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MomOf3GreatKids

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Having been turned down for one SA and extremely discouraged about the other 2 we haven't heard from yet. What are your suggestions for my DS? We did not apply for ROTC scholarship or any other school. My DS was positive he would be accepted into at least 1 SA because he is a very positive person. Nothing else could even stand up to attending a SA, in his eyes. It's too late now to apply to any school or ROTC scholarship for Fall and everything opens back up for applications in June. Any suggestions? We are open to EVERYTHING at this point.
 
DS plan B was ROTC scholarship or head to Marion military academy or New Mexico military academy because both have a Service Academy prep program. Both of these schools are junior colleges that prep you for a service academy. Both have a fairly good track record of getting their students into an academy. Hopefully, though you'll hear from the other academies shortly.
 
Six years ago, my DS didn't get rejected until nearly April, so it ain't over until it's over.

The biggest question your DS needs to answer is which goal is more important? 1. Graduate from an Academy? or 2. Commission as a military officer?

Either way, his BEST chance of achieving either is to attend a four year college or a SA Prep school. From a four year ROTC program he can reapply OR remain in the program and commission through ROTC.

I would encourage you to have your DS pick himself up, dust himself off and file a late application to a "safety school." that has an ROTC program.
My DS was pretty discouraged when he got the same rejection from USNA and USMA in March of 2015. Then he failed to win an NROTC scholarship. He was so confident he never applied for an Army ROTC scholarship. He ended up going non-contract AROTC at University of Nevada and earned a 3 1/2 year campus based scholarship by the end of his first semester.

I asked him if he wanted to reapply to USNA or West Point....and he said, "No, it will just put me a year behind schedule."

He is now a 1LT and Abrams Platoon leader with a Middle East combat tour under his belt. Also, having graduated debt free, he just bought his first house.

His Plan "C" turned out to be a great plan "A".
 
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There is still a chance with the other 2 SAs so hold on to that. Is DS able to go to a local community college for next year?

There are 4 year schools that have later deadlines for admission that you can Google and see if they have ROTC or he could go to that school for now and transfer to an ROTC school next year, and reapply to SAs next year.

This forum taught us early on that we needed a backup for our backup plan, there are kids who get into SAs but then never make it if they get injured between now and summer for example.

Good luck!

https://blog.prepscholar.com › colle...
Colleges With Late Application Deadlines: Complete List - PrepScholar Blog
 
MomOf3GreatKids said:
Having been turned down for one SA and extremely discouraged about the other 2 we haven't heard from yet. What are your suggestions for my DS? We did not apply for ROTC scholarship or any other school. My DS was positive he would be accepted into at least 1 SA because he is a very positive person. Nothing else could even stand up to attending a SA, in his eyes. It's too late now to apply to any school or ROTC scholarship for Fall and everything opens back up for applications in June. Any suggestions? We are open to EVERYTHING at this point.
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Get FAFSA done now too. If your son goes to a 'regular' college it can help.
 
Been in your exact shoes as my DS only applied to one SA senior year and was rejected. He bet on himself and did a self prep at Northwestern Prep (one semester in CA) and applied again and was successful.

Key is to find out what area kept him from getting in and spend the next year at a place he can best work on that area. For my DS, it was ACT and Northwestern Prep was great for that.
 
MomOf3GreatKids said:
Having been turned down for one SA and extremely discouraged about the other 2 we haven't heard from yet. What are your suggestions for my DS? We did not apply for ROTC scholarship or any other school. My DS was positive he would be accepted into at least 1 SA because he is a very positive person. Nothing else could even stand up to attending a SA, in his eyes. It's too late now to apply to any school or ROTC scholarship for Fall and everything opens back up for applications in June. Any suggestions? We are open to EVERYTHING at this point.
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Sorry to hear this - the competition is deep and strong from so many talented and accomplished DS and DD across the country. He will at least have learned a valuable military lesson - always work up alternate plans.

If no SA this coming year…

Colleges - your DS can google “colleges with late admissions” and get many hits on lists with dates into the summer.

