Appointments - Class of 2012 - Page 4

Profmom2 · 10-17-2007, 11:53 AM

We did it and would do it in a heart beat again. Really in the scheme of life very cheap insurance that has absolutely nothing to do with a defeatist attitude.

Lets say your "Mid to Be" falls and breaks his leg at two weeks to IDAY. They will not admit your son/daughter, plain and simple, as he/she could not participate in Plebe summer. Now what are you going to do with said child. Have them sit at home for the fall before you can get them into a spot for spring semester if that is even possible at Plan B? Or have them spend the year at a community college and have to go through college apps all again as a transfer? There is no guarantee that they will be afforded a spot at USNA again, especially if the leg does not heal quite right.

What if they are sent home during Plebe summer with an injury? And even the best and the brightest can struggle with Plebe summer and come to the conclusion that it is not the right spot for them. It does happen even with kids that have wanted USNA for a long time. It certainly does not mean they failed. They just made a decision that in the end was not for them.

My son was well involved with the process. He made the initial call to Plan B admissions with his request to pay the deposit but have until IDay to give them a final answer. Dad then talked to admissions, which indicated that they saw nothing ethically wrong as it was not considered double depositing since the 2500.00 was not a fee to "hold" a spot. Each admissions office will handle this differently. We were honest with Plan B's admissions. There really was not a way to leave him out of the process with the type of school that was his 2nd choice. They also gave him until August to give them a final decision.

navy2010 · 10-17-2007, 01:01 PM

^^^ agree.

we didn't do it.... only because I never thought to ask the question...
had I known, we would have done the same thing.
Someone last year even recommended negotiating with the "plan b" school to delay admission for a year....."just in case".... not sure what their outcome was, but I recall thinking "not a bad idea!"

USNA, I Hope · 10-21-2007, 12:47 PM

Whistle Pig, I like the new name, but i think it might just be a little too long. Oh well, I guess I'll keep the old name and adopt the new one as my motto for this year.

atrmom · 10-21-2007, 01:11 PM

Fencersmother, when our son was accepted to USNA in 2004, it never crossed our minds to send a deposit to a "regular" college just in case. If something had happened, I guess we would have dealt with it then. We just kept reminding our son to keep his eyes on the prize and make his decisions accordingly. The funny thing is that we're right back on that road again. If our son gets his first choice of Service Selection (Navy Air), he'll have to start being careful again so he doesn't mess up his chance at flight school. Keeping our fingers crossed for Service Selection around November 15! Congratuations to all the new and future Plebes!

itlstallion422 · 10-21-2007, 01:22 PM

I'm a bit more undecided about the whole back up school insurance policy. pre-plebe summer injuries not withstanding, once you get through I-Day I really haven't heard of anyone being forced to go home with injuries. The closest thing that ever happens to that is that mids can be given time off to recuperate (sp?). I even know of a case where psych doctors recommended a certain plebe be seperated, but in the end, the plebe still had the choice of whether or not to stay.

The whole reason people seem to be commenting on the need for the Plan B school is for a back-up plan. If I ever have a son or daughter going to the Academy, I wouldn't want them to think that there was any back-up plan, because for them there shouldn't be any alternative other than finishing plebe summer. Any decision about staying or leaving the Academy should not be made in the plebe summer training environment. I actually had a plebe summer squadmate announce to me that his parents had a spot saved for him at michigan if he decided he didn't like it at the Academy.... Yeah, he was in Tango by the end of the first week.

At the absolute most, the only possible course of action concerning this that I would take would be to send the money into plan B without telling the son/daughter. Lets face it, Plebe Summer isn't that hard, it sucks, but its not hard to survive it. If you lull yourself to sleep thinking about all the beer soaked partying you can be doing at that spot for you saved at State U, then you're alot more likely to think about quitting.

Kathie · 10-21-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

If I ever have a son or daughter going to the Academy, I wouldn't want them to think that there was any back-up plan, because for them there shouldn't be any alternative other than finishing plebe summer.

My thoughts exactly! If you are going to USNA, or any other Academy for that matter, you should go with the intent to finish. It shouldn't be like test driving a car. Once you've signed the dotted line on I-Day, you've taken the spot of the next person in line who *knows* they want to be there. By keeping a plan B contingency, it shows lack of commitment.

