<p>Just got a call today that my son got a Naval Academy Foundation prep scholarship. He'll be going to NMMI. Anybody else out there going this route?</p>
<p>First off, it is not a scholarship (USNA is free for all midshipmen). "Foundation" is where they send the kids who applied to the Naval Academy but had poor grades and test scores in high school. They want to give your son some education before he arrives for plebe year. (I have known many of the "Foundation" kids at the academy because I used to go there. Most of them were not the brightest bulbs and soem of them were even rejected from their local state schools.) If your son wants to go into the navy or marine corps, go ROTC. His chances of getting what he wants to do in the service are much higher than going through the academy. The school puts out a lot of hype about how they are the best. Believe me, (I know because I went there) very few kids go on to grad school or become very successful. They do not have good name recognition among academia because of the poor nature of the general education. If your son got into any other top 50 school in the country, go there...take it from someone who knows and regrets it.</p>
<p>Forget this one...He lost my attention in his first sentence!</p>
<p>The Foundation "Scholarships" are exactly that...scholarships! Sponsored by non-government money donated to the Naval Academy Foundation.</p>
<p>Congrats!!</p>
<p>First off, i think you need to read spidermom's post a little closer. She said her son got a scholarship to the Foundation school, not to Navy itself, which is a big chunk of money if I can recall. Second, although Foundation is like NAPS, where Navy wants a little more education under one's belt before they come to the Academy, I know several "Foundation kids" who were extremely successful not only at the Academy, but in the Navy and their jobs thereafter. Third, the Naval Academy has a great name recognition because of their excellent education. Im happy that you are excited about Cornell, Northwestern, Washington U, or CMU and that the you realized the Academy was not the place for you; however, please don't come on here trash talking the Academy and the "Foundation kids" because you were either unsuccessful at Navy or were one of the small minority who have an overall bad experience. I may not have goen to Navy (hopefully, yet), but as a Navy junior myself, I know many people who had a great experience at Navy, earned a great education, went on to some of the best graduate schools in the nation, led successful careers in the Navy, and even more successful careers in the civilian world.</p>
<p>Haha, have you ever talked to the administration of the naval academy or the actual students who went through the "foundation" program? I guess not. I actually went to the naval academy and know how things work there a little better than someone who did not go there. Haha.</p>
<p>The above was addressed to lazboardz</p>
<p>As soon as you go to the school then you can talk about what the school does.</p>
<p>Spidermom- Congrats to you and your son.</p>
<p>Lazboardz- maybe you could tell us a little about your experience at the academy and why it didnt seem so positive?</p>
<p>Spidermom: congratulations to your son!</p>
<p>Lazboardz: It is clear from your other postings on CC that you are leaving the Naval Academy, and it is clear from your postings on this thread that you are very bitter about your experience.</p>
<p>However, you have made blanket statements about Foundation scholarships and USNA students who went to Foundation schools that are false. SOME Foundation students do in fact get full scholarships. Perhaps you did not. SOME Foundation students thrive at the Academy and perform very well there (I know many). Some don't. Some NAPS students do well, some don't. Some coming in directly from HS do well, some do not. The issue here is stereotyping -- I suspect you know this but have let your bitterness get the better of your judgement. </p>
<p>Your posting on this thread demonstrates three things: cruelty, immaturity, and anger. That may not have been your intention, but it is how your words will be perceived.</p>
<p>In your applications to Cornell, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, etc. are you sharing the beliefs you've expresses on this thread? Specifically, that you believe USNA does "not have good name recognition among academia because of the poor nature of the general education." </p>
<p>Or are you saying to these schools that USNA is in fact a tough school, but just didn't give you the opportunity to study finance, mergers & acquisions etc. -- in other words, are you using your USNA experience to try to show these schools how much you've got going on? Something to think about...</p>
<p>We would all like to hear more about your experience, and I don't think any of us here would say that you don't have the right to feel whatever you feel. Every one of us knows that USNA isn't for everyone, and your personal experiences could be very valuable to someone making the biggest decision of their life so far. But I hope you can do this without insulting other candidates in the future.</p>
<p>Spidermom,</p>
<p>Congratulations to you son! We've heard great things about NMMI from previous posts. It's truly a great opportunity and you should be very proud.</p>
<p>Believe me, (I know because I went there) very few kids go on to grad school or become very successful...</p>
