What is your back up plan?

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grtkidmom

5-Year Member
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Jan 6, 2010
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First post since the dreaded TWE (tiny white envelope) arrived last spring early summer. Yes, DS was wait listed, but in the end a TWE is a TWE. Thank goodness DS had an excellent back up/ alternate college plan. He was awarded NROTC Scholarship to a top tier school.

I vividly recall the mental gymnastics with last year’s class of 2014 app/nomination/3'qd/CWV process. It was gut wrenching. I checked this site and DoDMERB many times a day looking for any sign of good news last Jan - May. Checking the mail was always stressful! This site helped me to understand the process and let us know we were not alone. It was also fun meeting “cyber space friends” experiencing the same anxiety and discussing USNA app process.

The best advice we received was emphasize the alternate plan the same as the USNA plan. Like many Mom's I knew my kid was perfect for USNA. How could he be turned down. I felt bad reading the anxiety laced threads from the previous year, and privately thought thank goodness it won’t happen to my son. After all, my son had excellent credentials. He exceeded or equaled the class profiles of previously admitted students. We were silently confident about his chances. The reality is my son did well, but all USNA applicants have super credentials and fantastic college test scores. It is amazing and impressive the credentials of USNA applicants.

Due to all the admission variables, trying to figure out the USNA admission process is difficult if not impossible. Just do your best and make sure you have your back up plan in place. We did, and it worked out great for many reasons.

DS is re-applying and first nomination interview is next week. The process this year is much calmer, due to his fantastic back up plan.

Good luck to all….It goes by very fast!!!!
 
Best of luck to your S and all who are applying this year.

I will add that a Plan C is worthwhile also. One that is financially feasible without the ROTC scholarship. I say this because if calamity should strike, or if kids do what kids sometimes do, or being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or....??? That option might not be available either.

There are plenty of good schools that will make generous offers to NA caliber kids.
 
osdad is absolutely right!
Last May, a day before his high school graduation, our Plebe-to-be son was coming home from a friend's house. As he was traveling through an intersection just two blocks from our home, a woman ran the red light and T-boned his car. Thank you, God, he walked away from it, but his car was totaled. Life is an uncertain business, so it is essential that you have a back-up plan and keep it right up through I-Day! You'll probably have to lose some money on deposits at your back-up school, but look at it as cheap insurance. Sometimes bubble wrap is just not enough. :thumb:
Good luck to your son, grtkidmom!
 
Great kid mom - best of luck to your son. I was in your shoes. TWE. Son went to his backup with a ROTC scholarship. Reapplied, this time with an extra nom from his ROTC unit. Now class of 2014. In retrospect, loves that he had a year in "regular" college. Hopefully, this will be your son as well.
 
ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a Plan B. Even if you have an LOA, even if you have an appointment, things can go awry. If it isn't medical, it may be that you discover during Plebe Summer that USNA isn't for you.

Some would argue that you're more likely to stay if you have no other options. I won't debate that one. I would just say that, if Plan B at any point looks better to you than USNA, you should opt for Plan B. Seriously.

USNA isn't just another college and the military isn't just another job. If you aren't committed at the outset, it's not going to get better.
 
usna1985 said:
Some would argue that you're more likely to stay if you have no other options. I won't debate that one. I would just say that, if Plan B at any point looks better to you than USNA, you should opt for Plan B. Seriously.
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And I, of course, would say that, during Plebe Summer, the objective is to survive, not make a life time decision as to quitting. Every single individual who I have counseled who wanted to quit Plebe Summer and stuck it out, thanked me. A Plan B will not make it easier to stay.
 
Supportive Mom- It's nice to hear success stories from those who went to USNA from ROTC because that's the boat I'm in. And I have to agree with your son I feel like a year at college would definitely help starting at USNA if I end up making it.
 
Cortez was an optomist! Cortez conquered an empire with one decisive decision. "No Retreat" It is always better to have a plan B or C. Or maybe have Napoleon's Cannons and the center holds! Unless you have Wellington sitting on the high ground. Son is doing NROTC and applying again. Hope it works this year but NROTC or OCS is the other choice..
 
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Plan "B" can end up being the "Best" plan for some ... when we were waiting ... and after a TWE from one Service Academy ... I started hoping/praying for the "right" thing .... there were several really good options on the table ... that's the key ... finding options and making the most of the doors that open too you ... that said ... Best of luck!!!
 
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