ROTC - your DS can be a “college programmer,” no scholarship, and enroll in the program at a college. If he excels, he can compete for a scholarship for subsequent semesters/years. ROTC units at “host” schools often have “cross-town agreements” with other nearby colleges. Sometimes that is financially easier for the student than attending the host school. DS can go to the ROTC sites and do his research.

He will also be eligible to apply for a ROTC nom, along with 2 Sen, 1 Rep, VP and any others he qualified for.

His alternate is to take a SA first year-like schedule and excel at college or do self-prep at a prep school with a SA program, and re-apply.

He will have great material for his new nom and applications essays about this challenge and how he matured and navigated through it, and show how he responded to lessons learned!
 
AROTC-dad said:
Six years ago, my DS didn't get rejected until April, so it ain't over until it's over.

The biggest question your DS needs to answer is which goal is more important? 1. Graduate from an Academy? or 2. Commission as a military officer?

Either way, his BEST chance of achieving either is to attend a four year college or a SA Prep school. From a four year ROTC program he can reapply OR remain in the program and commission through ROTC.

I would encourage you to have your DS pick himself up, dust himself off and file a late application to a "safety school." that has an ROTC program.
My DS was pretty discouraged when he got the same rejection from USNA and USMA in March of 2015. Then he failed to win an NROTC scholarship. He was so confident he never applied for an Army ROTC scholarship. He ended up going non-contract AROTC at University of Nevada and earned a 3 1/2 year campus based scholarship by the end of his first semester.

I asked him if he wanted to reapply to USNA or West Point....and he said, "No, it will just put me a year behind schedule."

He is now a 1LT and Abrams Platoon leader with a Middle East combat tour under his belt. Also, having graduated debt free, he just bought his first house.

His Plan "C" turned out to be a great plan "A".
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OH! This is exactly what I wanted to read. Thank you!
 
GracieandSophie said:
There is still a chance with the other 2 SAs so hold on to that. Is DS able to go to a local community college for next year?

There are 4 year schools that have later deadlines for admission that you can Google and see if they have ROTC or he could go to that school for now and transfer to an ROTC school next year, and reapply to SAs next year.

This forum taught us early on that we needed a backup for our backup plan, there are kids who get into SAs but then never make it if they get injured between now and summer for example.

Good luck!

https://blog.prepscholar.com › colle...
Colleges With Late Application Deadlines: Complete List - PrepScholar Blo
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AROTC-dad said:
Being positive is an awesome quality and it comes from the heart.

But his brain should still dictate wearing a flak jacket or parachute. ;)
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He also had 3 amazing interviews where the interviewers each said "he had an impressive resume". Even our Congressman personally called him to tell him about his 3 noms because "he was an exceptional young man and exactly what our country needs". So all of that also lead to him believing in the "YES". I know .... he is one among many exceptional young people with great resumes. I truly wish the best for all the appointees and pray my DS will be one. Thanks so much for all your help and everyone else's comments. It truly helps navigate this.
 
Remember what Mike Tyson said - "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." Get into a school with a solid AROTC program - work hard and apply for the opportunities (and there will be a lot of them) when they are offered. Your DS hard work, motivation, and solid attitude will payoff - sometimes we all have to be reminded that we are not charge (Big A Army is - or BIG G GOD - your choice). We get thrown off the horse, we get back on and ride. I told my sons and myself - there is always somebody better than you. They maybe smarter, faster, stronger, more talented, whatever - so you have to have more grit and determination to achieve your goals than "they" do. To paraphrase the Duke of Wellington (probably a better role model than Mike Tyson) - "Victory is the ability to fight five minutes longer than any other army in the world." So tell your DS to keeping fighting, even after the more talented have quit.
 
@MomOf3GreatKids - The waiting is tough, and the rejection letters sting. As an applicant myself, I read 5 rejection letters and can totally relate to the panic, and emotions anyone would have after receiving news like that. Ultimately, it will make him stronger and having experienced a failure in an area he really wanted, he will appreciate things much more in the future regardless of where his journey leads.