<p>Lazboardz have you ever heard of Jimmy Carter(President), John McCain(senator), numerous astronauts, presidents of corporations, doctors, lawyers, Admirals, Generals(MC)? All are grads of USNA. You sound very bitter. You shouldn't knock kids in the foundation program or the academy itself. If you had a bad experience, so be it. Move on with your life. We all know the service academies aren't for everyone. But thousands of men and women get great educations there and move on to great careers.</p>
<p>Spidermom- our son is in the foundation program this year- turned down 4 admission offers in route to this choice including direct appointments to USMA and USMMA, and handsome scholarship offers to the other 2 schools (Stevens Institute of Technology and SUNY-Maritime)- no regrets.....and only 209 days 'till he joins the proud Class of 2010!</p>
<p>There are lots of reasons why foundation is offered- academics for some, red-shirting varsity athletes for another- contrary to what was posted above, the academic/athletic/activity CV's of these kids would knock your socks off- they did mine! As many as 600 get referred to the foundation program each year by the USNA Admissions Board- and 80 or so selected....I will once again quote our son, who told his BGO that he considered himself to be "one of the lucky few of the deserving many".....it is forever engraved in my memory!</p>
<p>I have posted a lot on the foundation thread, as has Jamzmom- feel free to look back a bit on the posts and e-mail me if I can be of any assistance. Be sure to contact (or visit if possible) Captain Wallace at the Foundation Office in Annapolis (a bit of a trip from Texas, but well worth the trip- or call!).... he graciously spent over an hour with us when we were at the decision point this time last year- and he keeps in touch with all the foundation kids almost monthly.</p>
<p>Congratulations, and best of luck to your son! GO NAVY! And definately BEAT ARMY this Saturday....got the tickets and handwarmers ready!</p>
<p>Not gonna respond to laxboardz posts because it would take away from Spidermom's major announcement.</p>
<p>Yay! Congrats Spidermom to both you & your son! How completely excited your family must be! This is such a great opportunity. He's gonna look great in whites!</p>
<p>tsk, tsk, tsk...USNA free? HA HA HA! Where is our witty Zaphod when you need him?! Come play buddy. :)</p>
<p>We are very excited about it..got the call from Annapolis yesterday. Let it go to voicemail because I thought it was a sales person...Googled the area code and almost died! Needless to say, I called right back! </p>
<p>Just in case anyone else needs/wants to know, the Foundation is picking up about 1/3 of the cost of the year at NMMI for him (it's a sliding scale based on need). Last year, something like 80 out of 82 Foundation sponsored kids got appointments. My son's credentials are quite strong but getting on a slate in Texas is not easy. We are thrilled that he has a clear path to the academy as long as he continues to work hard and do well. </p>
<p>Also, it doesn't affect his application. According to the Foundation, He still may get a direct appointment. He is honored to have a great shot at attending one of the country's very finest colleges. </p>
<p>If you go to the Foundation's web site, you can see the credentials of the kids who are currently plebes. A pretty impressive bunch by anyone's standards.</p>
<p>The boy (Spider) already has scholarships/admission to Texas A&M and Texas Tech. We've had great feedback on his chances for a Marine Corp ROTC Scholarship, too. It's all moot, though. He's doing the Foundation program! </p>
<p>Navy2010, I am sure to have questions once I stop dancing! </p>
<p>I am happy to get to converse with you guys....I've lurked a long time and enjoyed your posts. Your positivity and respect is very inspiring.</p>
<p>Congratulations! We have a friend that just got his AA from NMMI and he loved it.</p>
<p>Spidermom - There is another family with a son at NMMI this year on this forum. Read the last post from the following link. Perhaps you can get many of your questions answered with their help? After you finally stop the dancing which if I recall lasts about 30 full days :) Enjoy! Its one heck of a feeling! Gotta be just over the moon about it as you should be!!</p>
<p>spidermom,
Congratulations to your son for being selected by USNA Admissions to attend a Foundation School! My plebe daughter has a number of friends in her class who attended NMMI last year. Many NAPSTERS and Foundation grads are the vanguard during Plebe Summer and benefit greatly from the military/academic preparation prior to arriving at USNA. It seems like a good transition from high school to the rigors of the Naval Academy. Despite all of her preparation and research, Ill tell you, Plebe Summer was pretty shocking to my daughter straight out of high school (first time she'd ever been yelled at...)</p>
<p>oiixxg: thanks.</p>
<p>FYI- the Foundation folks were very helpful in "matching" the right foundation program to the candidate- our son was steered to one of the private schools with a great lax program (he is there with 2 other USNA lax recruits) and get this....they have an art requirement- and offer a boatbuilding course as one of the choices! Considering he wants to study NA, talk about a match made in heaven! He's been working on it for a week already- drilliing "holes".....just hope he's got 'em in the right place and we don't sink! ;)</p>
<p>Great link, great info from all. We appreciate it along with your good wishes.</p>
<p>Spidermom, </p>
<p>Congratualtions. </p>
<p>Something else to remember. The Foundation is funded primarily by graduates and they don't give their money, some of them millions of dollars, lightly. They care greatly about who is selected. Moreover, they want these men and women to do well.</p>
<p>It is a great opportunity.</p>