<p>My son is a Junior in HS, carries a weighted 3.0 GPA in all honors & AP classes the school ahs to offer, has sports centric EC (soccer - year round), some church but little else. Currently taking Calc & Physics this semester carry a A average. With any luck he could have 3.3 after this semester. With a "lighter load" next semester he should be at the 3.5 range. He only started to show interest in the service academies over July 4th weekend.</p>
<p>But I want to make sure he is doing it for the right reasons, a "Free Education" or really free anything does not exist. You trade an excellent education for a long term obligation. The first year I know he can make it through but I want him to make the decision.</p>
<p>As a parent where do you draw the line? I view it as a coach, I help get him information, we talk about and devise a game plan, but he needs to be the one to step into the game.</p>
<p>Air Force is high on his list, my only opposition is the distance. Navy is high on my and my wife's list as it is just 2 hours from home. West Point did not perk his interest at all. But Coast Guard did and that is only about 6-7 hours by car and near where I went to college. As his interest is in engineering, I think probably Aerospace/Aeronautical is where his interest lies, though at this point I think it is still a little early to really pin it down.</p>
<p>What concerns me is he is doing it for the right reasons, for him because he wants to. He says he does, which is the easy way. I picked up copies of Naval Academy and Air Force Academy Candidate books. Both my wife and I read them from cover to cover, he said summarize it for him since he did not have time to read it. To me that seems like a lack of interest. But when he was provided info on the ALO and BGO officer from his HS advisor the other night when I was not home he initiated a call to the ALO on his own. Keep the ALO on the phone long enough to wait for me to arrive home and schedule a meeting date. To me that is positive.</p>
<p>We have made arrangements for him to accompany me on a trip to Annapolis later this month. His first college visit. In October we have worked around his HS schedule to visit Coast Guard and the following week the Air Force. </p>
<p>I am strongly encouraging him to apply for the summer sessions at Academy. This would hopefully give him a taste of whether he wants to keep them on his list.</p>
<p>Sounds like you're on track. And doing all the right things. Not reading the literature is typical teenager stuff - my son is at West Point and I don't think he ever opened any of their literature. I think he did spend a lot of time at the West Point website and always surprised us when he mentioned information he had gleaned there - i.e. what type of rifle they would be issued, courseload, etc. Almost like it fell into his head.</p>
<p>Also, have your son read Absolutely American (or at least leave it in his room - maybe he'll open it at some point). A Rolling Stone reporter spent four years following a class at West Point - it is relevant to any of the service academies.</p>
<p>At the end of the day - it has to be his decision. The Academies lose close to 25 percent of those who start. They lose up to 80 cadets during the plebe summer - I believe these are the kids who were pushed by their families, got on the conveyer belt early, and didn't really question why they were going. A few weeks of basic training convinces these kids that they have to lead their own lives, that they are the ones slogging through the mud, not their parents, and that this isn't what they want.<br>
Finally, you're so right - the Academies aren't free. Your son will be sacrificing a "normal" college life (but maybe getting something better) and giving his life for the five years afterwards. Something for him to think about - a lot.
