<p>gonecokanutts,</p>
<p>if you don't make it for c/o 2012 and want to try again for c/o 2013, you might also consider a college which offers ROTC. i read a message on the SA forums where a CGO told USNA69 that being in ROTC for any branch shows USNA admissions that you have leadership.</p>
<p>I just found an old thread about last year's waitlist. Around 4 CC members posted about being put on it during the first week of April last year. Unfortunately none made it off. One candidate even was called by admissions to see if he wanted to stay on as close as I day and he did, but no call. Last year they kept the wait list open up to I day in case anyone did not show. I think that is just too stressful! My son would definitely wait till the last minute though! Good Luck to all who are waiting. We asked CGO for a CVW, and they said ok, and my son is going down this weekend. I hope that is viewed as not too pushy!</p>
<p>you cannot be too pushy, IMO.
Will he consider re-applying? If he enjoys his CVW don't be surprised if he decides to apply again next year.</p>
<p>Go forward with Plan B, pay the deposit and move along with orientation etc if it is early. IF the call comes then scramble!<br>
Good Luck to your son.</p>
<p>Son was waitlisted last year in early April and made it in by mid-April.</p>
<p>Son got the call to day from Congressman's office! Off the wait list! Letter to come on Tuesday. And to top it off, he answered the phone and it is his 18th birthday! What a present!</p>
<p>KEVINSMOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!</p>
<p>And to think he didn't get an NROTC scholarship! Have a party!</p>
<p>CONGRATULATIONS!!!!</p>
<p>Congratulations-</p>
<p>It's wayyyy before mid-May when they said it's the earliest anyone would hear isn't it?? How awesome.</p>
<p>Great news for your son. What a birthday gift :)</p>
<p>Yea, I got the letter telling me that though I was well qualified (2210 SAT, 33 ACT, 4.23 weighted GPA by the USAFA admissions process -2 appointments by a senator (democratic) and a representative (republican) - they just couldn't appoint everyone that qualified (what the letter said).</p>
<p>Meanwhile - I'm like the only one at my high school who did not get an appointment - but my scores and grades were far better than 'the chosen' - I just didn't have lacrosse or wrestling or volleyball or baseball or a dad who went to the USAFA on my side. That 'legacy' thing is huge. It's like a birth-right or an entitlement to go to the USAFA over and above more qualified candidates. So, the taxpayers are footing the bill for dynasties of USAFA appointees. I think this kind of nepotism is unavoidable at private institutions - like Harvard and Yale and on and on - but any institution supported by the taxes of US citizens - NO! The best and brightest should be offered first choice - there should be a limit on the number of cadets that can come from any one graduate in future years as they 'go forth and multiply'. We're talking about an education valued at $100,000.00 or more. Out of taxpayers wallets - the entire USAFA experience - the school, the staff, the teachers, the facilities - all of it - taxpayer financed. And yet, more qualified students of these taxpayers are shut out if there are just too many alumni's kids applying in any given year. </p>
<p>And, of course, 1990 was the largest baby boom year since 1964. Competition this year was fierce EVERYWHERE you turned. All those baby-boom-er-angers hit the application process for college and service academies and scholarships with a vengence this year. I think it's ended up highlighting the admissions 'practices' at these service academies and there will be backlash - that I can say with some kind of prescient - like- knowing -or something.</p>
<p>A friend of mine at another high school also applied - the kid is a total brain at math and science - taking college math courses by distance - I don't know anyone who got better scores on their SAT and ACT - he has a 3rd-degree black belt in karate - and can whoop some a__ - but he's awesome - he got the same rejection letter I did - I almost feel worse for him than me - because he goes to a high school in the same county as the USAFA in Colorado (like me) and the kids that got in from his high school - not the cream of the crop. But daddy waved the birthright papers. Probably why the average admissions scores for the service academies are kind of 'average'. They are considered hard to get in to - but it's not like MIT-hard-to-get-in-to or CalTech - it's hard because the line of kids from previous grads precludes us kids looking for a good education having much of a chance. Pretty much everyone would like their college education paid for - that's why there are 9000 applicants. </p>
<p>I know one family on their 4th cadet appointee! One of their kids got a 'superintendent's' appointment - another term for 'you don't even need to apply - but get your paperwork in when you can (he did not make the application deadline like the rest of us - his meds and recommendations from high school aren't even in yet - his scores can't TOUCH mine - and he has a sports injury that will prevent him from playing that sport for the rest of his life!). What the? </p>
<p>My take on this 'waitlisting' thing is that they'll call you when any of the lucky 1900 that were their first choice opt out. IF that happens. There was no 'call to action' to send them a letter of continued interest - maybe that was previous years - or maybe what I got isn't a 'waitlist' letter - just a face-saving 'no'. I say just go with whatever your alternative college options are and don't wait for to be scraped off the bottom of the barrel - and then feel like you totally owe someone for doing you a big favor. Life is too short. All those zoomies will probably end up working for us some day!</p>
