<p>WAMom68 beat me to the punch. My son is an AOG scholar at Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama. My son got involved in the West Point process late and was held up because of medical issues until sometime in late March, I think. Like your son he was put on the National Wait List and told that he had a shoot at the class of 2010. I do not think anyone told him that he had a fifty/fifty chance or any percentage chance. He was told that he could be taken off the National Wait List anytime up to the day before R-Day. Last year the Admissions Office’s yield was very high and more cadet candidates accepted offers of admission than expected and few if any came off of the National Wait List, or so we were told, after mid to late April. The Admissions Office did offer my son an AOG scholarship and our MALO was really excited. I was a little worried that if my son said yes that it would hurt his chances of a regular appointment. We were told that it would not and I believe my son’s MALO. As you get closer to May 1 ask your MALO how many kids have accepted appointments and what number your son is on the National Wait List. That might give you some idea of whether he might get pulled off the National Wait List, but it varies considerably from year to year.</p>
<p>The AOG scholarship is the next best thing to getting into West Point, because while not a guarantee of admission, it dramatically changes the odds in the candidates favor. My son has already received his Appointment and is eagerly awaiting July 2nd. Marion is not West Point. It is located in rural Alabama on a campus that in great part was built prior to the Civil War. Some of its buildings are tired and could use some modernization. It just became part of the Alabama junior college system and the Stae is putting money into the school so that should improve. The teachers at Marion are great and take a keen interest in each students success. My son regularly goes to eat at their homes, out to lunch and to church with his teachers. The kids in the SAP Program (Service Academy Program) are great kids that all have a similar goal…to get into a Service Academy. The AOG scholarship kids take classes with each other and all take the same classes. The upside of the program is that my son has a better foundation to enter West Point than a kid right out of high school. He is used to a military atmosphere, physical training in the early mornings and living in spartan surroundings. </p>
<p>In short, an AOG Scholarship is a means to an end: West Point. My son will tell you that it is/was worth it. We couldn’t be happier with Marion. If you want your son to talk to my son, send a private message and I can set them up. I can also arrange for a Marion teacher or the West Point coordinator to give you a call. There are a number of Marion kids that monitor this site and they may want to add to what I have said.</p>