Waiting for the bus...

amcollier said:
Does anyone else have a constant feeling like they are waiting for something, hoping that a BFE or notice to check the portal will come in? Back in the day, we used to call it "waiting for the bus". It is the constant nagging feeling in the back of your head, eating up bandwidth and generally making things feel less than awesome.

My DS has been focused on getting into an academy since we took a cub scout trip to USAFA when he was in the 5th grade. He's got a solid resume, he's applied to everything except MMA (the majors just don't do it for him since he wants to get into space), DODMERB is done, and he even got nominated for all four academies from a very generous MOC. Now though, the waiting game is killing me. He's rocking out his senior year, and he's trying to "be present" with his friends, knowing if an academy acceptance doesn't appear, he'll end up going to one of the dozen solid civilian colleges that have accepted him (he got offered a type II through AFROTC and he meets with NROTC this week).

I know the pressure must be getting to him and he's doing his best to hold up. I know pretty much all of you are in the same line, waiting for the same bus so I wanted to whine about it for a minute. I don't want to complain near him because I don't want him to lose hope. I am hopeful - wildly optimistic even - but dang, man! The wait is tough!
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I completely feel your pain in this!! My DS has decided at the last minute that if he does not get into USMMA or USNA, college at a traditional university was not for him. He has decided to enlist in delayed entry for the Navy and since he has a 97 score on his ASVAB he qualifies for the Nuclear program that he desires. This waiting game is excruciating! After he went to summer seminar at USNA he knew that was his first pick. I was worried about his time at the academy because he had just returned from Normandy France the day prior to reporting for summer seminar. His NJROTC unit was 1 of 5 units in the US that were invited to participate in the 75th Anniversary of D-Day celebrations. I was worried because the trip was 10 days long with a lot of walking! When he flew back to the US, he landed at 5:30pm on Friday, we left for Annapolis the next morning before 4am. When I left him in Annapolis he said, "Don't worry mom, I got this. I belong here." That only gave me a little piece of mind because I had done my own research about what the summer seminar entailed. When we arrived at closing ceremony for the seminar, I found him and he was excited to tell me about the week. I asked him if he had a hard time because of being tired from the traveling. He said yes he was tired but that did not stop him. He was all in all week! That alone proved to me that he was not willing to quit and had the real desire to be successful at what ever he puts his mind to.
You are not alone in this wait! We are waiting on the bus with you! Good luck! And good luck to your son as well!
 
And keep in mind that if you don't get on _this_ bus, there is another one coming! It really isn't do or die (getting a direct admit). DS was declined, and then admitted as a college re-applicant. It was painful. And painful to "wait for the bus" multiple times. But there have been silver linings all along the way, e.g., knowing how "to college" before getting there (took SO much pressure off!), higher level classes plebe year (being in a class of mostly youngsters vs a class of plebes), the chance to get a MS at Georgetown at the end, *knowing* with experiential certainty the difference between NROTC and USNA routes and which is really right for him, etc. He is at USNA now, and absolutely thriving. He knew and *knows* he belongs there, and so waited for his turn to get on the bus.
 
Love that [emoji121]️[emoji121]️[emoji121]️
 
DS got a letter from West Point asking him to redo his CFA. He's bummed but I see it not only as a chance to improve, but it shows that they are interested instead of just saying no. Same with the CGA - he went for EA but got a note saying he was being moved to regular. Again, it could've been a no.
In other news - still waiting for that bus!!!
 
amcollier said:
DS got a letter from West Point asking him to redo his CFA. He's bummed but I see it not only as a chance to improve, but it shows that they are interested instead of just saying no.
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Agree with your optimism. Can’t imagine a re-take would be asked for unless he is close to appointment. Do you believe he passed first time on CFA or that he was a near miss? Also, is WP requiring CFA to be completed by 1/31 or some other individualized deadline? Either way, I hope your son can get what he needs next time around.

By the way, I’m not sure we ever stop waiting for that bus.
 
dddad said:
Agree with your optimism. Can’t imagine a re-take would be asked for unless he is close to appointment. Do you believe he passed first time on CFA or that he was a near miss? Also, is WP requiring CFA to be completed by 1/31 or some other individualized deadline? Either way, I hope your son can get what he needs next time around.

By the way, I’m not sure we ever stop waiting for that bus.
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He's got until the 31 Jan deadline. The letter said flat out that his academics and leadership were right in-line with WP standards, but that "they didn't feel he would be able to successfully complete the physical training standards" based on what was submitted. The letter included the average scores for things (6:43 run, 54 push ups, 74 sit ups, 9 second shuttle, 67' throw, and 9 pull ups). He had hit most of the averages previously except for his run - he was about a minute slow.

I don't think he failed the PT section, per se - but I think the scores were lower than they wanted to see. He's made improvements for sure, and he retakes the CFA tomorrow so we will see! So much of it is mental but it is hard to explain that to a teenager. If they've never had that "dig deep to survive" moment, it is hard to capture.
 
Unless like our DS, you get a surprise because Informed delivery didn't scan 2 nomination letters or a BFE, found the BFE in a shrub near front porch. :)
Makes it like the old days when you didn't see your mail before it arrived!
 
Dadx4 said:
The bus didn't show up again this morning! What kind of bus schedule is this?? I'm writing a strongly-worded letter to the company! :)
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I sat with DS last night and asked how he was doing with the wait. He said he does think about it every day (I admitted I do, too!) and his group of school friends are constantly asking him. I also asked what he would do when he gets THE email from USNA saying his "portal has been updated"....., would he open it and check while at school or wait until he was at home so he could celebrate (or be disappointed :( ) in private? Just talking through what will be happening, one way or another, in the next few months seemed to relax us both. It is a grinding process and I constantly tell myself and DS that there are literally thousands of fine men/women just like him applying and will not get selected, for one reason or another, but his Plan B-D are still in play.
 
Heatherg21 said:
Unless like our DS, you get a surprise because Informed delivery didn't scan 2 nomination letters or a BFE, found the BFE in a shrub near front porch. :)
Makes it like the old days when you didn't see your mail before it arrived!
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Did the BFE come first, out of the blue, or an email to check the portal? 😍:bounce1:
 
I think the academies should inform candidates on published days in waves. It would prevent countless hours of portal-checking.
 
Back in the days before the online Candidate Information System, it used to be waiting for the mail to come and running out to the mail box.
Try checking the CIS (like the mail) once a day. Save countless hours.

Yeah, I know.
Easy for me to say, huh?
 
I saw this thread and had to respond because I'd rather vent to y'all than say anything to my DS right now. He is 3Q and interviewed with our rep back in November. They published an FAQ for academy applicants on their website saying that they would let everyone know by early December, but it also says the deadline is January 31st (which we all know). Very confusing. It has been 2 1/2 months and we have heard nothing, nada, zip and neither has DS friends in our district. It's 2 days to the deadline, why do they need to wait till the last minute when districts around us that had later interviews have already announced their nominations? ARGH!!
 
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