<p>To all who were, are, or plan to be NAPSTERS could you please post your highschool stats and why you think you were not given a direct appointment. Also, please give an opinion on life at naps. Thanks.</p>
<p>For my son, the reason he's at NAPS is his SAT score. He had a 4.1 GPA and was 16th out of 285 in his high school. He "only" got a 1140 on his SAT and they were wanting at least a 1200.</p>
<p>I've been very impressed with NAPS and they way things are run. I think a lot of people (kids and parents) think it's going to be pretty slack. They think the kids get a uniform and get to march around a little bit and pretend they are in the Navy. WRONG!</p>
<p>The right attitude goes a long way....</p>
<p>Red Bear, my son's admission to and experience @ NAPS match yours. Great grades/sports/ECs, average-ish SATs, and the best Blue & Gold Officer EVER. I wouldn't say he's exactly enjoying NAPS, but he feels honored to be there. Physically, academically, and militarily, he's thriving.</p>
<p>USNAbound, I think my son expected to be an exception among prior enlisted and recruited athletes, but NAPS is diverse in the true sense of the word. I've visited twice, and I can almost hear an admissions board muttering, "That kid's interesting -- let's see if s/he want USNA (or USCGA) enough to put in an extra year." </p>
<p>Already, I'm impressed by my son's military knowledge, his increased interest in current events, and the speakers/experts NAPS has brought in to educate students on various specialization paths available in the military. The entire NAPS batallion traveled to USNA earlier this month, and my son said plebes told him again and again that NAPS plebes arrive w/ a great advantage. That advantage comes at a price, of course -- a year is a long time in a young life. But as Red Bear said, NAPS involves more than wearing a uniform and marching around, pretending to be in the Navy. And yes, attitude matters. Actually, attitude pretty much always matters, anywhere.</p>
<p>Good luck to you, USNAbound.</p>
<p>Our son was a foundation-sponsored candidate, and I can only echo the sentiments listed above. The question we asked him when the offer was first put on the table was "How bad do you want this...enough to invest one year of your life?" </p>
<p>The foundation year flew by- and he was all the better for it. More mature, over the homesickness, stonger mentally and physically, athletically and academically.....a win-win, no doubt about it. And lots of new friends from that experience that have stuck with him during this plebe year.</p>
<p>Attitude is key. Make your mind up to keep your eye on the goal, and the rest will come.<br>
Best of luck!</p>