Is it worth restarting my whole college process to go through West Point, or am I better off commissioning through ROTC?

2019-08-14T22:13:26-04:00

Has anyone here gone to the USMA after being an enlisted Soldier? I am eligible for the Soldier Admissions Program and have a pretty good shot at gaining admission. My main concern is that I will have to restart college as a freshman/plebe after I already completed two full years of engineering coursework with a 4.0. Is it worth restarting my whole college process to go through the academy, or am I better off commissioning through ROTC? Thanks in advance.

Response by SSG Michael Johnston made Aug 14 at 2019 11:21 PM

2019-08-14T23:21:23-04:00

Hi Jack,
That's a valid question and this is my perspective. It sounds like you've already done some thought regarding your eligibility/competitiveness for the Academy, and you seem "intrigued" by the opportunity (or I don't think you'd have reached out with your question). I think your curiosity... is very valid and I don't presume to tell anyone what they should or should not do... but in my humble opinion... I think you should proceed with the application process. Yes, logic tells "us" that repetition is unconscionable... but in this case... I wouldn't consider this opportunity as restarting. You have the opportunity to become a part of the (I'm going to butcher it, so all of you "ring-knockers" please correct) "Long Grey Line". My understanding is that this is an extremely prestigious lineage and network, something that ivy leaguers pay 100s of thousands of dollars for. So you might be a plebe... you've already experienced basic training, right? You've already experienced your MOS school, right? So being a freshman, plebe, etc. is no big thing!
In full disclosure... I'm a bit bias in my offerings, lol. Choosing between the Academy and ROTC (no offense to your ROTC Battalion), it's a no-brainer - West Point, all the way! If I were in your chain-of-command... I would 100% advise you to attend the Academy.
Apologies for the long-winded advice. I wish you all the best and know you'll have amazing accomplishments!

Best,
Mike Johnston

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Aug 15 at 2019 6:00 AM

2019-08-15T06:00:54-04:00

Bottom line up front....think about where you want to be at 40 years old. Does the USMA better help you attain your long-term goals than going the ROTC route? Only you can answer that question. Your short-term decision-making should help you attain your long-term goals.

If you have goals of pursuing a military career and obtaining a high-quality graduate education, USMA seems like a great option. Life is a marathon; in the bigger scheme of things, two years is a blip. If these are goals you're considering, and attending West Point intrigues you, I wouldn't let repeating the prior coursework be an obstacle. At a minimum, the prior coursework will give you a leg up on attaining a very high GPA at the USMA, thereby making you more competitive (both while in the cadet ranks and when seeking the career path you want upon graduation). Plus, the pedigree of the USMA degree can set you up well for attaining admission into a graduate degree at yet another prestigious institution down the road.

If you have no/little desire to make the military a career, and/or to attend an elite institution to obtain a graduate education, then the USMA pathway may not be as valuable to you. That completely changes the calculus in the decision-making.

Whichever way you go, best wishes to you.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Aug 15 at 2019 8:10 AM

2019-08-15T08:10:16-04:00

OK, so I am clear, you will be starting your Junior year in an Engineering School and you are current Army National Guard? If you were just starting college, I would say West Point, one of the best free educations available and a very, very good network. However, in you case, if it were me, I would go ROTC since you are exempt from the first two years, do the Guard SMP while I was in ROTC and Commission after your Senior Year. The only downside with ROTC is that only the top students get active duty, if that is your goal.
BTW, 4.0 in Engineering! I am very impressed.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 15 at 2019 8:14 AM

2019-08-15T08:14:13-04:00

Two things:
1. If you want to go active duty as an officer, go to USMA, If you want to stay Guard, go ROTC.
2. This is one of the best engineering schools in the country, doing two years over is worth it just for that.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Aug 15 at 2019 9:46 AM

2019-08-15T09:46:18-04:00

I think that's the first time I've heard of a situation like yours. The "short" answer might be ROTC...you've got a great academic record, in a viable degree, are prior service, and my sense is that you'd make a fine officer; no sense in jumping through more hoops than necessary. On the other hand, I sense you'd also be an exceptional cadet...and while a great deal has changed, being a "ring knocker" still has it's benefits.

