<p>Hi, I am a senior, and I am graduating with a limited amount of choices. I am rather intelligent, but I was lazy in my first years of high school. My GPA is my weakest point, but I got a respectable 24 on my ACT. However, I just took the January SAT, and I think that it will be much better than my ACT. With that said, I am in a really complicated situation because schools are favoring my essay, ACT, and activities, but they despise my GPA. I have been accepted to a few colleges, and I am not looking for more colleges.The first problem is that I have been on hold for my first semester (seventh semester) grades for the colleges that I prefer. They are mostly semi-prestigious jesuit schools throughout the midwest, and schools in the Northeast such as Hofstra and Syracuse. My list is rather lengthy, but I have shortened the list to what i really want. Now, here is where it gets tricky.</p>
<pre><code> I currently go to a military boarding school which will remain nameless, and I am considering a career path as an officer in the military. All of the schools I have applied to either have Air Force ROTC or ARMY ROTC. I would rather do Air Force ROTC, but I will see where I get into. Anyway, that is not the primary problem. The primary problem is that I want to go to the citadel, and that is my number one choice. They have airforce rotc, military structure, and your basic majors- which is all i ask for. On the other hand, my father wants me to go to a more prestigious school (well prestigious in his eyes). He thinks that the academics at the Citadel are bad. He would rather have me go to SLU, Syracuse or Hofstra- all of which have me on hold for first semester grades. Btw, first semester grades just finished, so I should be hearing results from each colleges. I talked to SLU and Hofstra and it sounds like I will get in both of those (dont know about Syracuse), but Hofstra and SLU want an instant commitment. Again, my dad really hates the Citadel- which surprisingly has me on hold also. I try to tell him how I want to go their because it is a good school academically, and I am not saying that SLU and Hofstra are bad either. In a vs. comparison, I dont really care if SLU and Hofstra are better than the citadel because I want the experience that the Citadel has to offer- plus it has AFROTC.
Now, here is my citadel question. The military school that I go to is not that military at all, and I dont mind the military aspect of it at all. The part about my school that does bother me is that it has an established set of non-military rules which protect the school's image, and the school has image over the life of the students. The school is really lacking financially, and the rules are designed to 'prevent kids from getting in trouble'- nothing to do with the military. I could drill all day, do PT, and do whatever, but I want to be treated like an adult. My school treats me like a kid but more like a civilian. The citadel seems to treat people like adults but doesn't treat them like civilians. I am perfectly fine with this.
Now my only concern is this: after knob year, are citadel cadets allowed to go into Charleston during the week? Is there a certain time of the day that citadel cadets are allowed to leave and check in? Does the food suck (I only ask because my school's last financial priority is food)? My school is in the middle of no where, and I would rather have some place to go. At my school, I am only allowed to leave campus or sign into town during the weekend- no matter what year you are. The town really sucks also, so I am not asking NYC but Charleston sounds good enough. I am also looking for a challenge, because I am limited at my school, and the routine lifestyle at my school just gets boring and old. I dont mind the structure, but my school has to know where I am at all times. I cant just go anywhere I want and show up when I need to. Its hard to explain, but its like I have to be checked in to wherever I go.
With these questions addressed, I would liked them to be answered, but, most of all, I would like a way of trying to convince or persuade my father to letting me go into the citadel- something to the extent of the structured lifestyle and how the challenges of the military lifestyle will be good for me. I think that going to a normal private college with ROTC would get boring for me, and I would continue to be unhappy if I didn't attend the citadel, only because my dad thought that it wasn't right for me. Now if someone could please help me out there that would be fantastic. Thank you, reply soon.
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