<p>Yea, I got the letter telling me that though I was well qualified (2210 SAT, 33 ACT, 4.23 weighted GPA by the USAFA admissions process -2 appointments by a senator (democratic) and a representative (republican) - they just couldn't appoint everyone that qualified (what the letter said).</p>
<p>Meanwhile - I'm like the only one at my high school who did not get an appointment - but my scores and grades were far better than 'the chosen' - I just didn't have lacrosse or wrestling or volleyball or baseball or a dad who went to the USAFA on my side. That 'legacy' thing is huge. It's like a birth-right or an entitlement to go to the USAFA over and above more qualified candidates. So, the taxpayers are footing the bill for dynasties of USAFA appointees. I think this kind of nepotism is unavoidable at private institutions - like Harvard and Yale and on and on - but any institution supported by the taxes of US citizens - NO! The best and brightest should be offered first choice - there should be a limit on the number of cadets that can come from any one graduate in future years as they 'go forth and multiply'. We're talking about an education valued at $100,000.00 or more. Out of taxpayers wallets - the entire USAFA experience - the school, the staff, the teachers, the facilities - all of it - taxpayer financed. And yet, more qualified students of these taxpayers are shut out if there are just too many alumni's kids applying in any given year. </p>
<p>And, of course, 1990 was the largest baby boom year since 1964. Competition this year was fierce EVERYWHERE you turned. All those baby-boom-er-angers hit the application process for college and service academies and scholarships with a vengence this year. I think it's ended up highlighting the admissions 'practices' at these service academies and there will be backlash - that I can say with some kind of prescient - like- knowing -or something.</p>
<p>A friend of mine at another high school also applied - the kid is a total brain at math and science - taking college math courses by distance - I don't know anyone who got better scores on their SAT and ACT - he has a 3rd-degree black belt in karate - and can whoop some a__ - but he's awesome - he got the same rejection letter I did - I almost feel worse for him than me - because he goes to a high school in the same county as the USAFA in Colorado (like me) and the kids that got in from his high school - not the cream of the crop. But daddy waved the birthright papers. Probably why the average admissions scores for the service academies are kind of 'average'. They are considered hard to get in to - but it's not like MIT-hard-to-get-in-to or CalTech - it's hard because the line of kids from previous grads precludes us kids looking for a good education having much of a chance. Pretty much everyone would like their college education paid for - that's why there are 9000 applicants. </p>
<p>I know one family on their 4th cadet appointee! One of their kids got a 'superintendent's' appointment - another term for 'you don't even need to apply - but get your paperwork in when you can (he did not make the application deadline like the rest of us - his meds and recommendations from high school aren't even in yet - his scores can't TOUCH mine - and he has a sports injury that will prevent him from playing that sport for the rest of his life!). What the? </p>
<p>My take on this 'waitlisting' thing is that they'll call you when any of the lucky 1900 that were their first choice opt out. IF that happens. There was no 'call to action' to send them a letter of continued interest - maybe that was previous years - or maybe what I got isn't a 'waitlist' letter - just a face-saving 'no'. I say just go with whatever your alternative college options are and don't wait for to be scraped off the bottom of the barrel - and then feel like you totally owe someone for doing you a big favor. Life is too short. All those zoomies will probably end up working for us some day!</p>
<p>^^^^^^RPIbound^^^^^
First of all I'm sorry that you received a rejection when you had good grades/test scores etc. It's not a fun letter to receive for sure. But I wanted to comment on your post regarding legacies. There are many criteria that go into an admissions department's policies and procedures for who gets in and who does not. While you think it's unfair that legacies might get a leg up, I think it is good practice. Who better than to know the life of a service academy than a service academy family? The liklihood of them staying on when from a military family is greater and typically one sibling or family member's success is a good predictor of the success of another family member. Is it a guarantee? Of course not. And is it a sure thing if you don't have the grades? Of course not. But it is a factor and not really about nepotism as much as predictors of success and long-term commitment to the military.<br>
Good luck on your future endeavors.</p>
<p>^^^^ Also curious if you participated in ANY varsity sports while in h.s. RPI? You do realize the admissions criteria looks at more than just your grades? You only mentioned the sports you didn't do.</p>
<p>RPIBound - </p>
<p>I think you should do some more research on the admissions process - clearly you do not understand it.