Good luck!! It's a long application process that I think the Academies use to expose potential new cadets to military bureaucracy. Just wait till you start dealing with DODMERB. (Don't ask what it stands for, you'll find out soon enough).</p>
<p>Welcome aboard! It's a long, tough application process and I really believe that many high school kids need a bit of parental guidance. It may be their first exposure to real project management. </p>
<p>I also think it's best to look at all of the academies at this stage. Learn about each mission, academic program and career options. Then make sure your son preps really well for the psat. The test score is one of the most important criterion for acceptance into the summer programs. And the summer programs will give him the best exposure to life at the academies. </p>
<p>I agree with Chief that Absolutely American is one of the best books he can read. Also, begin looking for ROTC programs at civilian colleges. Everybody applicant needs good back-up plans. You may also want to explore the archives of the service academy threads. There were some spirited discussions last academic year regarding parental involvement.</p>
<p>Thanks momoftwins and Chief for your prompt replies. I did see where West Point rated extremely well in engineering. But his grandfather shared his Army experience from back in the 50's. Currently it is off the table, we watched the "America's Military Academies" on Labor Day which I thought provided a good overview of each. So far he hasn't shown any interest in West Point. But I will try to find the book.</p>
<p>The ALO he talked with the other night asked him about the AFROTC. He said he had interest and had heard about it, ie. I told him but he hasn't been given his briefing yet. </p>
<p>He took the PSAT the end of his sophmore year and did well. He will be taking the SAT this Oct. So far in his prep class he scored a 790 & 800 on Math, 530 Verbal and 800 on Essay. I know the verbal is really soft. But I am hoping he can get the Verbal another 100+ point before taking the test. I had read somewhere the Academies would not accept results prior to January of the Junior year, I hope this is not the case but if it is it would be good prep for him.</p>
<p>DODMERB, I have read enough to be concerned. </p>
<p>hdhouse3rd: welcome to the roller coaster! There are 3 suggestions I would offer to your son: first, concentrate on grades and get them up; they are essential for any real shot at admission. Second, visit each academy (including WP) and then apply for summer seminar- if not accepted, consider attending a sports camp at the academies- I know Navy hosts them, I would think USMA does too...staying overnight can really change how the academies look...last, be sure that you are looking at other alternatives....ie: civilian schools...not all eggs in one basket. On a final note, I did not see anything about wanting something beyond the academy....as in naval officer, army cpt, etc....4 years goes mighty fast and its the end point that matters....as for leadership, you will find that at each and every one of the academies....it is at the cornerstone of development...and you can't go wrong no matter which way you go. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Your son should do as well in school as he can by taking challenging courses. He should be involved in a sport and get involved with service with either the school or community of both. If possible, seek out leadership responsibilities. However, he should also not get to stressed out too soon. Its important to stay balanced by also having a normal social life. Try to encourage he to start looking at all colleges including the academies. If you send for information on various schools and have it "hanging around", he will likely start reading and you might be able to see where his interests are leaning. Many wonderful colleges have some form of rotc and he might be insterested in that as well.</p>
<p>Well tonight was a good heart to heart. After a double OT loss he took me for a drive for 2 1/2 hours, just got his learners permit on Thursday. </p>
<p>On the sports side he has soccer, which is really about it. He played last year for a #6 team in the state for club soccer. But with the price of gas and the discussion of them playing in Eastern PA and NJ, instead of the Baltimore/Washington Corridor I think we will be looking for something closer to home. Commuting 90 mins for practice one way really took a toll.</p>
<p>But in regards to the Academies. We are planning to apply to each for a summer session. I know that the Navy does sports camps, but he did have his heart set on possibly going to Bradenton, FL for a week of intense soccer training. The summer sessions would be the best way for him to discover whether this is the enviroment that is right for him.</p>
<p>His EC aside from playing soccer involve refereeing, some church activities and paintball. Now he has taken some interest in some school groups such as Physics club and FCA. All I can do is encourage him to seek leadership positions. For his HS soccer team he is a psuedo leader, coaches appointed two seniors as captains but he finds himself in the role of directing and supporting the players.</p>
