<p>So I have an appointment to the Merchant Marine Academy, and a NROTC Scholarship to Northwestern University. </p>
<p>I know at the end of my four years I want to be a Naval or Marine Officer. I can do that at both places (switch to Marine Option if I want after Freshman year at NROTC). I originally had my heart set on the Naval Academy, but I have not heard a word from them, and so one would think I would still want that military lifestyle so USMMA would be the right choice. </p>
<p>I know USMMA is hands on and Northwestern will be more theoretical. I get paid by the Navy if I go to Northwestern. I don't get sea year. I do get a normal college experience (yay for Halo 2), not so much at USMMA. I get more sleep at Northwestern, but I don't get the pride knowing I am at an academy. And I can probably get a higher paying job from USMMA after my military career than if I went Northwestern...</p>
<p>I am looking for input. Yes, it is my life, but I am just looking for points to be brought up not personal reasons...if that makes sense.</p>
<p>I would go with what feels right to you.......I have an appointment to USMMA and West Point, but the Naval Academy is what feels right to me. I got into the Naval Academy Foundation, so I'm doing that...so the next year all be at the Naval Academy. It just depends on what you want. I have very attractive civilian schools also, but thats not what I want. Also what do you want to major in? Because as I bet you know majors at KP are very limited. And it is also going to depend on what you want to do in the Navy, if you want to fly, but have bad eyes it is extremely hard to get PRK at USMMA, thats part of the reason I'm not going there, with NROTC you have more time to get your eyes fixed. But you cant find a better deal then the academies. I would really think about majors, because majoring in something you dont like will be extremely hard for four years at a very demanding school.</p>
<p>just my opinion: You certainly can get a good paying job after the USMMA, you will also have a choice to go reserve USN , my father met several active duty officers from the USMMA during his career, you could also get a government service job over seas that's where the good money is. I received correspondence from Northwestern and I'm not 100% sure but while in NROTC you might get in some summer sea duty. However you would probably be equally marketable graduating with an engineering degree from either school. Providing you stay focused. (Halo2 by the way do you play online?) Good Luck</p>
<p>A service academy diploma deffinitey holds more sway then a NROTC diploma and is more prestegious which will come in handy should you want to get into a good graduate school. If your worried about missing out on the civillian college experience don't forget that you can always go to grad school. You only get one shot at the academy lifestyle.</p>
<p>However, I know if I go NROTC I will have more spare time, more time to work out.</p>
<p>But I don't know about the education. If I go USMMA it will be very hands on and very direct, less theoretical. At Northwestern University the mechanical engineering major I probably would major in will be more theoretical. And I know I am a hands on kind of guy.</p>
<p>Go with USMMA, without a doubt. The benefits that come with an academy education, even if it's not your first choice Naval Academy, far outweighs the benefits of going to Northwestern. The lifestyle will be totally different. You will not have the rank and file life that comes from 24/7 training at the USMMA. Northwestern is a great school, but if your major is anything engineering that USMMA is simply a no-brainer. I think that you are just undecided because you know that USMMA isn't REALLY what you were hoping for, and that's fine. It won't be exactly what you were expecting, but it's the best advice I can give.</p>
<p>There is ONE disadvantage I see, and that is if you accept your appointment to the USMMA, you will essentially be given no chance to reapply to USNA next year, should you desire to do so. If you are already at a service academy, no congressmen will nominate you to go to another after one year. It is a waste of taxpayer money. If you did NROTC and decided you wanted to go USNA, you could secure a nomination from your ROTC executive officer and have a much greater chance of getting in.</p>
<p>That is my two cents, good luck with your decision. By the way, I though about applying to the USMMA academy, but I decided that is not really what I wanted, I wanted a military college, hands down, and since engineering is not really my academic interest, it wasn;t wise for me to do so. But from what I heard it is not only an awsome school but offers very high paying jobs should you elect not to go active duty military.</p>
<p>USMMA is a military institution hands down, furthermore, graduates can be comissioned as active duty officers in either the navy, coast guard, or merchant marine. Engineering is the primary focus of all the service academies too, not just USMMA.</p>
<p>oh, I fully agree that USMMA is a military institution, without a doubt. I personally just prefer one of the federal service academies that commissions you into a specific branch, such as USCGA, USMA, USNA, USAFA. branch specific that pay you a monthly stipend.</p>
<p>USMMA has some huge advantages, including the opportunity for commissioning into any service branch. It's also smaller, and has more opportunites for hands-on training. And yes, all of the federal service academies do have a focus on engineering, but it is not a basis for admissions (unless you tell them) and is not required. You don't even declare a major until the end of 3rd class year. I am in no way trying to diminish the USMMA, I advised Davy to accept his appointment to USMMA!</p>
<p>I have not "officially" heard anything from USCGA yet, but I went for an interview on Feb. 11 they told me I was in, they just were waiting to send out the new notices. And yes, right now CG is my first choice. And yes, I did post some on the 2009 website. Is CG your first choice? That's pretty cool that you would recognize the name though.</p>
<p>I am also considering the Naval Academy. My only concern is that I don't think I am competitive enough. Unlike CG, which requires no nominations, My district is one of the most competitive in the country for appointments to the Naval Academy, I do have the nom. though.</p>
<p>Yeah I did not end up getting a nomination to USNA. You may be right in saying I don't know if I want USMMA because it was not what I really wanted. And is probably why I am hesitating to say yes when I can go NROTC and have a normal college life instead.</p>
<p>Do you want a normal college Life? If you wanted to go to Annapolis, the regimental lifestyle you would have had there will be very similar to USMMA. I don't know, it's really hard to judge what's right for you, because you wanted to have the full time midshipmen lifestyle, but at the same time you are looking for a normal college life. If you are looking at a 20+ year career in the navy, USMMA is better for you, hands down. If a "normal" college life is what you want, than going to the Naval Academy wouldn't have been right for you to begin with.</p>
<p>Just decide what's more important to, and the decision will be easy. Were it me, I would take USMMA academy without question.</p>
<p>Personally, I would go to Northwestern. I think it gives you more options. It is a top25 school, you would have the same commission coming out with a NROTC scholarship and you could apply to USNA next year if you were compelled to do that. I know that it's not a military academy, but if you aren't planning on a full career in the Navy, Coast Guard or MM, then it doesn't have the same door-opening power that the USNA OR Northwestern has. Anyway, that's just my 2 cents. :)
Good luck with your decision.
NAPS05mom</p>