There are two prevailing schools of thought here - enroll into a 4year school that can be a solid Plan B or attend a Service Academy Prep program. Considering timing, 4-year program may no longer be on the table or achievable without other scholarships or financial aid that may have deadlines that have passed.

In my personal opinion, if the applicant is laser focused on Service Academy or BUST and is not seriously looking at other schools, they owe it to themselves to pursue a Service Academy prep program. Each school ages out at some point for new students (USAFA is 23 years old). This means you can keep applying until you either age out or get accepted. The Director of Admissions at USCGA was not accepted his first year, so he did his own version of self prep. In his second year of applying he was not accepted. CGA admissions was impressed and offered a place in their sponsored prep program, and in his third attempt, he was accepted. He is one of my favorite example of admissions perseverance because of his determination but also (and more importantly) where he ended up in his career to have such empathy for applicants. Today, he spends significant time in 1-on-1 conversations with any CGA applicant who was not selected and wants to discuss what they can do to get better.

If you think a self prep program is a good option, the next choice is WHERE? There are a handful of programs out there. My advice is to look at where your TOP SCHOOL sends their prep school students. Each of the DoD schools do have their own prep schools, but there is a subset of Sponsored Prep students that they send to OTHER prep schools like Northwestern, Marion, Georgia Military, Greystone, New Mexico Military Institute, and possibly others. My personal logic is that if the Service Academy sends their students there, clearly there are reasons AND there is an established path to follow.

Given the nature of their business, Service Academy prep programs have favorable application deadlines because they recognize some of their students are making last minute plan changes after receiving a TWE from one or more SA.

When interviewing schools, inquire about their success rate for SELF PREP. Sponsored prep is a different animal because those students are essentially in a guaranteed program where they need to meet requirements and will be offered an appointment in the following year. The service academy financially invested in the student by paying their way through the program and are not going to easily walk away from that commitment.

Marion is the only school I know of to put self prep success rates on their website. I am sure the other programs will tell you if you ask, but Marion is pretty proud of their track record because it seems to work.

SAP Appointment History

Marion Military Institute
marionmilitary.edu marionmilitary.edu
 
For future applicants, no matter how qualified you are, no matter how many nominations you receive, no matter how encouraging your BGO/ALO etc. may be . . . a SA appointment isn't a sure thing until you have it in hand.

Have a "Plan B" and "Plan C." These can include civilian college with or without ROTC, JC and / or prep school.
 
usna1985 said:
For future applicants, no matter how qualified you are, no matter how many nominations you receive, no matter how encouraging your BGO/ALO etc. may be . . . a SA appointment isn't a sure thing until you have it in hand.

Have a "Plan B" and "Plan C." These can include civilian college with or without ROTC, JC and / or prep school.
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Absolutely my point: have a plan B, that you can see as your plan A!!

The Nomination process, while obviously required, is completely seperate than the SA process. Even if a nominating source puts the applicant as their main “principal” nominee, that’s not a GUARANTEE of an appointment (and most don’t use the principal system). The applicant still has to be fully qualified by the SA (not saying this is the case here, but making a point that the nom source doesn’t have the final say).

Always always always work strong alternate plans. Things outside of your control can always pop up (what if you have an appointment, but break a leg before reporting? Plan B!!). I know we have a very good NROTC unit here at State U. That you can still get into. Join a unit, or do a prep program as mentioned. There is still time. But get busy! There are still lots of ways to work this!! And if no appointment comes this year, you will have a year under your belt as a reapplicant.

It’s not over until it’s over. But there is still time to build up a plan B.
 
justdoit19 said:
Absolutely my point: have a plan B, that you can see as your plan A!!

The Nomination process, while obviously required, is completely seperate than the SA process. Even if a nominating source puts the applicant as their main “principal” nominee, that’s not a GUARANTEE of an appointment (and most don’t use the principal system). The applicant still has to be fully qualified by the SA (not saying this is the case here, but making a point that the nom source doesn’t have the final say).

Always always always work strong alternate plans. Things outside of your control can always pop up (what if you have an appointment, but break a leg before reporting? Plan B!!). I know we have a very good NROTC unit here at State U. That you can still get into. Join a unit, or do a prep program as mentioned. There is still time. But get busy! There are still lots of ways to work this!! And if no appointment comes this year, you will have a year under your belt as a reapplicant.

