Waiting

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>I can only assume my DS is on track. We were talking last night and this is what he has completed.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>NROTC - 100% and submitted in early July, ready for the first review board.</p></li>
<li><p>Academy Application - 100% and submitted mid July, ready for the admissions review in Sept.</p></li>
<li><p>Senator & Congrassman Applications - 100% complete and submitted in early July. All three recently confirmed all material recieved.</p></li>
<li><p>DoDMERB eye exam complete and submitted.</p></li>
<li><p>DoDMERB medical history set for Tuesday.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>He said as long as the medical goes well all he will need to do after Tuesday is wait for the interviews with the Senators and Congressman and then it's all about the final wait and see.</p>

<p>He is not working on his "C" plan of " other colleges" in the event the NROTC or Academy say no.</p>

2

<p>DS just submitted is app yesterday. Meeting with BGO tonight.</p>

3

<p>Nice… </p>

<p>DoDMERB has everything back now for our DS, one simple code remedial to submit which has been taken care of already… The only thing my DS waits for at this point is his interviews from the congressman and senators. They have all of what they require but it will not bee until Oct before the interviews begin which is about the same time period across the country. So the reality for my son aside from the interviews will be either the offer or deny.</p>

4

<p>DS’14 had a great meeting with BGO last night - all business. Formal interview getting scheduled. </p>

<p>He said 1200 appointments of the 15,000 applications last year.</p>

<p>“Completion of the application is your responsibility, not your parents’.”</p>

5

<p>Oh yea…and they know when the parent has done the work for their child. When we visited we sat in on the admissions brief. There were parents with hands up as well as kids and questions asked from both. The one question / response that got my attention was from a father, he said. “My son wants to be a Navy Seal, can you tell me how he can get ready for that.” There was a slight pause by the officer and the officer looked directly at the son and said. “What have YOU done to get yourself ready for that?” The response: “Nothing, I just want to see if I’m interested in applying to the academy.”
I don’t think the kid intended to put a little embarrassment in the answer but you could see the father become a little uncomfortable. </p>

<p>Between the applications, talking to the coaches, NASS, his officer mentor, and everything else he has done to complete this journey there is no doubt you can tell our DS has done it all on his own…with one exception. Our DS had to get us involved in all the medical questions which is understandable. </p>

<p>Our family interview went quite well, the B&G spent about an hour with the family and then we left and he spent about an hour and a half, one on one with our DS. The coaches also continue to keep in touch with our DS. After NASS and the sports camp they really got to know him more than the 6 months prior. I was surprised when the coaches also wanted to meet all of us, take us around their workout facility and get to know us a little better. We were very impressed and honored. In HS the coaches keep their distance from parents. </p>

<p>In the end it’s going to come down to the nomination and acceptance. Until that happens they are all in the same boat. The forum is a superb outlet for parents to resource information like the academy because you really don’t want to get into their journey. </p>

<p>Good stuff, cheers!!</p>

6

<p>We are a sponsor family and had our two plebes for the afternoon yesterday. Good luck to all of you whose children hope to join the ranks.</p>

7

<p>Thank you for being a sponsor family. We know a Sr. who has raved about not only his sponsor family but all the families. He said it’s a great support system. I also had the pleasure of meeting a sponsor family of a (active) Navy Capt. they have keep in touch with him throughout his 20+ years. As parents we are greatful for all that you do for these kids. My DS is hoping to not only get in to the Academy but to be part of a D1 team. He has been in touch with the coaches for 8 months now. The coach also noted how helpful it is to have sponsor families. </p>

<p>Cheers and thank you!!</p>

8

<p>DS got his applications for Academy Nomination into our 2 Senators and Congressman this weekend. He has requested the Letters of Rec. - so now it is all about the waiting.</p>

9

<p>I’m sure he / you might already know this but have your DS look at the deadlines for the Senators and Congressman as to when they want the material. There is no panic right now; however, I believe most of these people look to have all the material in around the end of the 1st week of Oct. Whoever is writing his rec’s they should have an idea of their window. With school now open as you know things are crazy all over. Good luck to your DS. </p>

<p>Our DS is also in the holding mode and waiting on his interview dates. He is now working on all his other college applications…3 down 7 to go. The Academy, NROTC applications, DoDMERB and physical are all done. It’s now all about the representative interview and the final answer!</p>

10

<p>Congressional Deadlines are October 10 and October 17. DS asked each recommender to get the letters in by October 1. (He provided each with 3 stamped addressed envelopes.)</p>

11

<p>I believe congressional deadlines for applications can vary, so check their specific website to be sure of the latest information. USNA has a deadline when all NOM’s must be submitted and you can read about that on their admissions page.</p>

12

<p>Just learned from high school that DS made NMSF. Does USNA care about National Merit designations?</p>

13

<p>DS just got an e-mail from Congressional office giving him the date of his interview.</p>

14

<p>"…and they know when the parent has done the work for their child."</p>

<p>No they don’t. How could they? Hell, have the applicants are smarter than their parents. </p>

<p>A service academy application isn’t like a 3rd grade science project where it is always completely obviously that the parent did all the work.</p>

<p>My advice to parents is this: If there is something you know or if there is something you can do to help your kid get an appointment … DO IT! Once they get their foot in the door it’s all up to them.</p>

<p>Do not make the application process a “tough love”, learning experience for them.</p>

<p>I can tell you this from personal experience.</p>

15

<p>^^ I agree, a little common sense goes a long way. The application process is fairly complex, includes many things not part of civilian college applications and involves many steps. However, there is nothing wrong in providing guidance/support or assistance.<br>
Certainly, it needs to be your son/daughter who truly want to attend the academy and not something they are doing to satisfy their parents. </p>

