<p>Aspen - perfect summation of the issue.</p>
<p>This is not a problem only at the military academies. The Dean of Admissions of my alma mater, Dartmouth, sent a letter to the dean of admissions at Swarthmore applauding Swarthmore's elimination of football. Somehow the letter was released and some alumni at Dartmouth began a campaign to have the Dean fired.</p>
<p>The appointment process is not perfect. Any reasonable person would admit that. Should an athlete with lower WCS be admitted over one that has a higher score? Probably not. But using that rationale, why not just use the SAT as an indicator? Highest to lowest with no consideration for anything else. That would probably lead to a lot of eggheads that are not necessarily good leaders.</p>
<p>Every person that complains of some other person being admitted inequitably [race being a prime example] probably does not appreciate the factor that is being used to include [or exclude] that person. This argument is made all the time regarding admissions, i.e. why should race be considered in law school admissions. The answer is that race should be considered just as any other factor should be considered. Some applicants have legacy advantages, some have higher aptitude scores, some have better extra-curriculars, etc. etc. etc. Admissions counselors have a tough decision to make. </p>
<p>The military has determined, for whatever reasons that only government employees can appreciate, that athletes fit the mold. I am not an athlete, but my academic scores and other activities certainly meet the "intellectual" needs of the service academies. The academies need warriors, they need planners, and they need thinkers. Most of all, they need leaders.</p>
<p>Wow,
I'm proud my measly little post spurned such a beast of a thread :)</p>
<p>Well, I found out who my MALO was after a quick email to my Regional Officer, whose become QUITE the little worker bee after my medical waiver went through (hopefully he'll be working that hard to get me in lol). </p>
<p>I think the whole thing with West Point is that you really gotta be worker bee and make sure your regional commander/malo knows who you are. I know I used to think I was annoying him, but when he goes to pitch my app at the admissions board, he'll probably remember me better than most.</p>
<p>Now I'm just worried my ACT score (29) isn't high enough...</p>