It’s not over until it’s over. But there is still time to build up a plan B.
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It sort of boils down to what your DS really wants. Obviously doing nothing is not an option so what are the choices. ROTC even without a scholarship can lead to a commission. Most colleges offer ROTC while NROTC is at fewer schools. Being part of ROTC shower commitment and is looked upon favorably for college reapplicants. If the goal is a service academy and only a service academy I suggest you consider the prep schools such as MMI and GMC. I am only familiar with MMI but many self prep non-sponsored cadets gain appointments to the 5 service academies. There is no guarantee of course. If you get very good grades, crush the PFE or CFA, and interview well then your odds may be favorable. I know of current cadets at USAFA, USMA, USCGA, USNA, and USNMA who went the self prep route. Of course going ROTC at a 4 year school provides the ability to graduate in 4 years while going prep and to service academy adds a year. Ultimately to get into a service academy you need to be strong candidate. Talk with admissions for advice on reapplying if you decide to go that route. Good Luck
 
For OP, you described your son as a “very positive person,” positive he would get into at least 1 SA.

A wise boss once told me that having too much of a good trait can also be a leadership flaw in certain settings. Being positive is good for an officer to be, because the troops watch leaders very carefully, so being confident and upbeat in the face of challenges sets the tone. Being so positive that alternate plans are not created, always a prudent move of the adaptive junior officer who must be ready to meet a challenge no matter how it twists and turns, shows that the “too much” positivity encumbered the leadership in a negative way. Rich essay material!

I am hoping the other SAs deliver better news, and while painful, your son is learning a valuable leadership lesson.

Let us know how it goes.
 
As Meatloaf (RIP!) says, 2/3 aint' bad, and here's the positive news: He has 2 great options still live and awaiting results. Each SA is different and just because one says no, that does change his status with the other 2. And if you've scoured SAF enough, a no-to-yes is possible, if not probable.

Here's how to quickly reconcile this: There is no reconciling it. It's an annual rite of passage that you, and many others experience in the entire college-ing process. Just try to do what is in your control vs. nonproductive energy. When you feel yourself wallowing, stand up and fold laundry, wash the dishes, do yoga, sort your personal files - anything to do something tangibly productive! And it's entirely OK for all of this to be in your frontal lobe. Whatever happens with your child, you feel it 100x, the highs and lows.

It's not too late for civilian choices, especially big in/out of state colleges with ROTC and perhaps programs your DS did not consider before! Of course he is still late, and perhaps missed the boat on incoming freshman scholarships and merit aid, but the key word is "incoming". And even though, you never know what is still in the budget at any particular program/school.

He sounds awesome. I am sure he will always land on his feet, smiling as he does and seeing the bright side of things. Agree with @Capt MJ it is good to have backup plans to round out his though process and strategic thinking.
 
Building on the great advice and perspective above, this indeed is a rite of passage for young people who’ve otherwise have had most everything in life go their way. The smart ones truly see it as a learning opportunity. The really smart ones realize that it’s far from the end of the world.

DD and DS were both accomplished students, athletes and leaders in high school. They had strong test scores and unwavering support from teachers and coaches. DD was accepted by her top choices, including SAs. DS was turned down by his top choices, including SAs. One is now a USNA firstie, the other a freshman on a four-year AROTC scholarship. Both are very happy with their situation. Neither would trade places with the other. DS is living that invaluable maxim: Bloom where you’re planted. His butter bars will be just as shiny as his sister’s, and he’ll be much wiser in at least one regard.
 
It’s not the advice parents on a military forum such as this want to hear but I served with a lot of top sports types (recruited D1 types), lots of really smart people (Ivy League types) and some that could not pass 11th grade.

These were called——enlisted.

Many or several at least went on to be officers. Some before me became SA students And then officers. Some became college professors, One became a jag lawyer. Some became crooks and some became police.

But they were all serving their country and in the military.

That is one back up plan for those that want to serve.
 
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