<p>We talked about the Academies and regular colleges both through ROTC, traditional scholarships and the ole favorite the family checkbook. In the winter and spring we will start to look at traditional colleges. But with the timetable for the Academies planning needs to be put into place 6 months earlier. So all eggs are not in one basket. Just trying to work by the timeline set forth.</p>
<p>His Military goals, in reality we have not discussed it. The time has been spent on researching his intended major. The hope is as we meet with Academy representatives and with additional reading, he can see what type of Military career can be created. But in reality his career as an officer will be dictated by the needs of the service not solely by his desires. But I am talking about a boy who isn't 16 for 3 more months deciding his future for the next 10, 20 or more years. Very intimidating for someone from the "Instant On" society.</p>
<p>His current academic load is all Honors or AP courses. He has been taking the highest classes offered for each subject offered. He is to the point that next years aside from English 12 there are no more challenging classes for him to consider. I am hoping he will consider going to the local community college and take a refresher of Chemistry, Physics, Creative Writing and possibly some other class. This to go along with his Calc III class at HS.</p>
<p>It sounds like both of you are doing the right things - the most important is communicating about this whole process. With respect to sports, many high schools will only name seniors as captains of varsity teams. Therefore, if he is named a captain next year, he'll be able to add that to his application. Refereeing is another great way to show leadership. In terms of club soccer, I'll bet there are plenty of travel clubs in your area if you choose to switch to one that competes closer to home.</p>
<p>I am a firm believer in "trying out" academy life by attending a summer session. If he applies to all 5 academies and gets into 1 in which he does not have an interest, he will still learn quite a bit about life at an academy. I know several kids who decided against applying because they realized that it just wasn't for them. And of course there are many who made more serious commitments due to the experience. If he doesn't get into a summer program, he should realize that most appointees did not attend one and continue with the research and application process. </p>
<p>Momoftwins is right, communication is key to everything! It sounds like hdhouse is doing everything right and I bet your son will end up doing the right thing for him. I agree that if he can attend Summer Seminar at one of the academies, it will greatly help in his decision process. My son came back from NASS and his decision was made. He would do everything he could to attend USNA and if not, try for a NROTC program.</p>
<p>hdhouse3rd: as things progress, if he is serious about one of the academies, and if he intends to play varsity sports, be sure to include the soccer coach on his list of contacts, along with the NCAA clearinghouse. While the soccer camp in Florida sounds great, don't overlook the exposure your son can have to a coach at a school that is top on his list....this providing he has a "top" school he is vying for. Can appreciate how hard it is at 16....17...18....but lots of reading and exposure can help ferret out where true interests lie....best of luck!</p>
<p>NCAA Clearing House he is not eligible to sign up into yet. He has sent an email to each Head Soccer Coach at Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy. This was sent about a week ago, so far only the coach from the Coast Guard has responded, very positively I might add. That said having previously coached at our local community college time spent in the office this time of year is limited. But since we are going to Navy on 9/26 I am suggesting he directly call the coach to ask for a quick meet & greet even possibly to watch a practice session. </p>
<p>Good point on the sports camps. Maybe for his top school from this group we could send him to their camp. But also he will need sometime to spend visiting non-military campuses and doing a camp or two there. Probably this summer will be the best summer of his life. Followed by if he chooses to continue to pursue a service academy a summer he will not soon forget.</p>
<p>I am hoping he calls the local BGO today, he meets with the ALO next Weds. A lot of education is needed over the next 10 days. Told him we would prepare executive briefs for him regarding each Academy and the ROTC options.</p>
<p>I don't know if anyone mentioned it to you and because West Point is not on your list, don't overlook watching the video "Surviving West Point". It will provide your entire family with a good perspective of life at an academy - no matter which he is applying to.</p>
<p>I'm glad to hear that Coast Guard is on his radar. It may be a good fit in that it's smaller than the others; very good for engineering; has a competitive soccer program at D-3 level; and a very caring relationship between faculty and student. My son has three PHD's teaching him in his first year! Most classes are in the range of 17-18 students. Contrast that with civilian colleges which have 100 kids in a class taught by TA's.
