<p>So yesterday I had a big talk with my parents for the first time about my future. There was a lot of screaming, kicking (figuratively), fighting.... but it was good that we got some stuff settled down. They are letting me apply to 5 colleges, and any extra ones I want I have to pay for the application fee myself.</p>
<p>Now, they agreed that I should apply my senior year to 5 colleges (or more). That is down. The question is, for now, is that by college decision time (next year april or may), I have to decide if I want to attend the Israeli army before or after college. As an Israeli citizen, I have to either serve 3 years before college, or around 7 years after college (since I'd have a degree I'd be more specialized and more wanted). </p>
<p>So three colleges I'm for sure applying to are UW-Madison (I live in Wisconsin) though I don't really wanna go there, Macalester in Minnesota and Amsterdam University College in Amsterdam.</p>
<p>My question is: Say I get rejected from a college, for example, and I decide I want to serve in the ISraeli army before college for three years. Can I re-apply after my military service to that college? Or is it a one-time deal?</p>
<p>What about if I get accepted and deny the invitation? Can I re-apply after 3 years? Are the chances of getting admitted again higher?</p>
<p>Yes, you can re-apply to any college, even if you do it before your service. Many kids do take a “gap year” (or 3, as yours would be). If you do not take a year of college before reapplying, you would apply as a freshman even though you’d been out of high school for 3 years.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter if you were accepted or rejected.</p>
<p>The only thing I would suggest is that, if you get accepted to a school you want to attend, contact them and ask if you can defer your acceptance until after your service. Since it’s so long a period, they may say no, but it never hurts to ask.</p>
<p>i know i’m a little late on this and chedva answered your question, but i am in a really similar situation. i deferred admission from one school (though not to serve in the Israeli army) and am applying to a school that rejected me last year.
Schools generally grant deferrals on a yearly basis, meaning that you would need to request another deferral each year. In your situation, which is probably pretty uncommon, I expect that you could work out a plan with the school you will eventually attend. I say uncommon, but certainly not unique. You should try to get in touch with other Israeli students who have gone to college in the US.
And IMO, applying to school after 3 years in the Israeli army would look pretty neat to an adcom :)</p>
<p>That may be the case at some schools, but most places allow you to re-apply if you defer. That’s why you must be “granted” a deferral - they don’t just give them out without a reason. I had to write a letter explaining my gap year and my reasons for taking a year off. They don’t care so much what you do, after you pay the expensive (and unfortunately non-refundable) deposit!</p>