<p>In fact, part fo the reason the BGO interviews include 1-on-1 discussions with the applicant is for this very reason. You might be surprised how often BGO’s indicate that the candidate privately tells them this is NOT what they want and are mostly applying at the urging of their parents.</p>

16

<p>This is the 2nd time through the madness (“as a parent”) for NROTC & the Academy. I can tell you from everything we have learned at the admissions office discussion, the books, the B&G, two mids we know, the coaches, NASS and active officers (personal friends) parents need to stay out of it.</p>

<p>The application process is complex now that we have “seen” what our child has done but he did it and he did it on his own!!</p>

<p>For the B&G interview, the congressional & senator interview they ask specific questions of the candidates that tell them who is taking this journey. To add the Senators and Congressmans people share their information with each other (each state is different).</p>

<p>The B&G interview comes in two parts. The first is with the entire family, the 2nd part of the interview is with the candidate. Again the communication that comes from the parents and the one on one tell the B&G who is running the show.</p>

<p>The application essay is also a tell tail. These people are trained to pick the writing of an adult vs. a 17 year old kid. Give this some thought… You ask a class of 15 17 year olds and 1 adult to write an essay on “GAS”. No names on the paper just essays. You can bet you would be able to pick ou the adults essay with no problem. They know if the parents are getting involved and it’s not a good thing. </p>

<p>Guidance, insight, feedback, yea maybe if they ask; however, the thought process has to be there’s.</p>

<p>As a former enlisted Navy guy I know fully what a great officer and excellent command takes. You get a hand held kid that goes to the fleet, its not going to be easy for them. Yes they are commissioned officers but salty experienced guys will know what they are all about and the respect is not easy to achieve.</p>

<p>“Tough love” is critical and important, if they are going to be in charge of 50+ guys and are in a heated situation there is no time to call Mom & Dad for guidance.</p>

<p>My advise to parents is give them your support in what they are trying to achieve. Only they should do the work on this process. It cant be expressed enough Admissions, the B&G, The Congressman & 2 Senators go through extensive training to weed out the applicants who’s parents have walked the walk. </p>

<p>Yes a little guidance, insight, feedback “IF THEY ASK,” but do not do the work for them.</p>

<p>I watched my son make bullited lists, organize dates, create a resume, read a book, visit 3 times, and use other research to get where he is right now. Now an easy task for a kid but he did it. This took him most of his Jr year and he is still working on it. He came to us on Friday and told us he now has firm dates for his congressional & senator interviews. Not a clue what that will take and will not get involved.</p>

<p>If your a parent, coming form a parent I suggest do your own research and see for youself. We heard it this weekend at an Academy Weekend Invite. The gust speaker said “all the parents that are taking notes, drop your pen and had the pad to your child. You should not be driving the boat, just wait for the ride to be over.”</p>

<p>Good luck to all…</p>

17

<p>DS just got notified of his DoDMERB exam. Moving along.</p>

18

<p>Congrats… Just one step closer to his 1st Qualifier. There will be two more qualifiers, the CFA and the thrid which comes from admissions. If he has taken the CFA and passed great!! If not he will need to set this up with his academy contact off his B&G application. They may have already contacted him. Once admissions review “all” they issue the third qualifier, that said if he made it to this point I’m confident he will get the 3rd Q.</p>

<p>DoDMERB is a crazy process, one small issue they flag it. I wish your son all the very best and hope that he along with my son will experience what very few have the chance to do. </p>

<p>If you have not been to the Academy try. I do know that the MOC’s will ask if he has been there. They want to know just exactly what he would have done to know the Academy is for him. If you live far away, have him check youtube for NASS, plebe summer, and many other activities from the academy. When the MOC’s ask he could simply say the academy was too costly to visit be I did watch youtube clips of x, y, & z. There is also a book on how to get into the academy. My DS book is now falling apart, the cover finally fell off the other day…he has had it for three years, go figure!</p>

<p>Has your DS heard from your MOC’s? If his application are in and they have not been in contact it’s a good idea for “HIM” to call their office. They want to get these calls, it’s another craft for them to know your DS wants this. My DS called each office many times. We just went to our local service academy day and they knew exactly who he was when he introduced himself. They also mentioned that he was one of the very few that came to service academy day. They made sure that he sign-in before he walked away…just another indicator of who is really pushing. </p>

<p>Again, all the very best to your son!!</p>

19

<p>3Units: Thanks for all the info. & best wishes! DS did attend the NASS in June - where he passed his CFA. (So, I guess that means he has 1 Q). He has all of his applications for appointment into his 2 Senators and U.S. Rep. He has already had a phone call and 2 emails from the staff of the U.S. Rep. (He has an interview with them in Nov.) He met with the U.S.N.A. Midshipman who visited his high school and did attend the Service Academy Night earlier this month.</p>

20

<p>3units. Congratulations with applying. I was thinking long and hard about going to an academy but decided to go the more traditional route with ROTC. I was thinking that if I was going to compete for a seat at the academy then I should commit 100% for the long term. But I just couldn’t commit long term. Right now I am thinking I will just serve for a few years (5 to 10) and then transition back to a civilian life (but you never know)… I admire that he is making the commitment. If I cross paths with him I promise I’ll be a good wingman and watch out for him… right now I was looking at places like Cornell & MIT and a few other standard places (and some not so standard like Olin)… but in a few years I hope to be a solid engineer working with your son. Once again Congratulations on making the commitment that I couldn’t.</p>