<p>Sorry to say Class of 2009 lost another Plebe/Candidate. Our club was notified today. It is one of ours.</p>
<p>Our Club has lost two this year. It is really a shame. But if it was not the right place for them then it is for the best.</p>
<p>Really does break your heart. Loose - loose situation. Have you heard how many have dropped so far? We can only assume, but are guessing 4 and now with your news today 5?</p>
<p>Jamzmom,</p>
<p>It is really sad. I hate to see them give up and that is what it seems that once they start down that path the result is eventual. We also had a set 2/c set back to 3/c. But at least he did not leave. </p>
<p>We had one 3/c setback last year that ended up leaving the academy and attending Maine Maritime.</p>
<p>But all our kids are doing GREAT and will continue to do so.</p>
<p>Wow, I am shocked to hear the news...</p>
<p>Everyday, (and actually just a few minutes before I logged in here) I check the roster. As of this writing there are no changes. I suppose it takes awhile to revise the roster.</p>
<p>Boy, I feel very badly..and actually quite sad ... I wonder what happened or did the plebes just decide it wasn't for them?</p>
<p>We shouldn't be too shocked to hear of a kid leaving an academy. Saddened, yes, but the reality is the academies are not for everyone, as we've all come to learn.
At the CGA we started with 307 in the class of 2009. As of acceptance day(using that term generically) August 15 we have 275. A number either failed the physical or the PTE while several DOR'ed. I'm sure one of the reason the summer training is so tough is a desire to find out who really wants to be there. Say a prayer for those who left and two for the kids who still have a tough road ahead of them.</p>
<p>Jamzmom, Prayerful Mom, MomofTwins;</p>
<p>I just got off the phone with my daughter. In reply to how is your sea year going == she replied OUTSTANDING!! She sounded so good. She said when she was in Japan she was in Hiroshima and went to the museum, then she and her shipmate got to take in the sites and get something to eat. She said she could'nt pronounce most of what she ate -- some she will have again, but some of the others NO WAY. They went to a Japanese grocer and that was fun. She is in Portland Oregon tonight -- she spent the last 9 hours doing her piloting project in the Columbia river. This means readings every 10 minutes. She sounded so good -- I just had to share.</p>
<p>Talk with you all soon</p>
<p>OUTSTANDING! So glad you finally heard from her! Wait until I tell my P/C! He'll be so green with envy! Japan is his #1 destination. Was she tired? The food has to be one of the most interesting things about travel. Always is...No eye balls floating in liquid in her descriptions? LOL They must be really moving along at a good clip. And for goodness sake.... don't post in "Another P/C leaves" again! You freaked me out!</p>
<p>8kids...</p>
<p>Thanks for the update on your daughter. It really sounds so exciting to visit all these new places ... what a great experience. No doubt, there is plenty of work to be done as well.</p>
<p>With the latest news on the war in terror, specifically the rockets launched at US Naval Vessels from a terrorist cell in Jordan, I was wondering if there were any USMMA midies on those ships? Thank God the terrorist missed their mark, sadly killing a Jordanian. I read that at least 75 USMMA midshipman have been involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom, so I am concerned over these events and naturally worried.</p>
<p>8kidsmom,</p>
<p>I'm so glad you heard from your daughter. It sounds like she had an absolutely amazing experience. And I'm so glad to be learning more about what the mids at USMMA do. I think this has been very eye-opening. </p>
<p>In the meantime I heard from my cadet this evening. Lots of homework, something about getting the blue bag ready for laundry and tryouts this week for club sports. Japan sounds a tad more exciting, but I'm just so glad about how good she sounds.</p>
<p>i had a dream last night i went to the usmma and went on sea year and it was boring and i dropped out :( . maybe had something to do with the huge packet of pamphlets, books, etc that the usmma sent me yesterday and i read just before going to bed :D</p>
<p>Taffy, you little Devil, get back over in the Coast Guard Academy forum! LOL I'm just kiddin'! You're trying to get us all riled up in here aren't ya? Your dreams couldn't have been brought on by a large pizza before bed could it, instead of the literature? Hey, you just keep reading about USMMA! Pay close attention to where it says that you can go into any branch... If I were you, I'd dream about the 18 countries you could see during Sea Year. Set you up a visit! My kid will take you around!</p>
<p>sounds enticing :D I was invited for the CGA sleepover but that would require missing school, flying to connecticut from CA, all for a 26 hour visit. If i get accepted there I will do that journey for sure, but not right now. Taking a vacation to New York City may be an idea my family would like. I would probably do that the first week of winter break or during spring break. My school used to have a break in February called "ski week" (it hasn't snowed in my town for 20+ years), which would be great for looking at colleges, but i guess my principal would rather have me graduate a week earlier :)</p>
<p>sorry for the thread hijack.</p>
<p>to keep it on topic: only losing 5 cadets seems really low... i think i read the CGA loses like 10-20% of its freshman class before they even finish their summer o' fun.</p>
<p>Yep, taffy, missing school is a real problem the last year. School frowns on it big time. Its a hard deal trying to get around to all the places you want to see. Especially from CA! Do you get college days that are considered excused absences? I know alot of schools do it that way. Ours had all of two.... Big Woo.
