what to do: SLE vs Team event

T

txfwindian

Parent of USNA C/O 2025
5-Year Member
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Aug 6, 2019
Messages
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Hi All,

Difficult choice to make for DD, she got offered a spot for SLE session 1 but has a team competition that is conflicting with dates (session 1 and 2) if her team qualifies. She is head coach of the debate team and wants to be there to guide and support. She wants to attend team competition, but we are guiding her to attend SLE ( USMA being her # 1 choice).

- Would it look bad if she accepts the offer (don't know if her team will qualify) but declines later ( if her team qualifes) ?

Thoughts welcome !
 
I did not attend SLE because of a similar situation with my track team. It was a tough decision, but I am glad that I chose to compete with my team. SLE (allegedly) does not have bearing on admissions, but going to a debate competition would bolster a CAR. SLE is a good way to experience what life would be like at USMA, but ultimately an overnight visit would capture many of the same things.
 
We have a similar situation. DS was offered a spot for SLE session 2 but may have a conflict that week. There is another summer program that he has applied to and really, really wants to attend but we won't know for a couple of more months whether or not he was accepted. In our case, DS accepted the SLE offer. If, a big if in his case, he gets accepted to the other program he will then contact SLE admissions to decline even if it means not getting a refund. DS doesn't want to end up with nothing if the other thing doesn't pan out. It is hard to make decisions based on what if's when there are no guarantees.

SLE is a recruiting tool. People do occasionally decline after accepting. Things do come up, sometimes beyond our control. It happens. I personally think it doesn't look bad to accept and then decline later if circumstances change. I think it only looks bad for those that accept and then fail to notify SLE admissions that they have changed their mind. I am sure there are others with a different opinion than mine.

Good luck. It sounds like your DD will have a good summer either way.
 
My son had a similar situation. Everyone on his team -including all the coaches - knew that he wanted to attend WP. They knew that it his dream and they supported him. He ended up missing a championship game to attend SLE (and we all knew that he if wasn't at that game that his team would likely lose - yes, he had a skill level that could change the outcome of a game) but his coaches were all great about him attending SLE because they saw it as a step towards him reaching his dream. They didn't give him any grief about missing the last game. My son was the team member who never (and I mean never) missed a game or a practice - this was the only game he ever missed in 4 years.

His time at SLE cemented what he already knew in his heart and as committed to his team as he was, he didn't regret going for one minute.

My 2 cents - it is selfish of a high school coach to lament a student missing a team event in order to attend an event that will move them towards meeting a life goal.
 
They literally teach them how to apply at SLE, they do the CFT and the interview, and it gives them a taste and feel of USMA.
My 2016 got in the car after SLE and knew what he wanted to do with his life (and I don't think he was set on USMA prior to SLE.) He got into the car and said, "I want to go to the school that builds entry level leaders for the greatest Army in the world where there are unlimited opportunities." or something very similar to that. I was floored. (Where as the Baby always wanted to go to USMA.) He knew when the application portal would open and was prepared to complete it immediately. Very impressive.
Your child can always ask for a different week of SLE.
Otherwise, your kid can think about what she wants to do for college. she can prepare the team for the debate and feel good about handing the actual performance over to someone else (delegation.)
 
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