<p>Two valuable resources, so I am told, are</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ratemyprofessors.com%5B/url%5D">www.ratemyprofessors.com</a> </p>
<p>and</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rateyourprofessor.com%5B/url%5D">www.rateyourprofessor.com</a></p>
<p>Candidatemom</p>
<p>Just imagine alumni from ANY university, who graduated not last year, or even five years ago, but more than a decade earlier, advising prospective students on admissions policies and curriculum/student life of their alma mater. Would these people be a reliable source of information? ABSOLUTELY NOT!</p>
<p>Granted, some graduates may be formally affiliated with an institution, thus providing information to prospective students at college fairs and similar gatherings. Blue and Gold officers for USNA, and their counterparts at other service academies, provide these invaluable services. They undergo standardized orientation and communicate directly with service academies. No reminiscing, speculation, or downright WRONG intel from service academy liaisons. Most are professional and extremely helpful. Bless them for selflessly providing information and opportunities to interested high school students and candidates.</p>
<p>
[quote]
USNA85 Thanks for the info on the major. We have suggested maybe Poli Sci for a minor, he is thinking English to go with the Div II major. You see the importance of Engineering/technology with a Humanities major, we think the Science/Engineering needs a Humanities/Social Sciences side
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Agree. I saw a lot of functional illiterates majoring in engineering and science. As my husband (an engineering major) says, if you can't express yourself in writing, it doesn't really matter how technically gifted you are. I'm sure there are some exceptions -- but not too many.</p>
<p>My son wants to major in aeronautical engineering (following dad) and/or mathematics (didn't get it from my side of the family, that's for sure!).</p>
<p>
[quote]
Just imagine alumni from ANY university, who graduated not last year, or even five years ago, but more than a decade earlier, advising prospective students on admissions policies and curriculum/student life of their alma mater. Would these people be a reliable source of information? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Lady, I'm staying here, so stop whining. I've forgotten more about what USNA is than you will ever know.</p>
<p>The fact is that few alumni from ANY other university give enough of a damn about their alma maters to spend any time trying to help kids wanting to go there now. Count your blessings (if you believe in that sort of thing, of course).</p>
<p>Why would you take this statement personally? No names were mentioned.</p>
<p>I'd like to state my agreement with one of the original posters. Parents can be a great resource, but when they start using these threads as conversation forums ("My Mid...", etc.) that have little to do with the topic at hand it compromises their value.</p>
<p>Take the thread on "Alone Time" at USNA. I too would like to know more about the daily routine of Mids, but the thing has been hijacked by parents who write about the construction of VA hospitals nearby. There might be useful information on the thread, but I don't have the patience to wade through 8+ pages of drivel to find out.</p>
<p>The other problem I have with it is that it sends the wrong message about parents of Mids. Forums for the elite schools are mostly student-run affairs, but here parents have a HUGE presence. It makes it seem like candidates need to have their hands held during the admissions process, which I don't think is accurate.</p>
<p>
[quote]
As my husband (an engineering major) says, if you can't express yourself in writing, it doesn't really matter how technically gifted you are.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Exceedingly true. It's amazing how many technically gifted people I've run across in my industry who cannot compose a decent sentence. It's a real issue because in my industry (Medical Devices/Pharmaceuticals) everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, hinges upon the documentation produced during R&D projects and manufacturing runs. </p>
<p>I am endebted to the Navy for my ability to write, simply because in my roles as a Divo in general and an ADMINO in particular, I had to write a lot of procedures, reports, memos, POD's, newspaper articles, and radio messages, all of which had to be clear, concise, and easy to read. I had five years of daily and intense practice, and it has helped me to no end ever since.</p>
<p>I will acknowledge that I'm one of those who looks a bit down on Group III majors, but what USNA1985 is saying about writing ability is spot-on.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Why would you take this statement personally? No names were mentioned.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>LOL. Yeah. OK. :rolleyes:</p>
<p><zaphod snickers="" in="" amusement...=""></zaphod></p>
<p>On the contrary, most elite universities have strong alumni associations,i.e., Stanford, Ivy League schools, Northwestern, etc., evidenced by their generous endowments, and the alumni play much the same role as Blue and Gold officers at USNA and their counterparts at the other service academies.</p>
<p>Candidate-</p>
<p>Don't like the military/vets who served before you to guarantee you this "freedom of speech?" Tough. I'll talk with praise about my dad, brother, husband and anyone else's relative who served honorably in the military and deserve services . The fought for that freedom for me.</p>
<p>As far as the parents go, I've been in the military for more than 40 years now. I know just a little bit (not much about Navy, but ask me @ USAF, Army), and it has happened to benefit some.</p>
<p>You don't like wading? Learn to swim.</p>
<p>Candidate A:
Great post. Very valid comments. As a veteran, I saw nothing in your post to indicate that you did not appreciate my service. However, for the hovering helo parents who have been "in" the military, they seem to have fragile egos.</p>
<p>USNA69-</p>
<p>I'm a little tougher than you think. :D</p>
<p>I’m always here Bill. LOL Yeah, this thread of Loonie’s is a throwback to 18 months ago as Bill said. All the kids were trying to kick us out of the forum because they were claiming turf. That’s when the Service Academy Parents forum was set up. They hated it that we were talking about their underwear. Mine was one of them & said so. </p>
<p>Hey you kids: No ditching the parents. Look into the future & see where your boodle boxes come from. We love ya! And Loonie, you’re not a “turd”. Its just that no one got your humor in that one little instance. We still claim you as “our” academy kid.</p>
<p>Yeah, Loonie, the whole image of you facing the firing squad of Moms was really funny. :) We are a bit much at times, aren't we? Still, our forum is generally a nice community of concerned and friendly people. We're mostly harmless.</p>
<p>Well, moms plus Zaphod.</p>
<p>Sooooo.... If the Service Academy Parents area was set up in response to this problem before, why aren't the parents staying there. Read the posts in support of my original post. They are from the kids. Also, see the point about the other top pick schools's forums. Question from kids, to kids, which is what this forums seems to be made for. I am not saying I have anything against the parents talking to each other. I have a problem with the ones who hijack and post on EVERY thread.</p>
<p>And...... In response to my having less than 10 posts, perhaps I choose a little more wisely when I post, instead of blathering on about anythig that I can think of.</p>
<p>On a final note, I really do appreciate the parental input, from my own p's as well as all of the parents on here. I just wish you would keep it in one area so that it doesn't trample the whole board.</p>
<p>Here's the thing, sometime questions are asked that candidates can't answer because they haven't been to the Academy yet and current Midshipman don't really have the time to get on the board to answer. The parents, especially those who have upperclassman are able to fill the void. I can see where that might not be a problem on a board connected to a civilian college, but this is a unique situation.</p>
<p>My thoughts on this</p>
<p>Loonie does have a point here, but I think what he is trying to say is to keep the discussion on here relevant to USNA. I have found many of your posts extremely informative and very enlightening, however on a few posts every once and a while we do go off-topic. I'm sure no one wants the 'parents' to go away, as they are the only ones who stay from one generation to the next (2009-2010-2011, etc.), and can bring that knowledge to bear.</p>
<p>And as a little side note, you have no constitutional right to post on here because it is a private forum owned by the folks up at College Confidential who decide what we can and can't say, as they made us agree to in the Terms before registering :)</p>
<p>That was nurserypoo, not nurseypoo.</p>