<p>I just joined the site and I am a sophomore in high school. I know that i want to do something in the military but im not sure what yet. My first option now is as a marine. I want to attend Annapolis. Could you guys help me out with what the benefits are of Annapolis or Westpoint? I've spent hours researching but the websites are too broad. Thanks!</p>
<p>Well the most important difference is that the Naval Academy offers you a commission in the Navy or Marines, while West Point gives you a commission in the Army.</p>
<p>So if you want to be a Marine, the Naval Academy is your school.</p>
<p>But for the most part they are pretty comparable in education and training. The Naval Academy is more engineering oriented than West Point.</p>
<p>Leaving Annapolis in Marines would mean officer. Is it the same for Westpoint?</p>
<p>hey,
Navy has more options upon commissioning than West Point. if you're still a sophomore and you're saying "my first option NOW" then you should go with navy, as your preferences might change. from navy you can fly, serve at/under sea, go ground, special forces. you should apply to both and go to both of their summer seminars. one thing that might help too is to go to sports camps at the academies - get a feel for the campus and try to go to a camp during plebe summer so you can see a little bit of what's happening. do some extra research by reading books, too. a good book about WP is "Absolutely American" by David Lipsky. i don't know too many books that look at Naval Academy life; "First Class" by Sharon Hanley Disher is good - it's about the first class of women at the academy, and it gives a pretty good look at academy life from an insider's perspective (just remember that a lot has changed since then.)
hope this helps.</p>
<p>when you graduate from any of the academies you're commissioned as an O1 in the service you selected: 2nd Lieutenant in Marines/Army/Air Force or Ensign in the Navy/Coast Guard(?)
you'll get an officer's commission when you graduate from any of the academies</p>
<p>Thanks a lot, ive read a lot of great books on Marine life during war. Ive read Generation Kill by Evan Wright, and im currently reading One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick. His process of becoming a Marine officer is really confusing...he goes to several places before finally become a marine and eventually recon. As far as life at Annapolis i know a few people there now but i still need research.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot, and if anyone else has any thought please let me know.</p>
<p>Just for the record, choosing between USNA and USMA is like choosing between a Ferrarri and a Lamborghini. Either way, you will be getting one hell of a powerful result that will be the envy of many.</p>
<p>As already stated, if you want to be a Marine, then the choice is USNA, with USMMA being an alternative, since you can choose Marines coming from there. USMA is limited to Army in all but the most limited circumstances.</p>
<p>Best of luck either way! :)</p>
<p>pssst....... USNA is better! ;)</p>
<p>mossfan4-</p>
<p>first, welcome to CC, and for getting started early!</p>
<p>Would suggest several things to get you "up to speed":</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Contact your guidance dept and request information for both USNA and USMA. If they do not have a current catalogue, you can download each from each school's website. Read both.</p></li>
<li><p>Purchase, and read, Smallwoods book on "A Candidates Guide to ...." (there is a book for each school)....you can find them online- </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Amazon.com:</a> The West Point Candidate Book: Books: William L. Smallwood</p>
<ol>
<li> Plan on visiting each school during your spring or summer breaks..... there is nothing like seeing each "up close and in person."</li>
</ol>
<p>That should give you a decent overview as to what each institution is about, what it takes to get in, and a foundation on which to base further inquiries. </p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Nathaniel Fick decided to become a Marine while at Dartmouth College. He did not enroll in ROTC.</p>
<p>The Marine Corps sent him to OCS (officer candidate school) the summer between his junior and senior year in college.
He then finished his senior year in college and graduated. After he graduated he was commissioned and sent to TBS (The Basic School).</p>
<p>I believe that USNA mids who want to branch Marines go to Leatherneck - which is OCS - and after commissioning they also go to TBS.<br>
Those in NROTC - also go to OCS and TBS.
