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<p>Also a "dream school can change over the course of one’s senior year of high school. We have seen many a student who applies early admit, get accepted and by May it would not be their first choice anymore but they are locked in. In my sons class from high school - the kids that are all transferring this sophomore year were all early decision kids.</p>
<p>Make sure your back up schools are places you would be happy at. Even if the back up is ROTC - make sure you like the school, not just the ROTC program. If you can not afford that school without ROTC then make sure you have a back up to it also!</p>
<p>My Mid received his appointment in November. We did not let him accept the appointment until at least doing the CVW end of January and then strongly encouraged him to not accept the appointment or withdraw any of the other applications until he had all acceptances in hand. As of April 1st he was then in the position to make a truly informed decision about his education - he would never be able to wonder if he had made a decision without all of the information. He did question his dream - in the end turned down some very attractive admissions. To this day he knows he made an informed decision about his “life” and did not base his decision to attend USNA on a childhood dream that had been formed with nothing more than the wow factor - Top Gun so to speak.</p>