We don't mind thread hijacks from cool kids. Bring it on! Anyhow, just to let you know, none of us have heard how many have actually left USMMA so far. Nothing has been published about it yet. We're only guessing. I hope only 5 have left and no more! But I think its gonna be alot more when the numbers do come out. Its tough at these academies. Are you up for it? ;) Go get 'em darlin'! Ask here for help and you'll get bunches of it!! We wanna see you in the one you're wanting!</p>
<p>Hi Taffy...</p>
<p>I'm another USMMA mom, son is a plebe '09.</p>
<p>Anyway, as regards to your fear that you might be bored during "sea year" at USMMA, I suggest that you click on the link below and see some PICS of an actual mid during his sea year...</p>
<p>Click here: Sea Year, USMMA--Adam VandenBoogaard</p>
<p>( i hope this link works!)</p>
<p>Taffy:</p>
<p>Lately most of the academies have an attrition rate of 20-25% over the 4 year program - some higher. While this may strike you as high, back in the 70's during the anti-military years the attrition rate skyrocketed. West Point's highest attrition rate of 48% occurred in the Class of '78 , Navy had 39% in '75 and Air Force had 46% in '75.</p>
<p>Of the three academies mentioned above, Navy has historically had the lowest attrition rate followed by Air Force and then Army.</p>
<p>Good luck on your journey.</p>
<p>Taffy...Oops!</p>
<p>Here is the link to sea year pics @ USMMA</p>
<p>Guess I'll go ahead & say this. Another one has left Kings Point today. My son helped his newly found buddy pack it up today. Hated to say anything until I had heard the details. Apparently there aren't any. He just said he had to go. Don't know what else to add. Breaks my heart.....Hope all works out well with him.</p>
<p>Can somebody please give me some happy news! BLAH.... :( I'm going to fonder myself on Godiva</p>
<p>mmm, sea year looks like fun.</p>
<p>Actually, we get 0 college days. It looks like, from what I have read, the interview takes place at the visit. I think it would be good to visit in December, then. I'm looking at this whole silly idea of a "nomination," and to apply for a senator nomination I have to write an essay and treat the whole thing like its another college application. Hopefully the congressional one is easier, I have to call their office I think. </p>
<p>My dad said that people graduating from california maritime college are getting starting salaries of like 125k... is it the same for usmma or is he crazy? a lady in the CG Auxillery said the same thing. </p>
<p>One thing I would not be looking forward to is the amount of swimming required at the usmma. When I visited annapolis, the swimming requirements were enough to make me not want to go. Is it the same for usmma? i cant imagine somebody falling off a big box-mover ship and living. When i was looking at the student pics of usmma, a lot of them were pics of people swimming.</p>
<p>isnt the CGA's 4-year attrition like 50%?</p>
<p>Hmm I'm off the site for a few hours and it goes bananas! Taffy, I don't think you'd be bored at Sea Year! Probably just overkill on the literature.
As far as dropout rates, CGA's for the swab summer is approximately 10%. Over four years it's in the range of 25-30%, nowhere near 50!
You must remember in comparing with MMA, CGA's summer indoc is 7 weeks as opposed to two weeks for MMA. Not to say one is tougher than the other, all indocs are brutal. And as Jamzmom asserts, no official figures have been released as yet. CGA was 307 at swearing in; now 275.</p>
<p>Anyway, be prepared for swimming at any of the academies, especially the sea-based ones...my son has two days a week of swimming classes for an hour each. They take swimming the whole four years to the point where they are qualified life-savers, appropos a maritime rescue service.</p>
<p>Don't sell the nomination process short...it is tough and as involved as applying for a school...you need transcripts, essays, recommendations and interviews...one good thing about CGA is they don't require one but most kids apply to two or more academies so you better resign yourself to it.</p>
<p>By all means try to visit the academies you are applying to. There are vast differences among all of them and nothing beats an in-person visit.</p>