though their record may be better than the #1 -#5 ranked candidate from a less competitive Congressional district (i.e. Idaho).
HOWEVER ... ROTC scholarships tend to be more "merit based" and geographic diversity is not a criteria. This is why each year candidates receive an SA appointment, but don't qualify for a national ROTC scholarship ... and why those that do receive a 4-yr national ROTC scholarship don't receive a SA appointment ... different processes cause different results ...
I agree with the advice above ... complete your ROTC application ...
... but as far as going to VMI ... it is a very different place ... are you committed to make it through VMI? ... VMI still has "straining/bracing" for Rats (Freshmen) the first semester into the second semester ... the Freshmen still have to "Walk the Rat line" until "Breakout" ... they still have to "push on the stoop" (push-ups if confronted by an upperclassman on each floor or "stoop" of barracks, as they make their way from the ground floor to the fourth or fifth floor of the the barracks to get to their room) ... they still have to be in an authorized uniform all hours each an every day ... it is a privilege to get to have a bathrobe (as opposed to having to get dressed in a uniform) to go to the communal bathroom ... they all (upperclassmen included) still sleep on wooden "racks" (AKA: cots) with a "hay" as a mattress ... all the "racks" have to be stood vertical in the corner of the room each morning, and the "hays" have to be rolled up and secured in a specific way in a different corner each morning ... every morning but Sunday (yes, Saturday too), the Corps forms up to salute the raising of the Flag ... VMI still has a traditional 40% attrition rate. SAs are down to around a 20% or less attrition last time I checked the stats (SAs used to be 40% attrition like VMI when I went through) ... at VMI only 500 enter each Freshmen year ... and ~300 graduate each year ... just sayin' ... ;-)
Best wishes ... and thank you for your willingness to serve...
