<p>Okay, how are the rest of you managing to squeak in cvw? It was nice that dd got the invitation today, but how do you mange to find the time with sports? Every weekend either conflicts with a major swim meet or with the one week that her sister will be home. Is there enough of an advantage to doing cvw if the student has done summer session to miss a big meet?</p>
<p>Not easily- life is full of choices. The CVW is optional. Our son managed to find a weekend that did not conflict with sports committment, and on a weekend with the least impact on Friday's classes that would be missed- although it did mean one less visit to home (easy remedy- go with them and attend the parent session- then explore Annapolis!) Well worth it if you can manage, but in the end if you have already attended SS, then I don't know how much the candidate visit weekend will offer in terms of additional information- unless you are indecisive about where to attend, in which case another visit may help. The CVW is short, if that helps- from 9am Friday until 10:30am Saturday. Lots of weekend left.</p>
<p>Of course it's not necessary to go, but I really loved my CVW when I went; it's definitely a different view than you get at NASS, since you are actually in the midst of current mids and you get to see more of what life is like there. Again, not necessary, but I know that my own visit had a big impact on me, and what I learned there will play a big part in the decision I eventually make about where to attend college.</p>
<p>My son saw the "not so pretty" side of USNA during CVW (as compared to NASS). He ran into a few rather bitter plebes as well as a couple more plebes that had no idea what they were doing there, including one who came to USNA blindly because it was free and he had no idea whether he would actually like the navy (had no interest in the ocean, sailing, etc).</p>
<p>It just makes it clear that USNA is like most other colleges or facets of life for that matter....youv'e got the good, the bad, and the ugly no matter where you go.</p>
<p>I will say, that according to my son, the weekend made him even more interested in attending USNA. But it was an awakening as to the the overall environment and how different the environments, attitudes, and perspectives are between different companys, platoons and individuals.</p>
<p>Scheduling is exactly why he took the October weekend. It was the break between regular season and playoffs, so he only missed one practice.</p>
<p>The February one falls on his school vacation weekend, so if he desires another visit...that will likely be the one. That time of year will likely present a more cheerfull overall plebe exposure.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Thanks. The only ones possible are probably the April ones. March might be a possiblity, but tricky. Her dad and I won't be able to go in the spring at all--calving and lambing season!</p>
<p>It is best she go alone anyway. Unless you have time to make a mini-vacation out of it.</p>
<p>Do most students just fly in and get a motel the night before? We have relatives out by Dulles that might be able to pick her up...</p>
<p>If you are traveling any distance, getting in the night before would be the best idea, as registration starts early and ends by 9am on Friday of the visit. The academy sends out information once you are registered, and contracts with one of the local hotels for discounted rates for visiting candidates. For planning purposes, the official visit ends around 10:30am on Saturday.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info that they give a discount on the hotel--that might be easiest. Yes, she'll definitely have to get there the night before--CO is a long ways away...</p>