<p>Son got the info letter on CVW yesterday...it said to bring linens? Did those of you who went before bring your own sheets and pillows? Would a sleeping bag be better? Also, it had workout clothes and swim wear...did you do PT? Did you go alone, or with parents? How difficult did you find it getting from point A to point B alone?</p>
<p>There were briefings for parents in the past years CVW - do not know if the schedule still includes that. Lots of good questions during the parents only brief. You also get a full tour of the yard with just other candidates parents. After that you will be on your own until noon Saturday. </p>
<p>Mine took linens, workout clothes and a swim suit. He did not end up needing the swim stuff but did need the workout clothes for Saturday Morning Training.</p>
<p>Thursday and Friday nights are study nights for Plebes so candidates should bring something to do during those hours.</p>
<p>When we went there were a few that went alone but I would have to say the majority at least had one parent with them.</p>
<p>My dad offered to drive him up...so we might do that route. I think he'd get a big kick out of seeing the place too...although, he's pushing for USMA!</p>
<p>mom3boys, which CVW is your son going to? I'm going to the one in March and your questions were good ones to ask...my parents are driving me out for mine because it is during my school's spring break, so we are going to make a family trip out of it after the weekend at Annapolis...</p>
<p>I was not able to go to CVW with dd, but I had taken her to NASS and toured campus then. Her travels were a bit of a challenge (long flight delays, missed connections), but she did fine. The BWI shuttle is a great way to go. It drops them right at USNA gate 1. </p>
<p>dd took a sleeping bag, and said that worked well. She took PT gear for both swim and other (they swam Sat AM). She went with her plebe to a mandatory movie during Fri study hour.</p>
<p>All in all, it was a valuable experience. I would like to have gone, but couldn't. dd said that most candidates had one parent there.</p>
<p>I went to the CVW back in November. It said bring bed linens, but most of the people that I saw had sleeping bags. If you forgot (like I did), then they provide you with a blanket, although very thin. I brought a swimsuit and workout clothes.....we ended up going for a run, so I didn't need to suit. If you're going in Jan., I would suggest bringing a sweatsuit or some other warm workout gear; almost everyone there (including me) had brought shorts and had to borrow clothes from our escorts. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>definitely bring a sleeping bag, not linens. they put you on a collapsible cot and i can't imagine sleeping on it with linens. a sleeping bag is much more suitable.
i used super shuttle from BWI w/o my parents. it was super easy.
bring pt gear for both indoor and outdoor pt as well as swimming. it all depends on which company you get.</p>
<p>I went to the Oct CVW (and got invited to another one this spring, but I'm not going).</p>
<p>I did take linens to NASS and CVW, however, at CVW this year there were three guys in my room so they just gave me a cot. I did bring a pillow this time around (not to NASS, though). In retrospect, I think a sleeping bag would probably be better, for reasons stated above.
My plebe didn't go to PEP, but we did have a wonderfully motivating run on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, no swimming :(
I went alone (I'm a little older than the average candidate, though, I guess) to CVW and NASS. I did have a little trouble at CVW, though. I was planning on taking the Annapolis Transit from BWI to USNA, but I ended up having to take a cab. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and the driver, but it was right around $76. Other than that, while it would've been nice to have an accompaniment, I love traveling alone, so I enjoyed it all.</p>
<p>Yeah, I am going to the CVW in January. (wasn't able to attend fall CVWs because of ECs)</p>
<p>But I am traveling alone and plan on taking the Super Shuttle. I am planning on taking a sleeping bag, because sheets during NASS were annoying to deal with and plus it will be COLD. Anybody else attending the January CVW?</p>
<p>My son is going in Feb; January date interfers w/ the county meet, and Feb is after the dive season. Thanks for the info...sounds like he won't be the only one going alone, so that's good to know. He will stay after on Saturday for the Patriot League championship meet.</p>
<p>oh, one thing to add if you're going alone and w/o a car: get a flight that arrives at a suitable hour (not too early).
i ended up at the academy around 2 pm with >2.5 hours to spare and lots of luggage.</p>
<p>First son went alone to USNA and USMA, took a sleeping bag, and small pillow stuffed in sleeping bag. He had bought one of those really, REALLY compact sleeping bags that climbers use for his senior year of college visits. (Needed it at MIT where he slept on the floor)</p>
<p>At both SAs he was given a cot so the sleeping bag worked out well. Also the bag it was stowed in had hooks so he attached shoes and other stuff to it. He packed very light for both visits, but made sure to take out workout clothes.</p>
<p>He made arrangements ahead of time to have his contact (admissions guy) at USNA/USMA pick him up at their respective airports. They knew his arrival and departure times and he got where he needed to be. All in all, not too difficult.</p>
<p>Next brother when he applied and was accepted to both just asked brother who visited for descriptions! Made his choice from that (really more based on career goal) and is now a mid. First son had also been willing to make a decision without a visit as well. (I think that's crazy!)</p>
<p>Neither visited USAFA although both had LOAs/accepted early. I think if they had visited USAFA their decisions might have been more problematic. </p>
<p>Good luck and ENJOY!</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>PS I would STRONGLY recommend a visit after acceptance and even before!!! (My boys are exceptions to the rule much to my dismay!)</p>
<p>There is also no schedule on the CVW letter...any ideas? Isn't there a parent thing on Friday? Where can a schedule be found?</p>
<p>i'm pretty sure they'll send a schedule out by mail or email. i remember getting one by email. there's a general brief on Thursday evening where candidates will meet up with their hosts and parents, i think, get an extra briefing. i remember a brief the next morning (Friday) with a panel of graduates, starting at about the time classes start. then there was a banquet on Friday night, but i'm not sure if there's a banquet for every CVW or not.</p>
<p>i heard some people say you can apply for a CVW. how would you do that?</p>
<p>contact your BGO and have them request an invitation for you.</p>