<p>So I finally got my rejection letter from USMA, after being on the waiting list for 3 months.</p>
<p>I am definitley planning on reapplying, but I'm wondering which option may make me more competitive next year for West Point: Enlisting in the Regular Army or participating in the ROTC program at the University of Washington. </p>
<p>I've talked to several military officers (including USMA alumni) about Enlisting however, I have heard many different opinions and I am ambivalent as to how competitive it could make me next year for USMA, compared to excelling in college and then reapplying. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Go ROTC at UDub and reapply. That's exactly what I did (except I'm in the Navy Battalion here) and I got an appointment to USNA this time around.</p>
<p>If you have any questions about UW or ROTC there, feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>Don't enlist if you want to reapply for 2011. Typically you would have to wait for a while after boot camp and possibly do a tour before reapplying.</p>
<p>Besides, go to college and get the experience. You'll stay in the academic game that way, and be even more prepared when you get your appointment. If you want to show dedication to the service, do ROTC at your school.</p>
<p>As far as I've heard, if you enlist, you can get your company commander to sign you off/recommend you, and that's basically like a principle nomination landing you straight into West Point. But then, there's the flip side that your company commander finds you to be a valuable asset and wants to keep you and doesn't want to sign you to West Point and you would therefore have to serve out the contracted time. I think I'm leaning towards ROTC now.</p>
<p>Yo Dmeix, were you the only one that got into an academy this year as a reapplicant from UW NROTC?</p>
<p>Take a practice ASVAB. This will be important if you enlist, and will affect your chancing of getting a spot at West Point. I personally, did not do well on the ASVAB (I didn't study or anything for it, and I only took it at 2:00 am because I wanted to check it out, but anyhow), I did much better on the SAT. If you enlist, I believe the ASVAB becomes very important.</p>
<p>Yes, I was the only one who decided to reapply. Out of the 22 freshman in my class, about 15 or so had applied to USNA and been denied at one point. Initially my friend was gonna reapply, but he decided to stick with ROTC.</p>
<p>An advantage of doing ROTC is that it opens up another nomination opportunity. The CO of your unit can give one nomination a year, and coupled with his letter of recommendation, you'll have a huge advantage.</p>
<p>My Blue and Gold officer told me that a letter of rec from an officer who sees you perform on a daily basis will carry much more weight than a letter from him. Considering that very few apply out of ROTC (compared to other sources) your chances increase dramatically. USNA has 20 appointments reserved for NROTC students each year...I don't know about USMA though, but I would think it is similar.</p>
<p>If you badly want to serve in the army, why not enlist and experience it? I'm in a situation that is kinda similar. After all these years of pursuing an admission to the point I'm questioning my motives for going. I don't really have any ambitions of being an army officer. I'd rather enlist in the marines and get straight to business and later pursue a commission. I'd appreciate advice before I make any decisions.</p>