Have him apply for AIM, which is the summer program at Coast Guard. It is a great introduction to the academy life style. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.</p>
<p>hdhouse3rd: just one last thought- sometimes the camps list what colleges will be represented during the camp- many coaches use the summer to scout- sometimes you can find a camp (usually one of the invitation-only ones) that will be visited by several coaches from the schools your son is interested in, which helps- while I am not sure of the case with soccer, I know this is the case with many of the other top sports- just a thought-
as far as "preparing executive briefs"....this is sending up a huge red flag....the kids are all busy- they are all involved in academics, athletics, EA's, leadership, community service, social scene....all of them are high achievers...those are the very kids the academies attract- and want- and they are the ones that need to do the work- especially if you are talking about the academies. Guide, mentor, support...take them to see various schools....listen to their dislikes, likes...where their interests lie....but aside from this, this job is their's to do- not yours- as KateLewis so wisely mentioned, they are the ones that need to be vested in this- and one of the best investments you can do is to purchase "Absolutely American" and have your son read it- the motivation and desire has to come from within- so forget the executive briefs- if he is that interested, he will find the time to investigate, probe, question, visit, stay-and his enthusiasm will be infectious! Best of luck as you continue on this journey!</p>
<p>hdhouse, your son is the same age as my daughter so I'll tell you how things are for her. She is committed to the military first, then being able to be a military (hopefully naval) pilot, then the academy. Counsel your son be careful that he's not using discussions with ALO and BGO to find out if he's interested in the military or what his service interests are. I think a lot of them are looking for someone who is already commited to serving and just needs information on the Academy.</p>
<p>I also agree with everyone above in having him work towards the Summer Seminars. Usually you can start applying for some, at least Navy, on February first. I don't know this as a fact, but if you don't even apply they might question your dedication.?</p>
<p>I mostly just posted because your title is going for the right reasons, and one of the right reasons has to be a desire to be a U.S. Military Officer. Just my two cents, but good luck and welcome to the fray.</p>
<p>Well the briefs might not be such a great idea. Really the only information I got for those is directly from their websites and printed it off. From military.com the outline of what each branch of service does. From the Air Force different branches and their responsibility. Breakdown of expected earnings with the perks addition of benefits. Actually it has helped me learn more.</p>
<p>The goal of each service academy is to create an officer. His goal is to get the best education possible. He needs to discover on his own that this is a career opportunity. That though he will be prepared with a great education, he will have a opportunity for a successful career right out of college. Interesting statistic I heard on the PM drive home show was that today's college graduates will more than likely hold down 10 jobs during their career and that by the time they are 45 opportunities for building a successful career at that point will be virtually non existant.</p>
<p>My better half and I discussed with him the Summer Seminars all have agreed to apply to each. As soon as the applications are available. But if he is unable to get into a summer seminar send him to one of the soccer camps I know that both Navy and Air Force put on camps.</p>
<p>On our way home from CGA we will probably stop to take the visitor's tour at WP. </p>
<p>We picked up on Sat. night "Absolutely American" at a Borders 30 miles from home. So that will be another thing added to his reading list.</p>
<p>Wow! What a great thread! hdhouse3rd - congrats and welcome! I would have paid a million bucks to have had some of this advice when my son was going through the application process. Settles the nerves! Great that your family is researching and are on top of all this early. You'll be glad you were. Especially that DODMERB thing when it comes time to get it done. I noticed that our son read more online about his academy than from the brochures/literature he'd brought home. Must be this generation of computer kids we've all got. I too, would print him out things to read and got the "Can't you just tell me what it says" thing while he was writing notes in a notebook & eating goldfish. Their Senior year is even busier and somehow they retain it all. And I think you are right! You are walking him through this in a positive manner. No worries. Keep up the good work! He'll have to stand alone soon enough. </p>
<p>It might be a bit overwhelming for a kid to understand that a service academy decision is more about the future than anything else he'll ever know. Unlike civilian colleges where you can change your major anytime you feel like it or change your interests after college and go a totally different direction. Where you want to see yourself ten years down the road is a huge question that has to be answered above all else and its tough to comprehend when you're only 16. Thats where you come in. Helping him to understand it. The number one thing is that you will be an officer and leader and an engineer second. Hey! Don't forget to check out USMMA! He may not look good in Coastie orange! If we could just put the Eagle over at USMMA, it would be so very cool....;) He can go into any branch of service he wishes at the end of his four years. Have him look into ALL options and get that back up plan in place. Engineering is a huge field and better to get it pin pointed fairly quickly and you can only do that by having him see whats out there through those visits/camps. And you'll learn alot as well! Its a wild and exciting ride and I wish you the very best in seeing it through. Now, go get yourself down to Barnes & Noble for your recommened reading! Relax & remember to breathe!</p>
<p>I agree with shogun. Duty First was a great book to read. </p>
<p>And I echo what Jamzmom and others have said. You're going to learn so much and each academy has its own culture and advantages. In a very warped way, I wish I was going through it again. From ambivalence to enthusiasm and excitement that led to such pride is an interesting and fun transition.</p>