Re-Applicant Strategy: How To Get Accepted This Time

This blog is all about the re-applicant process to applying to the Academies.  That means, if you’re here, you didn’t get in last year!  You just got bad news, and we’re here to help you climb out of that hole. There is nothing worse than a rejection letter, especially when it’s your dream.

What can you do between now and when you apply next time to improve your chances?

What we have developed is a framework called R.E.A.P.P.L.Y.

You are going to be one of 20% of the applicant pool that is composed of re-applicants. We hear about several, and you may have as well, that apply the second or third time and finally get in. It’s going to be a lot of work, as you know.  The good news?  You’ve been through it once before.  The bad news?  You’ve been through it once before.  You may have picked up bad habits, or you may be thinking this is going to be a lot of work and I may not have the time.  You could be considering that right now. 

We have gone through this process with re-applicants.  We can tell you some of the common pitfalls.  

Three common pitfalls:

1. They don’t change anything.  They re-apply thinking the Academies like re-applicants, but they don’t actually change anything significant besides redoing a few essays and letters of recommendation, and they think that is going to be good enough. There is no real reason why they should be accepted the second time.  They think persistence is going to get them accepted, and that might not be good enough.
2. They don’t ask for help.  They think they know the process, I’ve gone through it before, so I’m going to grab the bull by the horns and do this by myself. The same knowledge you had last time got you rejected, so you have to be open to additional words of wisdom and a different strategy this time around. 
3. They decide they do not want to re-apply.  They think they want to re-apply because they just got a rejection letter, but once they step foot on a college campus and become entrenched in the social environment, they decide they do not want to start over as a Freshman.  That is exactly what will happen.  You cannot transfer to the Academy as a Sophomore, you will have to start over as a Freshman.  Some will see that as a step back.  

We are going to explain through the R.E.A.P.P.L.Y. framework how you can avoid these common pitfalls, and what you can do to maximize your chances and avoid the inevitable of getting onto the college campus, getting busy, and ultimately deciding not to re-apply.  

R – ROTC.  Let’s say you didn’t get the ROTC scholarship.  You can still walk-on to the ROTC detachment.  Every ROTC detachment is usually composed of on-contract cadets or midshipmen, and walk-on cadets that are just participating but do not actually have a commission that they are entitled to four years later.  Why do we recommend this?  Because if you can get into Officer training now, there is perhaps no greater addition to your resume than showing you just completed a year of officer development training.  It shows intrinsic motivation to serve, helps gain an additional letter of recommendation from ROTC commander, gets you in a disciplined environment where you are in school and in training which is a great simulation of the Academies.  

E – ENROLL IN CALCULUS, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS.  Why do we say that?  We say that because typically a full load in college is four classes, and depending on what you’re majoring in, you could take many non-STEM classes.  Political Science, English, History of the Roman Empire or other non-STEM, nontechnical classes.  That is not going to prepare you for the STEM core curriculum you are going to take your Freshman year at the Academies.  They want to see that you are taking classes that mirror the Freshman classes at the Academies.  Your first year of college, you should voluntarily take the Physics with lab, Chemistry with lab.  It will make your transcript more convincing.  You do not necessarily need to major in a STEM major, but use your electives for STEM classes.  You could also pick up a recommendation letter from a STEM professor which could add value to your application this time around.  

A – ATTEMPT THE SAT/ACT AGAIN!  If you can raise your score, that alone could make a dramatic difference.  Enroll over the summer to take the SAT/ACT again.  You will have time to get a tutor and crush your next test.  Stay focused over the summer.  It’s no fun to retake the test again, but it’s also no fun to go through this process only to be rejected again.  

P – PURSUE THE RIGHT RECOMMENDERS.  When you get to college, build relationships with the ROTC staff, your Calculus professor, your Chemistry professor.  Then, you can ask for recommendation letters from them. Not only will the ROTC improve your application, but the recommendation letter will as well.  Not only will Calculus and Chemistry improve your transcript, but the recommendation letter will as well.  You will need new recommendation letters, although they can be from the same recommenders.  

P – PLAN YOUR SUMMER WISELY.  Not only is SAT/ACT preparation crucial over the summer, but your goal is to get your application done before you report to college and life gets too busy and takes the backburner.  Get your essays done, you can do that.  Take the SAT/ACT again, you can do that.  You can pursue your Senior year teacher for a new letter of recommendation over the summer.  Fitness tests can be done now.  Take action on what you can do now instead of waiting because one or two things will have to wait until you have college professors or ROTC staff to request recommendation letters from.  You have the most bandwidth over the summer.  Don’t waste it.  Plan every week of your summer.  You are most motivated right now after receiving that rejection letter! 

L – LISTEN TO TRUSTED GUIDANCE.  Don’t repeat the same mistakes.  Have a different plan.  Have a different strategy.  Academy Endeavors is here to help you make a game plan that will propel you to your dreams.  Make sure that the advice you get is personalized to your unique situation. 

Y – REMEMBER YOUR WHY!  This re-applicant process will push you like none other.  It will push you socially, emotionally, mentally, physically.  Yes, you‘ve gone through it before, but to go through it again after picking up the pieces and push through knowing that you could potentially get rejected a second time?  That takes guts.  When you get the Yes next time, it will be that much sweeter!  Remember the goal of what job you want to do in the military.  Remember your reasons for attending.  Remember your story and why you started this process in the first place.  

Sign up now for FREE Academy Endeavors 1-on-1 for you and your parent: https://academyendeavors.com/apply-now/

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