Just my $.02

atrmom · 10-21-2007, 02:02 PM

My son has said that once you're in, they'll do everything they can to keep you there (regarding injury). The Naval Academy has a vested interest in qualified candidates being successful, graduating and going into the fleet as good officers.

NativeTexan · 10-21-2007, 03:57 PM

Quote:

The whole reason people seem to be commenting on the need for the Plan B school is for a back-up plan. If I ever have a son or daughter going to the Academy, I wouldn't want them to think that there was any back-up plan, because for them there shouldn't be any alternative other than finishing plebe summer. Any decision about staying or leaving the Academy should not be made in the plebe summer training environment.

Quote:

Once you've signed the dotted line on I-Day, you've taken the spot of the next person in line who *knows* they want to be there. By keeping a plan B contingency, it shows lack of commitment.

First and for most the person who has signed on the dotted line has not taken a spot from someone else. Things happen, injuries occur, and just possibly it was not the right choice. All valid reasons to decide against, or have it decided for you against staying. Nothing that shows a lack of commitment, failing or taking someone else's spot. Sometimes things happen that we all don't understand, only the person intimately involved. To make ones child feel as if they have failed, or "shown a lack of commitment" makes me wonder who's idea to attend it really is. It is all about support.

Like Profmom stated what are you going to do with said child if they fall and have an orthopedic injury prior to IDAY, God Forbid an car accident?

The Back up plan I am hearing about and we also did had absolutely nothing to do with failing. Cheap insurance for the unexpected. Try getting them in State U in June - the biggies like Texas, Michigan, Virginia will not have space.

Each and every one who earns that spot, has achieved a great milestone. To imply they were somehow less deserving, or took someone more deservings place because for what ever reason they do not stay is not a valid assumption. Listen to the Supe, who ever it is, and they will also repeat this thought. Was said in 2005, and 2006. Some will leave for various reasons. They need the support of their families and peers when that occurs. Not for us to judge.

itlstallion422 · 10-21-2007, 05:04 PM

Native Texan, I see what your saying in your post, however, i will refer and further clarify my earlier post when I state that "pre-plebe summer injuries not withstanding" there is no need for a "back-up plan," and furthermore, it could be a detriment to your son or daughter. One of the secrets to getting through plebe summer is to take the approach that there is no alternative besides making it to reform. If you accept that, and wait until the Ac year or and possibly post plebe year, to make any decisions about leaving, then the back up plan is completely unnecessary.

Having spent four years at the Naval Academy, I completely understand that the Academy is not for everyone, however, plebe summer is not the time to make that decision.

USNA69 · 10-21-2007, 07:26 PM

Agree, itlstallion. I would never suggest a candidate begin plebe summer knowing he had an alternate plan B. While the original intent might be for medical conditions, it quickly becomes an acceptable way out if plebe summer becomes too "difficult". While plebe summer is not the time to make the commitment decision, some do consider it daily.

momof1 · 10-21-2007, 09:07 PM

Hmmm. We paid a deposit to hold a spot at Johns Hopkins, however for the class of the following year (deferred admission). Didn't use it. Our 4-striper will graduate in May. For us it was an insurance policy if he decided USNA was not for him. Best $600.00 we ever spent. I would hate for him to ever have felt that it was do or die because he had nowhere else to go. He did have a choice. He chose to stay. That is buy-in.

As has been said elsewhere, parents know their kids. We all have different philosophies and do what we think is best.

Whistle Pig · 10-21-2007, 10:35 PM

momof1 ... great post. Simply because one is out of options is no more reason to stay than having them is reason to leave.

hersheybear04 · 10-21-2007, 11:02 PM

I talked to a colonel at USMA SLS who said he payed a deposit to keep his spot at Georgetown all the way until after cow commitment (his second class year) at West Point.
I agree with momof1 and Whistle Pig - you shouldn't stay just because there are no more options/back-ups, you should stay because you want to. In the end, if you really want to stay, having back-ups shouldn't make a difference.

TXinAK · 10-23-2007, 12:22 AM

I have a question. Does the Admissions board meet every week/day or do they only meet once a month? I was just wondering how the rolling admissions process works.

hersheybear04 · 10-23-2007, 01:28 AM

i think they meet every Thursday... not sure though.