Here's the "Pros"-You'd be way ahead of your classmates, both in terms of academics and military experience. You'd likely score higher on the core courses you've already had exposure to, and that may take some pressure off continuing to get higher QPR numbers over the whole four years. As a West Point graduate, you have an instant network that could do great things for your future career...not to mention a whole lot of good memories. If you maintained your current record of achievement, I think it's safe to say you'd be leaving in the top percentiles of your class.

The "Cons"-All of that experience is going to make the "Mickey Mouse" crap a lot harder to deal with. You're going to find it difficult to "fit in" with many of the incoming Plebes, and I think (for me at least) it will be difficult to be under the authority of the Upper Classmen...most of whom won't have any prior experience, and will probably seem pretty ridiculous at times. You may have a very hard time keeping your grades where you'd like them...they say that the conventional wisdom is that you can drop your GPA at least a whole point at a service academy vs. a civilian institution. You could run the risk of having to graduate with a lessor degree, a lower QPR, or both. Four years at "Hell on the Hudson" may convert exceptional stats into moderate achievement...and ultimately cost you in the long run.

At the end of the day, a commission is a commission...and a whole lot of successful officers, including general officers, are ROTC folks.

I sincerely hope that whatever route you take, you find success...they need you.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Aug 15 at 2019 1:58 PM

2019-08-15T13:58:00-04:00

An alternate route would be OCS.

Response by LTC Bruce Arlinghaus made Aug 15 at 2019 2:35 PM

2019-08-15T14:35:57-04:00

50 years ago, got my USMA appointment 2 quarters into my freshman year and also offered a 2 year ROTC scholarship. Chose the latter, no regrets.

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Aug 15 at 2019 3:56 PM

2019-08-15T15:56:58-04:00

Jack if you get the offer for the Academy, go, GO, GO. The Academy is not the end all be all, example I was a pretty fantastic SF Officer and I was an OCS guy but I had lots of buddies that were Academy grads and it is not only a great education but sets you on the right path in many ways. So as I said if you get the chance go! Your 2 years with a 4.0 maybe part of the reason they are looking at you.

Plus something to think about is you should never do anything that might be the most expeditious way to solve a problem. Make your solution (education issue) as painful and over worked as possible. Not to mention there could be a greater chance of hunting down bad people. Sorry I may have carried away there.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 15 at 2019 4:31 PM

2019-08-15T16:31:41-04:00

Completely unbiased poster here... First off, the quality of Officer that you will be is determined by you alone, not the commissioning source you went to.
I would side with the party that advises you to take the long view. Two years seems like an eternity, but in retrospect, it’s really not that much time if going to West Point meets your personal goals.
Being part of the West Point experience is something special that you will take with you the rest of your life. Two Presidents, one VP, a SECDEF, and numerous other figures spoke during my time. I had military schooling (ABN, AASLT, CTLT with 2/75) and academic opportunities (month in Hawaii totally paid for to conduct an academic internship with the Corps of Engineers) that you won’t find at most ROTC programs.
Last, but not least, though I have made many friends throughout my 7 year career, I’m still closest to my West Point friends (even though most have left the service).

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Aug 16 at 2019 3:20 AM

2019-08-16T03:20:52-04:00

Great question! Have you been to West Point and seen the school? It would be worth it to me to graduate from there even if it meant ‘starting’ as a freshman. Your two years of completed college courses with that GPA will benefit you in the long run. The decision is yours, but I just wish I had considered West Point or the Air Force Academy when I was preparing for and applying to colleges. But I was a child of the 70’s and we were at war in Vietnam and active duty Military was the Last thing on my mind in my college selection. Who would have thought five years after obtaining a BA Degree, I’d be enlisting in the Army!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2019 5:22 AM

2019-12-17T05:22:13-05:00

The biggest value i see to the Academy is the network you would build.

The biggest negative is it sets your retirement back 2 years and the time won't count for years of service for pay.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Dec 17 at 2019 8:36 AM

2019-12-17T08:36:10-05:00

USMA, if given the choice. I applied when enlisted but because my birthday couldn’t do it, turned 23 y/o one month too early.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2019 8:57 AM

2019-12-17T08:57:27-05:00

I would definitely finish the school you started. You're in a very tough program with a perfect score already. That's setting you up for your Masters as well. By the time you finished USMA and commissioned, you would already be a 1LT with several years under your belt, as well as PL time and possibly several schools.