<p>Thanks thats great to hear........I really can't wait to start.</p>
<p>flynavy05 Have you been to Roswell? If you go to NMMI with the right attitude, this could work out fine for you. Roger Staubach is the most famous person who "waited it out" at NMMI for USNA. New Mexico is a VERY different place though. My brothers went there, one played polo and that was a great memory of Sunday afternoons for me. The cadets would march a parade and then we would watch the polo match. Many who go there REALLY don't like it. Best of luck!</p>
<p>No I haven't been to Roswell...I picked NMMI off of the advice of my area BGO and my RD.....my RD was in the foundation and so was his son, so they had some idea about the schools. I'm just doing this to get to USNA, but I do hope that it will be a postive experience, I figure it really can't be anything but....because an extra year of prep can only help me. I have heard that many who go to NMMI don't like it, that only figures because it is a military high school as well as the junior college.....so I'm just guessing alot of the High school students don't want to be there. Lucky I have some military experience already from Sea Cadets.....so I know alot of the stuipd stuff I'm going to half to do is just a game.......I know I'm there for school and to get in the best shape possible so I'm thinking it won't be to bad. (I heard that they had a polo team at one point....that is really cool....I wish they still had it.)</p>
<p>Well the altitude and climate are fantastic for getting in shape. With less than 10 percent humidity most of the time you can really breath. Even if it is 108 degrees your perspiration cools you. The temp. drops at night though, so it gets cool. Your attitude sounds great! Enjoy!</p>
<p>I went through the foundation program and highly reccomend it. In the grand scheme of things one extra year is not going to kill you. It puts you far ahead of your classmates that come straight from high school. you have an extra year to prepare physically and mature. In the program you take the same classes you will plebe year which takes one thing off the list of things that make plebe year hard. The biggest advantage is the year away from home. One of the hardest parts of plebe summer for most kids is being away from their family. With this year away from home, that is something that will not phase you and enable you to do better during the summer which plays a large role in how hard the ac year for plebe year is. The foundation got me to the place where I want to be, and gave me many advantages. I would not listen to those who have not gone through the program. Also, as long as you keep a decent GPA, Bs and Cs you are pretty much certain to be in the next academy class.</p>
<p>One more thing, if you dont get a nomination from your senator or congressman, the Foundation will find one for you. thats not something you need to be worried about when making your decision. If you stay comitted you will be in.</p>
<p>Yeah I'll be there in June also. GO '09!. But anyway I'm gonna got out for offshore also. One of the best deals is that you get a lot of leave for the regettas, but the flip side is you'll miss a lot of class. If you pick a group 1 or 2 major it might be tough to stick it out. But still, offshore sounds like a totally awesome experience!</p>
<p>navy07--the Captain who heads the Foundation program said I would need another nomination, so I'm a bit confused. </p>
<p>Doug</p>
<p>Doug1:
Technically you do need a nomination for admission next year after foundation. The one you have this year goes away. What I believe Navy07 meant was that (at least this is how it works at NAPS), while they want you to apply for a nomination from your normal sources, should you not be successful in obtaining one that route, they will "find" a nomination for you from other Foundation sources. At NAPS, the Secretary of the Navy can give nominations. The reason they have you try your normal channels though, is that there are limits to how many nominations the other parties can give out. So, if some of the foundation and NAPS people get their nominations from their senators etc., then it is less that they have to find for the others in those classes. Hope that makes sense. Basically the bottom line is if you go to foundation, satisfactorily finish the program, you can consider yourself as a member of the class of 2010. They WANT you in. That's why they are willing to invest even more time and money on you. It really isn't a loophole that they are looking to get rid of you. A rejection letter would do that. :)
NAPS05mom</p>
<p>navy07: it sounds like the foundation year was a good experience for you- may I ask where you went? Were there any opportunities for the foundation kids to meet each other at any time during that year?</p>
<p>I went to the Kiski school. It was not the most fun year of my life but it got me where I wanted to be. I did not get to meet foundation students from other schools but there were five of us at kiski and we all roomed together and became very good friends. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.<br>
Also about the nomination I you need one to be eligible for the program. I did not have one since I was from Maryland and they are impossible to get. The foundation got me a Supt's nomination which made me eligible. Getting the nomination after a year of foundation is certain since your congressmen know that you are certain to get into the academy with their nomination. If you dont then the foundation has ways of getting you in so if you are willing to give an extra year and are able to maintain a B/C average, and stay out of trouble then there is no reason you should not get into the academy the next year.</p>
<p>Unless the academy has changed its policy from last year, you can indeed go from being totally slotted for foundation with deposits paid and all paperwork complete and STILL get an appointment for that year for USNA. Foundation is indeed an insurance policy, not a closed door. There tends to be some misunderstanding and confusion about it but I can assure you, you CAN get a direct appointment while slotted foundation. However, if you do not, you are pretty much 99.9% assured of an appointment for the next year if you "fly right and keep your nose clean." At that point you are very much the captain of your ship and apart from a freak medical DQ, if you are still the stellar candidate they see now (good grades, good kid) you will get in. Accepting foundation was a wise move on your part. There is perhaps a misunderstanding by your RD of exactly how it works. I would ask them to double check on that for you before you choose something else if USNA is what you want. Also, if USNA is what you want...stick it out. Sometimes the hoops get pretty high that you have to jump through and you have to decide just how bad you want to be there...waiting a year's worth of wanting to be there?</p>
<p>This is my first post... I was a lurker.. but took the time to register because my son was in the foundation program last year. And I thought I needed to let you hear his experience.
He didn't get his nomination from the sources he was "qualified" for. (congressman/senator) Not even from the congressman he got his nomination from the year before. NOT A PROBLEM!!!! The foundation found him a nomination!! Talking to the secretary on the phone, this is not uncommon.
So.. don't let this be an issue for you. USNA wants to give appointments to successful Foundation Students. They have tracked Foundation Students over the years and they have a higher success rate at the Academy!
It is a good program if for one important reason.. it might allow you to test out of Chemistry!!!! You will be SOOO Thankful during your 4/C year!</p>
<p>I know I've been a pretty big fan of the Fondation, but after alot of thought and time.....I'm taking my appointment to USMMA, I can't justify the extra year of basically high school....Both USNA and USMMA lead to the same place....I know its a big switch from previous post, but this just feels right to me...the foundation made me feel kind of nervous.</p>
<p>flynavy05, back in January I contacted my B&G officer to tell her I had received an early appointment to the USCGA and that I had received a 1320 on the SAT's and well I hadn't heard from the Naval Academy (I had my application an DoDMerb all by end of July and well she said she had heard they might be offering me NAPS or the Foundation well I just didn't see doing another year of high school either. I feel I have a strong application and qualifications. I won't go into stats but putting off my future for a chance at the Naval Academy, when I have received an early appointment to another service academy didn't make sense to me. My father had said one thing that made a lot of sense to me, the Naval Academy was my first choice but the US Coast Guard Academy wanted me first. I did my homework and decided back in January the USCGA was the right choice for me. Ironically I still haven't heard from the naval Academy neither a rejection, nor an offer for NAPS or for the Foundation. Go figure. Go with your gut feeling and you'll do great. Any way, just my 2 cents. Good Luck flynavy05, :)</p>
<p>I may be wrong, but I think many Foundation offers went out in January. I've been told Foundation takes anywhere from 65-80 each year. </p>
<p>Doug</p>