<p>To paraphrase General Patton: You don’t take a bullet for your country you make the other guy take a bullet for his country. That’s how you win.</p>
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bigbobby, I’d say that’s not correct. Unless one meets one of the priority “needs of the Navy”, i.e. euphemism for ethnic, racial, gender(USNA claims no longer but in every case, they continue to list among their exceptions and exceptional admits % of females), your old man is treasurer of the “re-elect Sen. Bossooma” campaign, or if your nickname is “Spearchucker” and you can flail a football 75 yards on a string …smart remains #1 priority. EC’s, PT, letters, good eyesight and health, etc. are all necessary, but not sufficient absent of “being smart.”</p>
<p>And hate to remind, but academics is THE most heavily weighted component in OOM. With no really close #2. So it doesn’t go away. Only becomes more important once admitted. And to be admitted barring exceptions noted, smart is the gig. And in that, there are no exceptions.</p>
<p>Anecdotal but edifying evidence of the USNA value of “smart”? In the recent Supe’s letter to the constituents, his first point was the 9 Rhodes and 9 Marshall scholars from USNA in past 5 years.</p>
<p>Similarly, smarts absent other attributes make I Day attendance tough too. The “full monty” :eek: is what works best. 
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<p>Smarts is the ONE thing Midn have in common - other than that, you’ll find your usual mix of band geeks, sports jocks, loners (or Hall Rats), the “big” nerds, “I try out for every extra-curricular there is available” groups, etc. </p>
<p>I was really surprised at the eclectic group of people just in my class. It ran the gambit from superstar QBs, track stars, sports jocks, to the band geek, to the people who you didn’t recognize at all when they got dressed in civies (goth, cowboy, heavy metal band roadies, etc.)</p>