Someone correct me if I am mistaken.</p>
<p>Remember - getting Marines is NOT guaranteed if you go to USNA - there is a chance you could be forced to go Navy. It is an excellent path to the goal, however.</p>
<p>Navy ROTC does have a Marine Corps option - perhaps someone with that experience can contribute how that works.</p>
<p>My dd recently visited ND and Purdue to meet with their ROTC officers. In the process, they explained to us that, if someone chooses MCROTC (and gets a scholarship), they will definitely enter the Marine Corps after graduation and commissioning. The MCROTC units (at those two schools at least) had extra mandatory PT sessions each week, and their PFT/PFA requirements each semester are a bit different. Also, the number of professional courses taken, and their topics, varied slightly, I believe.</p>
<p>Many ROTC schools have web sites that show course listings and other requirements. The easiest way to access them is probably through the NROTC Index:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/colleges.cfm%5B/url%5D">https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/colleges.cfm</a></p>
<p>Thanks guys, im also having trouble researching about getting recommendations. Does anyone know who I can get one from and also what the best way to do it is?</p>
<p>Do you mean "Nomination"?</p>
<p>Go to your MOC's website, or else call the local office. The Candidate Guidance Office is also a good source of information, as is your BGO.</p>
<p>There is a series of web pages on the USNA web site that should help you through some of your questions. It includes links to pages that will help you to find the names and addresses of your Members of Congress (MOCs). Just click on each "step" to get more information:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Z are you trying to confuse the heck out of this prospect? :D</p>
<p>MOC = Member of Congress</p>
<p>CGO = Candidate Guidance Office</p>
<p>BGO = Blue & Gold Officer = Liaison Officer</p>
<p>I applied at USMA w/ USNA as my second and to get a letter of nomination from your senator or represenative (thank god I didnt have to do this, though I tried)(presidential nomination with multiple pentagon GO endorsments and still no guarantee I will get accepted) you must forward your resume, school transcript and standard test scores to the desired official in your home state, the deadline is usually Oct 1. They will contact you for an interview and I suggest you go to your academy web site and READ the possible questions and BE READY as getting a nomination is very competative as there are a limited number of nominations available. PREPARE, PREPARE oh and did I say PREPARE. Be active in your school, participate in sports, bands, church, scouting and activities as these may be the edge that gets you in, they want to see that you are capable of getting good grades and handle it well with a heavy activity load. </p>
<p>I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, be prepared if you do not get accepted, apply for ROTC and start applying to colleges It is not a disgrace not being accepted, it is just that competative, less than 1 in 10 get accepted. </p>
<p>USMA is expecting over 13000 applicants and has 1100 seats, I have a 1900 SAT II and a 3.7 GPA and I'm not holding my breath, I have recently recieved my ROTC award letters from 8 universities to include several Ivy's and "new ivy's" under first round early ROTC selection. </p>
<p>I had trouble with getting a nomination, my parents are military and the officials in their home states kept forwarding my nomination application to the officials in the states where we currently lived who refused to give a nomination to me because my parents where not constituants in their districts. </p>
<p>Did I say BE PREPARED!</p>
<p>Thanks. GA. :o</p>
<p>Here's a weird twist speaking of getting a commission as a Marine officer. Our son's good friend from high school enlisted in the Marines after graduation in 2002. After 2 tours in Iraq he decided he wanted to get his commission. He applied to West Point as a Marine, was accepted and is there now as a Yuk. Upon graduation in 2010 he wants to cross-over back to the Marines. Interesting huh?</p>
<p>I know a few people in USNA who got their nominations through working as an intern for Marty Meehan. Is it a good idea not only to apply for nomination but to intern as well?</p>
<p>it shouldn't make a difference if you've interned with that senator or not. the only way it can help you is if you put it on your resume: "worked as a congressional page for during the summer of 200X"
i'm not sure, but i don't think MOC's can/should give you special treatment just because you've interned with them.
and there is no way to get a nomination "through" interning for an MOC. you still have to go through the normal application process just like everyone else.</p>
<p>Thanks, also- Im going to visit Annapolis in September of my Junior Year along with Westpoint...I'm going to apply for the summer seminar in the summer going into my senior year...will attending the summer seminar increase my chances of getting in over someone who has not attended the seminar?</p>