The process is regulated by federal law through the nomination process. It is pretty simple really - if you "win" the nomination from your congressional district and you are qualified then you are in. simple as that.
obviously, folks who live in very competitive area find the process more challenging. This is why the academies fill their slots from the National pool (or "waiting list") - these slots are filled by Order of Merit.</p>
<p>Kids whose parents served the required length of time on active duty or the reserves are also eligible for a "presidential nomination and some of these may be legacies. However, Federal law does not specifically cover legacies.</p>
<p>Plenty of legacy applicants, including sons of Cols. have been rejected. Kids who got accepted to Harvard have been rejected.</p>
<p>The academies look for a candidate who fits the scholar, leader, athlete model. Perhaps there was some "weakness" in your application package, that kept your score too low for an appointment. Maybe it is your attitude.</p>
<p>The way I see it - you have three choices - you can shrug it off and go have a great time at RPI and never look back, or you can shrug it off, talk to your ALO about your application and how to make it stronger and reapply, or you can go to RPI and be bitter, continuing to blame others for your failure to succeed.</p>
<p>^^^^^^
I was thinking the same thing. It's all such a formula and while your scores may have been higher academically, your overall application score must have been lower.</p>
<p>RPIbound, once your hurt and disappointment die down, I hope you'll heed the wisdom of JustAMomOf4 and NAPS05mom. </p>
<p>If you met the many Academy students from competitive areas who are NOT legacies and do NOT have numbers as impressive as yours, you might ask yourself, "Why?" or "Did my interview or essay reveal something about how I deal with stress?" or "Was this a lucky break, since maybe my disposition isn't right for a service academy?" </p>
<p>You have an outstanding profile, and I'm sure you be successful @ RPI.</p>
<p>Congrats and good luck everyone on the waitlist!</p>
<p>RPIbound -- RPI is a wonderful school. I hope you enjoy your time there and best of luck if you try applying again. Don't be bitter about the waitlisted -- you might still get in. There are a lot of things that affect getting an acceptance -- timeliness, parts of your application combined, and your motivation. And if you really thing they made that much of a mistake, apply again and stop nitpicking the details and prove to them that they made a mistake instead of begrudging the hard work that people did to gain their appointments.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how many were put on the wait list? How many on the list have received their appointment? Should we give up hope?</p>
<p>We won't if you won't. Read somewhere that the waitlist is about 100. No idea how many have received appointments from there. Mid-may though is here so the Navy should now begin to have a good idea of how many have accepted so.... maybe. ?? My D has a medical waiver issue that we are still dealing. :(</p>
<p>My son received the Theology award for his school, which reflects highly on his character. We would contact his BGO and ask him to make sure his folder is updated, but the BGO moved to a far away state. Should we pursue this another way?</p>
<p>Call your regional admissions officer. Shouldn't be a problem.</p>
<p>I heard the Academy has about 100 vacancies to fill off of the wait-list. Has anyone else heard the same? Has anyone else been taken off of the wait-list?</p>